In just his second NHRA national event start as a nitro Funny Car driver, 20-year-old Dylan Winefsky made a strong impression on both fans and fellow racers at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals. Driving the Nitro Moose Funny Car, Winefsky battled his way into a stacked 16-car field at Pacific Raceways, checked off key milestones, and gained critical seat time as he continues to chase his dream of full-time NHRA competition.
“The highs of this weekend were good,” said Winefsky. “We learned a lot figuring out what the car likes, what the car doesn’t like. I’m just getting more seat time and getting even more comfortable with the car.”
Winefsky’s weekend started with a solid hit in Q1 under the Friday night lights, but the car crossed the centerline at the top end, disqualifying the run. Undeterred, the El Mirage, Arizona, native came back strong in Saturday’s opening session with a 4.224-second pass at 292.96 mph, putting him safely in the field at No. 9. The strength of that run allowed the team to skip Q3 and return for Q4 sitting in the No. 14 spot.
After posting a 7.026 in Q4, Winefsky had to wait as the final cars made their runs. His earlier 4.22 held up, locking him into the No. 16 spot and giving him a first-round draw against top qualifier Austin Prock.
“It was kind of nerve-wracking,” Winefsky admitted. “Having to wait to see if we were going to get in. But after we got in, we came back, tore it all down, serviced it, and got everything ready for the race.”
Unfortunately, Winefsky’s race day was over before it began. A mechanical issue during the burnout caused the throttle to stick open. Acting quickly, Winefsky hit the brakes, which unintentionally triggered the fire bottles and parachutes — a safety protocol that ended his shot at making the run. Prock advanced with a 5.66-second solo pass.
“At the moment, there was nothing we could have done,” Winefsky said. “Everything happens for a reason. It’s just one of those things you let go of. I stuck to my routine and looked at today as just another race.”
Though the results didn’t show on paper, Winefsky made the most of the weekend. He took part in Thursday night’s FanFest at Dave & Buster’s in Auburn, WA, signing autographs and connecting with fans. On Friday, he joined NHRA announcer Hannah Rickards on the NHRA Stage in the pits to share his background as a mechanic-turned-Funny Car driver and talk about his early steps in professional racing.
Winefsky, a former Jr. Dragster standout, made his NHRA debut earlier this season at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals, where he narrowly missed qualifying. The Pacific Raceways performance marks a major step forward — one that proved he belongs.
The Nitro Moose Funny Car team is currently scheduled to return to action at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals this October and is actively seeking marketing partners to expand their 2025 schedule.
This story was originally published on July 21, 2025. 
