NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

SoCal native Jon Dunn was a little kid when the Ron Phillips documentary Funny Car Summer rose to popularity. The success of the film was personal to Dunn, because it impressed upon the young man that his father, Jim Dunn, was not an ordinary man doing ordinary things. That early impression shaped Dunn's future, and it continues to impact his life today as team manager for Jim Dunn Racing. 

"When I was very young, we would be at mini-golf or something, and people of all ages would run up to him and ask for an autograph," said Dunn. "I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is neat,’ and it's been that way ever since.

"Recently, he was honored at the [Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum in Long Beach, Calif.]. It's a 100,000-square-foot facility, and there are pictures of his cars from way back when on the walls. Stuff we didn't even know was there. We were cruising around, and he was showing me different things that he's done. It's exciting, and it's an honor to be part of this. And he's just a fantastic father." 

One of the younger Dunn's most important roles as part of the Jim Dunn Racing team is sponsor-seeker. Over the years, he has successfully drafted partnerships with a wide range of businesses that have enjoyed seeing their names emblazoned upon the 330-plus-mph billboard owned by NHRA legend "Big Jim” Dunn. 

"It's my job to find the budget every year so that my dad can keep living the dream that he loves," said Dunn. "As long as he chooses to do this, I'm going to make sure the money is there." 

It isn't as simple as making sure the money is there, though — Dunn also facilitates the nuts and bolts of a powerful and effective presentation for their investors, which includes everything from coordinating the various paint schemes and wraps, arranging coordinating uniforms, and making sure that when the truck leaves for a number of races, all of the right sponsorship components are in place to fulfill the contracts. And, of course, he also works on the car at the track; Dunn is the clutch specialist.

Although he was certainly interested in becoming a race-car driver early in life (his brother, Mike Dunn, also raced with great success), Dunn's father made it perfectly clear that racing wasn't a birthright, and it wasn't something that would be handed to him. 

"My father said, 'Find the money and you get your chance,' " recalled Dunn. "So, I started gearing up towards that, finished up college, and started figuring out how you could actually sell a race team to sponsors." 

During that time, something else of magnitude happened in Dunn's life: his daughter, Johnna, was born. Dunn's goals in life changed dramatically as his role as dad moved to the front of the priority line. 

"I made a choice to be the best dad I could be and to be around for her," he said. "Hopefully, at some point she'll have the opportunity to drive. But I wanted to make sure she stayed career-minded as well."

Although petite in stature, Johnna is proving strong of mind. She has openly expressed interest in carrying on the Dunn family name in a nitro Funny Car, and her father believes she can and will do it when the time is right. For now, the youngest Dunn is completing her college education and nursing credentials while working full time in emergency at St. Jude Medical Center. 

She's also the clutch assistant at the track on the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car and the team's social media manager, which allows the family to spend plenty of time together.

"I think one of the things I'm most proud of is the longevity of this program and the dedication we all have," said Dunn. "We love doing it, and we're not here for the money. We're a very tightknit family, and racing together is part of that. We're here because we truly love it."