The Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast w/ Luke & Jed

In this episode, the guys got the unique opportunity to catch up with Jeff Lambert, the president of Armed Forces Racing. Jeff shared his unique path into drag racing and how he has intertwined his passion for our sport with his military background to genuinely impact the lives of veterans. In addition, Luke & Jed recapped the week that was, which was highlighted by stellar performances by sportsman competitors from coast to coast. They also previewed this week’s SFG Powerball event in Jackson, SC and even spent a little time rehashing the Masters.

In this episode, the guys got the opportunity to sit down for a great conversation with the minds behind the Spring Fling Million and the Spring Fling brand: Kyle Seipel & Peter Biondo. They previewed the upcoming event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that does offer the largest guaranteed purse in all of drag racing for 2018. They also provided a behind the scenes glimpse at the ups and downs of race promotion. In addition, Luke & Jed recapped the Southern Big Buck Nationals in Belle Rose, LA and look ahead to a busy month of April on the sportsman scene. Of course this podcast wouldn’t be complete without a final look back at the NCAA tournament and the podcast bad beat bracket. It’s our version of “One Shining Moment”

This episode features the first segment from the lead (and only) correspondent of the Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast: J.J. Pennington and the debut of J.J.’s Top Ten! In addition, PJ North knocks it out of the park with some professional sound for the Final Four of the podcast bad beat bracket and the intro for J.J.’s Top Ten. The guys touch on big bucks action from Huntsville, AL, bottom bulb action from Gulfport, MS, and the NHRA Lucas Oil Series from Houston, TX before closing with a Final Thought on track prep. Today’s episode is presented in part by our friends at PortaTree, ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE, Siebert Performance, and the AHRA!

In today’s episode, the guys update the Podcast Bad Beat Bracket to represent the Sweet 16, complete with several new, listener suggested additions! They recap the weekend’s biggest events (Tenn-Tuck, Gatornationals, and big bucks action from Oklahoma and Virginia), and close the show by catching up with Dallas Page, the winner of the recent Racing RV’s sponsorship contest via ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE. Thanks to our partners for presenting this week’s show: Siebert Performance, AHRA, PortaTree, and The Spring Fling Galot.

This week’s podcast features a recap of the week that was: NHRA in Gainesville, big bucks in Tucson and the SFG opener in Georgia, plus the guys get into some Facebook drama from the week! Luke & Jed were joined by this week’s Seibert Performance “Who’s Hot” recipient: Lane Dicken, hot off his $100,000 victory in Reynolds, GA. In addition, they rolled out their own version of March Madness, tying outrageous (and common) racing “bad beat” stories to the top seeds of the NCAA tournament. It made for an enjoyable (if not somewhat ridiculous) episode.

On this week’s episode, Luke & Jed were joined by legendary announcer, journalist and racer Bret Kepner to discuss the Sportsman Drag Racing Hall of Fame idea in greater depth. We doubt anyone has more diversity in experience or a greater knowledge of the history of drag racing than Kepner - he’s like a walking, talking encyclopedia (as you’ll hear on this episode). Hear his takes and some fascinating facts on our sport, in addition to the guys’ weekly recap of major events from around the country.

Should Sportsman Drag Racing have its own Hall Of Fame? If so, where would it be located? And who gets first ballot induction? Luke & Jed discuss these ideas and share their thoughts on this week’s episode. In addition, they cover last weekend’s biggest newsmakers from Phoenix to Orlando to Montgomery, and more!

In this episode Jed is welcomed by co-host Kevin Brannon, while Luke goes on vacation and takes the week off. Jed and KB discuss a pit incident at Gulfport dragway over the weekend, as well as some King of the Coast results. The guys discuss KB’s move into racing full time, and the upcoming divisional at Orlando. They also highlight a few upcoming events. To finish up the episode, Luke gives us a #RACINGANSWERS segment on top end driving.

Bottom bulb racers have been waiting for it: It’s the Bottom Bulb version of the Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast Top 25! Luke, Jed, and Mark recruited 12 distinguished panelists to assemble the top 25: listen to see who came out on top, who earned Top 25 status, and who got snubbed! Luke Siebert, of Siebert Performance and a notable bottom bulb racer of his own right, joined the show this week to break down the results and give his take. In addition, Luke & Jed cover the weekend’s results from Pomona and discuss upcoming events slated for this weekend.

On this week’s episode, Luke & Jed sit down for a lengthy interview with reigning NHRA Top Dragster World Champion Lynn Ellison. Within that segment, Lynn recaps his amazing 2017 season, talks about the opportunity to compete alongside his daughter Madison, and what it’s like to bracket race at well over 200 mph. In addition, the guys rehash their NHRA picks from last episode in preparation for the NHRA season opener in Pomona. The episode closes with an appearance from newly minted Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast correspondent, JJ Pennington!

National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna joins Luke and Big Jed this week as they perform their annual NHRA Championship Draft. A year ago, Luke smoked Big Jed in the competition: and as a result, Jed’s “Big Red” Nova will feature a custom decal throughout 2018 to make sure everyone knows it! This year, Kevin, who helped the duo with their picks last season, got in on the action and picked a team of his own. The trio each selected three drivers in each of the NHRA sportsman categories as their own “Dream Team” of sorts. The show is a bit NHRA heavy this week, as Luke & Jed also discuss the advent of an 1/8th mile NHRA Division Series in the Southeast Division, and the addition of Virginia Motorsports Park to the NHRA National Event Schedule. Luke closes this week’s show with a “Final Thought” on the future of bracket racing.

This week, the guys are joined by 2-time NHRA World Champion Sherman Adcock, Jr. and the trio takes turns telling racing stories of yesteryear: entertaining tales from their youth and what feels like a little different time in sportsman drag racing. Jed shares a story that begins with losing a race car (quite literally) and ends in the winner’s circle. Sherman tells us about the early days of NHRA Super Gas, and highlights a few of the personalities of that time period. And Luke adds in the story of his first race day at his home track - a couple years shy of being a licensed driver. In addition, they talk about the ceasing of drag race competition at Englishtown, and touch on some of the upcoming events, news, and deadlines in the sport.

Some of the most discussed - and often most avoided - questions in the world of sportsman drag racing swirl around the issue of Commercial Vehicle mandates and the DOT laws as they apply to racers. In this episode, Luke & Jed do their best to get to the bottom of it, with the help of two highly respected industry professionals: Joe Fisher (Racing RV’s), and John Dibartolomeo (Drag Racing Edge). Joe and John help shed some light on towing and CDL requirements for our racing operations.

This episode was a real treat for Jed & Luke, as they got to sit down for a lengthy interview with recent NHRA World Champion and sportsman racing icon, David Rampy. In his interview, Rampy talked about everything from his Alabama roots to the intricacies of Competition Eliminator; his racing mentor, his team, and his drive to continue earning his living within sportsman competition. It’s one you don’t want to miss!

The boys are back! After a week off for the holidays, Luke and Jed return – and they bring the goods this week in an episode sure to get everyone talking. In this episode, the guys rank the top 25 top bulb bracket racers in the world! Who’s number 1? Who missed the cut? Find out in an episode dedicated almost exclusively to poll banter. In addition, the guys touch on a handful of events that have been released in recent weeks, and close the show with the popular #RacingAnswers segment.

Here it is! By listener vote, Luke & Jed recap the “Best of” 2017: best single event performance, best event, biggest controversy, best story, and the granddaddy of them all: the Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast 2017 Driver of the Year. In addition to breaking down the ballots, the guys discuss the passing of legendary NHRA Pro Stock champion Bob Glidden, update the listeners on some recent announcements, and close with a final thought on the sustainability of the current big dollar bracket racing landscape.

On this week’s show, the guys sit down with arguably the most successful and versatile racer of 2017: Nick Hastings. Hastings’ accomplishments from the season read like a laundry list of the biggest and best events of the season: top bulb and bottom bulb. He talks about his year, his outlook, and how he took the step from weekly bracket racer to one of the most recognized and successful big dollar competitors in the sport! In addition, Luke & Jed discuss the hottest topics of the week, and preview the upcoming “Best of 2017” show which will be highlighted by a listener vote.

On this week’s show, the guys discuss some of the latest developments in sportsman drag racing: IHRA’s Sportsman Spectacular, the recent Facebook discussion about what we would change about the sport, and more… But in large part, they relax and have a little fun! Luke & Jed are joined by multi-time world champion Slate Cummings as the three reflect on some of their most entertaining “Smack Talk” stories from over three decades at the race track.

On this week’s show, the guys catch up with recently crowned NHRA S/C world champ Austin Williams. In addition, they recap the holiday weekend action, which unfortunately included a disproportionate number of on track incidents. They also roll out a new “What’s On Tap” feature in which they preview upcoming events and talk about a 2018 schedule that is quickly becoming the richest and most exciting season in big buck bracket racing history. Plus they close the show with a long overdue #RacingAnswers segment.

A couple months ago, Jason Patterson was a Footbrake racer from south Texas. Now he’s an NHRA World Champion. Luke & Jed catch up with him to talk about the experience. In addition, they salute this year’s class of NHRA world champions, discuss the latest IHRA news, and preview the upcoming Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast anniversary episode.

Justin Lamb just became the third driver in NHRA history to win two national championships in one season. Those titles marked the third and fourth of his illustrious career (he’s 30 years old). On this week’s show, Jed and Luke got to catch up with Justin en route to Pomona for the World Finals. In addition, they do their best to bring everyone up to speed on the remaining sportsman championship pictures, recap the World Series of Bracket Racing, and share some thoughts on integrity within championship points battles.

It’s our anniversary! Join Luke & Jed as they take a look back at the first 52 episodes of the podcast and review the listener poll about the best, funniest, and most awkward moments of year one!

In today’s episode, Luke & Jed revisit last week’s discussion on safety and break down the past week’s major events: big dollar Footbrake action at the SFC, NHRA national event competition from Las Vegas, and the final Division 2 event from Rockingham. They’re joined by recent Las Vegas winner Marko Perivolaris and Luke brings everyone up to speed on NHRA championship possibilities with just 2 weeks remaining in the 2017 season. And of course, the duo discusses their NHRA pick ‘em contest with an emphasis on the recourse for the loser.

This episode is dedicated to everything Mickey Thompson Million. Luke & Jed were on hand competing for the biggest prize of the 2017 season. They didn’t win it, but they talk a lot about the man who did: Johnny Ezell. In addition, they touch on some of the hot topics from the Million: the split negotiation, safety equipment (or lack thereof), and the undertone of cheating accusations. No guest this week: Johnny Bracket Racing politely declined to come on (his racing speaks for itself).

This week the guys are recording live from the Mickey Thompson Million in Montgomery, AL. Luke & Jed are joined by the winner of the inaugural Million, TJ Tracey. In addition, they discuss the callouts from Huntsville last week and talk about Jed’s big win at the same event. Plus, they cover results from across the country and give their picks for this week’s Million.

In this episode, the guys discuss new developments in the world of bracket racing: from IHRA’s change in format, to an interesting system of pairing in the late rounds. Luke & Jed are joined by Britt Cummings, as he and Gaylon Rolison announce their new event: the 2018 Dream Team Shootout. In addition, they cover the NHRA action from Oklahoma and E.T. Finals events from the Southeast and the west coast… Plus they agree on a wager for their NHRA pick ‘em contest.

In this episode, Troy Williams, Jr. joins the show to discuss his incredible week… Troy clinched the IHRA Top Dragster World Championship on Sunday, then kicked off the Fall Fling with a win in the 32-car Dragster Shootout. As if that weren’t enough, he capped the week with a $50,000 triumph in Friday’s main event! In addition, he tells a few stories about his early years at the track, plus Luke & Jed recap the Fling, the NHRA national event in St. Louis and breakdown their NHRA draft picks at the points battles wind to a close.

In this week’s episode, Luke & Jed are joined by newly crowned DragRaceResults.com Ultimate Series champion Aaron Vail. The longtime Indiana door car driver tells the guys what it’s like to take a dragster home for the first time. In addition, IHRA crowned its sportsman champions last week with the Dragway 42 Finale, so the guys discuss that. Plus, they cover the NHRA action from Maple Grove and Rocky Mountain Raceway, as well as the DRR Series’ final stop in Huntsville and the Jim Harrington Memorial Classic at Cecil County. It’s an action packed show, recorded from the tower at Bristol Dragway during the Fall Fling!

In this week’s episode, 2-time IHRA World Champion and current points leader Danny Waters, Jr. helps the guys break down the IHRA finale and the championship contenders in each category. In addition, Luke and Jed cover last weekend’s national, divisional, and E.T. Finals events, and preview the upcoming Fall Fling. Plus, Luke tries to explain what the heck he’s doing in Salt Lake City and they debate the idea of giving a time trial in the middle of competition.

It’s Jed’s time to bask in the glory of his Alabama Slamma All-State triumph! In this week’s episode, the guys recap all the happenings from Memphis: the $50,000-to-win main event, as well as the race they’ve talked about all season long: The All State Shootout. In addition, they recap the week that was in NHRA LODRS competition and preview the final DragRaceResults.com Ultimate Series event of 2017.

In this episode, the guys discuss all of the happenings from the Big Go, including an interview with 2017 Competition Eliminator winner (and 3-time Indy champion) Brad Plourd. In addition, they touch on the IHRA double header in South Carolina, as well as big buck action from Norwalk, Noble, Montgomery, Kil-Kare and Farmington.

In this episode, the guys cover last weekend’s NHRA results from Bowling Green and Virginia Motorsports Park, as well as bracket action from Huntsville and Salt Lake City. The are joined by co-promoter of the Moser Great American Bracket Race, Gaylon Rolison to talk about that event and the All-State Shootout that will be contested as a part of it. Luke closes the show with a final thought about the Big GO: the NHRA U.S. Nationals.

In this episode, the guys discussed last week’s big buck bracket action from the DragRaceResults.com Ultimate Series in Huntsville as well as the Beaver Big Buck Blast in PA. In addition, they cover NHRA races from Brainerd, Seattle, and Cecil County, plus IHRA action from Memphis and Empire, all with an eye on the ultimate prizes: the national championships in both sanctioning bodies.

In this episode, the guys got a chance to catch up with PJ North and talk about the winding road that has led him to stardom on the Nashville music scene, and how he’s intertwined his music career with sportsman drag racing. They break down the weekend events: a trio of NHRA division races, along with big buck action from Virginia, Illinois, and Idaho. The podcast takes a somber tone when Luke, Jed, and PJ talk about Windle Webster, Jr.’s legacy and the racing incident that took his life last Friday.

In this episode, Luke & Jed dive into the IHRA points chase in all of the sportsman categories. In addition, they recap the week that was in NHRA competition: huge western swings for Jody Lang and Justin Lamb, as well as John Labbous Jr.’s continued domination of the super classes. Plus, they touch on the two big bracket events contested in the state of Michigan last weekend. Jed relives a devastating kickball defeat, and Luke talks about losing 4 semi-final rounds in under an hour. It’s a jam-packed podcast to say the least.

In this episode, Luke & Jed catch up with former NHRA Top Sportsman champion and current points leader Jeffrey Barker on the heels of his double-up victory in Topeka. They break down the NHRA points chases following a big weekend of action, and recap big bracket races from Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Plus, they provide an update on the upcoming All-State Challenge and preview next weekend’s Racing RV’s Exclusive 150.

In this episode, Luke & Jed touch on the events that made up the week that was: bracket action from Maryland and Alabama, the NHRA national event in Denver, and divisionals from Sonoma and Epping. They sit down for a chat with back-to-back NHRA Mile High Nationals Super Comp winner Kris Whitfield, and breakdown the bottom bulb All-State Challenge roster. The episode as a whole takes a somber tone following a massive loss to the sportsman racing community.

In this episode, Luke & Jed cover the IHRA event in Maryland and NHRA across the country in Oregon, but they spend the bulk of the show discussing the JEGS Summer Door Car Shootout. The event had its highs and lows for both: from a massive car and spectator count, to a fantastic wheelie contest, to a young new champion, to getting stuck in the mud & Jed’s unfortunate encounter with a concrete barrier. They discuss it and much more on this week’s Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast.

This week, Luke & Jed do their best to tackle a monumental weekend in sportsman drag racing. Dan Fletcher earned his milestone 100th NHRA national event win in Chicago. At the same event, David Rampy picked up his 95th win, and Luke himself became the 25th driver in NHRA history to double at a national event. Meanwhile, Jed had a big weekend of his own, hosting the 11th annual BTE World Footbrake Challenge. They discuss all that, and catch up with the man of the hour himself: Dan Fletcher. Plus Luke rants in the newest segment of the podcast, This Week’s Final Thought.

In this episode, Luke & Jed breakdown the upcoming JEGS All-Stars competition. In addition, they take an opportunity to catch up with NHRA Top Fuel ace Clay Millican. Clay shares his incredible story: from a local racer scratching together pennies to make races along the IHRA tour in Modified eliminator, to Top Fuel world champion (6 times over), to legitimate NHRA contender. He recaps his emotional victory in Bristol on Father’s Day, and enlightens us all on some of the nuances of professional competition.

In this episode, Luke & Jed welcome longtime racer and the voice of the JEGS Summer Door Car Shootout, Willie Burnett. Willie and Jed share some announcing war stories as well as some memorable calls from the past. In addition, the guys recap the week that was, highlighted by a “Double Double” at the NHRA National event in Norwalk, and the much anticipated Lonestar Summer Shootout in Texas. Plus, they break down the NHRA points chase after a big weekend (there were two divisionals in addition to Norwalk; and they release the “Utility” class roster for the SDPC All-State Showdown.

In this episode, Luke & Jed welcome National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna to the show to review the first half of the 2017 NHRA season. Kevin assists Luke & Jed with their NHRA World Championship re-drafts, as they lock in #TeamLuke and #TeamJed for the remainder of the season. In addition, they recap the weekend’s events from Nashville, TN to Denver, CO and several points in between. Plus, Jed shares that he is the (self-proclaimed) “Greg Maddux” of his high intensity adult kickball league.

In this episode, Luke & Jed talk about cheating (and the threat of cheating) in today’s sportsman drag racing world. The show includes a long chat with Cody Harger, a Louisiana racer turned tech inspector, who handles tech inspection at the Million Dollar Race and the DragRaceResults.com Ultimate Series events. In addition, they discuss the unfortunate accident turned social media saga of one southeast footbrake competitor, and bring everyone up to speed on the biggest events of the week that was: from Englishtown to Darlington, and the Ultimate 64 to the latest IHRA events.

In this episode, Luke & Jed relive a big weekend of NHRA competition highlighted by the national event in Epping, NH and three Lucas Oil Series Events. They also cover the No Box Bonanza at Summit Raceway Park, and preview the upcoming DragRaceResults.com Ultimate Series event at Huntsville Dragway (June 23-25). In addition, they roll out their first #RacingAnswers segment with an emphasis on finish line safety… But the highlight of the show is an interview with up and coming bracket race announcer JJ Pennington!

In this episode, Luke & Jed recap the weekend’s events from coast to coast: From NHRA at Bowling Green and Maple Grove to major events in Fontana, CA, Ardmore, OK, Steele, AL, Atco, NJ and Rockingham, NC and big bucks Footbrake action in Elk Creek, VA. Results include Matt Sayers domination, a Scooter Hamlin double, and even a Spencer Massey siting! Plus, they preview the Racing RV’s Exclusive 150 and Luke talks about become an outdoorsman.

In this episode, Luke & Jed recap the weekend’s events and their potential implications on the 2017 NHRA Lucas Oil Championship races. Austin Williams won the Menard’s NHRA Heartland Nationals. Surprise, surprise: this marks the fifth consecutive season he’s won the Topeka event! Jed & Luke discuss his success, and recap the NHRA divisional events in Atlanta, Norwalk, and Fontana with an eye on how they’ll ultimately impact the 2017 national championships. They also touch on last weekend’s big buck action at Capitol Raceway and preview the 11th annual World Footbrake Challenge (which returns to Bristol Dragway July 6-9)

This episode is dedicated to guarding our racing operations against theft, and what to do in the event that your race car/trailer/operation is stolen. Jed & Luke discuss with Brian Cireddu, the well-known and accomplished Ohio No Box racer who recently had his entire operation stolen from a motel near Las Vegas following the Spring Fling Million. In addition, they touch on various anti-theft devices, GPS tracking and alarms, and insurance options. It’s not the most fun episode, but hopefully one of the most impactful! Luke & Jed also touched on what little racing took place over the holiday weekend, highlighted by the Arkansas Footbrake Throwdown and the Spring Run Off at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park in Utah.

Last weekend, Luke & Jed were in attendance at the biggest races in the land: Jed was at GALOT for the Spring Fling, while Luke attended (and won SC at) the NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta. They cover those races in depth, as well as results from Huntsville, AL and Boise, ID, plus some fun racing related trivia and news and notes from across the country. They’re joined by longtime racer and promotor of the upcoming Figspeed West Coast Classic, Chris Forsythe. Chris previews the big event, which comes to Auto Club Raceway (Fontana, CA) on May 25-28, and discusses the bracket racing climate on the western half of the country.

In this episode, the guys recap the weekend’s big events: the NHRA 4-Wide in Charlotte, the Dallas LODRS, the Ten Grand Slam in Richmond, VA, and Big Jed’s $10k win at Holiday Raceway in Woodstock, AL. In addition, Luke & Jed preview the 7th annual JEGS Summer Door Car Shootout and challenge one another with some fairly random (mostly racing related) trivia.

In this episode, the guys spend some time with the winner of the LAST BIG Thing contest, 75-year-old Texan Don Boulware. Don shares stories of yesteryear, his secrets to enjoying incredible on-track success well into his 70’s, and an entertaining tale about his first trip to the Moroso 5-Day. In addition, Luke & Jed touch on the recent developments at Capital Raceway, the recovery of Brian Cireddu’s race car and trailer, and recap last weekend’s big events.