NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Factory X debuted as an exhibition in 2023, showcasing production-based muscle cars equipped with cutting-edge technology. The class was undeniably exciting, with late-model, factory-style bodies based on the Chevrolet COPO Camaro, Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, and Dodge Challenger Drag Pak. Supercharged, fuel injected, and producing 1,500-plus horsepower, the lightweight tube chassis cars were officially welcomed to the scene as the Holley EFI NHRA Factory X class in 2024.

Lenny Lottig was there from the first official race behind the wheel of a Chevrolet that gave a tip o’ the cap to history as the Bill Jenkins “Grumpy’s Toy” tribute. Lottig won two races that first season and finished No. 3 in the Factory X standings, and this season, he stayed the course and came away as the 2025 Holley EFI Factory X champion.

“I wanted to race in this class because it checked all of the boxes for me,” said Lottig. “You didn’t have to worry about going too fast, you’re racing with a five-speed, the cars have a factory-correct body. Not taking anything away from the fuel cars, but for me, a race car has doors and three pedals. This was the ultimate.

“It was a good feeling to win this championship. It went right down to the last race, and it could have gone either way. You always like to hope it’s going to go your way, but most of the time, it doesn’t seem to do that. This time, it did, and now I can check it off the bucket list.”

Lottig’s car, like many of the entries in the category, features a retro design honoring the history of drag racing. For Lottig, whose crew chief Dave Yediny worked with Pro Stock pioneer Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, the “Grumpy’s Toy” design was an easy choice.

“When our car was getting completed, the talk amongst a lot of the people was to do a retro throwback to rejuvenate the whole Pro Stock style of racing and the original drivers. My crew chief had a history of working with Bill Jenkins, plus I’m from Pennsylvania and so was Bill Jenkins,” said Lottig, who also races in Factory Stock Showdown competition. “We were drawn like a bug to blue light to make this a Bill Jenkins tribute.”

Over the course of the eight-race Factory X series, Lottig’s Grumpy Jenkins tribute flew to four No. 1 qualifier awards and was victorious in four of six final rounds. “Grumpy’s Toy” continued to show that it wasn’t just a cool nod to the past, it was quick, fast, and capable. After recording top speed on the way to a win at the first race of the season in Charlotte, Lottig laid down low elapsed time of the event in Norwalk (6.964 seconds), Indianapolis (6.854), St. Louis (6.925), and Dallas (6.911).

“We run a two-car team, and we have a phenomenal crew chief and crew,” said Lottig, who races alongside Jesse Alexandra with Yediny and tuner Tomi Laine leading the charge.

“Their reputation precedes them, and they give us the biggest guns you can bring to the fight. Plus, the advice they give us with everything we do, it leads you to have the confidence to win. I’ve learned over the years that having that confidence makes it come easier. We had that feeling throughout the year, and the margin was always extremely tight. No one walked away with anything; every run had to be earned. The field was small, but the competition was so good.”

There wasn’t a consistently rosy glow over the camp, however. Chicago was a blight of a race for Lottig, who relayed that he went “from hero to zero really quick” as “the wheels nearly came off the bus.” Mechanical issues nearly caused catastrophic failures in two rounds of qualifying, and he was forced to park the car and miss round one. But Route 66 Raceway was soon in the rearview, and Lottig found vindication and victory in Richmond as he defeated No. 1 qualifier and teammate Alexandra in the final. Lottig crossed the finish line with a triumphant 7.037 to his opponent’s 7.038.

“The biggest challenge we faced was that we were breaking the stupidest stuff with the engines. It was the most aggravating thing,” said Lottig. “We had to overcome reliability issues, and when we finally got to go to multiple races with the same engines, that was a win, right there. But if it was easy, it wouldn’t have been much of a challenge – and we definitely had a lot of challenges. That’s what makes it interesting. That’s why we do it.”

The next two races after Richmond brought young Conner Statler into the mix. Statler, who had been runner-up to Alexandra in Chicago, got the nod over Lottig in the final at both the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk and the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, but Lottig was clearly plodding along with power and intent. At both events, he was strong in both skill and power. Lottig matched Statler’s reaction time to the thousandth and then narrowly missed the win light in Norwalk. In Indy, the “Grumpy’s Toy” entry shone exceptionally bright as Lottig qualified in the No. 1 spot with a 6.854 – the second-quickest e.t. of the season. In the final on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Lottig launched first with a threatening .038-second reaction time to a .067, ultimately missing the win light by .013.

Victory at Maple Grove Raceway, Lottig’s national event home track, came next, and he finished the season with back-to-back No. 1 qualifying starts and a season-solidifying win over Statler in the Dallas final.

“It was a good season, and we ended up having a lot of fun,” said Lottig, who plans to shift his focus to chasing a championship in the Mountain Motor Pro Stock category next season. “I love driving the car, and it’s going to reside with me for an extremely long time. It’s got a lot of sentimental value. I might not ever win another championship, so when I’m gone, my kids are going to have to decide what to do with it. I’m not planning to let it go.”

Lottig thanked his wife, Linda, and his crew, led by Dave Yediny and Tomi Laine. He also thanked the foreman of the operation, Frank Aragona, as well as Double L Motorsports teammate Jesse Alexandra and his crew, including Josh Sanner, Adam Pyle, and Todd Hoven.