NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel racer Shawn Reed’s brutal accident during the third qualifying session at his home race, the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wash. less than three weeks ago was debilitating for the driver. In the third qualifying session, Reed’s dragster got loose as a tire failed and his rear wing separated from the car; he hit both walls and eventually came to a jarring halt.
The immediate result of this accident – among other injuries – was the loss of his left index finger. Most assumed he’d recuperate during the balance of the season and maybe come back in 2026? Not so fast; this is a racer we’re talking about! “We didn’t run Sonoma (the race immediately following the Northwest Nationals) for obvious reasons, but I intend to be race-ready and back behind the wheel by Reading, for the first race of the Countdown,” Reed declared. “I have a pin in my thumb that will comet later this month, and have been in regular contact with Josh Peterson (NHRA VP of Racing Administration) and feel confident I will be able to pass all of NHRA’s required medical clearances and be reinstated in time to run all six Countdown races.”
There were a number of options available to Reed as he contemplated an interim driver or two. For Brainerd next week, Reed chose Jordan Vandergeiff, 29, to pilot his 12,000-horsepower dragster at the penultimate race before the Countdown kicks in; he’s expected to name a U.S. Nationals replacement at a later date, confirming he intends to hold off returning to competition until after the regular season is done. Vandergriff, currently a member of the NHRA of FOX broadcast team, has competed in 11 Top Fuel events over the years, and has a 2019 runner-up result from the Dallas Motorplex’s FallNationals.
In addition to his Top Fuel career, Vandergiff gained some notoriety for his stints on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise television shows. He and Reed were teammates when they were racing for Bob Vandergriff Racing. “We have remained great friends ever since,” Vandergriff acknowledged. “I am extremely excited for this opportunity; this is a quick, consistent and fast race car that can run with anyone on any given day.
“I have been out of the seat for over five years,” Vandergriff reminded, “and I have been hungry every day since. That fire has kept me up at night and pushed me harder in everything I do. Now it is my job to compete and I am ready!” Vandergriff’s license is current; having made several runs over the past year, he will not have to complete a licensing run prior to his first qualifying attempt next Friday in the Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster at Brainerd.
A 20-year powerboat racer – and five-time drag boat champion – now aligned with Antron Brown’s AB Motorsports in NHRA competition, Reed is in his second full season of Top Fuel; his dragster is tuned by the estimable Rob Wendland; he’s hoping to keep his team and his car within the top 10 in points, where he currently holds tenth place, prior to the start of the Countdown to the Championship.
The Countdown begins in Reading two weeks after the 71st Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, traditionally held on Labor Day weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. As the penultimate “regular season” race takes place next weekend at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, Reed knows his hold on that precarious tenth place could get challenged. He has 422 points and his closest follower, Ida Zetterstrom lags by 148 points with Jasmine Salinas just three points behind her.
The Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals offers points-and-a-half for the Mission Foods competitors; missing Brainerd and Indy could be quite costly for Reed, as Zetterstrom’s schedule was adjusted to include Brainerd, where she began her U.S. competition last season after securing the FIA’s European dragster championship the prior season. She is also racing at Indy, where she competed in 2024, her second U.S. race. Jon Schaffer remains the crew chief for Zetterstrom’s JCM Racing dragster.
Salinas is returning to competition at Indy after sitting out much of the regular season due to financial issues. Salinas last competed in the Las Vegas four-wide race in April and went to the final round of competition in that contest, with the help of her father Mike’s crew chief Rob Flynn. When the car was parked, Flynn later joined RWR Racing, where he’s crew chief for another returnee, eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. Schumacher is returning at Indy. The Scrappers Racing team tabbed Joe Barlam as crew chief, with longtime Scrappers Racing team member Adam Cave as assistant crew chief.
These are real challenges and challengers to Shawn Reed’s 10th place standing and, while vigorously working through the physical therapy necessary to return for the 40th annual Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish, Reed knew he needed a capable hand to take over his seat prior to his return. NHRA’s policy is to allow an injured racer an eight-race substitute; Reed needed someone for two events, albeit both of them with great importance to Reed, as well as his challengers.
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