J.R. Todd Starts Season with Quarterfinal Finish at Pomona

Pomona, CA – Racing a brand-new Toyota GR Supra J.R. Todd and the DHL Funny Car team were looking to repeat as season opening winners on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Last year Todd won the NHRA Gatornationals, which for the first time in NHRA history was the season-opener. This year Todd was driving a completely new body style which was already turning heads when it was unveiled at the 2021 Auto Club Finals in November.

Over two days of qualifying Todd and his DHL Toyota Funny Car team worked on fine tuning his race car to give them the best chance of success on race day. Their best qualifying effort lit up the scoreboard with a time of 3.985 seconds at 324.59 mph. The run was quick enough to position Todd as the No. 8 qualifier and give him lane choice over second generation driver Bobby Bode.

The DHL GR Supra and Todd were not taking Bode lightly in the opening round of racing today at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Crew chiefs Todd Smith and Jon Oberhofer loaded up the tune-up and Todd blasted down the track with his best run of the weekend a winning 3.957 second run at 325.22 mph. The win was a great first step for the new Supra program and Toyota Gazoo Racing North America.

In the second round Todd drew the No. 1 qualifier with a chance to race to the semifinals. When the tree fired both 11,000 horsepower Funny Cars launched off the starting line and Todd was charging down his lane as the finish line was closing in rapidly. As his Funny Car crossed half-track it began to mix up cylinders robbing Todd of power. He was unable to get to the finish line ahead of his opponent.

“This DHL Toyota GR Supra is a great race car and we are going to have a lot of success this season,” said Todd. “I can’t wait to get to Phoenix in five days. This DHL team is coming together and we will be ready for the Arizona Nationals. It was great to win the first round and see that win light for this Supra Funny Car.”

Todd will head to the NHRA Arizona Nationals sitting in the No. 6 position in the NHRA Camping World points standings

Quotable:
J.R. Todd on staring season at Winternationals: “I am always excited at the beginning of the season. There are a lot of good cars and you really don’t know who is doing what. We have been making good runs and this Supra is going down the track. That is encouraging and gives everybody confidence.”

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (3.985 sec., 324.59 mph)
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:

First Round
Driver                          Qual    R/T      ET        MPH
J.R. Todd                     8          .069     3.957   325.22 (W)
Bobby Bode                9          .052     4.039   290.94

Second Round
Driver                          Qual    R/T      ET        MPH
J.R. Todd                     8          .097     4.234   220.58
Ron Capps                   1          .054     3.890   324.05 (W)