Mike Salinas pilots the Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster to his first class win in the NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series this weekend at the Strip for the Four-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
During the off-season, the Scrappers Racing team announced former Top Fuel world-championship crew chief Brian Husen was moving to the second-year team as the tuner with Alan Johnson already in place as the tuning advisor. The notable pair worked together at John Force Racing for the Top Fuel team of Brittany Force, where they helped the JFR driver win the 2017 NHRA Top Fuel World Championship. With over fifteen years experience working in tandem, Husen replaced crew chief Doug Kuch, who turned the wrenches for Salinas in 2018 during his first full-time season in Top Fuel dragster. As added success for Scrappers Racing and, much to the delight of his new boss, Husen brought several former JFR teammates with him.
The number qualifier for the Four-Wide Nationals at the Strip in Las Vegas Motor Speedway shares a lot in common with the patriarch at John Force Racing. When Mike's two daughters -- Jasmine (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Jianna (Pro Stock Motorcycle) -- decided they wanted to go drag racing this year, dad made them sell personal belongings to come up with fifty thousand dollars to fund their respective race teams. All together, Salinas says he has four daughters that he expects to enter the sport with the other two interested in A-Fuel and Pro Mod. Based on the Californian's successful approach to everything he does, the competition should be put on notice that a new NHRA family has moved to town. Salinas pulls no punches in stating the Scrappers Team is here to win.
It may be too early to say that Mike Salinas may win the title in NHRA Top Fuel, but the 57-year old California native has certainly set his goals for the 2019 season very high. Last year during his first full season in Top Fuel, Salinas showed great promise when the rookie driver qualified for the six-race Countdown to the Championship and tied veteran Doug Kalitta for seventh overall in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. But, the self-made Salinas, who built his scrap-metal and garbage hauling company from the ground up, doesn't even think about finishing in second place in 2019. With everyone chasing the father and son team of Billy and Steve Torrence (2018 Top Fuel World Champion), Mike Salinas has stepped up his game with a crew that has a proven track record.
Based in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the striking black-and-orange Scrappers Racing team is family supported by mom (Monica) and Mike's four daughters Jasmine, Jianna, Jacquelin and Janae. Associate sponsorship for the NHRA 2019 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series comes from close-knit sponsor Pleasanton Ready Mix, who has been a regular business associate of Mike's for nearly forty years.
Photo Courtesy of Scrappers Racing
