Story By: ELON WERNER / JIM DUNN RACING – LONG BEACH, CA – There is nothing like the feeling of being on the up and up. Buddy Hull, the rookie Funny Car driver for Jim Dunn Racing, is riding that feeling coming off the second Countdown race in a row where he was able to match his best qualifying effort of the season.
Now moving into the third Countdown race of the year, the NHRA Midwest Nationals (September 27-29) at World Wide Technology Raceway, located just outside of St. Louis, Hull is ready to continue that upward momentum.
“Our team has improved by leaps and bounds since the beginning of the year, me included,” said Hull. “It’s crazy to see how far we have come in a fairly short time. I appreciate the way the other competitors in this field have continued to welcome me with open arms by sharing all kinds of tips and tricks to help me improve as a driver. I feel like I am constantly a sponge, soaking it all in.”
2024 marks Hull’s fourth appearance at the Midwest Nationals, making it one of the races he has the most history at. The Dallas-based driver is excited to make his return to this track for the first time competing in the Countdown. Hull is currently sitting in No. 12 in points, 67 points away from breaking into the Top 10, with four races left.
“St. Louis is one of the only tracks that I have been to every year since the start of my professional career in the NHRA in 2021,” said Hull. “Because of that, it’s truly one of my favorite races of the season. It’s smack dab in the middle of the Countdown, so there’s just such an energy to it, like at any point in the race it could be a turning point for a team’s season. We’re working our tails off for it to be the race that we move into the top 10.”
Hull, a fan favorite, is particularly excited to show off for the fans at the track who have seen his career projection and growth over the years. He and the Jim Dunn Racing team are even more motivated this weekend to post new career bests and win rounds.
“With this being my fourth year in a row at this race, I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the fans who have been cheering me on since the beginning,” said Hull. “For many of the St. Louis fans, this will be their first time seeing me in a nitro Funny Car. I’ve wanted to be a Funny Car driver my entire life, so to have a whole group of people who’ve gotten to see my dream become a reality in real-time, it’s just special.”
Lescure Mechanical Services will once again be highlighted on the car as the main body sponsor, with a new addition of Gateway Classic Cars appearing on the rear wing of the Funny Car. Gateway Classic Cars has been one of the world’s largest classic and exotic car dealerships since 1999. They have a collection of thousands of classic and exotic cars and can help buyers find their dream classic from one of their 20 locations around the U.S. Gateway Classic Cars has a long history with the NHRA and Jim Dunn Racing.
In addition to Lescure and Gateway Classic Cars, Hull will continue to rep his season-long sponsors, Vertex Roofers and General Contractors, Solid Start/True Brand Products, Blaze Exhaust Probes, Crow Safety, KGC Construction, Koppl Pipeline Services, Mooneyes, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Powerbuilt Tools and Wiley X.
“I have been blown away this season from the support of all of our sponsors,” said Hull. “As a businessman myself, I know the value in creative marketing efforts. But it’s still such a huge vote of confidence in me and the Jim Dunn Racing team to see how these businesses and their people continue to show up and show out for us. We are so blessed to be able to partner with them. We’re going to make them proud this weekend.”
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will make two qualifying runs on Friday, September 27 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, September 28 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in the field will then compete during race day on Sunday, September 29 for a Countdown Wally. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. CDT. Fans can watch the finals on FS1.