JR Todd, Dickie Venables, revised DHL team who wanted to start the new season

For JR Todd and his DHL GR Supra team it is a fresh start, a fresh start, a reset, a clean slate. Add clichés here and say it how you want it. In summary, there is a new sheriff in the city and its name is Dickie Venables. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing series begins from March 7th to 9th, 2025 in the Amalie Motor Oil Nhra Gatornational in Gainesville, Fla.

Venables is the new crew leader of the DHL team of Todd and since then started Team Kalitta in November, he was busy implementing his program. One does not win four NHRA Funny Car Championships without knowing how to do things, and that means that the DHL team makes many changes in a healthy revision of racing team operations.

“It definitely seems to be a new start,” said Todd. “This season we go with a few changes in the car with parts and parts that we have never run in the past, and we obviously have a new crew leader. I don't expect to bring the world straight out of the goal, and I have the feeling that it will take us some time to meet our setup. I have the feeling that if we do that, we will be competitors – it is a different prospect compared to the previous years. In any case, I would get an approach “rounds and get consistency under the belt under the belt” compared to a quick start and then not done. I would rather build on the overall picture that runs better later in the season. I endeavor to start in Gainesville and see where we are. “

With a new crew boss, new parts and pieces and a new program, the tests before the season are more important than ever. The team was tested last month in Bradenton, Florida, before participating in the Special Pre-Season event, and the DHL team will be on the Gainesville Raceway route before the Gatornationals make as many trips as possible this week.

“Testing was good last month,” added Todd. “We were definitely there to test, not to drive, and some people are confused. We only need rounds with this new setup, and that's exactly what we will do. It was great to see how Dickie adapted to the boys and worked with Jon-O (deputy crew boss Jon Oberhofer). Jon has a different role than in the past, so it was nice that they worked together. Things progress from day to day, but the more round round we get, the better we will be. “

And a year ago, the race day of Gatornational ended from the Kalitta team, when Todd took the funny car trophy, as perfect as possible, and his team -mate Shawn Langdon took the top fuel title. It was the first double victory in the history of Kalitta Motorsports, and it happened with team owners and Nhra legend Connie Kalitta to record everything.

“It's almost a year since everything has happened,” said Nhra Funny Car Champion 2018. “As I always say, the boys work so hard all the time and it was nice to reward them with the double victory. For some reason we could never make it. There are other teams with several cars that go out there and just look to double, so that we can hopefully start a regular event. It would be nice to return there and to do it again. “

This story was originally published on March 5, 2025.