Terry Haddock is regrouping following an on-track incident during the fourth qualifying session at Gainesville Raceway that resulted in major damage to his primary Nitro Funny Car.
Haddock had just completed a strong 4.12-second pass and had lifted early at approximately 800 feet. Near the top end of the track, the Buddy Hull’s car caught fire and crossed into Haddock’s lane, running over the left front of Haddock’s Funny Car. A parachute from Hull’s car then became entangled with the wheelie bar of Haddock’s car, pulling it sharply toward the wall. The car struck the barrier head-on and was dragged along the wall for a distance before coming to a stop. Haddock was uninjured in incident.
While Haddock walked away unharmed, the damage to the A-car chassis is significant. The car is currently being stripped and will be transported to John Force Racing for evaluation to determine whether it can be repaired with a new front half. The frame rails were bent in the impact, and the team also lost the Funny Car body in the incident. For the independent Terry Haddock Racing team, the damage represents a major setback after months of offseason work preparing for the upcoming IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series season.
Because early reports suggested the damage was minimal, many fans believed Haddock’s A-car returned to competition on Sunday. In reality, the damage was significant and the car was unable to run again during the event.
Instead, Terry Haddock brought out the B-car. Originally built for a smaller test-class combination, Terry Haddock and his crew converted the B-car overnight into a full big show Nitro Funny Car. The first round on Sunday marked Haddock’s first run in the car in that configuration, where the car knocked the tires off early in the pass.
Despite the setback, Terry Haddock remains focused on his plans for the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series championship season.
As an independent team, the damage represents a significant financial challenge. Terry Haddock Racing is continuing to rebuild the car while preparing for the upcoming IHRA season, and Haddock welcomes the support of partners and sponsors who want to be part of the team’s push toward the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series championship.
Haddock captured the 2008 IHRA Nitro Funny Car world championship and intends to compete for the title again as the IHRA launches its new Outlaw Nitro Series championship program.
Terry Haddock Racing will continue working to rebuild and prepare its equipment as Haddock heads toward the start of the IHRA season.The 2026 IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series season opener takes place March 19–21 at Darana Motorsports Park in Benson, North Carolina.
This story was originally published on March 19, 2026. 
