Justin Ashley (born December 12, 1994) is an American Top Fuel dragster driver competing in the NHRA. He hails from Plainview, New York, and drives for SCAG Racing as the pilot of the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster.
He made a strong impression in his debut Top Fuel season — 2020 — earning the NHRA’s Rookie of the Year after scoring a win at the SummerNationals and consistently posting strong reaction-times and round wins.
Since then, Ashley has established himself among the top competitors: as of 2025 he has over 20 career wins and dozens of final-round appearances — combining raw speed, precision, and consistency on the dragstrip.
Early Life & Entry into Racing
Justin’s earliest exposure to drag racing came through his family: as a child, he grew up around racetracks and watched his father race, which planted the seeds of his passion for motorsports.
His first actual racing experiences trace back to when he was around 10 years old, driving a “Junior Dragster.”
In his teens and early adulthood, he transitioned through different drag-racing categories: eventually earning his Top Alcohol Dragster license, and driving a “blown Top Dragster” in a handful of events before moving up in the ranks.
Around 2017, he was recognized among promising young talents — he was listed in the “30 Under 30” by a drag-racing magazine.
Family
His father is Mike Ashley — a well-known name in drag racing. Mike enjoyed considerable success: he was a two-time NHRA Pro Modified champion (2004 & 2005) and also won the U.S. Nationals Funny Car event in 2007.
His mother is Mindy Ashley. Together, Mike and Mindy raised Justin and his older sister.
Growing up in a racing family gave Justin early exposure to motorsport culture and likely helped shape his ambitions on the track. Still, he has often indicated he wants to “carve his own identity” rather than rely solely on family legacy.
Career
Early Career & Climb Up
Though he began driving Junior Dragsters as a child, Justin only started seriously pursuing racing later: after successful stints in lower categories (like Top Alcohol Dragster), he eventually moved to “Top Fuel.”
His debut in Top Fuel came under the banner of what was then a partnership between his own team and Davis Motorsports, driving a Strutmasters.com Top Fuel dragster.
Breakthrough: 2020 & Rookie of the Year
The 2020 season was a major turning point: in his first year as a Top Fuel pilot, Justin was named NHRA Rookie of the Year.
That season, he clinched a win at the NHRA SummerNationals — his first Top Fuel victory.
He qualified for every national event that year (despite the schedule disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and led the category in average reaction time (a key metric in drag racing, measuring how fast the driver launches when the light turns green).
Rise to Prominence: Recent Years & 2025 Success
Over the years, Justin’s performance has steadily improved: according to his official bio, as of latest data he had logged significant success — multiple wins, final-round appearances, and consistently strong finishes.
By 2025, his career stats (as listed publicly) show 21 total career wins (19 in Top Fuel + 2 in Sportsman / other categories), and 34 career final-round appearances.
In 2025 alone, he has had multiple wins and final-round appearances: including a win at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals — the sport’s marquee event — showing he’s firmly in championship contention.
His performance on the track often stands out not just for elapsed times (E.T.), but especially his reaction times — the split-second launches off the starting line have become a hallmark of his driving style.
Beyond driving, he’s associated with SCAG Power Equipment and drives their Toyota-powered Top Fuel dragster, under the umbrella of Scag Racing — a partnership that gives him stable manufacturer and sponsor backing.
Net Worth / Financial Footprint
Publicly available sources do not provide a verified “net worth” figure for Justin Ashley. Unlike in some mainstream sports where athletes’ earnings and assets are frequently disclosed, drag racing earnings (race winnings, sponsorships, etc.) are more opaque. Still, a few observations suggest a meaningful financial and commercial footprint:
Justin isn’t just a racer: outside the track, he’s involved in real-estate via a company tied to his family (or personal) business — historically, he served as President of a real-estate investment organization focused on rehabbing distressed properties.
His alignment with established sponsors and a manufacturer-backed team (SCAG, Toyota) suggests access to substantial resources — funding, equipment, maintenance, travel, and team support — which often indicates well-compensated contracts in top-tier drag racing.
Given his consistent wins, visibility in major events, and media presence (including social media / fan engagement), his value in endorsements, sponsorships and brand partnerships likely adds significantly to his earnings.
Because decisive data is lacking, any “net worth” number would be speculative. Still — relative to many drivers — Justin is positioned among the higher-earning, well-supported competitors in his class.
