Drag Illustrated Issue 140, January 2019 | Page 4

DI 140 Page 69 J.R. Todd’s Road to the Championship An intense desire to race – and win – has carried J.R. Todd through a rollercoaster career in professional nitro racing, beginning with earning his Top Fuel license one week of high school and spanning nearly two decades of gaining and losing funding and rides. In just his second Funny Car season, Todd’s win-at-all-costs attitude paired perfectly with the DHL/ Kalitta Motorsports team to win the 2018 NHRA world championship. By Josh Hachat PHOTOGR APH BY RICK BELDEN 4 | Drag I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com Issue 140