Fan favorite Top Fuel driver Jasmine Salinas will make her highly anticipated return to NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition this Labor Day weekend at the Cornwall Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park just outside of Brownsburg, Ind.
Salinas had surged into the Top Five in points standings early on in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, showing grit, growth and star power behind the wheel of her Scrappers Racing dragster. In April, however, after racing to the final round at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, financial realities compelled the Scrappers Racing Top Fuel team to pause its season.
Four long months later, the skilled driver is eager to continue her sophomore Top Fuel season at the world’s biggest drag race, commonly referred to as “The BIG Go.” Salinas moved to Indiana a couple of years ago from her native California to pursue her dreams of becoming a full-time driver in the NHRA. Since then, Indianapolis has become her adopted hometown, making this return to racing even more meaningful for the up-and-comer.
“I’ve missed driving so much,” remarked Salinas. “But I’ve been trying to make the most out of my time outside of the cockpit by learning all I can about every aspect of the sport. It’s been a season of education and growth for me. I’m interested to see how it will all translate behind the wheel. When we had to take a step back earlier this year, it was very important to me that we find full-time positions for all of our crew members so they could stay actively involved in the sport. We’ve managed to put a great team together for this race, and hopefully we can continue in a few more events this season.”
Salinas will make her return with a hand-selected team led by respected Top Fuel crew chief Joe Barlam, with support from long-time Scrappers Racing team member Adem Cave, who will serve as the assistant crew chief. Barlam brings decades of professional drag racing experience, having worked with some of the most recognized teams in the sport, including Capco, John Force Racing, and Don Schumacher Racing. He is known for helping new drivers develop into contenders, and the Scrappers Racing team feels confident that they will have a strong combination under Barlam’s leadership.
Earlier this year, the Scrappers Racing Top Fuel machine was running consistently well, and insiders were already speculating on Salinas’s championship potential. Scrappers Racing was one of only three teams that hadn’t experienced a first-round loss when they temporarily sidelined the operation to focus on sponsor support.
Despite missing much of the regular season, Salinas is determined to find funding to compete in the final six races of the NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Season, known as the Countdown to the Championship. Even if the team doesn’t rack up enough points to qualify for championship contention, the fiery driver wants to gain experience that only comes from competing alongside the best teams in the world when it matters most.
“Getting to race in my new hometown at the biggest drag race of the season is something we’ve been trying to accomplish all year,” said Salinas. “When you’re not actively competing, it’s easy to get discouraged. I’ve had to dig deep sometimes to find the confidence to keep going. But if there’s anything that drag racing’s taught me, it’s that I can do so much more than I think I can. Surviving in this sport requires a great deal of strength, and that strength keeps you going when things get tough. We’ve put some pretty incredible sponsor packages together for the last six races of the season because I know that experience will set us up for success in the 2026 season.”
Salinas will bring her Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster roaring to life at the Cornwall Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, August 27-September 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
This story was originally published on August 5, 2025.
The post Jasmine Salinas to Return to Top Fuel Competition at The Big Go first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
