BROWNSBURG, IN – Top Fuel racer Shawn Reed had high hopes heading into last month’s NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the Seattle-area facility which hosted stop No. 11 on the 20-race NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour. Unfortunately for the Puyallup, Wash. native, a horrific high-speed crash during the weekend’s third qualifying session instantly halted Reed’s dreams of hoisting his first NHRA Wally trophy at his home track. Now, with only two races remaining before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoff fields are set, Reed, who was left with two fractured ribs and a left index finger so badly mangled it required amputation, is fully focused on a quick recovery and ensuring his top 10-ranked Reed Trucking & Excavating team have a fighting chance in the chase for the 2025 Top Fuel title.

“We didn’t run Sonoma (the event immediately following the Seattle race) for obvious reasons, but I intend to be race-ready and back behind the wheel by Reading (Pa.) for the first race of the Countdown,” explained Reed. “I have a pin in my thumb, which will come out later this month, and have been in regular contact with Josh Peterson (NHRA’s 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.” Continue reading →

KENT, WA – Shawn Reed, the driver of the Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel dragster, was set up for a successful outing in front of a hometown crowd at Pacific Raceways this weekend for the Muckleshoot Casino & Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals. After a solid start to qualifying, the driver/team owner experienced a powerful crash during the third qualifying session of the event, ending his race weekend much earlier than anticipated due to injuries sustained in the incident. Reed, however, remains in good spirits and full of gratitude as he begins the road to recovery.

During Saturday’s second qualifying session, Reed’s 12,000-horsepower machine was on a powerful run in the right lane before he lost his right rear tire, and his car careened across the centerline and made impact with the left retaining wall. He was examined by NHRA medical personnel before being transported to an area hospital. In addition to two fractured ribs, the Washington native sustained injuries to his left hand, resulting in the loss of his left pointer finger and requiring that a pin be placed in his thumb. Continue reading →

Kent, WA – Shawn Reed grew up in nearby Puyallup, Wash., and considers Pacific Raceways to be his home track.  Pacific Raceways is where the former IHBA drag boat champion first fell in love with the sport of drag racing.

“All I ever wanted is a Wally, so to get that in Seattle would be the most amazing thing ever. I don’t necessarily think the stakes are higher being I’m at my home track, but I do put the pressure on myself to perform and yes, I hope to be successful in front of my hometown friends and family and coworkers,” explained Reed.

“The car has been awesome. You know, all year long our qualifying position has been great. The car’s been running well. We just have had some bad luck on Sunday. We can’t try to change anything up. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing and pretty soon I believe that the luck will change, and we can get that first win.” Continue reading →

NORWALK, OH – A first-round exit at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Sunday morning didn’t accurately reflect the progress Shawn Reed and his Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel team made at Summit Motorsports Park. Reed and crew chief Rob Wendland made the most of the hot conditions with top-five performances in qualifying before losing a tough opening-round match to four-time world champion Steve Torrence.

Qualifying was a roller coaster for the Reed Trucking & Excavating team. In the first session on Friday afternoon, Reed raced from A to B seamlessly to lay down a pass of 3.84 seconds at 322.42 mph, putting him No. 5. He encountered tire smoke on Friday evening, but the team came back strong on the first Saturday hit with the fourth-quickest pass of the heat, a blistering 3.826 E.T. at 318.32. The last qualifying effort resulted in tire smoke for many of the drivers, including Reed. Still, his run from earlier in the day landed him in the No. 11 position going into eliminations.

On Sunday, Reed left second behind Torrence, but he took the lead by the 330-foot mark. They exchanged the lead once again further down-track when Reed started spinning the tires. Torrence also spun and both drivers lost their blower belts, leaving them with only momentum to get to the finish line. Reed didn’t have as much momentum as Torrence, with his 4.00-second pass at 285.77 mph falling to Torrence’s 3.939 E.T. Continue reading →

Norwalk, OH – With a Top 10-ranking, Shawn Reed is looking to close out the June schedule of four races over five weeks on a strong note after a first-round loss in Richmond.  To gain an advantage, the team is potentially switching to their back-up car starting with this weekend’s event.

Reed commented, “We are considering bringing out the backup car for the remaining schedule of the 2025 season. We know that car was hauling the mail in last year’s Countdown and the car reacted well to every move we told it. This year’s car just has not responded in the same manner for one reason or another, so if this is the case, I’m looking forward to driving the car that we ran so well with at the end of last year. I need to focus on me and not try to push so hard. I have a great team, great cars, and the best parts money can buy. I just need to be patient and good things will come. Nothing but positive vibes heading to Norwalk.”

2024 NHRA Norwalk Nationals Event Recap: Qualified 13th; First round exit (defeated by Steve Torrence in E1)

Last Event (Richmond): Qualified fourth; First round exit (defeated by Dan Mercier in E1)

NORTH DINWIDDIE, VA – Fresh off an outing aboard his ‘Top Secret’ drag boat where he qualified No. 1, multi-time IHBA world champion Shawn Reed swapped water for asphalt when he hopped back into his Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel dragster on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park for the ninth event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour. Aboard his 12,000-horsepower machine, Reed secured the No. 4 qualifying position but suffered a holeshot upset in the first round of eliminations, ending his day early.

Reed opened the two-day American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals with a powerful run of 3.885 seconds at 323.74 mph to earn a bonus point and the provisional No. 3 qualifying position. Two more qualifying sessions followed on Saturday with Reed going up in smoke at the hit of the throttle in Q2. He closed out qualifying with a pass that featured strong numbers early into the run before losing traction at the top end. After three qualifying passes in brutally hot conditions, the No. 4 qualifier drew No. 11 seed Dan Mercier as his round-one opponent.

Against Mercier, Reed clocked another solid run of 3.934 seconds at 321.19 mph, but his opponent’s quicker reaction time allowed him the early lead, and he never trailed, crossing the finish line ahead of Reed despite his slower 3.951-second pass. Continue reading →

North Dinwiddie, VA – Reed, the Top 10-ranked driver, is looking for redemption in Richmond after a first-round loss in Bristol, Tenn. at the most recent event on tour.

In between the Bristol and Richmond events, Reed returned to his drag boat racing roots by participating in the KDBA Summer Thunder on Lake Lucas in Wheatland, Mo. where he secured the No. 1 qualifying position.

“Looking forward to getting back on land in Virginia after a weekend full of racing the boat on water. After two years off, we qualified No. 1 last weekend at the KDBA event in Missouri but bowed out early due to driver miscommunication with his right foot (red light start) in round one, but what a great time seeing all my old friends. As far as this weekend in Virginia goes, I am looking forward to it. We had a nice 3.89 last year here which qualified us in P4, so hopefully we can repeat that and keep getting better on race day. Going rounds is the key and learning everything you need to know heading into the Countdown is what it’s all about,” explained Shaw. Continue reading →

BRISTOL, TN  – Shawn Reed, the pilot of the Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel dragster, remains focused on the future as he looks ahead in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series following a challenging weekend at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. While Reed demonstrated remarkable driving skills in qualifying as he powered through tire spin and tough track conditions, a first-round win was not in the cards for the team this weekend. However, they are leaving Bristol with new data and valuable experience as they continue to push forward.

With inclement weather causing delays and a tricky track surface during the opening round of qualifying on Friday, Reed smoked the tires about halfway down the left lane. The Shawn Reed Racing team was ready to come back strong in the second opportunity of the day, but Mother Nature had other plans. Just before Top Fuel was to take to the track, the skies opened up and unleashed heavy rain, causing an early end to the day’s racing action.

Qualifying on Saturday didn’t begin the way Reed would have liked. Still, in the second pass of the day, the former multi-time drag boat champion managed to power through some early tire spin to clock a 4.047-second pass at 282.78 mph, landing him in the No. 11 spot on the 14-car eliminations ladder. Continue reading →

Bristol, TN – Shawn enters the weekend following a successful outing in Epping, N.H., which saw the Reed Trucking & Excavating team reset their career-best speed (335.23 mph), qualify in the top half of the field (4th) for the sixth time in the first seven events, and add another round win to their tally.

Following the Bristol race, Reed will return to his drag boat roots when he participates in the KDBA Summer Thunder on Lake Lucas in Wheatland, Mo., June 13 – 14. Prior to joining the NHRA Mission Foods Series tour full-time, Reed enjoyed a successful career on the water, which included multiple IHBA drag boat championships and race wins.

“Our Reed Trucking & Excavating team is looking forward to racing in Bristol this weekend,” said Reed, “It’s such a great place to hear the nitro cars rumble through the canyons of Tennessee. With so many great improvements and the car showing consistency, our expectations are high going into the race weekend. Despite the temps being a little higher than last week in Epping, I think the cars will still find a way to get in the low 70’s and we hope to be one of them.” Continue reading →

EPPING, NH – Shawn Reed’s outing at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H can best be described as a morale-booster of a weekend as the Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel team enjoyed one of their best performances to-date during the NHRA New England Nationals. At the first of four races over a five-week span, Reed scored his sixth top-half qualifying position in seven events, reset his career-best speed, was quick and consistent all weekend long, and advanced to the quarterfinal round, arming Reed and his team with a renewed sense of confidence heading into the next race on tour, the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

With crew chief Rob Wendland calling the shots, Reed opened the weekend with a 3.751-second pass at 331.04 mph to place him fourth on the Top Fuel timing sheets. Wendland, assisted by Ryan Elliott, leaned on it even more during Friday’s second session, sending the Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster barreling down the track in 3.702 seconds at 334.24 mph to move up to the No. 2 spot to close out day one of qualifying. The powerful run earned the team two bonus points for being the second-quickest pass of the session. On Saturday, Reed made it three for three with another straight and smooth lap, this time posting a 3.737 E.T. before smoking the tires right at the hit of the throttle in the final session. With four rounds of qualifying in the books, Reed settled into the No. 4 starting position to draw No. 13 qualifier Scott Farley as his round-one race day opponent. Continue reading →