MAYVILLE, Wis. — Justin Ashley, a second generation drag racer, will take on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season racing the flagship Top Fuel dragster for the newly formed SCAG Racing team.
Ashley has brought his full team into the SCAG Racing fold with crew chiefs Mike Green and Tommy DeLago at the helm of the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster and Dustin Davis overseeing the day-to-day operations.
In 2023, Green and DeLago led Ashley to a career best six wins and three No. 1 qualifying positions. Ashley would lead the points for nine races ultimately finishing the season fourth in the points standings for the third consecutive year.
“I’d like to thank Randy Gloede and his team for the opportunity to represent Scag Power Equipment and all of their distributors, dealers, owners and users all across the country.” Ashley said. “Being chosen to join the first NHRA professional factory team is an honor and comes with great responsibility.
“I’m a firm believer in mastering your position and becoming the very best you can be within that role. As part of the SCAG Racing family, I can now be laser focused on finding success both on and off the race track, which includes both the driving and business sides of racing. This is a classic one plus one equals 10.”
SCAG Power Equipment, a division of Metalcraft of Mayville, has continuously grown their involvement in NHRA drag racing starting in 2022 as a partner for a Top Fuel dragster team that became a primary sponsorship.
SCAG quickly ramped up their presence in 2023 with sponsorship of a Funny Car team and associate sponsorship of a Pro Stock team as well as becoming the Official Outdoor Power Equipment Provider of NHRA before taking on team ownership to begin the 2024 season.
“SCAG has invested a lot of time, energy and effort into the sport and the new organization. Our guys have the resources and stability they deserve,” Ashley said. “Randy’s ideology of love, service and care for all of SCAG Nation and the importance of family, respect and culture aligns with our own.
“In my opinion, NHRA drag racing is the best sport in the world. I’m getting to do what I love with a team, ownership group and sponsors that I love. We are proud to represent Scag Nation and our goal is to make them proud of us.”
Ashley began his professional drag racing career in 2020 earning the NHRA Rookie of the Year Award after picking up his first win along with two semifinal appearances and a seventh place points finish.
In his four years behind the wheel, Ashley has tallied 11 wins in 19 final rounds and five No. 1 qualifying positions with a career best elapsed time of 3.661 seconds and speed of 338.40 mph both at Texas Motorplex in 2023.