NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Josh Hart won Top Fuel in his debut at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, becoming NHRA’s most recent first-time Pro winner.

Last year, Ryan Oehler, Justin Ashley, Aaron Stanfield, and Scotty Pollacheck each collected their first win in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. This season, Hart could easily be joined by a half-dozen or more NHRA Pros who are on the verge of collecting their first Wally. Listed below in random order, we review the potential candidates to make their first visit to the winner’s circle. 

TJ Zizzo (Top Fuel)

Why he’ll be next
TJ Zizzo has long been one of NHRA’s most popular Pros, and he came oh-so-close to his first win last year in Indianapolis when he lost the rain-delayed final of the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals to Justin Ashley. Zizzo has proved that his single-car team can run with anyone else in Top Fuel. He just needs a break or two to go the distance.

Why he might not be
A limited schedule that typically consists of five or six events is the only thing preventing Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum team from competing for a championship or at the very least a spot in the Top 10. If he expanded his schedule to even a half-season (10-12 races), he’d be nearly a lock for his first win.

Kyle Koretsky (Pro Stock)

Why he’ll be next
The second-generation racer has a grand total of eight races in a Pro Stock car, and he’s already made it to a final round at last year’s season-ending Las Vegas event. For 2021, Kyle Koretsky is planning to race a full season, and he’s going to continue to have front-line KB Racing equipment under him, which means a win should be just about a given.

Why he might not  be
There aren’t many reasons to think a win won’t happen this year other than the fact that Pro Stock is a very competitive eliminator with a large number of potential winners. The amount of parity that currently exists in Pro Stock is nearly unprecedented, so it’s hard to imagine even the best racers in the class getting more than three or four wins in a season. 

Paul Lee (Funny Car)

Why he’ll be next
This team, led by veteran Jim Oberhofer, has already proven they can run with the best in the business. For example, Paul Lee qualified in the top half of the field six times in 11 races last year, including the pole in St. Louis. He also went to the semifinals of the July event at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. Lee has nearly 100 races under his belt in a nitro car, so he also doesn’t lack for experience. 

Why he might not be
For all of his success, there have been a few speedbumps along the way for the Global Electronic Technologies team, including a couple of centerline violations that cost them a shot at a possible final round. A bit more consistency and a slight bump in performance would go a long way here.

Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock)

Why he’ll be next
Although he struggled a bit in his brief time in Top Fuel, the third-generation JEGS driver has been a rock star in every other class in which he’s competed, so there’s no reason to think Pro Stock will be any different. Troy Coughlin Jr. has already got some of the best reaction times in the class and went to a final round in his second start in Indianapolis last year. Following the lead of his uncle, Jeg Jr., it’s not hard to tab Coughlin for multiple wins and multiple championships during his career.

Why he might not be
Given his credentials and the quality of the car he’ll be driving for the Elite team, there is no reason to think a win isn’t imminent. It’s almost certain to happen. The only question is when.

Scott Palmer (Top Fuel)

Why he’ll be next
Scott Palmer has been close before with a pair of runner-up finishes during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he benefits from the expertise of Bobby and Dom Lagana and the rest of the Capco Contractors team. This season, Palmer has chosen to compete in fewer events, but with a renewed focus on being more competitive when he does race. That philosophy has worked well for others, including T.J. Zizzo.

Why he might not be
Simply because the Top Fuel class is tough and unpredictable and even the best teams sometimes struggle to find the winner’s circle. You’ve also got the issue of Steve and Billy Torrence, who have taken the lion’s share of the wins lately. That being said, a little luck could go a long way here. 

Cory Reed (Pro Stock Motorcycle)

Why he’ll be next
This year, Cory Reed and teammate Joey Gladstone will roll out a pair of new Suzuki motorcycles powered by the new four-valve cylinder head combination that was approved last year. The two bikes were built and will be maintained by the Vance & Hines team. It’s reasonable to expect a few gremlins early on, but the potential here is limitless. Reed’s first national event final came in 2018. He likely won’t have to wait long for another opportunity.

Why he might not be
In two words: Matt Smith. The reigning and now four-time champ easily had the best bike last year and won frequently. He’s likely to be just as tough this season, and there are plenty of other qualified riders to contend with. 

Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle)

Why he’ll be next
He’s going to have the same Vance & Hines Suzuki that teammate Cory Reed has, and he’s a bit more polished in the riding department. In fact, Joey Gladstone frequently has the best reaction times in the entire Pro Stock Motorcycle class but rarely has had enough power to close the deal. That should not be a problem this time around.

Why he might not be
Other than bad luck, we can’t think of a single reason why this guy won’t contend for race wins this season. Yes, the competition is fierce, especially if Vance & Hines riders Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec return, but we still like his chances.

Fernando Cuadra (Pro Stock)

Why he’ll be next
Fernando Cuadra has got plenty of experience, including back-to-back finals late in the 2019 season, so that works in his favor. Admittedly, he’s a bit of a longshot against the rest of the competitive Pro Stock field, but stranger things have indeed happened, most notably Aaron Strong’s upset win at the 2016 Seattle race.

Why he might not be
Cuadra’s two finals came when he was wheeling KB-powered race cars. Now he’s got his own engine program, and it’s still very much in the development stages. Cuadra is also fielding cars for his sons, Fernando Jr., and Cristen, with son David also likely to be in the mix. That’s a lot to take on, and it will almost certainly take a bit of time for them to match the performance of the class’ leaders.

Doug Foley (Top Fuel)

Why he’ll be next
In seven events last season, Doug Foley made a pair of quarterfinals and qualified a season-best No. 5 in Gainesville. Given that any car that qualifies in the top half of the field usually has a fighting chance, we’d say that an event win would not be too much of a surprise. It’s also worth noting that in 47 starts as a Pro, Foley has been to the semifinals six times.

Why he might not be
Why not? Because Top Fuel is rough even for the full-time teams, and as of right now, this is still a part-time squad. They have made steady progress in the last year, but we’d like to see a bit more consistency before adding them to our list of favorites.

Bobby Bode (Funny Car)

Why he’ll be next
Bobby Bode’s father, Bob, won the 2010 Brainerd event in what many still call one of the sport’s great upsets. That’s perhaps a bit unfair because the Arbee car generally runs very well and has been known to be a thorn in the side of the big teams. Predicting a win would be a bit of a stretch, but sometimes history does have a way of repeating itself.

Why he might not be
In a word? Experience. While he looked like a veteran in his debut last year in Houston, Bode is still just 18 years old and has made few runs in a nitro car compared to his rivals.

Mason McGaha (Pro Stock)

Why he’ll be next 
The first time Mason McGaha let the clutch out on race day, he beat his father, Chris, on a holeshot at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. He ultimately went to the semifinals, where he almost defeated four-time world champ Erica Enders. Just 19 at the start of the 2021 season, he’s got a long career ahead of him, and it will almost certainly include multiple victories.

Why he might not be
Familiar story here in Pro Stock with at least a dozen possible winners at any given event. As much as any other class, a driver usually has to split the atom four times on race day in order to have any sustained success. The wins will almost certainly come for this kid, but they won’t come easily.

Fernando Cuadra Jr. (Pro Stock)

Why he’ll be next
The oldest of the three Cuadra kids has done will for himself in limited appearances in a Pro Stock car. Fernando Cuadra Jr. can clearly drive, but to be honest, a win this season would be considered a major surprise. 

Why he might not be
As noted earlier, the Cuadra family is building a Pro Stock team practically from the ground up, and that takes a lot of time and effort. Fernando Jr. is also continuing to recover from an injury that sidelined him for the second half of the 2020 season.