“ I take a lot of pride in trying to be bridge builder of sorts ,” Lohnes says . “ In drag racing , I feel like there ’ s this idea that you have to be one thing or the other . It ’ s pervaded the sport for so , so long , but now we ’ re seeing so much crossover . Whether it ’ s professional-level racers that also go bracket racing , NHRA racers that run outlaw stuff , guys with drag radial cars that eventually graduate and run quarter-mile Pro Mod races , I think we see more of that going on now than we saw years ago . That ’ s always been something I ’ ve been conscious of and I try to be one of those guys that helps build those bridges rather than try to keep everybody walled off .”

He ’ s known as the NHRA on FOX play-by-play announcer , covering the sport at its highest levels , but he can also be found announcing outlaw Pro Mod races like the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals and drag radial races like Lights Out and No Mercy . No matter the level of the sport he ’ s covering , Lohnes gives it his all with a level of detail that can only come from someone who lives and breathes the sport , just like the racers , crew members , and other participants he discusses on TV , over the PA system , and various other outlets like podcasts .

“ One of the things that I think is so difficult to get across to people is how deep the sport runs beyond what they see at the racetrack ,” Lohnes says . “ One of the things that ’ s important to me is to show people that for most people operating in this sport , it ’ s a 24-hour-a-day , seven-day-a-week thing . The people that are involved in this sport at a high level are involved in it and engaged in it every second of their lives . I want to portray that at a level that is respectful of what they ’ re doing .”

Lohnes has become one of the most sought-after talents in the business because of his thoughtful approach to his work . He ’ s climbed the ranks from an announcer at his local New England Dragway to now calling some of the biggest races in the world . While he ’ s happy with where he ’ s at , he looks to revered announcers like Dave McClelland and the late Steve Evans as inspirations for how to make an impact on the sport beyond the announcer ’ s booth .

DR . JAMIE MEYER , CLAY MILLICAN , RON CAPPS ,

AND JIM HUGHES

“ I look at what I ’ m doing now and it ’ s not that I couldn ’ t see myself doing anything else , it ’ s that at this point in my life and in my career , this is really what I want to be invested in ,” Lohnes says . “ Down the road , if there ’ s ever a chance to be a management / executive-level decision maker to some degree , I think in my older years I ’ d probably like to be doing stuff like that . I would like to use the experience that I ’ ll garner hopefully over a decent period of time doing what I ’ m doing now and apply that to the business side of drag racing later on in my life .” – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI

PHOTO : RICK BELDEN

102 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 174