“ The Snowbirds was a wake-up call for everybody. That final qualifying session was one of the toughest I’ ve ever been a part of. There was zero room for mistakes.”- LYLE BARNETT

HOME RUN: John Carinci( center) accepts the Snowbirds Pro 10.5 No. 1 qualifier custom baseball bat courtesy of Victus Sports and Kasper Performance Edge from DI Winter Series Race Director Gavin Carter( left) and Winter Series promoter Wes Buck.

LIVING LEGENDS: Funny Car drivers“ Fast” Jack Beckman and Ron Capps and Pro Stock Motorcycle champion turned Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Angelle Sampey- among the winningest active drivers in NHRA history- pose for a quick photo at driver intros.

NITRO KNOW-HOW: Longtime NHRA nitro team executive Mike Lewis hangs out under the tower at the Texas Motorplex while waiting for eliminations to kick off.

MISSISSIPPI MATCHUP: No Prep Kings stars Scott Taylor and Kye Kelley draw each other during the first-round chip draw at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals. It was a side-by-side race between the Mississippi natives, but Kelley got the win.

TEXAS TEAMMATES: Funny Car’ s Alexis DeJoria and Top Fuel’ s Ida Zetterström, who both competed under the JCM Racing umbrella in 2025, catch up behind the scenes at driver intros at the Texas NHRA FallNationals.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOE MCHUGH, LUKE NIEUWHOF, JESS MILIANTE AND GARY ROWE

56 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 198