Lee Hartman has been a serious contender throughout the past three seasons in the NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. In a class that is a serious battle between Fords, Chevrolets and Dodges Hartman has raced to several final rounds in his Dodge Drag Pak but the racer from Canfield, Ohio, is still looking for his first win. This season to bolster his chance, Hartman’s son Matthew has joined the class racing his own Chevrolet COPO Camaro and the Hartman combo is starting to pick up some momentum heading to the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak, this weekend at Rt. 66 Raceway.
“It’s great having my son Matthew on the team and to have someone else to help in the cause,” said Hartman. “He is doing great and who wouldn’t be proud of having their son beside you learning how to get it done. I’m really proud of how quickly he’s gaining the knowledge, skills and abilities to take that racecar down the track.”
Heading into Chicago, Hartman is optimistic that his first career Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown win is right around the corner.
“Every race I go into I think this could be the first win, but there has always been something in the way so far,” said Hartman, who has been racing in the Flexjet Factory Stock class since 2020. “There is always something to address, and we are just working our way through the issues and getting closer to that first win. We have several cars that we’ve been working on, so right now it’s going to be side by side to the finish line. We’ll continue to make things better, bigger, stronger and faster. Racing in Chicago, that’s a really nice facility.”
For the younger Hartman the chance to race with his father has been a dream come true. While they are racing different platforms in competition the teamwork in the pits makes them a very tough duo. Through the first two races the second-generation driver has equipped himself well advancing out of the first round in both of his first two starts.
“It’s been great,” said Matthew Hartman. “I have been very fortunate to have a good team behind me with my dad and Stanfield Racing. In Gainesville, I was fortunate to test before the race and that allowed me to get some more runs on the car. I had never even been to a four-wide track before the Charlotte race. I’m proud of what we’ve done so far through a little perseverance, working on some things with my driving and staying steady, working on the car. I am just happy to have the opportunity to do what I’ve been doing.”The Chevrolet COPO Camaro Hartman has been driving during his rookie season has been a smooth transition. While his father is wheeling a Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, Hartman’s COPO has been getting the job done on the track.
“Getting to drive this Chevrolet COPO Camaro is one of those things that kind of just came together,” said Hartman, who will be racing in his third NHRA national event in the Flexjet sponsored series. “Anthony Troyer was wrapping up his operation, and we were able to take over. We were already comfortable with Camaros. I am comfortable in the racecar, and it feels like I’ve been racing it for way longer than two races. I wouldn’t say I’m a Chevy or Dodge guy yet. I think I’m still too early to decide from the racing aspect. I love all three of these manufacturers.”
The weekend in Chicago will be the third race for the Hartman father and son to be joining forces. The camaraderie between them is nothing new to the category that boasts three sets of fathers and sons racing together. In addition to the Hartmans, Jason and Taylor Dietsch are racing as well as two-time Flexjet World Champion Mark Pawuk and his son Kyle. For Matthew Hartman the chance to spend time on and off the track with his dad is a great opportunity.
“Getting to race with my dad is one of those moments that I only dreamed about,” said Hartman. “It feels like just yesterday, but six years ago, he and I were going to Indy for his first race. I was his crew chief at 16 years old, trying to figure out how to help him pack a parachute. I just remember going to multiple races each season and thinking, man, it would be cool if I could be side by side, racing him. I can’t express how grateful I am for the opportunity, and it’s just one of those things that you only prayed could happen and here I am living it.”
While the Hartmans will be looking for their first wins, defending event champion Jason Dietsch will be focused on jumpstarting his 2026 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series season. Last year Dietsch scored an unusual double up win, capturing his first Flexjet Factory Stock win on Saturday during the rain delayed Gatornationals and then on Sunday he turned on four more win lights to win the Chicago national event. It was a whirlwind weekend and Dietsch is hoping to recapture that magic at Rt. 66 Raceway this weekend.
“Last year was just unforgettable,” said Dietsch, who raced to a runner-up finish at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals. “I mean, to go there and we have never won a Wally, and we leave with two Wallys as well as the Gatornationals trophy and the Globe trophy.”
A strong finish in Charlotte has Dietsch confident he can get another win outside the Windy City.
“I’m pretty confident and I think I have a better car now than I did last year,” said Dietsch. “This will be our fifth race of the year and second Flexjet Factory Stock race. The Chicago track has always have been good to me. I don’t know why. I really like the track. It’s a shame that track doesn’t get used more. It’s just an awesome place to race and it is close to home.”
The Flexjet $1,000 bounty will be in play with Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals winner Jason Allegrucci trying to hold off a host of tough competitors. If Allegrucci can go undefeated in Chicago the bounty will double to $2,000 heading to the next event in Norwalk, Ohio.
Qualifying will get underway on Friday for the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series at 12:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. On Saturday one more round of qualifying at 11:10 a.m. will set the 16-car field. The Fords, Chevrolets and Dodges will roll into the first round of eliminations on Saturday evening and wrap up with three more elimination rounds on Sunday. For information on the Route 66 Nationals visit www.nhra.com.
This story was originally published on May 12, 2026. 
The post Hartman Father-Son Combo Looks to Take Win at Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown in Chicago first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
