NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The New Englander Funny Car team will debut a new line-up during this weekend’s NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte following the recent addition of driver Cory Lee and veteran crew chief Johnny West, who will offer tuning advice.

Lee joins the New Englander team with decades of experience as a driver, crew chief, and team owner. A former crewmember for Funny Car legends Ed “the Ace” McCulloch, Tom Hoover, and Al Segrini, Lee made his professional driving debut in 1997. He was a runner-up to John Force at the 1999 Gatornationals and also went to the final of the 2003 NHRA Finals in Pomona. Most recently, Lee drove Chuck and Del Worsham’s second car during the 2017 season.

West is well-known as one of drag racing’s most versatile and talented individuals with decades of experience as a tuner and driver. In his new role, West will help oversee the New Englander program and offer guidance to the team. West has plenty of experience in drag racing, as he has tuned or consulted for every major team in the sport.

The New Englander Nitro Team was formed by Rhea Goodrich and Bob Simmons in 1976 as a Funny Car team. Over the last 45 years, Goodrich has been racing under the New Englander banner in either Top Fuel or Funny Car, mostly in the Northeast U.S.