{"id":2775,"date":"2025-03-25T03:57:15","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T03:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/?p=2775"},"modified":"2025-03-31T19:41:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T19:41:09","slug":"former-junior-dragster-driver-chasing-top-fuel-dream-will-smiths-journey-to-funny-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/?p=2775","title":{"rendered":"Former Junior Dragster Driver Chasing Top Fuel Dream: Will Smith’s Journey to Funny Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Will Smith has spent a lifetime chasing speed, and now, he\u2019s one step closer to his ultimate dream. The former Junior Dragster racer, who started his journey in the early 2000s, just earned his Top Fuel Funny Car license in Gainesville, Florida, adding yet another accomplishment to his already impressive resume.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

A Passion for Drag Racing from the Start<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Smith\u2019s love for drag racing was evident from an early age. While competing in Junior Dragsters, he also volunteered and worked with Steve Johnson Racing. Johnson saw Smith\u2019s potential beyond the driver\u2019s seat and encouraged him to pursue a marketing degree\u2014a piece of advice that would shape his career in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

In 2012, Smith graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in marketing. By 2016, he became the Marketing Director for the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA), proving his ability to merge business and racing into a successful career path.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hands-On Experience in the Pro Mod and Top Alcohol Ranks<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Smith\u2019s career took another leap when he worked for Al-Anabi Racing\u2019s Pro Mod team under the legendary Shannon Jenkins. There, he gained firsthand experience as both a crew member and a team manager, deepening his knowledge of race car operation and team logistics.<\/p>\n

His transition to the driver\u2019s seat at a professional level came in 2017 when he earned his Top Alcohol Dragster license. He piloted Dave Hirata\u2019s car and quickly proved himself by winning a divisional event\u2014a moment that solidified his path in professional drag racing.<\/p>\n

Stepping into Top Fuel<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 2022, Smith took a major step forward by teaming up with three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon to earn his Top Fuel Dragster license. That same year, he made his debut at the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. He continued his Top Fuel journey in 2023, competing at both Chicago and Indy, where he qualified and set career-best marks.<\/p>\n

Conquering Funny Cars in 2025<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Smith’s latest achievement came in 2025 when he earned his Top Fuel FunnyCar license. Under the guidance of Funny Car veteran Paul Smith (no relation), Will made multiple passes down the track, culminating in a full 310 mph run. His final pass\u2014a 4.17-second blast at over 310 mph\u2014was enough to impress veterans John Smith and Del Worsham, who signed off on his license.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s crazy is I never even sat in a FunnyCar until the morning of,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019d never had the body down on it until we went to the staging lanes. But, man, I felt right at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Smith\u2019s car proved to be an excellent learning platform, and Will made the most of his opportunity. \u201cPaul\u2019s car will go down a dirt road,\u201d he joked. \u201cAnd he\u2019s a great teacher. When that clutch locked up out the back, man, it just took off again. That\u2019s the coolest feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Versatile, Marketable Driver Ready for the Next Step<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"Will Smith has proven himself in multiple categories\u2014driving nitrous Pro Mods, Top Alcohol Dragsters, Top Fuel Dragsters<\/p>\n

, and now Top Fuel Funny Cars. His goal remains clear: to be one of the most versatile and marketable drivers in the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a die-hard drag racer. I eat, sleep, and breathe it,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI want to make a living at drag racing. That\u2019s hard to do these days, but I\u2019m working hardat it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s journey wouldn\u2019t be possible without key partners. The three sponsors that helped make his Funny Car licensing possible are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Greenbrier Excavating & Pavi<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • ng<\/strong> (Alan O\u2019Brien)<\/li>\n
  • Robert A Tull Inc<\/strong> (Tony Tull)<\/li>\n
  • SP Tools USA<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    With his proven talent and relentless work ethic, Will Smith is positioning himself as a driver that any major corporate sponsor would be proud to back. Calm, personable, and able to drive anything on the track, Smith is ready for the next opportunity\u2014wherever it may take him.<\/p>\n

    \"\"\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Will Smith has spent a lifetime chasing speed, and now, he\u2019s one step closer to his ultimate dream. The former Junior Dragster racer, who started his journey in the early 2000s, just earned his Top Fuel Funny Car license in Gainesville, Florida, adding yet another accomplishment to his already impressive resume. A Passion for Drag […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[55],"class_list":{"0":"post-2775","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-driver-features"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Kline Whitley","author_link":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/author\/klinewhitley"},"authors":[{"term_id":55,"user_id":4,"is_guest":0,"slug":"klinewhitley","display_name":"Kline Whitley","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Me.png","url2x":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Me.png"},"first_name":"Kline","last_name":"Whitley","user_url":"http:\/\/www.DragCoverage.com","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2775\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2775"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/DragCoverage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fppma_author&post=2775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}