Story By: ELON WERNER / JIM DUNN RACING – BRISTOL, TN – Some consistency is finally on the horizon for Funny Car driver Buddy Hull, a driver for Jim Dunn Racing. After making two solid back-to-back passes during qualifying and the first round of the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Hull has a much more positive outlook going into the rest of the season.
“Both the Q4 and E1 runs were extremely similar, which means we are now able to repeat when we do something right. That is huge,” said Hull. “We now have the best situation going into the next race that we’ve ever had all year. Everybody’s doing their job. The car is staying together and not blowing up. The rods are staying in. It’s just a matter of getting more A to B runs, so we can tune this thing up and go faster. We’re getting there.”
Hull’s best qualifying attempt came on Saturday during Q4, with a 4.185 second, 273.39 mph pass. He then improved on those results during the first round of eliminations on Sunday, earning a 4.176 second E.T. at 288.46 mph. And though that wasn’t enough to get past No. 3 qualifier Ron Capps, if he had run against fellow round one competitors Bobby Bode, Dave Richards, Bob Tasca III or John Smith, it would have been a different story.
“So much of drag racing is right place, right time,” said Hull. “We weren’t quite there this weekend, but if we keep making this kind of progress, we will be in the right place real soon. I’m still conquering the learning curve of switching from Top Fuel to Funny Car, and with more runs comes more experience. Right now, I’m focusing on keeping the car in the center of the groove and doing a great job at the starting line. I’m getting more comfortable with the car, and everything is becoming more second nature to me, which is how it needs to be for us to win.”
Bristol is the second race in a four-race-five-weekend stretch, with the next weekend being an off-weekend before the Virginia NHRA Nationals. This four-race stretch also matches up perfectly with Hull running a fiery Blaze Exhaust Probes car body. Blaze is a season-long Jim Dunn Racing Sponsor.
“I’m pumped to be taking what we learned this weekend into Richmond. I’ve never raced there before, so there’s lots to be excited about,” said Hull. “I think a week off is exactly what our team needs before we jump right back into it. It was really hot in Epping, and the first two days of Bristol. A week off is the perfect amount of time to not lose momentum, but to get the rest needed to push onward, come back and win a few rounds. I’m confident we’ll come back and make Blaze and our other sponsors proud.”
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team’s next event will be in two weeks at the Virginia NHRA Nationals in Richmond, Virginia on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park. There will be three qualifying sessions on Saturday, June 22. For tickets or more information on the Virginia NHRA Nationals visit nhra.com.
Qualifying Results
Q1: 6.837 sec, 99.55 mph; Qual. 14
Q2: 4.387 sec, 222.62 mph; Qual. 14
Q3: 6.527 sec, 102.49 mph; Qual. 15
Q4: 4.185 sec, 273.39 mph; Qual. 14
Bonus Points: 0
Race Results
First Round
Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, (.066), 3.962, 323.12 mph def. Buddy Hull, Dallas, Tex., Blaze Exhaust Probes Dodge Charger, (.132), 4.176, 288.46 mph