Top Fuel driver Buddy Hull will be getting back to his front engine roots following the announcement today by Jim Dunn Racing at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show that he will be the new Funny Car driver for the legendary team. Hull will climb into a Funny Car that qualified for every race under the tuning expertise of drag racing legend Jim Dunn and an experienced crew led by his son Jon. In the NHRA Countdown the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car was especially tough picking up a semifinal finish and three quarterfinal finishes to wrap up the season in tenth place in a very tough Funny Car category. Hull will be behind the wheel for the full 21-race Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
“We are thrilled to have Buddy as our new Funny Car driver,” said Jon Dunn. “I have had my eye on him for a while. The way he runs his program and his personality will be a great fit for our race team. I can’t wait to get him in the Funny Car and see what we can do together.”
Hull has campaigned a Top Fuel dragster since 2021 on a limited schedule. Over the past three seasons he has brought Renegade Race Fuels, Methanol Moonshine, Go Lithium, and a host of other sponsors onboard with Buddy Hull Racing. He has also promoted the North Texas Down Syndrome Foundation as well as a variety of other charitable endeavors with his race program.
“This is a huge honor and privilege to be asked to drive for Jim Dunn Racing,” said Hull, from the NHRA stage at the PRI show. “I started my career with the motor in front of me racing fuel altereds. I am looking forward to the challenge and I just want to make Jim, Jon, and everyone associated with the team proud. We will have more announcements in the coming weeks, but I am looking forward to earning my crossover license and getting some seat time going into the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.”
For over 60 years Jim Dunn and Jim Dunn Racing have been proving that they can run with anyone. His hall of fame career includes a Top Fuel win at the 1969 March Meet over a field of 125 drivers. His innovative Barracuda captured the 1972 Supernationals, it was the first and still-only win by a rear-engined Funny Car. In the ‘90s, Dunn transitioned to team ownership, where his smaller budgeted Funny Cars nevertheless won races and posted high finishes with drivers including Frank Pedregon and Al Hofmann. Most recently Alex Laughlin drove for the Hall of Fame team owner.
The family racing team returns with Jim Dunn as tuner alongside veteran crew members, including his wife Diane and granddaughter Johnna Dunn. Hull will begin working on his crossover license as well as additional marketing opportunities with the new team. Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car team will make their on-track debut at the historic Gatornationals, March 8-10, 2024, at Gainesville Raceway.
This story was originally published on December 7, 2023. 
