{"id":104855,"date":"2026-02-18T11:23:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=104855"},"modified":"2026-02-18T11:23:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:23:05","slug":"nhra-and-its-teams-racing-to-the-season-starter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/nhra-and-its-teams-racing-to-the-season-starter\/","title":{"rendered":"NHRA and Its Teams Racing to the Season Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
The 57th Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals mark the start of NHRA\u2019s 75th season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With less than three weeks before the start of NHRA\u2019s 75th anniversary Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season of 20 races, teams are packing up and heading to Gainesville Raceway to test their wares before the serious business of gaining No. 1 qualifiers, winning races, winning races within races and earning championships begins in earnest.<\/p>\n

Both the series itself and its combatants are looking to find ways to celebrate NHRA\u2019s 75 years of racing and to find ways to elevate both the Mission Foods series and their ability to compete at the highest level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rick Ware Racing is a case in point: with two Top Fuel racers who have been to the sport\u2019s mountaintop and want to return, the team is fortifying its crew by bringing Jon Oberhofer into the fold. Jon\u2019s big brother Jim O has been Clay Millican\u2019s crew chief the past few seasons and, when team owner Rick Ware brought eight-time Top Fuel titleholder Tony Schumacher into the team, moved to that side of the pits to help get Schumacher acclimated.<\/p>\n

This year, he\u2019ll be joined by younger brother Jon, who had been sharing crew chief duties with Todd Smith on J.R. Todd\u2019s Funny Car. Jon Oberhofer will be working with Millican and both brothers will have the ultimate co-crew chief to assist them: Nicky Boninfante. This is a shrewd move by Ware, to bring Jon O to his team and deprive his former employer, Kalitta Racing of his talents. Both Oberhofer brothers came into the sport with legend Connie Kalitta\u2019s team and both worked with Scott Kalitta before that star\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jon Oberhofer, Jim Oberhofer and Nicky Boninfante are working together at Rick Ware Racing in 2026 – Rick Ware Racing photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Oberhofer brothers were cores in the Kalitta camp, with Jon O working as a cylinder head specialist with Scott Kalitta, then co-crew chief for David Grubnic and Doug Kalitta before moving to the Funny Car side and Jeff Arend, Del Worsham and Todd. Jon O was part of Scott Kalitta\u2019s two championships, earning two Funny Car titles with Worsham (2015) and Todd in 2018. Todd earned race wins at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 2017 and 2018 with Jon Oberhofer at the helm.<\/p>\n

Jim Oberhofer had been Millican\u2019s crew chief since 2022, staying on when Ware bought the team a year later. Jim O and Millican have since recorded five Top Fuel event wins – including the 2024 U.S. Nationals. He started in the trade as a parts washer at Kalitta Motorsports and rose through the ranks, serving as crew chief for Scott Kalitta, Hillary Will and Doug Kalitta, even as he served as the team\u2019s general manager from 2000-2017!<\/p>\n

Nicky Boninfante\u2019s love of drag racing began in the grandstands before he began work with Kalitta Motorsports. \u201cAfter being around this sport as long as I have,\u201d Boninfante stated, \u201cyou recognize when a group fits. There\u2019s respect here. Nobody guards information and nobody panics when things don\u2019t go perfectly. That lets you make smarter decisions, and over a long season that usually shows up on the scoreboard,\u201d he said. Boninfante will begin his third season with Rick Ware Racing at the 57th Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kalitta Motorsports, basking in Doug Kalitta\u2019s second Top Fuel championship in the past three seasons is also celebrating its 25th anniversary season with Mac Tools, Kalitta\u2019s primary backer. While the team\u2019s familiar red and white color scheme continues this season, there will be subtle markers on the wrap to celebrate these 25 seasons of partnership. J.R. Todd\u2019s GR Supra Funny Car is continuing its partnership with DHL after around two decades of sponsorship, the sponsor having signs a multi-year extension with the team. DHL has partnered with Kalitta to achieve Funny Car titles with Todd in 2018 and Del Worsham in 2015. Dickie Venables and Todd Smith continue to turn the knobs for Todd.<\/p>\n

Torrence Racing is returning for a full season of Top Fuel competition with Billy Torrence in the driver\u2019s seat of their dragster. Steve Torrence, the four-time consecutive Top Fuel titleholder is focusing on the family\u2019s business, they said. Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr continue as crew chiefs on this team, which has little change from the 2025 season – aside from the driver, that is.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Billy Torrence takes over the driving chores for Torrence Racing in 2026 – Anne proffit photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In drag racing, numbers tell all of the stories, from reaction times at the hit to lap times, it\u2019s all about the numbers. In NHRA\u2019s diamond 75th anniversary year, the focus will turn to Funny Car when the tour hits its third – of 20 – events on the tour. During the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Funny Car will conduct its 1,000th race; the class made its first appearance 1966 World Finals in Tulsa, with Eddie Schartman earning the first Flopper Wally trophy. The season-opening Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals will be the tour\u2019s 998th appearance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first Funny Car win to the 900th:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 1. Eddie Schartman, 1966 Tulsa, World Finals<\/li>\n
  • 100. Tripp Shumake, 1981 Atlanta<\/li>\n
  • 200. Bruce Larson, 1989 Winternationals<\/li>\n
  • 300. John Force, 1994 Topeka<\/li>\n
  • 400. Tim Wilkerson, 1999 Chicago<\/li>\n
  • 500. Wilkerson, 2003 U.S. Nationals in Indy<\/li>\n
  • 600. Jack Beckman, 2008 Phoenix<\/li>\n
  • 700. Johnny Gray, 2012 Englishtown<\/li>\n
  • 800. Force, 2016 Denver<\/li>\n
  • 900. Cruz Pedregon, 2021 Norwalk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Unfortunately, it isn\u2019t always possible to make it to each race, and even if fans can go to an event, they might miss a nuance or 20 as the race progresses. For that reason, it\u2019s always good to know how to find a broadcast of these 20 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series contests on FOX Sports. All 20 races will air on either FOX or FS1, together with the FOX One app. Due to the historic nature of this year\u2019s schedule, FOX has agreed to start the year properly, including live eliminations on Sunday, March 8 from noon to 3PM on FS1. That same network will show the Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout will show live at 4PM on Saturday, march 7 on FS1.<\/p>\n

    FOX will air at least five NHRA elimination shows and there are several TBD dates that the free-to-air channel could pick up, depending on its other scheduling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
     <\/p>\n

    2026 NHRA on FOX Sports Television Schedule (all times Eastern)<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    March 7<\/td>\nRight Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout<\/td>\nGainesville<\/td>\n4 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    March 8<\/td>\nAmalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals<\/td>\nGainesville<\/td>\n12 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    March 22<\/td>\nFMP NHRA Arizona Nationals<\/td>\nPhoenix<\/td>\n6:30 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    April 12<\/td>\nLucas Oil NHRA Winternationals<\/td>\nPomona<\/td>\n6:30 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    April 26<\/td>\nNHRA 4-Wide Nationals<\/td>\nCharlotte<\/td>\n7 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    May 3<\/td>\nNHRA Southern Nationals<\/td>\nSGMP<\/td>\n7 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    May 17<\/td>\nGerber Collison & Glass NHRA Nationals<\/td>\nChicago<\/td>\n5 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    May 31<\/td>\nNHRA Potomac Nationals<\/td>\nMIR<\/td>\n3 PM<\/td>\nFOX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    June 7<\/td>\nNHRA New England Nationals<\/td>\nEpping<\/td>\n3 PM<\/td>\nFOX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    June 14<\/td>\nSuper Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals<\/td>\nBristol<\/td>\n3 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    June 28<\/td>\nGETTRX NHRA Pro Stock All-Star Callout<\/td>\nNorwalk<\/td>\n11 AM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    June 28<\/td>\nSummit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals<\/td>\nNorwalk<\/td>\n7 PM<\/td>\nFOX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    July 18<\/td>\nSonoma Mission 2F2T Challenge<\/td>\nSonoma<\/td>\n9:30 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    July 18<\/td>\nGETTRX NHRA PSM All-Star Callout<\/td>\nSonoma<\/td>\n10:30 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    July 19<\/td>\nDenso NHRA Sonoma Nationals<\/td>\nSonoma<\/td>\n10 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    July 26<\/td>\nMuckleshoot Casino Resort Northwest Nationals<\/td>\nSeattle<\/td>\n4 PM<\/td>\nFOX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Aug. 23<\/td>\nNHRA Brainerd Nationals<\/td>\nBrainerd<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sept. 6<\/td>\nNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout<\/td>\nIndianapolis<\/td>\n7 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sept. 7<\/td>\nCornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals<\/td>\nIndianapolis<\/td>\n12 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sept. 7<\/td>\nCornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals<\/td>\nIndianapolis<\/td>\n2 PM<\/td>\nFOX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
    Countdown to the Championship Television Schedule<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Sept. 20<\/td>\nNHRA Great Lakes Nationals<\/td>\nMartin<\/td>\n2 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sept. 27<\/td>\nNHRA ANationals at The Rock<\/td>\nRockingham<\/td>\n3 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Oct. 4<\/td>\nNAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals<\/td>\nSt. Louis<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Oct. 18<\/td>\nTexas NHRA FallNationals<\/td>\nDallas<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Nov. 1<\/td>\nNHRA Nevada Nationals<\/td>\nLas Vegas<\/td>\n5 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Nov. 15<\/td>\nIn-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals<\/td>\nPomona<\/td>\n5 PM<\/td>\nFS1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    With less than three weeks before the start of NHRA\u2019s 75th anniversary Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season of 20 races, teams are packing up and heading to Gainesville Raceway to test their wares.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":104862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3465,3470,5029],"tags":[13102,12961,3476,1943,511,4732,11494,4730,9642,13101,7,12735,8613,11583,575,9273],"class_list":["post-104855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drag-racing","category-news","category-racing","tag-1000th-funny-car-race","tag-57th-amalie-motor-oil-gatornationals","tag-billy-torrence","tag-clay-millican","tag-doug-kalitta","tag-jim-oberhofer","tag-jon-oberhofer","tag-kalitta-motorsports","tag-lucas-oil-winternationals","tag-mission-food-drag-racing-series","tag-nhra","tag-nicky-boninfante","tag-rick-ware-racing","tag-right-trailers-all-star-top-fuel-callout","tag-tony-schumacher","tag-torrence-racing"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Jon-Oberhofer-left-Jim-Oberhofer-center-Nicky-Boninfante-right.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-rhd","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104855"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104884,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104855\/revisions\/104884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}