SONOMA, CALIF. (July 27, 2025) — For the second race in a row Funny Car driver Buddy Hull experienced the scariest side of professional drag racing. On Saturday during the final qualifying session driving the Jim Dunn Racing Lescure Funny Car Hull was on his way to a solid pass when the motor exploded in front of the second year Funny Car driver. Hull was just along for the ride as the body buckled in spectacular fashion, raced into the sand trap and finally came to rest in the retaining net at the end of Sonoma Raceway. Hull suffered a puncture injury to his left hand that required four stitches, but the former Top Fuel driver escaped serious injury. Hull was bumped out of the qualified field two pairs later when Alexis DeJoria raced into the field, putting Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car on the outside of the qualified field in the seventeenth position.
“I would have liked to have held onto that 16th spot in the field but there would have been no way for us to race today,” said Hull, one of the most popular drivers on the tour. “This Jim Dunn Racing team has been battling putting this car together after a tough race last week in Seattle. I want to thank Safety Safari for getting me out of the car and I appreciate my safety equipment doing its job. Crashes like that remind you how dangerous this sport is.”
Through three rounds of qualifying the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car made consistent passes. Celebrating their 75thanniversary this season, Hall of Fame team owner and crew chief Jim Dunn has been steadily working all season. Racing a car adorned in the blue and orange Lescure Mechanical Services livery for the second time this year, and proudly featuring Alo Drinks on the rear wing, Hull was focused on putting on a show for California fans.
Buddy Hull spent time with the Sonoma fans on Saturday speaking from the NHRA Stage about what to expect at the races, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts
“The fans have been amazing all weekend,” said Hull. “I came to the track today after the accident and so many people have wished me and the team good luck. I will be back out here, and I know the team is working on getting the Funny Car put together.”
Saturday night Hull spent some time in the Sonoma Raceway medical center, but he was quickly released and spent the night with his wife, Madi, and son, Maverick. At the track on Sunday Hull’s left hand was bandaged and slightly swollen but Hull spent time in the pits with the Jim Dunn Racing team and also talking with fans who showered the driver with well-wishes.
“I hate that I am not racing today but we just simply didn’t have the parts to get back on track even if we would have made the show. I don’t know of many teams that made the west coast swing with enough parts to bounce back from what has happened to us in the past two weeks,” said Hull. I have learned so much driving this Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car and we have just hit a bad stretch, but every team goes through things like this. We are pushing these cars to the limit.”
The next scheduled race for Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be back the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on August 14-17 at Brainerd International Raceway. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, August 15 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, August 16. For tickets or more information on the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals visit nhra.com.
