Fan favorite Jasmine Salinas is ready to unleash her 12,000-horsepower machine once again. After a heartbreaking end to her sophomore campaign last year, she returns for the 2026 season with a renewed fire. The standout driver will tackle a hybrid schedule featuring at least 10 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events alongside select appearances in the IHRA Top Fuel category.
Her previous season started like a storybook. She sat fifth in the points standings before the Scrappers Racing team made the tough call to park the dragster to secure more funding. That temporary setback only fueled her determination. She explained that driving a Top Fuel dragster is the actual reward, while the real job is everything you must do behind the scenes to get there. Because she is incredibly hungry for her first win, Salinas knows she needs more seat time. Adding IHRA events to the calendar provides those crucial extra laps while the team continues hunting for a long-term sponsor. They are currently piecing things together on a limited budget with vital support from Valley Services, Pleasanton Ready Mix, Adams Pools, and Red Line Oil.
To maximize every single run, the team brought in veteran tuner Todd Okuhara as the new crew chief. Okuhara brings over three decades of championship-level experience and previously oversaw a massive fleet of nitro cars at Don Schumacher Racing. He will lead the charge with assistant crew chief Adem Cave and car chief Cole Fergen right by his side. Salinas feels very excited to learn from Okuhara and clearly stated that this new crew is no joke. She noted that this is a group where the driver believes in the team, and the team completely believes in their driver.
The comeback tour officially begins March 6-8 at the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida. Fans can also expect to see her thunder down the track at the iconic U.S. Nationals in her adopted hometown of Brownsburg over Labor Day weekend. With an elite crew and an unshakable drive, Jasmine Salinas is totally prepared to chase down that elusive first victory.
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