Chad Neuenschwander has been a standout in the naturally aspirated racing scene for many years.
Whether he is piloting his own car or helping others with their cars, he revels in the rpm, loves the hard launches and is stoked by the sound of engines from the starting line to the finish line.
Neuenschwander’s passion for making power, minus added muscle from a turbo, supercharger or nitrous, spans decades, and served him well when he competed in NMCA NA 10.5. It is now setting him up for success in Small Tire Pro Stock.
Neuenschwander made his debut in the class at the Nostalgia Drag Racing League Hot Rod Nationals presented by Ray Skillman Auto Group in July of 2026 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana. He received a warm welcome from racers who are as focused as he is on the future of Small Tire Pro Stock.
While he was dialing-in some changes and did not advance as far as he would have liked at that event, he was optimistic rolling into the next event on the Small Tire Pro Stock tour, which was part of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series SummerNationals in early August of 2026 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. In the high heat and humidity, he qualified in the fourth spot with an 8.15 and 172 mph in his Mustang motivated by a 415 cubic-inch small-block Ford which his son and crew chief, Dylan, built at his place of employment, Stanfield Racing Engines. It sips fuel from two carburetors by class sponsor CFM Performance Carburetors and is backed by a GF2000 five-speed by class sponsor G-Force Transmissions.
“I know it was hot and humid, but we still should have run better than that,” said Neuenschwander, who has gone 7.86 and 174 mph in the quarter-mile with this combination. “The engine did not have the rpm it should have had out of the hole. It would only go to 9,200 rpm out of the clutch, and then it fell on its face before revving again.”
With help from his son, Dylan, his wife, Joy, Dylan’s girlfriend, Hailey Day and Dwayne Hartman, Neuenschwander prepared his car for the first round of eliminations, and won at the starting line when Jeff Ikard of Alabama experienced an electrical issue in his Mustang packing a 415 cubic-inch small-block Ford by Huntsville Engine and five-speed from G-Force Transmissions. Neuenschwander kept his foot planted and turned heads when the door skin and window flew off the passenger’s side of his car at the top end of the track right before the board flashed 8.14 and 169 mph.
“When I got to the return road, the track official came over and asked if I was okay, and told me he saw my door skin and window fly off,” said Neuenschwander, who also works with his son, Dylan, to campaign Stephen Bell’s NHRA 1320 LLC Pro Stock Camaro as part of the Elite Motorsports team.
“The car did not even wiggle, and when I got back to the pit area, we quickly went over it to see if we could make repairs in time for the next round,” said Neuenschwander. “Dylan and Dwayne had all of the broken pieces, and Dwayne put them all back together with Epoxy and two and a half rolls of tape we borrowed from Wayne Roberts and Dwight Ausmus. Meanwhile, Dylan worked on the clutch and I worked on the engine, and we both worked on the pinion bearing that was broken in the third member. It was about 2 a.m. before we were all done.”
With that, he was given the green light to go into the second round of eliminations in his car which was ten pounds heavier after the repairs, and he won with an 8.10 and 169 mph after reigning Small Tire Pro Stock champion Dwight Ausmus of Tennessee uncharacteristically turned on the red light in his Firebird powered by a 573 cubic-inch Pontiac by class sponsor BES Racing Engines and carburetor by CFM Performance Carburetors.
That set up a final round of eliminations between Neuenschwander and David Theisen of Michigan, but a surprising scene unfolded on the starting line, when Neuenschwander’s engine would not fire. As anticipation mounted, Theisen patiently waited while Neuenschwander’s team tried to start his car, but eventually, race officials told Theisen to stage, and he won his first NHRA Speed For All Wally with a 7.84 and 180 mph in his LaFontaine Performance Center Firebird with a 500 cubic-inch DRCE engine by Uratchko Racing Engines and Liberty’s Gears transmission.
“When my car would not start, David shut his car off immediately and waited for as long as he could before being motioned to stage,” said Neuenschwander. “David is a really good dude, and I can’t thank him enough for wanting to give us some time so that we could race.”
After returning to the pit area, Neuenschwander tracked down the trouble.
“I have my switch panel on the roll bar by the roof, and there is a computer cable that connects all of the boxes in the car, and two screws backed out and the computer cable was just hanging out, and that controls the starter and ignition,” said Neuenschwander.
Now holding down fifth-place in Small Tire Pro Stock points, he is waiting for a new carbon door from Motor City Solutions, and plans to power up for the next Small Tire Pro stock race on this year’s tour, which is part of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League World Nostalgia Drags presented by Liberty’s Gears, Indy Cylinder Heads and JR1 Racing Oil, Sept. 11-12, 2026 at Darana Raceway in Ohio. The class continues with support from sponsors including MGP Connecting Rods, V&J Inc., Sporthorse Saddlery, CFM Performance Carburetors, G-Force Transmission, BES Racing Engines, Martino Race Engines, Pen and Paper Strength App and 10K Technology.
“I like the class, and it is great to be back to racing with the guys I used to race with in NMCA NA 10.5,” said Neuenschwander. “I hope more racers come out, and the class continues to grow.”
This story was originally published on August 28, 2026. 
The post After Dramatic Indy Race, Small Tire Pro Stock’s Chad Neuenschwander Ready for Ohio Event first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
