SCAG RACING MAKES POWERFUL STATEMENT AT THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS

Justin Ashley

By: SCAG Racing (Photo Courtesy SCAG Racing)

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 08, 2025) – In its second season, SCAG Racing had their best on-track performance of the team’s history with Justin Ashley, driver of the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster finishing runner-up, while Daniel Wilkerson in the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car and Dave Richards in the BlueBird Turf / Versatran Funny Car both made semifinal appearances.

After a rain delay, Justin Ashley and the SCAG Toyota team faced four-time world champion Steve Torrence in the 28th Top Fuel final round of Ashley’s career. Ashley had the starting line advantage but both dragsters would have tire smoke going over the tricky race track. Ashley would pedal it, but it wasn’t enough for Torrence who was already ahead and got his dragster hooked up and across the finish in 4.022 seconds and 325.37 mph while Ashley coasted to an 8.600 pass at just 82.60.

“It was a great weekend for SCAG Racing. I’m very happy with the success we had as well as Daniel and Dave. Today was all about consistency,” said Ashley. “The track presented a few unique challenges that we were able to overcome until we got to the finals. We gave it everything we had and will continue to do the same moving forward. It was awesome watching Mike, Tommy, and our entire SCAG Power Equipment Toyota team navigate the track so well. We’re knocking at the door now we just have to knock it down.”

Ashley and the SCAG Toyota dragster started race day from the No. 2 qualifying with their 3.762-second pass at 330.80 mph. Their efforts were rewarded with a first-round battle against reigning world champion and Toyota teammate Antron Brown. Ashley and the SCAG team would put together the quickest pass of the round at 3.783 seconds and 328.14 mph for the win. Brown smoked the tires near half-track and shut off to coast to a 4.403 at 199.11.

In the second round, the SCAG Toyota team faced two-time world champion Brittany Force. Ashley was unfazed handling his dragster once again to the quickest pass of the round at 3.839-seconds at 329.91 mph, Force smoked the tires for a 4.925 at 160.40.

Lined up against multi-category champion and Toyota teammate Shawn Langdon in the semifinals, Ashley was first off of the line and first to the finish line with a 3.858-second run at 326.24 mph. Langdon smoked the tired almost immediately and coasted to 9.785 at just 74.97.

Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Ford Mustang team started their race day from the No. 5 qualifying spot thanks to 3.977-second pass at 325.30 mph, unfortunately that meant they had to face Ford Performance teammate Bob Tasca III in the first round.

Wilkerson had the starting line advantage and never trailed for a 4.031-second run at 325.30 mph. Tasca started to smoke the tires near half-track and had to shut off for a 5.566 pass at 133.17 setting Wilkerson up for a second-round matchup against rookie Julie Nataas who was making her Funny Car debut.

Nataas smoked the tires almost immediately and had to shut it off for a 6.638 pass at only 104.99. Wilkerson dropped a cylinder but held on for a 4.058 at 313.22 for the win. In the semifinals, Wilkerson’s 4.078 pass at 318.77 came up short to veteran Paul Lee’s 3.995 at 289.26.

“This whole SCAG team is back in fighting shape, and I could not be prouder this weekend,” Wilkerson said. “I told everyone our SCAG Ford Mustang team is better than what it says and looks like on paper and we proved it here at Bristol Dragway today. This weekend was a much-needed morale boost, and we are excited to get to similar track conditions in Richmond, Virginia and try again.”

Dave Richards and the BlueBird Turf / Versatran team made their first two-wide semifinal appearance of his career. The Bluebird machine raced their way to a final quad appearance at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals earlier this season where they earned semifinal points. The career best weekend for Richards started from the No. 15 qualifying spot off a 4.078-second pass at 315.78 mph.

In the first round, Richards lined up against No. 2 qualifier Alexis DeJoria. Richards had the starting line advantage with a stout .037-second reaction time. He would have a clean 4.098-second run at 316.90, enough for the win after DeJoria’s Funny Car lost traction and slowed to a 4.134 at 250.18.

Moving into the quarterfinal finials, Richards managed to chase down two-time world champion Cruz Pedregon. Pedregon left the starting line first but dropped cylinders and lost traction before shutting his machine off to cross the finish line in 4.233 seconds at 245.72 mph. Richards’ 4.136 at 312.50 was enough for the win.

In the semifinals, the BlueBird machine smoked the tires at the hit coasting to a 10.217 pass at 85.82. He watched Capps get the win with a 4.371 pass at 213.30 mph after dropping cylinders. Capps would go on to win the event.

“It was a great day. A few more win lights would have been nice, especially when Capps left it on the table for us, but the right lane has been tough here all weekend,” Richards said. “We will leave with our heads held high. I think this was the little boost we needed, a little bit of confidence for myself in driving this BlueBird Turf machine and confidence that we are going to continue to improve. The whole team – each and every crew guy – did a perfect job this weekend. The best is yet to come.

“I really have to mention how cool it was to get all the compliments and high fives from other teams that were happy for us today. It’s a big family out here,” Richards added.

SCAG Racing continues on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series tour heading to Virginia Motorsports Park outside of Richmond, Virginia for the American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals, June 20-22.