NHRA Top Fuel racer Shawn Reed is determined to secure his playoff spot despite a serious crash three weeks ago at the Northwest Nationals held at Pacific Raceways. Following the wreck, which caused Reed to lose part of his left index finger and break several ribs, he remains focused on competing in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs starting September 12-14 in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Standings Pressure and Competitor Threats Intensify Countdown Battle
Currently positioned 10th in the Top Fuel standings with 422 points, Reed holds the last qualifying spot for the Countdown playoffs. His closest competitor, Ida Zetterstrom, holds 274 points in 11th place and has entries in the upcoming races at Brainerd, Minnesota, and the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over Labor Day Weekend. With Reed sidelined, Zetterstrom has a chance to surpass him and claim that critical position.
Plan to Use Substitute Driver for Upcoming Races
To protect his standing, Reed announced plans to employ a substitute driver for the next two races at Brainerd and Indianapolis. NHRA regulations permit substitute drivers to accumulate points on behalf of the primary driver, ensuring Reed’s team can maintain or improve their current position while he recovers. Reed is set to reveal the substitute driver’s identity on Friday.
We didn’t run Sonoma (the event immediately following the Seattle race) for obvious reasons, but I intend to be race-ready and back behind the wheel by Reading (Pa.) for the first race of the Countdown,
explained Reed.
I have a pin in my thumb, which will come out later this month, and have been in regular contact with Josh Peterson (NHRA’s VP of Racing Administration) and feel confident I will be able to pass all of NHRA’s required medical clearances and be reinstated in time to run all six Countdown races.
—Shawn Reed, NHRA Top Fuel Racer
Strategic Approach to Securing Playoff Eligibility
Reed’s team strategy includes having the substitute driver perform at least qualifying runs in each event to earn sufficient points. This approach aims to guarantee Reed’s participation in the playoff series regardless of his physical recovery timeline. By maintaining his position, Reed can safeguard his team’s opportunity to compete for the championship.
While our points cushion is pretty good, I’m leaving nothing up to chance,
Reed said.
My team deserves to have a shot at the Countdown, and maybe in these last two races, we’ll really go on a tear and move up to eighth or ninth to start the Countdown, who knows.
This is drag racing, and stranger things have happened, but what I do know is that I want to lock up a spot in the Top 10 and give (crew chief) Rob Wendland the opportunity to continue collecting more data at these next two races. So, that being said, we’ve made the decision to have a fill-in driver compete on my behalf at Brainerd and Indy.
—Shawn Reed, NHRA Top Fuel Racer
Confidence in Team and Season Outlook
Despite his injury, Reed expresses strong confidence in the capabilities of his team and their equipment to remain competitive through the remainder of the season. He noted that being 10th in the standings is not a limitation, drawing motivation from past examples of racers moving from lower starting positions to championship wins.
I have too good of a team and too good of parts to miss these next two. We’re 10th now, but there’s no reason why we can’t finish the year in the top five. Hey, Robert Hight won from 10th one year, so whatever we need to do to give ourselves a shot at it, we’re going to do.
—Shawn Reed, NHRA Top Fuel Racer
Upcoming Announcement and Future Prospects
Reed plans to officially announce the substitute driver on his Facebook page at noon Eastern Time on Friday, August 8. The upcoming races at Brainerd and Indianapolis will be pivotal in determining whether Reed can hold or improve his playoff position while awaiting clearance to return to full competition. His resolve reflects the high stakes of the NHRA Top Fuel Countdown Plan and the intense competition driving the championship chase this season.
