Newcomer Nick Spiegel is one of the drivers who believes Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car are increasingly competitive , making things interesting for racers and fans alike .

Top Alcohol Dragster ( TAD ) and Top Alcohol Funny Car ( TAFC ) are consistently filled with seasoned veterans and new talents pushing the boundaries of performance and excitement , providing a dynamic and competitive landscape in the classes .

Qualifying orders are frequently only separated by thousandths of a second , each event usually produces a different winner , and championships are clinched by a mere tens of points .

Another added layer of interest is the internal rival within the classes – one that TAD has been familiar with for some time , but TAFC has recently been introduced to .

There are two different engine combinations available to competitors – the supercharged kind , which lends its notoriety to the class ’ s roots , and then the injected nitro version , which is more commonly found nowadays . Oftentimes , the injected combination finds itself at the top of the class ; however , the blown-alcohol machines are not far behind and remain competitive , too , making it more exciting for racers and fans .

Jackie Fricke , a standout in the TAD category who pilots the injected Finke Racing dragster , has been aiming for a championship for several years , falling short by only 20 points in 2021 .

“ To win a championship , no detail can be overlooked ,” says Fricke . “ In 2021 , the final round of our final points-earning event ( after winning 11 straight rounds ) ended our championship run . In reality , all of the rounds during the season make the difference .

“ Every person on our team shares the same goal and is committed to winning a championship ; our team owner John [ Finke ] said we will not quit until we get one . That is both good and bad because I want the championship , but don ’ t want him to hang it up when we achieve that goal ,” Fricke says laughingly .

NHRA regional and national event

winner James Stevens has recently introduced a second blown alcohol car as part of his team , which has been a growing trend in the class , especially for the nitro-injected dragsters .

“ I really enjoy the challenge of tuning the blown alcohol combination ,” says Stevens . “ Some of the best and worst times have been spent at the track .”

Nick Spiegel is newer to the game and is the other half of Stevens ’ Performance Truck team . He prefers the blown-alcohol combination as well , even though many newcomers veer towards the nitro-injected entry .

“ The competition these days is tough – just to qualify for a race is a win in itself . Driving a blower car is a blast ; you have a lot going on as a driver in just a short amount of time , compared to just smashing the gas on an A / Fuel car ,” says Spiegel , who was hooked on racing at an early age .

Sean Bellemeur , driver of the Bartone Bros .

Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car , is a three-time NHRA national champion and a two-time regional champion . He knows firsthand how hard it is to win a championship .

“ The old adage comes to mind : if it were easy , then everyone would do it . There are so many factors . The obvious ones are having the time , money , and resources to even have the option to try ,” says Bellemeur .

“ The competition . Yes , there are fewer cars these days . But quality cars are everywhere . The competition itself is much tougher . If there are 12 cars at a race , 11 of them can win at any time – maybe all 12 .”

He also points out the “ not so obvious ” challenges , like having the right tune-up for the tracks across the country that the TAFC class visits .

“ Cold , hot , humid , dry , high track temp , low track temp , good prep and bad prep – you still must turn on win lights . No excuses . Treating each and every run you make with the same mentality , be as good as you can possibly be ,” adds Bellemeur , “ that gets taxing – mentally and physically .

“ It ’ s a long season . This is no sprint . It ’ s a marathon , and over the years , I ’ ve learned that keeping that vision where it needs to be is critical to success ,” says Bellemeur .

He even compares the run-to-run challenges of a TAFC to “ two bull riders in the same ring at the same time .”

“ They ’ re damn hard to drive . They make you look like a fool in no time ,” confesses Bellemeur . “ But don ’ t slip up because there ’ s Maddi Gordon , Bob McCosh , Ulf Leanders , Brian Hough , Shane Westerfield , Chris Foster , Phil Esz , DJ Cox , Kyle Smith , and so many others waiting to pounce .”

Furthering the point that the TAFC class is exciting for fans and rewarding for the competitors , Bellemeur explains what makes it all worth it .

“ It ’ s mayhem at times ; sometimes it ’ s harder than others , but that ’ s what makes the taste of victory so wonderful ,” he says . “ That feeling at the end of the road when you get to stand in unison with your brothers and sisters and say together , ‘ We did it !’ There ’ s nothing better than that .”

– KAYLA ZADEL DI

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICK BELDEN