For Buddy Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team, the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals was supposed to be a bounce-back weekend. Instead, it ended in frustration, motivation—and a trip to the sand trap.
During Saturday’s final qualifying session, Hull’s Lescure Mechanical Services Funny Car erupted in a violent engine explosion near the finish line, sending the blue-and-orange Dodge hurtling through the shutdown area, into the sand trap, and finally into the retaining net at the end of Sonoma Raceway.
Hull suffered a puncture wound to his left hand that required four stitches but otherwise walked away from the harrowing crash. Two pairs later, Alexis DeJoria bumped him from the 16-car field, officially ending his weekend.
“I would have liked to have held onto that 16th spot in the field, but there would have been no way for us to race today,” said Hull. “This Jim Dunn Racing team has been battling just to get this car together after a tough race last week in Seattle. Crashes like that remind you how dangerous this sport is.”
It marked the second consecutive week of adversity for Hull and the iconic Jim Dunn Racing organization, who are celebrating their 75th anniversary season. Through the first three rounds of qualifying, Hull made steady progress, eventually running 4.096 seconds at 317.27 mph in Q4 — but not quick enough to hang on to a spot in the field.
Despite the disappointment, Hull remained a fan favorite throughout the weekend. Just hours after the crash, he was on the NHRA stage engaging with fans, and by Sunday, his left hand bandaged, Hull was back at the track shaking hands and sharing stories.
“The fans have been amazing all weekend,” said Hull. “I came to the track today after the accident and so many people have wished me and the team good luck. I’ll be back out here, and I know the team is working on getting the Funny Car put back together.”
With limited parts and back-to-back West Coast races taking a toll, the team made the call not to attempt a race-day thrash. But Hull remains optimistic heading into the next event — the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, set for August 14–17.
“I hate that I’m not racing today, but we just didn’t have the parts to get back on track even if we would have made the show,” said Hull. “I’ve learned so much driving this Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car. We’ve just hit a bad stretch, but every team goes through it. We’re pushing these cars to the limit.”
Hull spent Saturday night at the track with his wife, Madi, and son, Maverick, grateful for what went right on a weekend when so much went wrong. With grit, gratitude, and four fresh stitches, he’s already looking ahead to the next one.
This story was originally published on July 27, 2025. 
