Veteran Top Fuel driver T.J. Zizzo shows up at races with a simple mindset.
“We don’t want to go to races just to qualify,” Zizzo said. “Fun is turning on win lights. That’s what fun is. It’s not going to the event. It’s too much work. These races are too much work to go do that.”
With that philosophy, Zizzo focuses on efficiency and funds and how his team can be the most successful.
That has resulted in him having a simple schedule – so far – for the 2026 season.
“We’re going to just go to Chicago (May 14-17) and Indy (Sept. 2-7) at this point,” said Zizzo, who will receive sponsor backing from Rust-Oleum for those two events. “Chicago’s our home track. A lot of our partners come from there. You know, there’s a lot that happens in Chicago with us. And we’re going to go to the U.S. Nationals because it is the U.S. Nationals.”
“We want to go to more events, and we are working on trying to acquire marketing partners so we can go to more events.”
If things come to fruition, Zizzo is keeping his options open to possibly do some IHRA racing as well.
IHRA has been making waves all offseason and has attracted the attention of racers with big prize money and a nine-race schedule for 2026.
“Of course, we look at it from the outside. My dad (Tony) and I look at it as an opportunity,” T.J. said. “No doubt an opportunity. It should be great for the sport and good for the racers. I know Larry Morgan (an IHRA senior series representative) personally and he has said that he is here for the racer. I want to make sure the racers are being taken care of. These are wonderful things. I love it all. I look at the opportunity to win $1 million if you win three races and I love it. I love the $150,000 that is set out for each one of those races. I love the two-day event instead of the three-day event.”
“But I have not been to an (IHRA) event since 2008 and keep in mind that in 2007 that was one of the last years that it was a viable series in IHRA. We ran that year along with Bruce Litton and Clay Millican and those guys and we finished second. The last time I won a race was at an IHRA event at Martin, Mich., I believe in 2007. Those are great memories…all wonderful things.”
Nonetheless, Zizzo isn’t ready to jump into the IHRA pool with both feet just yet.
“I was talking to my dad, and I said dad maybe it is a good idea that you and I check out the series (IHRA) without our race car,” T.J. said.
“My dad and I could be the first in line to go to an event. We love it. Maybe we need to go there on our own two feet and check out one event before we go to race and see what it is about. Because anytime this race car comes out of our shop it costs us 40 grand.
“So, I see the interest in going and we talked heavily about going to that first triple crown race (at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., May 22-24). But I think we need to take a breath and attend an event with my dad and me to check it out and see if it is a good, safe, viable option. Because as I get older, safety is the most important thing when we go to an event. I know NHRA tries to do the best job they can and I’m not saying they are perfect because I have seen mistakes there as well.”
Zizzo, who started Top Fuel racing in 2003, was quick to answer why he is still competing.
“Two things,” he said.
“No. 1 we still have marketing partners that want to do this with us, that’s No. 1. We are blessed to have people who want to spend money on this sport and involve themselves with Zizzo Racing. No. 2, all our guys want to be here as well. All the same core guys we have had since 2003 essentially are still with us. They show up to work on the car in the dead of winter on a snowy day to work on our race car.”
