Veteran Top Fuel driver Scott Palmer confirmed to Competition Plus that former NHRA Division 4 Top Alcohol Dragster champion Lee Callaway is going to make his debut in Top Fuel in Dallas at the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Oct. 11-13 at the Texas Motorplex.

Callaway of Baytown, Texas, is going to drive the dragster Palmer has been running this season.

“My team is going to go, and we are taking our whole set-up, but he’s going to drive, and we are going to help him,” said Palmer, who will help tune Callaway’s dragster. “I’m not driving (at the race). He’s driving the dragster I have been running. He bought a dragster from me just like the one he will be driving in Dallas, but we just haven’t had time to test that dragster, so he’s driving mine.

We’re going to help him, and he has some crew guys who are going to be there, and his crew guys will be watching from us and learning from us for next year.”

According to Palmer, Callaway finished the requirements for his Top Fuel license Oct. 9-10 at Tulsa (Okla.) Raceway Park.

“Spencer Massey and I signed off on his license, and Lee is a great driver,” Palmer said. “Dallas is Lee’s first Top Fuel event and we want to give him a good opportunity to qualify at his first race. That’s whey we decided not to take both teams, and struggle because it is not enough time to do it. Lee and I have been really good friends since I had an alcohol Funny Car. Since I’m not in the Countdown this is perfect time for us to go and help him. This is going to be a really fun, cool deal for him. I remember what it is like to finally get to sit in a Top Fuel car at a national event and run and it’s pretty overwhelming. For him to get to do it, I think is going to be cool.”

Palmer said Callaway plans on running in NHRA’s Top Fuel ranks in 2020 in the dragster he purchased from Palmer.   

Palmer just missed being able to compete in the NHRA’s Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship after failing to finish in the top 10 in the points standings in the 18-race regular season.

Palmer placed 12th in the regular-season points in his Magic Dry Organic Absorbent dragster sponsored by Tommy Thompson.

As for the rest of the NHRA Mello Yello Series slate, Palmer said he will run a new Top Fuel Dragster in Las Vegas (Oct. 31-Nov. 3) and Pomona, Calif. (Nov. 14-17).

Palmer’s top performance this season came when he was runner-up to Steve Torrence in Epping, N.H., July 7.