NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

 
Jason Dietsch came to Chicago and the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals looking for his first career Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown national event win. Dietsch was one of four drivers competing this weekend in the rain-delayed Gatornationals and there were 20 drivers competing for the Route 66 Nationals Wally. Yesterday Dietsch won the Gatornationals and today he went back-to-back winning for the second time in less than 24 hours. He outran Lee Hartman in the final round today, winning the 25th Route 66 Nationals and taking over the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown points lead.
 
Dietsch entered race day as the No. 3 qualifier and had to dispatch Josh Hart in the opening round. In the quarterfinals, Dietsch took out David Janac with a strong run, posting a winning time of 7.730 seconds against Janac’s 7.770-second pass.
 
“I was focusing on just getting the first one this weekend,” said Dietsch. “We're excited and this day just went so smoothly. To win both races is unbelievable. This special 25th anniversary silver Wally is really cool. I got four trophies this weekend, and that's awesome.”
 
In the semifinals, Dietsch had to race his son Taylor. This was the second time the father and son had squared off at an NHRA national event, but the first time in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. Both Mustangs had been running great, and it was a strong matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 qualifiers. The dad got off the starting line first and never trailed in the race. The elder Dietsch’s winning time of 7.737 seconds got the best of his son’s 7.744-second run.
 
“I had to race my son in the semis to get this second win,” said Dietsch. “We raced each other last year at St. Louis in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and it ended up he won. We're super competitive. I want him to give me everything he's got. I'm going to give him everything I got, and it's a win for our team, no matter what.”
 
Dietsch’s last run of a busy weekend was against the No. 1 qualifier, Lee Hartman. Hartman was looking for his first win of this career and was racing in his second consecutive Route 66 Nationals final round. Dietsch was consistent getting off the starting line first and getting to the finish line first. Dietsch made his quickest run of the day for the hole shot victory, turning on the win light with a 7.725-second run at 177.93 mph to Hartman’s quicker 7.716-second run.
 
“This weekend was tough. I had to do my job, and we got it done today,” said Dietsch. “This was awesome. This weekend is the highlight of my career. I'm pretty happy. Everyone in this class is super supportive. A lot of these guys are my customers. I build their motor homes and sell them trailers. We're buddies off the track, but when we are on the track,k we're gonna beat each other up.”
 
In the opening round, Alex Anderson grabbed the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown $1,000 bounty when Charlotte winner Jonathan Allegrucci’s Ford Mustang Cobra Jet broke right after it launched. Anderson cruised to his first round win of the 2025 season with a winning time of 7.864 seconds at 174.82 mph.
 
The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series will be back in action at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, in Bristol, Tenn., June 6-8.