The sport of drag racing was built on the small teams.

The teams without the big budgets and multi-million dollar sponsors. The teams with crews made up of close friends and talented up-and-comers. The teams that celebrate the small moments and don’t get lost in the monotony of the tour. The teams that come to races like the U.S. Nationals with big dreams of doing the impossible.

That is exactly the world of journeyman racer Justin Schriefer and the Justin Schriefer Racing team.

A part-time racer since the mid-2000s, Schriefer started his own operation in 2015 and has reveled in the opportunity to compete alongside some of the biggest Funny Car teams in the sport. And that includes traveling to Indianapolis for the biggest race in the world from his shop in Illinois.

“It’s an adrenaline rush to be running with these big teams knowing that we bring a lot of good stuff to the table,” Schriefer said. “It is hard to run the car quite like they do because we are trying to salvage and keep things where we can make another run. When I come out here, I don’t come here just to pick up qualifying money and go. I want to make all of the runs. It is good for me to be in the seat and it is good for us to get data. That is why I don’t come out as much to the other races. But when I was asked why I wanted to come to Indy, it is because it is Indy. I come out here to compete. It’s the fans, the competition, the name. It is an adrenaline rush.

“All of my guys, they bust their butt and they get tears in their eyes just to see me go down the track and make good runs. They are as much into it as I am. We are just a really passionate team.”

In 2017, at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, Schriefer made his career best elapsed time and speed and had consistent runs throughout the weekend before losing in round one to Robert Hight. While it is not exactly the ending he had hoped for, the experience left Schriefer feeling like the team had accomplished something and left the door open for bigger things in the future.

“Last year we had our best-ever run at Indy. It was like bringing the Wally home on a different level,” Schriefer said. “We didn’t go away with our tail between our legs. We were proud to come out here and make all five qualifiers. They said we were one of the fastest Funny Cars for elapsed time average for the U.S. Nationals and that is an accomplishment right there.”

And none of this would be possible without the assistance of other teams.

In a truly unique setup in the world of competitive sport, Schriefer receives a great deal of tuning help and parts from other teams, allowing his team to improve and survive as an independent operation.

“We buy a lot of stuff from Steve Torrence, from Schumacher and others. If it wasn’t for their used parts it would be really hard to even try to stay out here at the level we are trying to stay at,” Schriefer said. “We try to look as professional as everybody out here and we take pride in that. My guys are just proud to be part of all of this and I am proud of my guys.”

And, as if competing at this year's recently-completed U.S. Nationals wasn’t enough of a thrill, Schriefer will be welcoming a baby girl in December in another major venture for the driver.