Pre-Season Fireworks: Pritchett Blasts to Fastest NHRA Top Fuel MPH Ever in Testing!

Before the 2018 NHRA season even officially kicks off, there are already some big numbers helping build buzz for the Winternationals next weekend in Pomona. Before each race season for as long as I personally can remember, nearly all of the professional teams in the NHRA have gathered the weekend before Pomona at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona for a wide-open test session known as Spring Training, an event that regularly produces would-be record numbers.

This year is no different, and just a few short minutes ago, Team Speed Society Racing’s own Leah Pritchett fired a warning shot to let the rest of the top fuel class know that she was coming to play again this year after leading the points for much of the 2017 season. During the final day of testing, Pritchett wheeled her brand new DSR Racing dragster to the highest speed ever recorded in 1,000 feet – by a piston-powered car, for those of you itching to quote some rocket car stats from the 60’s – on a stellar 3.666 pass, tripping the cones at 334.72 MPH.

The Mopar-sponsored digger roared to a 0.824 sixty foot, clicked off a 2.092 three hundred thirty foot time, and blasted through the 1/8th mile at 297 MPH in just 2.945 seconds, meaning she covered the back half of the track in 0.719 seconds and tacked on an additional 37 MPH in that time. Just trying to wrap one’s head around those numbers is nearly impossible without seeing it, so as soon as video is available, we’ll share it with you. Papa John’s Pizza is returning for Pritchett’s 2018 campaign, but her car will also carry Mopar’s colors, as well as Pennzoil at different points throughout the season.

Look for the Todd Okuhara and Joe Barlam-tuned hotrod to roll into Pomona looking to repeat last years quick start, where they won the first two races and three of the first five. Pritchett and company are hoping to improve on least year’s 5th place finish by performing better through the middle and later parts of the season, something they struggled in 2017. With numbers like this flashing on the scoreboard already, that looks like a great possibility!

Here is a video of her previous record run!