Bartone Bros. Racing added another chapter to its dominance in Top Alcohol Funny Car competition Saturday, clinching its fifth NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world championship during the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Led by driver Sean Bellemeur and veteran tuner Steve Boggs, the “Killer B’s” secured the 2025 title during the first round of eliminations. Bellemeur qualified No. 1 with a 5.43-second pass at 267 mph, then advanced past Kirk Kuhns with a 5.46 at 265 mph to set up the championship scenario. Moments later, when points rival Brian Hough was eliminated by Steve Gasparelli, the title officially belonged to Tony Bartone’s team.
“I am a little shocked; I didn’t know we were that close to finishing it up,” Bellemeur said. “The competition out here is tough. Brian and Maddi are great drivers. Tony Bartone gives us everything we need. He just says, ‘Don’t let up.’”
The victory extends a dynastic run for Bartone Bros. Racing, which has now captured five national titles under the Boggs-Bellemeur combination. Their chemistry has remained one of the class’s defining strengths, built on precision tuning and consistent execution. “Steve Boggs, what can you say, the guy is a wizard,” Bellemeur said. “He tuned two different engine combinations this year and dominated in both. Boggs is unbelievable. The guys, all of them, and the best part is I get to call all of them my friends. We crisscross the country fighting this NHRA fight.”
The 2025 season tested the team’s adaptability as they alternated between injected nitro and blown-alcohol configurations. Despite the challenge, they stacked wins across both, earning victories at Gainesville, Brainerd, and the Texas Motorplex among others. The mix of equipment, strategy, and old-school work ethic kept them ahead of a deep field.
Bellemeur credited his crew and sponsors for making it possible. “To hoist this trophy with Tony Bartone, Steve Boggs, Troy Green, Nick Stoms, Justin Taylor, Garret Bateman, Brian Gawlik, Lauren McMaster, and Matt Krebs is the best,” he said. “I am the luckiest guy in the world!”
He also acknowledged the team’s long-standing backers who have helped sustain its success. “Park Miller has been a huge part of this in 2025 and is here to celebrate with us,” he said. Other sponsors include Red Line Synthetic Oil, Roger Dean Chevrolet, Talon Air, NGK Spark Plugs, Mastercam, Simpson Performance Products, and Taylor Motorsports Products.
The championship caps a season that saw Bartone Bros. Racing collect eight wins, including both national and regional triumphs. They’ll stay in Las Vegas for next weekend’s regional event, where they’ll attempt to add one more trophy to an already defining season.
