Top Fuel owner-driver Mike Salinas delivered a bit of a surprise this week. His Scrappers Racing team, which includes Jasmine Salinas in Top Alcohol Dragster and Jianna Salinas in Pro Stock Motorcycle, will skip the first four races of the 2020 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Citing business commitments involving his San Jose, Calif.-based companies, Mike Salinas said he will make his debut this season at the April 17-19 Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals at Baytown, Texas, near Houston.

His daughters would have started the season in March at the Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. But the entire Scrappers Racing fleet remains at the Brownsburg, Ind., shop, preparing for the start of their seasons at Houston Raceway Park.

“Going to the races with my family is fun,” Mike Salinas said. “But we had some success in 2019 and look forward to big things in 2020. But as a businessman, I need to take care of things in San Jose before we get swept up in the racing. It takes a clear mind to step into those cars and race, so we’re going to get our business and race teams in order, then come out strong together.”

The patriarch of the self-funded family team said his decision didn’t come without considerable consideration. He said he is planning to test his Top Fuel dragster before that Houston race but hasn’t finalized any details.

Jasmine Salinas will compete in her Top Alcohol Dragster in Division III this season, participating in all regional events and national events at which her class is scheduled to race. Sister Jianna Salinas will enter the remaining Pro Stock Motorcycle races through the Finals, which she won last November at Pomona, Calif.

“We thank our wonderful fans for their support and understanding of why we made this decision. Scrappers Racing will be out there this year and we are excited to put on an awesome show for everyone,” Mike Salinas said.

Mike Salinas omitted three races (Atlanta, Topeka, and Epping, N.H.) last season and started the Countdown as the No. 5 seed. He finished seventh in the final standings.