LAS VEGAS – Veteran Top Fuel driver TJ Zizzo wrapped up his return to the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season with a strong showing at the NHRA Nevada Nationals even if it did not culminate with a trip to the winner’s circle. Making his seventh trip to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster team kept his streak alive of qualifying every time he has entered the NHRA national event. After two days of qualifying Zizzo wound up No. 13 and faced championship contender Doug Kalitta in the first round. Zizzo knew he would have his hands full but based on all the changes the team made this season he was up to the challenge.

“We have a completely new operation which is brand new from tip to tail,” said Zizzo. “Being able to go out to our first event earlier this year, after testing, and go to the semifinal round was huge. We stumbled a little and we were humbled at our next event. We kept working on every race and we are ending on a super high note here in Las Vegas.  These are things I am proud of that we persevere. We don’t quit. We keep our heads down and keep on working. I just wish we could go to Pomona in two weeks.”

After four qualifying runs Zizzo and his Mike Kern tuned 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster made their best run of qualifying on Saturday night, a 3.800 second pass at 326.00 mph which moved him up to No. 13 going into race day. Facing Kalitta the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team was ready to build on their Saturday night success. The team knew they were behind the eight ball but felt that could make an improved run in the first round.

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ST. LOUIS – Rome wasn’t built in a day, but for TJ Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster team, they are working to build Rome a bit faster. The Chicago-based driver and team owner entered race day for the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in the No. 13 spot, falling to Justin Ashley in round one, who is currently No. 4 in points in the Countdown for the Championship.

“This is a tough sport,” said Zizzo. “You can’t make any mistakes and you don’t get any do overs. The challenges make it very rewarding, but when things don’t go your way, it is tough. I have to thank everyone on this Rust-Oleum team for all their hard work here and at the shop.”

In his fifth race of the 2023 Camping World Drag Racing season, Zizzo made his second quickest pass ever during round two of qualifying, at 3.814 seconds and 326.40 mph.

“What we need is more track time,” said Zizzo. “At Indy we got five qualifying runs and that really helped us. We made two great runs that we are happy with, but it would have been better if we could have made one more. This weekend with only three total qualifying runs, it makes it hard to get a good race day tune up even with a great crew chief like Mike Kern.”

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CHICAGO, IL – The Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster is set to continue its surge toward success at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, scheduled from September 29 to October 1 at the iconic Wide World Technology Raceway. TJ Zizzo, the second-generation driver, is poised for a triumphant return to this storied event, powered by an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Now elevated to the status of NHRA countdown playoff race, the Midwest Nationals attracts the finest talents from across the nation, all competing for the NHRA Camping World Top Fuel world championship. For Zizzo and his team, this year’s race is an opportunity to sustain their upward momentum.

“This season our mantra has been simple: put your heads down and work hard,” said Zizzo, a seven-time NHRA Midwest National event contender. “In our four races this year, we’ve consistently raised the bar. The NHRA Midwest Nationals holds a special place in our hearts, and this year will be no different.”

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – TJ Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster team rolled into the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals looking to continue to develop the performance of their new race car. Racing on the biggest stage Zizzo came out of the trailer with a strong run Friday night posting a 3.726 second pass at 330.07 mph, his career quickest and fastest efforts. The pass put Zizzo and Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster in the No. 6 position. When qualifying concluded Zizzo moved into race day as the No. 7 qualifier and a serious contender for victory.

“This weekend is so tough and grueling,” said Zizzo, a second-generation racer. “I have to thank my dad Tony for making this all happen. He is the one who owns the team and let’s us compete out here. We have raced at three races this season and we are working towards getting quicker and more consistent. This team is really good and we have a lot of smart people over here.”

In the first round Zizzo faced veteran driver Clay Millican in a clash of two of the most likeable and competitive racers. It was a battle between Zizzo the Chicago semifinalist and Millican the Chicago winner.  When the Christmas Tree flashed Millican took off and Zizzo was right with him and as they accelerated down track Millican began to pull ahead. Zizzo’s tire hazed his Goodyear slicks and had to let off the throttle.

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CHICAGO, IL – For TJ Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster team, the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals is business as usual. The second-generation driver, who raced to the Top Fuel final round in 2020 at the famed Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, is confident that he has the skills and the car to get the job done.

“We are coming into this race with several wins already under our belt this season, including rounds in Indy,” said Zizzo, who is a resident of Chicago. “Every time we are on the track, our goal is to qualify to the best of our ability based on the conditions. From there, we go out on race day ready to have fun and win rounds.”

Zizzo’s confidence derives from his team’s strong debut this season, despite being out of the competition since 2021. At Zizzo’s hometown race, the Gerber Collision & Glass Rt. 66 Nationals, he raced into the field as the No. 16 qualifier and upset the No. 1 qualifier in the opening round, having run his personal best elapsed time of 3.712 seconds at 329.99 mph. Zizzo also defeated his second round opponent before bowing out in the semifinals.

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NORWALK, OH – Drag racing can be an incredibly humbling sport, and Top Fuel driver TJ Zizzo experienced that firsthand this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park. Zizzo finished qualifying in the No. 17 spot, just barely missing the opportunity to compete on Sunday. It is the first time since the U.S. Nationals in 2013 that he did not make the top 16.

“I am fine, but I am a little emotional,” said Zizzo, who raced to the semifinals at the Route 66 Nationals earlier this season. “This was a tough weekend. You get humbled in this sport pretty quickly. We knew there were a lot of great cars coming to Norwalk and it would be a challenge to qualify. I am disappointed, but I am also out here with my entire family, and we are doing this together which is the best.”

Norwalk was Zizzo’s second race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. In May, he competed in the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance in his hometown of Chicago. There in an upset he defeated the No. 1 qualifier Mike Salinas, and then advanced to the semi-final round of racing. In one of the best performances of his career, he set a new personal best elapsed time of 3.712 seconds.

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CHICAGO, IL – TJ Zizzo made a dramatic return in May to his hometown track Route 66 Raceway outside of Chicago for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. While the veteran racer hadn’t been on track since late 2021, he took the Rust-Oleum “Rocket” Top Fuel dragster to the semifinals and thrilled thousands of his fans. Zizzo also let his competitors know that the time his team dedicated to improving was going to pay off in 2023. This weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 23-25, Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team will return to America’s Racetrack Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, for the second time in his career.

“We are full speed ahead, but we have had to traverse around a lot of parts that are just not correct in 2023,” said Zizzo, following a positive but challenging debut in Chicago. “Our team still has a lot of catching up to do. We will be prepared, but we can never be prepared enough.
We just hope to qualify. Just because we ran well at Joliet does not mean we will be able to duplicate that performance at Norwalk. We will continue to put one foot in front of the other until we finally win after $10,000,000 and 10,000,000 hours of trying.”

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CHICAGO – The first NHRA race in Chicago since 2019 was a major success for Top Fuel driver TJ Zizzo. The Chicago native picked up a new career-best elapsed time of 3.712 seconds, beating No. 1 qualifier Mike Salinas in the first round of competition at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance.

“Running that 3.71 in the first round was out biggest positive this weekend,” said Zizzo. “No doubt. That was our career-best and stood up as the quickest run in Top Fuel on race day in a clutch moment. That single run turned our entire program around.”

Zizzo’s success did not stop at the first round. He then went on to beat No. 9 qualifier, Leah Pruett, in the second round, with a 3.804 second, 316.08 mph run.

“There’s no doubt this felt great and it’s a good feeling when you’re really in the show,” said Zizzo. “When you have good people surrounding you, you have a chance, and I have excellent people surrounding me.”

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CHICAGO, IL  – Top Fuel racer TJ Zizzo has been chasing a dream that started in the fall of 2003 at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The Chicago native will soon bring the Rust-Oleum Rocket Top Fuel dragster team to the Gerber Collision and Glass NHRA Nationals, May 19-21. Here, he hopes to secure a status he has come so very close to in recent years.

Zizzo attempted to make his first professional Top Fuel start at the Fall NHRA national event at Route 66 Raceway, but he did not qualify. Undeterred, Zizzo entered the Chicago spring and now defunct fall national event 16 times. This weekend, he looks to build off the success he experienced in his most recent races at the track located 25 minutes from downtown Chicago.

“I can still remember that first event in 2003. I was happy to be there for sure, but I also wanted to do my best and try to qualify,” said Zizzo, who raced to one final round in 2020. “That wasn’t in the cards for us that weekend, but we never gave up. Every time we went to the track, we wanted to do our best, represent our sponsors well and try to put ourselves in position to win. It has been a long and strange road to get us here. I have a lot of people to thank but really our team is about family. I have to thank my dad first, and then all my family and team for letting me chase this dream.”

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CHICAGO – When fan favorite TJ Zizzo made his final pass at the 2021 NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, the second-generation Top Fuel driver knew he needed to make a change if he was going to seriously chase his dream. Zizzo has passionately worked and fought to make a name for himself battling the biggest stars in the NHRA for the past three decades. His efforts have paid off to a limited degree with a strong fan following and a final round appearance in 2020. The return of professional drag racing to Rt. 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. for the Gerber Collision and Glass Rt. 66 NHRA Nationals, May 19-21, has provided Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum backed Top Fuel dragster team, known across the sport as the Rust-Oleum Rocket, the chance to keep the dream alive.

“It’s great to go out to my hometown track again,” said Zizzo. “We haven’t competed there since 2019 and my phone has been ringing off the hook since news came out that the Gerber Collision and Glass Nationals were coming back to town. That’s a big deal to us since so many of our marketing partners are from the Chicagoland area. My family and friends can all go to the races.”

One of the latest elements for Zizzo will be the addition of a new race car thanks to a generous offer by NHRA Hall of Fame driver and team owner, Don Schumacher. For years, Zizzo and his team competed on a budget repurposing quality parts and chassis to race with the better funded teams. They made a gallant effort and saw flashes of success. Zizzo feels like his career could now be turning a corner with an updated Top Fuel dragster.

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