BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Jordan Vandergriff was named interim driver of the Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel dragster for the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) Int’l Raceway.
Team owner/driver Shawn Reed, who is sidelined as he recovers from a crash that occurred last month at Pacific Dragways, made the announcement.
Reed will announce his NHRA U.S. Nationals replacement driver on a later date but confirms that he will rely on a fill-in driver for that event.
The decision was made to utilize a stand-in driver at the final two regular-season NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events in an effort to secure Reed’s status as a playoff-eligible driver.
The No. 10-ranked Top Fuel pilot is planning to return to the cockpit in Reading. Pa. for the first race of the 2025 Countdown to the Championship.
Vandergriff, a member of the NHRA on FOX broadcast team, who has aspirations of competing on a full-time basis in the NHRA Mission Foods Series, is ready for the challenge of racing on Reed’s behalf and maintaining his top 10-ranked position.
Before Vandergriff temporarily hung up his helmet, he competed in 11 events in the Top Fuel division, including his runner-up finish at the 2019 Dallas event.
“First and foremost, I am thankful Shawn is OK after the incident in Seattle, and I wish him a full and speedy recovery to be back in the seat in time for the Countdown,” said Vandergriff. “We were teammates during our BVR (Bob Vandergriff Racing) days and have remained great friends ever since. I am extremely excited for this opportunity. Shawn Reed Racing is a top-notch organization with great parts and pieces, and even greater people. (Crew chief) Rob Wendland and the crew are world-class. This is a quick, consistent, and fast race car that can run with anyone on any given day.
“I have been out of the seat for over five years, and I have been hungry every single day since,” Vandergriff added. “That fire has kept me up at night and pushed me harder in everything I do. Now it is my job to compete, and I am ready.”
As much as Reed is champing at the bit to be back at the controls of his Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster in Brainerd and Indianapolis, he is happy to be able to quickly return to the dragstrip, even as a spectator as he continues to recover from the incident which left him with two fractured ribs and an amputated left index finger.
“No one ever wants to be in a situation like that, of course,” said Reed, “But if anything good came out of it, it was that it was really cool to see how many people out there support our team. It felt like people were just coming out of the woodwork, asking how they can help, offering to come visit, sending their well wishes on social media. Honestly, I didn’t even know that many people had my phone number.”
