HULL AND JIM DUNN RACING READY TO CHARGE INTO SONOMA

By: Jim Dunn Racing

LONG BEACH, CA (July 22, 2025) — With the Countdown to the Championship looming on the horizon and only three races remaining in the regular season, NHRA Funny Car driver Buddy Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team are heading into this weekend’s Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge with fire in their bellies and horsepower in their hearts. The event, set for July 25-27 at Sonoma Raceway, marks the 12^th stop on the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series calendar and promises a highly competitive field of 18 Funny Cars battling for 16 qualifying spots.
 
Hull, now in his sophomore season behind the wheel of Jim Dunn Racing’s nitro Funny Car, is set to make his third career start at Sonoma Raceway and his second in the Funny Car class. Piloting a car adorned in the blue and orange Lescure Mechanical Services livery for the second time this year, and proudly featuring Alo Drinks on the rear wing, Hull is laser-focused on putting on a show for California fans.

“This place is electric,” said Hull. “Sonoma is just one of those tracks that makes the hair on your arms stand up. It’s got character. It’s fast. It’s scenic. And the fans here? They’re as hardcore as it gets. I came here in Top Fuel in 2021, and last year in my rookie Funny Car season, and every time I pull through the gates, I can feel the energy. This year, we’re coming in stronger, hungrier, and more dialed-in than ever before.”
 
Sonoma Raceway holds special meaning for the Jim Dunn Racing team. As one of the oldest and most storied teams in drag racing history, and currently celebrating its 75^th anniversary season, the California-based crew considers the Sonoma Nationals their secondary hometown track. The team has had past success at the venue and returns this year with a sharp eye on climbing the points ladder and locking in momentum before the Countdown begins.
 
“We’ve got a legacy to honor,” said Hull. “Jim Dunn Racing has been part of this sport for 75 years. That’s longer than most of us have been alive. Racing here in California, where this team is based, where the roots run deep, it’s not just another weekend for us. It’s a chance to race in front of our people and show the heart of this operation. We want to make Jim, Jon, and the entire Dunn family proud every single pass.”
 
With 18 Funny Cars vying for just 16 spots, this weekend’s qualifying sessions will be some of the most intense of the season. Favorable weather conditions are forecasted, opening the door for quick runs, record-setting speeds, and tight margins that could separate heroes from heartbreak.

“We know what’s at stake,” said Hull. “This field is stacked. Every car can lay down a killer number. We’ve got the tuning brains in the pit, we’ve got a consistent race car, and we’ve got Lescure Mechanical Services and Alo Drinks riding with us, so let’s go throw down.”
 
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team have continued to build consistency as the season has progressed. They’ve made strides in qualifying and race day performance, showing flashes of brilliance and growing synergy between driver and team.
 
“Our crew has been working their tails off, particularly this back-to-back race week,” said Hull. “Every weekend we’re learning, evolving and building. That’s what this sport is all about, taking punches, getting back up and coming back harder. Sonoma is where we take another step forward.”
 
The return of Lescure as the primary sponsor on the Funny Car for Sonoma marks the second time the industrial mechanical powerhouse has been the featured partner this season. Known for their innovative solutions and commitment to quality, Lescure is a perfect match for a team built on legacy, precision and relentless effort.
 
“To have Lescure back on the car is awesome,” said Hull. “They’re a company that gets what it means to work hard, to grind, to deliver under pressure, just like we do on the dragstrip. Their support means the world to us, and I’m fired up to give them a strong weekend.”
 
Also featured on the car this weekend once again is Alo Drinks, an exciting lifestyle beverage brand that has joined the team’s always growing list of partners. Alo brings a fresh flavor to the team, literally and figuratively, with their line of refreshing aloe vera-based drinks.
 
“Alo Drinks is such a cool, outside-the-box brand to have with us,” said Hull. “When you think about what we do out here, putting our bodies through g-forces, the heat, the stress, it’s great to have a company like Alo in our corner. They care about wellness, and we’re grateful they’ve come along for this ride.”
 
In addition to Lescure Mechanical Services and Alo, this weekend Hull will also be representing season-long sponsors Blaze Exhaust Probes, KGC Construction, Mooneyes, Vertex Roofers and General Contractors, Crow Safety, Koppl Pipeline Services, True Brand, USD, Wiley X and Compass Facility Services.
 
As the race to the Countdown to the Championship heats up, every round, every pass and every point matters. Sonoma is the first of the final three regular season events and represents a pivotal opportunity for teams to position themselves for the post-season push.
 
“I thrive in high-pressure situations,” said Hull. “You tell me there are only three races left before the Countdown? That’s fuel to the fire. We’re coming into Sonoma aggressive, focused and ready to scrap for every inch. We have something to prove, and I’ve got zero plans of backing down.”
 
With favorable weather forecasts, high-energy fans, and a full weekend of racing ahead, Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team are set to charge into the Sonoma Nationals with heart, horsepower and heritage on their side. It will be a busy weekend for Hull on and off the track. Heading into qualifying, Hull will be filming the second season of his Telly Award-winning show, Talkin’ Funny Cars with Buddy Hull. Then, on Saturday at 10:15 a.m. on the NHRA Stage, he’ll be leading New Fan Orientation with Hannah Rickards.
 
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will have two qualifying runs on Friday, July 25 and then two more qualifying runs on July 26 at Sonoma Raceway. The 16 Funny Cars with the lowest elapsed times after four rounds of qualifying will compete on race day on Sunday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m. PT. Fans can watch the race on FS1. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Sonoma Nationals visit nhra.com.