J.R. Todd and DHL Toyota Funny Car Racing for Another Sonoma Win and History

Sonoma, CA – Sonoma Raceway is one of the tracks that 2018 Funny Car world champion J.R. Todd loves to get behind the wheel of his DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car and blast to the finish line. In his first season driving these 11,000-horsepower race cars he drove to the winner’s circle in 2017. It was a unique back-to-back win for the driver who started his career racing motor bikes before switching to junior dragsters. The previous season Todd captured the Top Fuel title at the Sonoma Nationals making this one of the hanfful of tracks where Todd has dominated both the nitro categories.

“Getting that first Funny Car win at Sonoma was pretty special,” said Todd. “I was just getting comfortable in the Funny Car and we got that win. It gave me a lot of confidence. We went on to win the U.S. Nationals that year and then the championship the next year. That success all really started for me at Sonoma.”

The Top Fuel title in 2016 was Todd’s second Top Fuel victory at the Sonoma Nationals making him one of only seven Top Fuel races with multiple wins in northern California wine country. His teammate Doug Kalitta is the winningest Top Fuel driver with five wins. Another Funny Car win would make Todd the only multiple time double category nitro winner in the history of the track.
“This track is amazing and when the conditions are right you can make some monster runs here,” said Todd, a ten-time Funny Car national event winner. “This Friday night could be one of those nights where you are going to want to be in the grandstands. There are so many good Funny Cars racing this season anyone one of them could run low or win the race. I know this DHL Toyota Funny Car team is ready to get a win this season.”

Over the past four races Todd and the DHL team have raced to two semifinal finishes and a quarterfinal finish last weekend at the Mile-High Nationals to start the Western Swing. They are sitting in seventh place in the point standings just two rounds out of sixth and less than three rounds out of fifth.

“We would love to move up a couple spots in the points and hopefully go into the playoffs in fifth place or higher,” said Todd. “Those last six races anyone has a shot at the championship. The best time for us to start making that move is this weekend and I feel good about our chances.”

2021 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 12, Beat John Force; Lost to Robert Hight

Last Event Recap 2022 Mile-High Nationals: Qual 6; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to John Force

Career Stats: 265 events, 257 starts, 290 round wins, 19 wins, 40 finals, 14 No. 1 qualifiers; In Funny Car: 113 events, 113 starts, 10 wins, 20 finals, 142 round wins, 5 No. 1 qualifiers

2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual 8; Beat Bobby Bode; Lost to Ron Capps
Arizona Nationals: Qual 8; Lost to Alexis DeJoria
Gatornationals: Qual 11; Lost to Blake Alexander
Las Vegas1: Qual 9; Beat Tim Wilkerson and Jason Rupert; Lost to Ron Capps and Matt Hagan
Houston: Qual 13; Beat Bob Tasca III, Jim Campbell; Lost to Matt Hagan
Charlotte1: Qual 6; Beat Dale Creasy Jr, Chad Green; Lost to Ron Capps, Mike McIntire
Richmond: Qual 5; Lost to John Force
Epping: Qual 10; Beat Blake Alexander, Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Bristol: Qual 11; Lost to Cruz Pedregon
Norwalk: Qual 7; Beat Blake Alexander, John Force; Lost to Robert Hight
Denver: Qual 6; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to John Force