Shawn Reed, a veteran Top Fuel and drag boat racer, has announced his return to full-time NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) competition in 2024. Reed will act as the owner/driver for his newly formed team, Shawn Reed Racing (SRR), and will drive the Reed Truck & Excavating Top Fuel dragster. The announcement was made during the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Indianapolis.

Having previously competed in NHRA races in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic, Reed has assembled an experienced team for his return. Notably, he has hired Rob Wendland as the lead crew chief and put together a team including assistant crew chief Ryan Elliott. This crew has previously worked for Cruz Pedregon Racing and achieved success with Tommy Johnson, Jr.'s Funny Car team at Don Schumacher Racing.

SRR has also formed a technical partnership with AB Motorsports and three-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown's Matco Tools team. Wendland and Elliott will closely collaborate with Brown's tuning duo, Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, who have led Brown to 56 of his 58 Top Fuel victories.

The SRR team will be based in Brownsburg, Indiana's Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) building. They have acquired a new chassis from Morgan Lucas Racing's Brownsburg fabrication shop and a race trailer from Pegasus Trailers in Ohio. Another trailer is scheduled for delivery in the spring. SRR will utilize many of the same race car components as the Matco team, who were three-time winners of the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in 2023. The teams will also share developmental data for further improvements.

"I love to compete, especially at the highest level, against the best racers in the world, and there isn't a more competitive class in the NHRA than Top Fuel," Reed said. "The need for speed is what really drives and motivates me. I'm not getting younger and want to live this dream." Reed aims to build a successful business and provide opportunities for others to thrive in the NHRA."

Reed, who grew up near Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, won five International Hot Boat Association (IHBA) championships before acquiring his NHRA Top Fuel license in 2014 from Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School. In 2015, he made his Top Fuel debut at the renowned Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida. Three years later, Reed reached the final round of the 2018 Gainesville event.

Reed expressed his desire to learn from Antron Brown, citing Brown's own experience learning from Don Schumacher before becoming an owner/driver. The two have developed a friendship, and Reed looks forward to working closely with Brown, Wendland, and the AB Motorsports team. The plan is to run identical parts and collaborate with Brian, Mark, and Brad Mason at AB Motorsports.

In preparation for the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, which begins on March 8-10 in Gainesville, Florida, the SRR team will be busy building their race car and inventory of new parts and components. Testing is scheduled for February and March.

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