Brownsburg, IN — Paul Lee Racing is proud to announce that veteran tuner Jon Schaffer has been named Crew Chief for the team’s Nitro Funny Car entry in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Schaffer will lead the team alongside longtime consultant John Medlen and Assistant Crew Chief Seth Randall, forming a highly experienced and collaborative performance group for the upcoming season.

Schaffer brings years of top-level nitro Funny Car experience to the team and will play a key role in continuing the momentum built during a standout 2025 campaign. Lee finished the season sixth in the NHRA Funny Car points standings, marking a career-best result, and captured his first career Funny Car victory at the Phoenix NHRA event.

“We’re building on something special from last year,” says team owner and driver Paul Lee. “The momentum we created in 2025 gives us a strong foundation, and bringing Jon Schaffer on board is a fresh start that raises the bar for our entire program. Jon’s talent, experience, and approach fit perfectly with what John Medlen, Seth Randall, and our team are building. I’m excited about where this can take us.” Continue reading →

Indianapolis, IN  — Paul Lee, President of Wharton Automotive Group, has been inducted into the SEMA Motorsport’s Products & Media Council (MPMC) Hall of Fame during the 2025 PRI Show, honoring his exceptional leadership, entrepreneurial vision, and lasting impact on the automotive aftermarket industry.

Lee is the owner of McLeod Racing, Silver Sport Transmissions, FTI Performance, Competition Clutch, and Independence Driveline. Through strategic leadership and a long-term commitment to innovation and performance, he has successfully assembled these respected brands under the Wharton Automotive Group umbrella, creating one of the most influential performance-drivetrain organizations in the industry.

The SEMA MPMC Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and advancement of the automotive aftermarket. Lee’s career exemplifies this mission through his ability to preserve the heritage of iconic performance brands while driving modernization, expansion, and operational excellence.

Beyond his business leadership, Lee is also deeply involved in motorsports. He is an NHRA Nitro Funny Car team owner and driver, bringing real-world racing experience to his companies and reinforcing their commitment to performance at the highest level of competition. Continue reading →

Everything Breaks will sponsor Paul Lee Racing’s Nitro Funny Car for the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Stampede of Speed and offer fans complimentary discounted auto benefits

Anaheim, CA – Everything Breaks will take over the championship contending Nitro Funny Car driven by Paul Lee for the upcoming NHRA Dallas Texas Fall Nationals during the annual Stampede of Speed in Ennis, Texas this weekend. Everything Breaks is redefining the
warranty industry. With a wide range of customized protection plans, they cover your most valuable investments—your home, vehicle, and electronic devices. Everything Breaks is a front to back company meaning, you only deal with them. One company. One number. One-stop shop for when something breaks down. They provide expansive coverage with a white-glove feel. You’re not just a customer—you’re part of the Everything Breaks family.

“We are thrilled to launch our partnership with Paul Lee Racing and to be part of the NHRA family. We wanted a marketing opportunity that aligned with our mission and values, and NHRA represents both broad market reach and a strong sense of community. Partnering with PLR was the perfect fit. We value long-term relationships, and their team has proven their strength and consistency over the years. It also doesn’t hurt that Paul Lee delivers high-level performance week in and week out on the track.” Brandon San Antonio – CEO of Everything Breaks. Continue reading →

Charlotte, NC – SRI Performance and Daido Metal will take over the points leading McLeod Racing Nitro Funny Car driven by Paul Lee for the upcoming Charlotte NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at ZMAX Dragway in Concord, NC. SRI is the exclusive distribution partner for Daido Metal Nitro Bearings and Paul Lee Racing is their official nitro funny car team. Spa Technique and Riken Rings will have a larger presence on the 330+ MPH hot rod with SPA offering state-of-the-art fire suppression systems and Riken having high performance rings, also sold exclusively at SRI.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the Paul Lee Racing program”, states Greg Fornelli, Owner, and President of SRI Performance. “After the big win at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, there’s a ton of momentum heading into Charlotte. We’ve built a strong relationship, and it’s exciting to see our products perform at this level. I’m looking forward to another great weekend of racing at the 4-Wides at Charlotte’s ZMAX Dragway!” Continue reading →

Indianapolis, IN – Conquer Paralysis Now (CPN), a leading nonprofit dedicated to creating affordable, world-class rehabilitation, advancing cutting edge research, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) community and beyond, is proud to announce a groundbreaking collaboration with DXDT Racing. This partnership aims to accelerate awareness and fundraising efforts for CPN and DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Centers, empowering individuals living with paralysis and their families.

Paul Lee Racing, renowned in the drag racing world, is taking its commitment beyond the track by supporting CPN’s mission to provide innovative rehabilitation services and accelerate groundbreaking research. Together, both organizations will harness the adrenaline and passion of motorsports to engage fans, donors, and communities in making a lasting impact.

“We are honored to partner with Paul Lee Racing in our mission to empower individuals affected by paralysis,” said Michele Sullivan, Director of Advancement and Impact for Conquer Paralysis Now. “Paul’s dedication to overcoming challenges and pushing limits aligns perfectly with our work at CPN, and we are thrilled to collaborate in driving real change.”

Through this partnership, Paul Lee Racing will proudly display CPN branding on its race cars and create interactive experiences at race venues to educate and inspire audiences about paralysis recovery. Fans will also have the opportunity to support Conquer Paralysis Now’s cause through donation campaigns throughout the racing season. Continue reading →

ANAHEIM, CA – Entrepreneur and heart attack survivor Paul Lee wins the 2025 NHRA Arizona Nationals in his McLeod Racing/FTI Performance Dodge Charger nitro funny car. This win is Lee’s first in the category. With impressive runs and little bit of race day luck, Lee and his team led by Jonnie Lindberg and John Medlen forged through 4 rounds of tough competition to hoist the Wally at the end of the day. Leaving the Arizona Nationals in the number 1 position in NHRA Funny Car points, Lee is ready to head straight into the WinterNationals this weekend.

With the win on Sunday, Paul Lee has become the 96th different Funny Car winner in NHRA history. Sunday’s eliminations rounds stacked up to be a tough feat for the McLeod team. Lee took down Gainesville winner Chad Green, Blake Alexander, Bob Tasca III, and reigning Funny Car World Champion Austin Prock in the final round. With this win, it has solidified all the hard work that Paul has overcome in this class.

“I’ve been working towards this since I was 13 years old,” says Lee. “Every day all I’ve ever thought about is not just driving a nitro Funny Car but winning. I’m not happy just being out here but winning this Wally. All those 50 years of hard work, you know what? It’s worth it. And it is a special day. We lost (Funny Car driver) Eric Medlen on this day (March 23, 2007). And we have a team prayer every Sunday and John Medlen (Eric’s father) leads us in the Sunday prayer, and today he asked for Eric to watch out for us. And you know something, our whole pit was calm all day. We just had a feeling that Eric was watching over us. And it’s a funny feeling. We were calm all day. Nobody was excited. Everybody did their job.” Continue reading →

POMONA, CA – NHRA Funny Car racer and entrepreneur, Paul Lee, returns to the NHRA World Finals with a new look courtesy of Mainline Sales Inc. Mainline Sales Inc. is a full-service, manufacturer’s representative serving the plumbing, mechanical, fire protection, industrial, irrigation, and waterworks markets. Based in Southern California, Mainline Sales will make Paul Lee’s team a part of their team to host a plethora of manufacturers including Zurn Elkay Water Solutions. Lee and the McLeod Racing team are looking to continue their consistent 3.8 second runs in Pomona.

As an associate sponsor for Paul Lee the last several seasons, Mainline Sales is a true testament to the business to business (B2B) strategies put forth by Paul and his marketing team.

“We are excited and grateful to the entire Paul Lee Racing team for their friendship and support,” says Alicia Sylvester, Mainline Sales Inc. Marketing Lead. “With Pomona as Mainline’s home track, we are grateful to Paul Lee and our manufacturer partners with their support for our primary sponsorship. Our program continues to grow, and our customers get more and more excited with each race success. This program is a true success to the B2B relationship set forth by Paul Lee and Steven Cole.” Continue reading →

CONCROD, NC – Driver and team owner, Paul Lee, welcomes longtime partner TMS Titanium as primary partner on his nitro funny car entry for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. TMS Titanium and Paul Lee have been partners for many years both on and off the track. With a special wrap dedicated to the TMS Titanium branding, Paul looks forward to hosting many TMS guests at his pit this weekend. Heading into the final four races of the NHRA season, Lee and the team will continue their efforts for fast and consistent runs.

TMS Titanium, the leading supplier and stocking distributor of titanium mill products, not only work with Paul’s racing team in supplying titanium for race car parts, but also is a titanium supplier for McLeod Racing, the leading company in aftermarket driveline performance and racing products. Todd Harrison, CEO/president of TMS Titanium, and his team supply the titanium inner liners needed for the McLeod Racing SFI aluminum bellhousing for street and racing performance vehicles.

“TMS Titanium products are of the highest quality,” says McLeod Racing owner and driver, Paul Lee. “When we first designed our SFI spun-aluminum performance bellhousing, we needed a dependable supplier for the titanium inner liners for safety in case of a clutch failure. Todd was our first and only call because we knew they could perform in both customer service and delivery. They have been and continue to be a valuable vendor for McLeod Racing.”

Continue reading →

ANAHEIM, CA – Paul Lee and his McLeod Racing Nitro Funny Car entry return to Sonoma Raceway with DENSO and new marketing partner, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions. The team will host a full hospitality with his partners of Mainline Sales and Breen Design Group for the entire weekend of action. With progress with the tune up continuing in the right direction, the John Medlen and Jason Bunker led team head into Sonoma with the strategy of consistency.

With many DENSO executives and guests attending the race, Paul will be their leading funny car entry to cheer on for the weekend. DENSO will also be one of the primary partnerships featured on the funny car.

“Paul Lee has been a part of the NHRA for more than 40 years,” says Dan Muramoto, Manager Marketing Dept. of DENSO Products and Services Americas INC. “DENSO has over 50 years of history of innovation in the U.S. automotive industry and this year we are proud to partner with Paul Lee Racing as a sponsor for the DENSO Sonoma Nationals.”

Continue reading →

ORANGE, CA – Paul Lee Racing will add industry executive Steven Cole to their roster for the remainder of the 2022 season and beyond as SVP of Marketing & Corporate Partnerships and General Manager. Paul Lee Racing currently fields a nitro Funny Car driven by race team owner and Wharton Automotive Group CEO, Paul Lee. The team will also include Top Fuel driver and team owner, Krista Baldwin, who not only drives the McLeod sponsored dragster, but also is the Creative Director for the Wharton Automotive Group, which includes McLeod Racing, FTI Performance and Silver Sport Transmissions (SST).

“We are excited to have Steve join our team officially as we gear up for the biggest race of the season in Indy,” says team owner, Paul Lee. “We will continue our journey to become full-time competitive race teams in the future. Our goal for next year is to continue to build our valued partnerships with our racing and hospitality platforms and make the countdown.”

Cole has been involved in professional motorsports for over 25 years which includes building brand marketing, business to business and consumer driven programs within NHRA, NASCAR and IndyCar. He has spent the last 10+ years working exclusively in the drag racing world with high profile race teams Stringer Performance, John Force Racing and IHRA drag racing series.

Continue reading →