A retired drag racer can only hit so many golf balls. At least this appears to be the case for multi-time NHRA winner Bob Vandergriff Jr.

Vandergriff will return to the land of 10,000 horsepower with a part-time sponsorship from Valvoline, starting with the NHRA Springnationals outside of Houston, Texas.

"I can never get tired of hitting golf balls," Vandergriff said. "I’m still going to keep doing that no matter what."

But when you have a full Top Fuel operation sitting, and a major company willing and ready to be a partner, you return to the tour and in Vandergriff's case, the cockpit.

Vandergriff abruptly parked his team last April 11, following the loss of major sponsor C&J Energy Services and entered retirement.

As of now, Vandergriff's partnership with Valvoline will is good for three events, including the NHRA Southern Nationals outside of Atlanta and the Mile High Nationals in Denver, Co.

"We’re still developing that schedule depending on how I feel and how much I want to do right now," Vandergriff said. "We just put together a business development program with Valvoline. They’ve been a long-time supporter of me and BVR, so we’ve been working together on projects and put our heads together on the best way to generate some business for them."

Vandergriff hasn't been out of competition long enough for his license to lapse, but plans to test for two days this weekend in Indianapolis with his crew led by Ron Douglas and assisted by Mike Guger.

"We’ll make some runs on Sunday and Monday in Indy and dust the cobwebs off a little bit and make sure all the clutch systems and motor works fine and go from there," Vandergriff said.

Vandergriff said the program could extend to include more races this season and next. Once the schedule expands, Vandergriff has no reservations about stepping aside to let someone else drive.

"If we do then I’ll put somebody back in the car," Vandergriff said. "I don’t have any intentions on driving a full schedule. We’re just doing this now because it makes sense as far as budget and scheduling and not doing that many races for me just to do it."

Should he step away, Vandergriff already has his eye on a driver for the future, and he's keeping it in the family.

"I’m going to put my nephew, Jordan, through the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School," Vandergriff revealed. "I’ve got Jeff Arend working with him as a bit of a private coach. Our plan with him is to get him through that school and then maybe look at putting him into an A/Fuel Dragster. Maybe not this year but maybe towards the end of the year or next year and get him in some races, let him get his feet wet."