This weekend at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals, May 16-18, TJ Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum-sponsored Top Fuel dragster will be looking to build on the success they showed last year when they captured the No. 1 qualifier and raced to the quarterfinals. Zizzo Racing has been steadily building a race-winning program for over two decades and this season the team and Zizzo feel they are coming into the season with all the pieces needed to race into the winner’s circle.
“We have worked throughout the off-season, making our race car better. This Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster has been so close, and I think we can get there. Last year we were consistently one of the quickest race cars in qualifying,” said Zizzo, from his Chicago-based shop. “Everything about drag racing is evaluating your progress and adjusting. I think we have all the parts and experience to turn on more win lights on race day.”
They raced with a new race car two years ago and continued to fine-tune their tune-up last year, thanks to their success throughout the 2024 season. Crew chief Mike Kern and the Rust-Oleum team have been working diligently over the off-season to make sure Zizzo Racing is positioned for success once again when the season starts this weekend.
“I can’t say enough great things about Mike and our Rust-Oleum Zizzo Racing crew,” said Zizzo. “We did so many things right last season, I can’t wait to get on the track in Chicago this weekend. For years, we would go to every race with the mindset of winning. Now I truly feel like we are a team that can run low ET and turn on win lights.”
Prior to last year’s No. 1 effort, Zizzo’s best qualifying effort came in 2018 when he raced to the No. 5 spot only to be upset in the first round by Scott Palmer. In 2017, Zizzo qualified No. 8 and took out Pat Dakin and Brittany Force in the first two rounds only to be ousted by eventual winner Steve Torrence in the semifinals. Zizzo has raced to the semifinals twice in Chicago in 2017 and 2023. In four of his last five appearances at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team has raced to at least the quarterfinals.
“Last year was huge for our team, but we want to make more memorable moments,” said Zizzo. “We will have several marketing partners at the race, and we’ll be hosting our Saturday morning pancake breakfast once again for the fans. I have missed seeing the fans the most since we wrapped up our season last year. We love racing in Chicago. It is our hometown track. The guys from the body shop get to come to the race,e which is cool.”
Qualifying for the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals will begin on Friday, May 16, with two sessions of the three professional categories. On Saturday, fans will be treated to two more qualifying sessions. The quickest 16 race cars, dragsters and motorcycles will race for the famed Wally trophy beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. The race will be broadcast nationally on FS1 Sunday evening.
This story was originally published on May 15, 2025. 
