By: SCAG Racing
CONCORD, N.C. (April 27, 2025) – Justin Ashley and the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster team powered their way to the final quad of the American Rebel Light NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway. In Funny Car, BlueBird Turf / Versatran driver Dave Richards earned quarterfinal points while Daniel Wilkerson in the SCAG Ford Mustang had a first quad exit.
In the final quad, Ashley lined up with reigning world champion Antron Brown, most recent winner and motorsports legend Tony Stewart and multi-time champion Shawn Langdon.
Ashley would leave the starting line first and finish with a 3.776-second pass at 329.99 mph that just wasn’t enough for Langdon’s 3.714 at 330.63. Stewart would finish third going 3.792 at 309.06 while Brown ran into trouble for a 5.441 at 136.39.
“We’re very pleased with the weekend. This SCAG Toyota team, we always expect to win the race, but this was certainly a big move in the right direction. When you’re racing against the best in the world a runner-up finish is something to smile about,” Ashley said. “It’s a testament to the hard work the team puts in both on and off the racetrack. I love this team, and I love being a part of the SCAG Power Equipment family.”
Ashley and the SCAG Toyota dragster started race day from the No. 6 qualifying spot after a 3.708-second pass at 336.23 mph from Friday night. Their first quad would include two-time world champion Brittany Force, Spencer Massey and Todd Paton. Ashley won the round with a 3.749 pass at 332.02 while Force runnered-up on a holeshot with a 4.044 at 276.35.
Dave Richards and the BlueBird Turf / Versatran Funny Car team entered race day from the No. 16 qualifying spot after a 4.060 second pass at 313.88 mph on Saturday narrowly pushed them into the field of 16.
In the first round of eliminations, facing No. 1 qualifier Paul Lee, multi-time champion Matt Hagan and rising star Bobby Bode, Richards handled the BlueBird machine to a 4.439 pass at 306.26 to advance to the second round. Hagan would win the quad with a 3.939 at 331.28 while Lee slowed to a 4.469 at 189.39 and Bode smoked the tires for an 8.190 at 91.64.
In the second quad, Richards and Hagan would be met by Chad Green and Alexis DeJoria. Green would red-light but Richards smoked the tires coasting to a 10.378 at 88.51. Hagan won the quad with a 3.962 at 325.77 and DeJoria advanced on a 5.115 at 147.20.
“Losing in that second-round hurt especially when it was left on the table for the taking. But we just didn’t get it done,” Richards said. “I’ll take a round win, though. After just squeezing in the show, getting that win by a few thousandths of a second is pretty cool. win is a win, and I want to do some more of that. So, we’ll be testing ahead of the Chicago race and come back strong.”
Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang team had the best qualifying effort of Wilkerson’s career. Their Friday night 3.855-second pass at 330.07 mph put them No. 3 to start race day and set them up for a first-round quad against Ford teammate Bob Tasca III, former champion J.R. Todd and rookie Hunter Green.
Wilkerson was on a good run but ran into trouble down track to go only 4.078 seconds at 281.25 mph falling short to Todd’s 3.942 at 329.50 and H. Green’s 3.969 at 318.39.
“I hate letting the team down and I feel like I did that this morning. I let the SCAG Mustang get out of the groove and we will never know if it was me or the tune up,” Wilkerson said. “We have an awesome car, and I know we will get one soon if I can hold up my end of the deal.”
The SCAG Racing trio will be back on track at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway May 15-18, race six of 20 on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series schedule.
