NHRA's Top 25 Alcohol Drivers: A Celebration of Speed and Talent
NHRA's 75th anniversary salute to its racers continues with the unveiling of the Top 25 Alcohol Drivers. This list, compiled by a panel of racing experts, celebrates the sport's greatest Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car racers. The first five drivers to be honored are Pat Austin, Blaine Johnson, Bucky Austin, Doug Gordon, and Joey Severance.
Pat Austin, a four-time champion, dominated the sport between 1987 and 1991, winning 70 national event wins and 54 divisional wins. His talent and killer instinct, combined with his father's horsepower, instilled fear in opponents. Austin's achievements include becoming the first driver to win in both Top Alcohol Funny Car and Top Fuel at the 1991 Topeka event.
Blaine Johnson, a late four-time world champion, is one of the class greats. Despite competing for only six seasons, he set a record of 26 wins by the end of 1993. Johnson's dominance continued with four consecutive season titles between 1990 and 1994, surpassing Bill Walsh's class-leading mark. His 1992 season was the first perfect season in the 10-race points format.
Bucky Austin, the self-proclaimed 'Northwest Hitter', carved a successful career path in the Northwest. He won eight Division 6 Top Alcohol Funny Car championships, 17 NHRA national events, and 44 divisional Wallys. Bucky and his brother Walt built a Top Gas car together, spending a lifetime competing against each other. Bucky's first national event win was at the 1989 event at their Seattle hometrack.
Doug Gordon, a three-time world champion, displayed elite natural talents from the start of his driving career in 1996. He won his first national event in 2001 and has emerged as a perennial title contender in recent years. Gordon's success continued with his daughter Maddi taking over the seat in 2024, leading to a historic moment at the Norwalk event where Doug, Maddi, and team owner Ron Capps all won in different categories.
Joey Severance, a modest personality with a killer instinct, captured four consecutive world championships between 2015 and 2018. He ended the Meyer family's dominance in the class and struck a blow for traditional supercharged powerplants. Severance's success includes four West Region championships, four Division 6 championships, and 41 regional/divisional victories. The Severance family also owns and operates the popular Woodburn Dragstrip track in Oregon.
These drivers' achievements and contributions to the sport are celebrated with a special medallion presented at future NHRA national events. The list will be unveiled in five consecutive Tuesdays, with five drivers added each time, showcasing the depth of talent in NHRA's Alcohol Driver category.
