Buddy Hull never imagined his biggest fight in drag racing would come outside the driver’s seat. Seven races after suffering a severe left-hand injury when his Funny Car exploded and split in half at Sonoma Raceway, Hull returned to competition at the NHRA Nevada Nationals, regaining control of a car that once nearly cost him the ability to drive.
The injury occurred in July when a mandatory safety tethering system — designed to keep the body attached to the chassis — inadvertently contributed to the car’s destruction. The body ripped apart and came down on Hull’s hand, causing significant damage.
“Hand’s really good,” Hull said. “It’s definitely stronger than it’s been since my accident, but it’s just fine. I handled the car perfectly fine yesterday. Unfortunately, we had a little mishap and it put out the rods at 400 feet. But that’s just part of drag racing. Luckily, no one got hurt, and we had enough parts to get the car back together and go back to the starting line today and get another shot at it.”
Hull said he spent the months between Sonoma and Las Vegas attacking his rehabilitation with the same discipline that made him a national-level powerlifter long before he became a nitro driver. “I worked on my hand every single day, and I still do,” Hull said. “Icing it on my own, physical therapy — a ton of that. I went above and beyond and sought out chiropractors with special lasers, massage therapy, anything I could do. I worked the hell out of my hand.”
He even developed his own unorthodox training techniques. “I had five-gallon buckets at my house with corn in them, and I was constantly working that corn inside of the bucket, just working my hand any way I could,” he said. “I’d make it so sore that I could barely touch it, then give it a day or two break and go back to it again.”
The result was steady progress and visible improvement. “It may look a little weird, but it’s strong,” Hull said. “There were no issues in the car. I felt 100% comfortable.”
The road back wasn’t easy. Hull said that at first, his injured hand had lost nearly a quarter of its muscle size compared to his other hand. “When I first got the brace off, my hand was about 20% smaller than the left side, maybe even 25,” he said. “Now I’d say it’s probably only 10% smaller. It’s already gaining its physicality back.”
He estimates his strength has recovered to around 80%, but said he expects a full recovery soon. “I think I’m going to have 100% recovery in terms of strength, just due to the progress I’ve had in the last two or three weeks,” Hull said. “I’ve taken the brace off, and I can do everything I need to do.”
Returning to the driver’s seat marked a personal victory for Hull, who admits the mental recovery was just as important as the physical one. “You’ve just got to know that things happen, parts fail, and luckily we’re blessed with the opportunity to go try it again,” he said.
Jim Dunn Racing’s patience with Hull’s recovery has mirrored his determination. Team manager Jon Dunn said earlier this season that Hull’s return would come only when he was fully ready — a commitment Hull said he deeply appreciated.
Back in Las Vegas, that readiness was finally on display. Though his return weekend wasn’t flawless, Hull’s focus and attitude reflected a man grateful simply to race again. “We had a little mishap,” Hull said, “but that’s part of it. I’m just thankful to be back in the car, to feel that power, to be part of this again.”
For Hull, every run now carries a deeper meaning — a reminder of both fragility and resilience. “This sport can test you,” he said. “But if you’re willing to do the work, it’ll give you a second chance.”
