NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

At eight years old, Conner Statler was hanging off the fence at a local bracket race dreaming of racing. On Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Statler took the Stanfield Racing Engines powered Janac Brothers Factory X Camaro to the winner's circle at the 71st running of the most prestigious, historic race on the tour, the Cornwell Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

"I don't think it's really hit me yet," said Statler, who works in the Stanfield Racing Engines shop in Bossier City, La., and travels with the team as part of the crew attending to customer cars in the Factory Stock Showdown, Stock, and Super Stock. "Everything is so surreal right now; it's a lot to process. This is Indy. There are people who race their entire lives and win championships and races, but they never win Indy. It's just incredible."

Statler qualified No. 3 with a 6.902 at 198.61 mph, and came up against Jesse Alexandra in the first round of eliminations. Statler's 6.912 powered past a 7.551, and he advanced to his third Factory X final round of the season. There, he launched with a .067-second reaction time next to Lenny Lottig, who was .038 on the tree. Statler was ahead before they reached the 60-foot timer and was able to keep ahead as they crossed the finish line stripe for a 6.972 to 6.969 win.

The victory was Statler's second of the season and third in his career. After qualifying No. 1 in Chicago, he logged a final-round finish, and in Norwalk, he put the Janac Brothers Factory X car in the winner's circle. Statler's first national event win came in 2021 at the spring race in Las Vegas, where he defeated the boss, Greg Stanfield, in the final round of Stock.

"Winning this race was one of the highlights of my career, definitely," said Statler. "But getting to race Greg in the final round at my first national event was another one, and so was racing Aaron in the semifinals in Dallas in 2022 because that was like a final – Bill Skillman was supposed to be in the final on the other side of the ladder but couldn't make it, so whoever won our round was going to win the event.

"Aaron is like a brother to me, and I look to Greg like a father figure. They've both won Indy, and Aaron's done it in multiple classes and doubled here last year. They're the model I hold myself to, so the bar is high — but when you're around successful people, I believe you ultimately become successful."

The road to the final was anything but smooth for the temperamental Factory X cars that combine supercharged engines and manual transmissions in lightweight, factory-appearing modern muscle cars. Statler was challenged throughout qualifying and got his teeth rattled a time or two, but on raceday, everything fell into place.

"When I cut it loose in the final, I felt like I was okay letting off the clutch, and I felt like my shift-points were good," explained Statler. "I thought I saw the win light on as I went by it, and then I thought I heard Ross [Stanfield Racing Engines crew man] in my ear saying 'You just won it,' but I couldn't really make it out. Once I got to a point where I could, I reached up and hit my button and said, 'Did you just say we won the U.S. Nationals?' He said, 'Hell yeah, we just won the U.S. Nationals.'

"There was still a job to do, get turned off the end of the racetrack without hitting anything. But once the cameras were at the car, I knew that it was real."

With the win, Statler moved up to No. 2 in the Holley EFI Factory X championship standings, 23 points behind Lenny Lottig. There are three races remaining in the series to accumulate points and build a case for the series title that was won last season by Greg Stanfield: The NHRA Reading Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., NAPA NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, and the Texas NHRA FallNationals in Dallas.

"The blessings I've had in my life as a driver are plentiful, and I don't know why I get to experience these things, other than God is just good to me," said Statler. "I've said it a couple times, but a little over a year ago, I lost my grandfather, Ron Statler. Pap believed in me, when a lot of people told me I was stupid for leaving home to do this. Losing someone like that is hard, but he rides with me every day, and he was in the car with me today for this win. That just makes it even more special."

Statler thanked the Stanfield family, the Stanfield Racing Engines shop and crew, Joe and David Janac, Pat Quinn and P.J.Q., Jim Greenheck and C-Tech Manufacturing, Craig Gualtiere from Roasters Coffee & Tea, and all the great people and businesses who keep them at the top of their game.