NORWALK, Ohio — It’s already been a standout rookie season for Spencer Hyde in the Funny Car ranks heading into this weekend’s 19th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park.
He’s advanced to one final round, picked up a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory and has displayed steady progress driving for Head Racing and veteran crew chief Jim Head, who is a Columbus, Ohio, native.
That makes this weekend a home race for Head, but also for Hyde, who grew up racing just outside of Toronto in Stratford, Ontario.
It means Hyde is bringing plenty of friends and family with him to Norwalk, as well as a special “Jack and the Green Stock” wrap on the 12,000-horsepower Funny Car. It’s an ode to the green Stock Eliminator car his grandfather’s cousin, Jack Hyde, drove almost 50 years ago.
Hyde drove a newer version of that car several years ago, had his Pro Mod car wrapped to match it and now will have the meaningful “Jack and the Green Stock” look on the Funny Car this weekend.
Hyde has raced at Summit Motorsports Park a number of times in the Pro Mod and Top Sportsman ranks, over the years, but his Funny Car debut at his home track is shaping up to be a special one.
“Now that I’m in a nitro Funny Car, the closest we get to home is Norwalk, and that’s where all my friends and family will hang out (this weekend), so I thought it would be cool to wrap the Funny Car like that,” Hyde said. “How cool would it be if my first Funny Car win came in the Jack and the Green Stock wrap? That was my first big Pro Mod win was when we had it wrapped like that.
“I’m not saying I’m expecting to win, but it’s our home race, it’s Jim’s home race, so it’s a pretty special event for all of us. That would be a perfect world – my first win in a Funny Car coming in Norwalk with my home crowd and wrapped as Jack and the Green Stock. Norwalk has kind of been our home away from home for a long time.”
It is the 10th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA season and the race in Norwalk is always a premier stop on the NHRA tour. The weekend includes two rounds of qualifying on Friday, including a must-see night session and fireworks, two rounds of qualifying – and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.
The race also plays host to the GETTRX Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout for the first time, as the specialty event features eight Pro Stock drivers battling for the win.
The race finishes off a busy four races in five weeks stretch, but Hyde has enjoyed the back-to-back race weekends this month. He’s built consistency and made improvements, which should only help this weekend in Norwalk when he takes on the likes of points leader and defending world champion Austin Prock, Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan, Ron Capps and J.R. Todd.
It’s a group with plenty of Funny Car experience, which is something every first-year driver lacks. But Hyde can see his confidence building and he hopes it translates into more positive results in Norwalk
“Just less time out of the seat,” Hyde said of the back-to-back weekend. “You take a few days off and you’re right back in the seat and you really don’t have to think about anything,” Hyde said. “I’m sure these guys who have done it for many years don’t have to think about much when they get in there. I’m still relatively new and it’s still a thought process for me. So, the back-to-back weekends definitely help.”
