One weekend, Hot Rod Fuller might drive a Vandergriff Motorsports dragster. The next race it might be the team owner Bob Vandergriff Jr.

That flexibility between serving as team owner and driver doesn’t bother Vandergriff in the least. As he sees it, both roles have their merits.

“The team owner side [of racing] is interesting and exciting on the business side,” Vandergriff said. “But nothing can replace the feeling of hitting that throttle on the starting line. That’s something that’s hard to replicate.”

Vandergriff raced at the two most recent events on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with the support of C&J Energy Services, an oil and gas industry-based business, that he acquired sponsorship from through his Richard Childress Racing connection. He’s in his second of two scheduled outings with the sponsor.

One weekend, Hot Rod Fuller might drive a Vandergriff Motorsports dragster. The next race it might be the team owner Bob Vandergriff Jr.

That flexibility between serving as team owner and driver doesn’t bother Vandergriff in the least. As he sees it, both roles have their merits.

“The team owner side [of racing] is interesting and exciting on the business side,” Vandergriff said. “But nothing can replace the feeling of hitting that throttle on the starting line. That’s something that’s hard to replicate.”

Vandergriff raced at the two most recent events on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with the support of C&J Energy Services, an oil and gas industry-based business, that he acquired sponsorship from through his Richard Childress Racing connection. He’s in his second of two scheduled outings with the sponsor.

“They really love drag racing and they are looking at expanding their involvement in drag racing with me next season,” he added. “There are some opportunities to run some more races with them next season. But it’s with me driving.”

The team owner side of Vandergriff would love to see his stable of potential drivers have the same opportunity to race. Currently Vandergriff is working with “Hot” Rod Fuller, J.R. Todd and former jet car racing turned Top Fuel dragster pilot Jessie Harris to find suitable deals for their return to the nitro ranks.

His association with Fuller has resulted in a part-time schedule with Fuller through cultivating relationships with CAT dealers and Coinstar.

“Our primary goal is to run at least 24 races with at least one car,” Vandergriff said. “My guys have been good at sticking with me through this and it would be great to reward them with the ability to race 24 events next season.”

Vandergriff has been able to keep up with the rapid pace of the Top Fuel division despite running a limited schedule. He attributes the ability to do that by his team returning to the basic combination that enabled them to finish No. 5 in the 2007 championship battle.

Adding a few more teams to the mix once the primary car is secured will be his next objective. He’s happy with a team ownership role but if the opportunity to drive presents itself, he won’t turn down the challenge.

“There are a few programs that mandate I am the driver because of the relationships and the business angle,” Vandergriff said. “If those come through I will drive. But, if we are able to put together other programs that are not driver specific, I am content owning the car and letting others drive.

“We are still looking at opportunities to put other drivers in the car. Drivers like J.R. Todd and Jessie Harris provide us with interesting angles on the marketing side from a minority and diversity side. That provides us access into some companies that a normal driver wouldn’t. There are good opportunities and we are knocking on doors and hoping to put something together for them as well.”

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