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5 . Bo Butner returns to Pro Stock

■ Bo Butner just can ’ t stay away from NHRA Pro Stock racing . The 2017 world champion announced in September his plans to run the full 2022 season in an Elite Motorsports Camaro backed by Johnson ’ s Horsepowered Garage .

“ You know , there ’ s just nothing like driving a Pro Stock car . I can ’ t stay away ,” said Butner . “ And getting to race with a friend like Jason Johnson is going to be a lot of fun . He ’ s just a great guy , we enjoy spending time with him , and we can ’ t thank Jason and his wife , Nikki , enough for encouraging us to do this and coming on board to support us .”

6 . Wes Distefano Moves to Pro Nitrous

■ Wes Distefano , the 2020 and 2021 PDRA Pro Outlaw 632 world champion , will not defend his title in 2022 , as he ’ ll make the move up to Pro Nitrous . Distefano announced the move during the PRI Show . Distefano will drive a Musi-powered , Bickel-built ’ 68 Camaro in Pro Nitrous . Rather than parking his successful $ hameless Racing Pro Outlaw 632 car , the team will continue running the car with former competitor Walt Lannigan Jr . behind the wheel .

“ I ’ m very excited about the challenge ,” Distefano said of moving up to Pro Nitrous . “ I have no illusions that it will be anything less than a challenge . I have no expectations other than we ’ re just looking forward to putting in the work and learning .”

For the Pro Nitrous move , Distefano and his $ hameless Racing team , led by parents David and Brenda Swallow , acquired a Jerry Bickel Race Cars-built ’ 68 Camaro that was last driven in Pro Nitrous competition by Lizzy Musi at the PDRA American Doorslammer Challenge at Summit Motorsports Park . Distefano will continue to run Musi power , upgrading from the 632ci engine to a 959ci powerplant .

Distefano and the $ hameless Racing team plan to run the full eight-race PDRA season with both cars .

7 . Toyota Introduces New Supra Funny Car

■ The Toyota-backed racers in Funny Car will have a new look this season , as the manufacturer unveiled a brand-new GR Supra body at the end of the 2021 season , which marked Toyota ’ s 20th season in NHRA drag racing . The new body style will be used by Toyota drivers like Alexis DeJoria and 2018 world champion J . R . Todd , who worked with Toyota engineers to develop the new body .

“ It ’ s been a really unique experience getting to work with the engineers at TRD on the new GR Supra Funny Car ,” Todd said . “ To be a part of the work to try to make these cars as safe as possible for us as drivers means a lot to me . We all worked together on some of the issues we ’ ve faced for some time including visibility . That said , I ’ ve had some big moments in my DHL Toyota Camry including my first U . S . Nationals win and championship . Toyota ’ s support of NHRA , Kalitta Motorsports and myself specifically means a ton , and I hope we can deliver even more success to them with this new GR Supra .”

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8 . Tony Schumacher , Austin Prock , Terry McMillen Returning to Top Fuel

■ While the NHRA ’ s nitro classes understandably took a hit in terms of car count during the shutdown of 2020 , drivers and teams are starting to bounce back . In Top Fuel alone , Tony Schumacher , Austin Prock , and Terry McMillen are all set to make their return to competition in some form .

Schumacher will chase his ninth NHRA Top Fuel world championship as the lone driver at Don Schumacher Racing , piloting a Todd Okuhara-tuned entry with support from the Maynard family and Scag Power Equipment .

Prock is planning to return to full-time competition with John Force Racing . He ran the first two races of the 2020 season , then like the rest of the JFR contingent , sat out the rest of the season

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due to the COVID-19 pandemic . When the scaledback team returned to action in 2021 , Prock was still stuck on the sidelines until funding could be establishing for his Top Fuel ride . Prock ’ s car will be tuned by veteran nitro crew chief Rahn Tobler , who ’ s returning to full-time racing after retiring in early 2021 .

McMillen is making his return on a smaller scale . He recently signed a deal to run 6-8 races with Canada ’ s Dan Mercier , who purchased Mc- Millen ’ s Top Fuel operation last year . McMillen was forced to the sidelines late in 2020 after his long-time primary sponsor , Amalie Oil , had to pull its funding . The two-time event winner says he could add races , but he doesn ’ t want to take away from his focus on his son Cameron ’ s Jr . Dragster career . DI

44 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 174