Jim Head Racing
SPENCER HYDE EXPERIENCES HIGHS AND LOWS ON RACEDAY IN BRAINERD
BRAINERD, MN – In drag racing, you can win or lose a race on the starting line, and the Canadian driver for Head Racing and Hyde 
Construction, Spencer Hyde, proved that this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. As the current leader in the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year contest, Hyde has been putting a lot of emphasis on improving and maintaining consistency with his reaction times. This paid off with an early first round win against Alexis DeJoria but ultimately cost him in the quarterfinals against Chad Green.
“Alexis has a great team. Zippy [Mike Neff] knows what he is doing, he’s been out here a long time, and he knows how to make that hotrod go fast,” said Hyde, at the top end after his holeshot first round win. “But Jim [Head] and Dave [Leahy] and the boys gave me a good car and I can finally say that the driver did his job and left on time and got us a round win there. We’ll take that, build on it and hopefully get it done again.”
Ahead of race day, Hyde’s best pass at the Brainerd drag strip came during the second round of qualifying, with a 3.942 second, 302.62 mph run. In a highly competitive field, this was enough to put him in the No. 11 spot on race day. His first-round matchup was against No. 6 qualifier Alexis DeJoria. This was the second race in a row where these two lined up against each other in the first round. Hyde left on DeJoria, winning the race on a holeshot, his first in competition.
“We got a nice win in the first round,” said Hyde. “I have a great race car and Jim has previously run very well here. I am getting comfortable in this Head Inc. and Hyde Construction Funny Car and this is a good time of the season to start building your confidence.”
In the second round, Hyde faced Chad Green, who was still riding the high of beating his son, Hunter Green in round one. Green was off the starting line first, and despite Hyde having the quicker and faster car, Hyde fell to Green’s holeshot win.
“My reaction time for that round was pretty consistent with what I had been doing all weekend,” said Hyde. “I am tough on myself, but I am also working hard to continue to improve. It is a process, and I think we are moving in the right direction.”
With one race left in the regular Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Hyde will stay No. 8 in points. Less than 150 points separates him from the upper half of the Top 10, and with the opportunity to earn points and a half at the U.S. Nationals, Hyde has the chance to put himself in a very strong position at the start of the Countdown.
“We have a little bit of a break before the U.S. Nationals,” said Hyde. “This weekend I learned a lot since we had some cooler conditions yesterday and today. I think we will be tough in Indy and beyond.”
Hyde and the Head Racing team will be back in competition in two weeks at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on August 27-September 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. There will be one qualifying session on Friday, August 29, two qualifying sessions on Saturday, August 30 and two more qualifying sessions on Sunday, August 31. For tickets or more information on the NHRA U.S. Nationals visit nhra.com.
Qualifying Results
Q1: 5.926 sec, 115.39 mph; Qual. 14
Q2: 3.942 sec, 302.62 mph; Qual. 7
Q3: 9.925 sec, 78.38 mph; Qual. 9
Q4: 4.461 sec, 194.63 mph; Qual. 11
Bonus Points: 0
Race Results
First Round
Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Inc. Hyde Construction Funny Car, (.074), 3.904 sec, 327.51 mph def. Alexis DeJoria, Los Angeles, Calif., Bandero Café Funny Car, (.103), 3.878 sec, 331.77 mph
Second Round
Chad Green, Midland, Tex., Bond Coat Ford Mustang, (.039), 3.979 sec, 309.34 mph def. Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Inc. Hyde Construction Funny Car, (.099), 3.942 sec, 323.19 mph
Spencer Hyde and the Head Inc Hyde Construction Funny Car raced to the quarterfinals today at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts
HULL AND JIM DUNN RACING BRING MENARDS LIVERY INTO BRAINERD AT STORE AND ON THE TRACK CELEBRATING DUNN’S 75 YEARS
LONG BEACH, CA – NHRA Funny Car driver Buddy Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team are gearing up for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at 
Brainerd International Raceway, August 14-17, with a bold new look and plenty of fan engagement. The 75th anniversary Jim Dunn Racing 12,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car will sport a striking yellow and black Menards livery for the weekend, celebrating a longstanding partnership between Menards and Jim Dunn Racing that spans more than a dozen years.
As part of the race week festivities, Hall of Famer Jim Dunn and Hull will make a special appearance at a local Menards store on Thursday, August 14 from 6-7:30 p.m., meeting fans, signing autographs and showcasing the team’s connection with the well-known home improvement retailer. Menards operates 351 stores across 15 Midwestern states, serving millions of customers with the same hometown pride it brings to the drag strip.
“This Menards car looks amazing, and I’m honored to represent a brand that has been such a loyal supporter of Jim Dunn Racing,” said Hull. “We’re going to Brainerd with a lot to prove, and I’m ready to fight for every round. The fans up here are some of the best in the NHRA, and I can’t wait to see them both at the track and at the Menards appearance on Thursday.” Continue reading
HYDE ADVANCES TO SECOND FINAL IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON AT SONOMA
SONOMA, CA – It was a quick and consistent weekend for Spencer Hyde, the Canadian driver for Head Racing. He added his second final 
round and highest ever qualifying position to his already stacked NHRA Rookie of the Year resume at the Denso Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. In addition to the final round and No. 2 qualifier, Hyde also set a new personal best for speed and accrued bonus points during qualifying.
“We had one of the greatest weekends that we could’ve had,” said Hyde. “We made seven really good runs, the most of any other Funny Car out here. We were quickest ET in the second round and Q4, and only smoked the tires once. That’s really awesome.”
During qualifying, all four of Hyde’s runs were strong passes, with his best run coming during the second round of qualifying, a 3.865 second, 333.58 mph pass. This run was a new personal best for speed, and is what pushed him to No. 2 qualifier, the highest he has ever qualified for race day. Hyde’s runs during the second and third rounds of qualifying were the second quickest of the round, earning him two bonus points each. During the fourth and final round of qualifying his 3.882 second, 327.98 mph pass was the quickest of the round, the only pass made in the 3.8’s and earned him three bonus points. His seven bonus points total was the most of any other Funny Car team this weekend. Continue reading
HYDE ADVANCES TO THIRD SEMIFINAL OF ROOKIE SEASON IN SEATTLE
SEATTLE – Spencer Hyde, the young Canadian driver for Head Racing, continued to prove why he is the lead contender for NHRA Rookie of 
the Year at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals this weekend, when he advanced to his third semifinal round of competition. Hyde bested tricky opponents Paul Lee and points leader Austin Prock to cement himself in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge next weekend at the Sonoma Nationals.
“This was a solid weekend even though we didn’t get the win,” said Hyde. “Getting to the semifinals was big. We are back in the Mission Foods Challenge for Sonoma. I felt really good in the car all weekend.”
Each pass that Hyde made throughout qualifying he improved his speed and elapsed time, with his best pass coming during the final round, a 3.958 second, 320.81 mph run. This pass was enough to put him on the top half of the ladder at No. 8, with Paul Lee landing as his first opponent during eliminations. He was able to get around Lee before facing off against Austin Prock in the second round. Hyde knew that he would need to bring it against the reigning world champion, so he channeled a 3.910 second, 329.02 mph pass that was enough to turn on a win light. Continue reading
SPENCER HYDE HAS SWEET WEEKEND IN NORWALK
NORWALK, OH – Some race weekends are about more than just wins. For standout rookie Spencer Hyde, the Summit Racing Equipment 
NHRA Nationals was all about honoring Jack Hyde, the family member who got him into drag racing as a child. His special Jack and the Green Stock livery was a replica of the stock car that Jack, now 83 years old, drove in the 60s and 70s. The entire weekend, Hyde was surrounded by friends and family at Summit Equipment Motorsports Park, the facility he considers his American home track.
“I have to thank Jim [Head] for letting us race the Jack and the Green Stock Funny Car,” said Hyde. “It was cool to have so many friends and family members at the track, especially Jack. Seeing the car on the track was so cool. This will be a memory I don’t think I will ever forget.”
For the second weekend in a row, teams dealt with extremely high temperatures that made track conditions and general comfort difficult. Despite this, Hyde made a solid run right out of the gate during Q1 on Friday, a 4.005 second, 314.97 mph pass, the third quickest of the round, earning him one bonus point. That run stuck as his best pass of qualifying, earning him the No. 9 qualifying position and a round one matchup against Daniel Wilkerson. Wilkerson was first off the starting line, and Hyde was not able to catch up. Continue reading
Spencer Hyde to Race Specialty Themed Funny Car at Norwalk
CLEVELAND – Funny Car rookie Spencer Hyde started his drag racing career in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, racing junior dragsters 
at his local track. As a young boy he was influenced by his grandfather’s cousin Jack Hyde who took on a grandfatherly role in his life. The elder Hyde was also a drag racer, campaigning a green stocker, named Jack and the Green Stock, a play off the English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, in the 1960s and 1970s. This weekend for the second time in his career Hyde will race a Jack and the Green Stock themed race car at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 26-29, to honor his now 83-year-old family member who was a major influence on him as a young boy in Canada.
“I grew up a mile down the road from Jack and when I was a kid, I used to go down to his place and help him cut grass,” said Hyde, the front-runner for NHRA Rookie of the Year. “He was a farmer so as I got older, I’d help him take crops off, combine and run the buggy for him, and then I’d go racing with him.” Continue reading
SPENCER HYDE BURNS THROUGH VIRGINIA
PETERSBURG, VA – A mark of a fantastic driver is when they can appreciate a great race, even if they weren’t the competitor who came out 
on top. For Spencer Hyde, the Canadian driver for Head Racing and the leading NHRA Rookie of the Year candidate, that was the case today at the American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. Hyde and Bob Tasca III executed an exciting side-by-side drag race, that unfortunately Tasca III got the best of.
“That was just a really close drag race,” said Hyde. “I could hear him beside me but I couldn’t see him until after the finish line. He shot past me and then dropped his parachutes. I saw his win light and knew it had to be a really close race.”
This weekend was Hyde’s first time experiencing the unique two-day format presented at the Virginia Nationals. Three qualifying runs on Saturday allowed teams to encounter similar conditions that they will face on race day. Every race team on the property battled high temperatures that tested their best tune-ups. Continue reading
SPENCER HYDE EXPERIENCES HIGHS AND LOWS OF THUNDER VALLEY
BRISTOL, TN – Nothing can humble you faster than NHRA drag racing, and rookie Funny Car driver Spencer Hyde can attest to that this 
weekend after the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The driver for Head Racing came into the weekend riding high after a standout performance at the NHRA New England Nationals, where he advanced to his first final round. Unfortunately, he was not able to repeat that same performance in Bristol, but he is confident that he will take what he learned from this weekend and be back in a final round again soon.
“I was really optimistic coming into this back-to-back weekend,” said Hyde. “Epping was the first time I really felt that I had full control of the car. I still have fewer than 50 runs in this thing, and it just takes time to master it. Jim Head and the rest of the team continue to give me an awesome ride, and everyone in the Funny Car class has been extremely welcoming to me as I become more comfortable behind the wheel.”
All the competitors at Bristol Dragway battled a weekend riddled with rainy weather and high altitude that made conditions less than predictable. Over the course of four qualifying runs made in two days, the Head Inc. Funny Car’s best pass came during Q3 during the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, at 4.014 seconds and 319.98 mph, putting Hyde in the No. 11 qualifying position on race day. He picked up one championship point for his effort as the quickest semifinal loser. Continue reading
HYDE ADVANCES TO FIRST FUNNY CAR FINAL IN EPPING
EPPING, NH – NHRA Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Spencer Hyde, the Funny Car driver for Head Racing, made it to his first final round at the 12th NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway today. In the process, he set several new personal bests and secured himself a spot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge next week in Bristol.
“I am so proud of myself and the Head Racing team for everything we accomplished this weekend,” said Hyde. “Jim and the guys put together a fantastic race car for me to drive, and it showed. Everyone can see that we have a competitive car. Making it to the finals in just my fifth Funny Car start is huge, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”
Hyde entered race day in the No. 8 position, immediately facing four-time World Champion Matt Hagan, the winningest Funny Car driver at New England Dragway. Hyde made a stellar 3.863 second, 333.08 mph pass, the quickest in the Funny Car class during that round, knocking out Hagan. This run was also a new personal speed record for Hyde and tied his personal best elapsed time. In the quarterfinals, Hyde went up against the driver of the Jim Dunn Racing Mooneyes Funny Car, Buddy Hull. Another solid 3.925 second, 325.30 mph pass was more than enough to get past Hull and make it to the semifinals. Continue reading
HYDE POSTS CAREER FASTEST SPEED IN THE WINDY CITY
CHICAGO – When you are a genuine fan of the sport of drag racing, you can find the beauty even when the competition doesn’t fully go your 
way. Spencer Hyde, the Funny Car driver for Head Racing is doing just that. Despite a tough first round loss at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK, he’s optimistic because that pass was the fastest of his career, and it was a great run for the fans. The strong Rookie of the Year competitor has continued to improve race over race this season.
“That was just a good drag race that we came up on the wrong side of,” said Hyde. “The Head Inc Funny Car did exactly what Jim [Head] wanted it to do. I was pretty good on the tree. They just made a better run, and that happens sometimes. It’s what makes this sport so great.”
Hyde entered race day in the No. 9 spot, thanks to a 3.945 second, 302.48 mph run he made during the third round of qualifying. Another notable event during qualifying was his 0.64 second reaction time during Q1, the quickest of his Funny Car career. In Pro Mod, he was known for his quick reaction times, so improving on the tree in the Head Inc. Funny Car has been a top priority for him. Continue reading
