Dubbin Motorsports owner and A/Fuel Dragster driver Dean Dubbin will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series after sustaining tears to his left shoulder rotator cuff and bicep. The injury forces Dubbin to miss both NHRA events at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) later this summer—a significant setback for the Minnesota-based team, backed by DMP Awnings and KENTEX Roofing. Losing the opportunity to compete at both the Regional and National events is a tough blow for Dubbin, but he and the team remain focused on upcoming races in Norwalk and Seattle.
Dubbin, who underwent right shoulder surgery just one year ago, expressed his disappointment in missing the opportunity to race at his home track.
“I was just starting to get back to one hundred percent in my right shoulder, now this happens,” Dubbin said. “I don’t get to drive much, and I will miss driving at my home track with my friends and family there—that is always a great time for us.”
Stepping in for Dubbin at both BIR events will be Kirk Wolf, the team’s lead driver from Odessa, TX. Wolf has attended the Brainerd races in the past but has never had the opportunity to drive at the venue.
“I feel bad for Dean—those races are very special to him, racing at his home track,” Wolf said. “I will do my best to get him that ‘Wally.’ I’m sure that will make his shoulder and arm feel a little better.”
Dubbin Motorsports, headquartered in Little Falls, MN, is well known and highly respected at the Brainerd events, where the team has built a strong reputation over the years. The team has several late-round appearances, including a 2018 Lucas Oil Nationals final-round matchup with perennial TAD powerhouse Jackie Fricke, in the John Finke-owned A/Fuel dragster. With Wolf behind the wheel, the team looks to continue its competitive presence at the home track races.
This story was originally published on June 9, 2025. 
The post Dean Dubbin Sidelined for 2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Series Following Shoulder Injury; Kirk Wolf to Step In at Brainerd first appeared on Drag Illustrated.