Justin Ashley won the Top Fuel trophy at the Texas Fall Nationals last October and he felt like the biggest city slicker at Texas Motorplex. 

He’s from New York’s Long Island. He doesn’t say “Y’all” – and he certainly never had sat in a genuine cowboy’s saddle or work a cowboy hat – all of which comes with winning this event at Ennis, Texas, south of Dallas. In fact, he didn’t have a clue which end of the cowboy hat goes in the front and which goes in the back. 

His “education” last fall came in handy Sunday, for he repeated the victory, this time making a much bolder statement for himself and his Dustin Davis Racing / Phillips Connect-Vita C Dragster program. 

He’s the man to beat for the Camping World Drag Racing Series’ Top Fuel championship. 

Ashley hasn’t dethroned four-time and reigning Texas-bred champion Steve Torrence. But after an easy victory over tire-smoking top-qualifier Austin Prock, the 2022 title appears to be Ashley’s to lose in the course of the next two events, the Oct. 27-30 Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Nov. 10-13 Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Calif. 

Ashley won with a  3.688-second elapsed time at 329.24 mph on the 1,000-foot course for his fifth overall victory and third this season. He also won at Pomona in the season-opening Winternationals and this summer at Bristol, Tenn. 

“It really was a great weekend. Any time you go out there and turn on four win-lights on Sunday, it's great,” Ashley said. “But where this race is positioned within the season makes it that much more significant. I mean, there's only two more races after this, and we know that past history has shown that if you win Dallas, you really put yourself in a position to really go for that championship. So it was a critical win. 

“Our team did a great job all weekend long. It was like a bracket car. For a Top Fuel car to run that fast and run that consistently just speaks volumes of our entire team,” he said. “I think that when you look at the Top Fuel class, it's so competitive from drivers to teams that we're really all making each other better. And I think that's shown throughout the year.” 

What made the day a bit hard to predict, he said, was “the conditions were going to be far different today than we saw all weekend” rather than the fact he started from the uncharacteristic No. 10 position. “We've won from the bottom half of the field before, earlier this year in Bristol, and it doesn't matter. [Crew chiefs] Mike Green and Tom DeLago, they know how to win races and they know how to win championships. And that's become apparent. So there was never a worry in the world. We just knew that as long as we were in the field, the rest will take care of itself. 

“But we did have a bunch of difficult matchups today. And no matter who you raced, it always seems to be a gauntlet of opponents,” he said. Ashley had to defeat Doug Kalitta, upset-invigorated Kebin Kinsley, and Sunday’s two-time spoiler Shawn Langdon before meeting No. 1 qualifier Austin Prock. 

“We can't control what the person in the other lane does or who we end up racing. The ladder is going to shape up how it does,” Ashley said. “But I would rather race somebody in the Countdown first, because that's your opportunity and you want to give yourselves an opportunity to win and create distance. So certainly, if there's an opportunity to race a Countdown contender early on, I think it could be critical. Obviously, it can go one extreme or the other. We raced a guy like Doug this morning, and it helped us. It just did. And they have a great car and a great team. I think that personally, that's what I prefer.” 

The final was a match between the class’ youngest two drivers. Prock is 27 and Ashley will turn 28 in December. 

Ashley said he’s “really happy with our Phillips Connect team, crew chiefs, the team top to bottom. Everyone's doing a fantastic job, and I’m trying to do everything I can to soak in the moment and enjoy the ride.” 

He called the victory “huge” and said, “A win is a win, no matter where you get it or when you get it. Nonetheless, to win it at this point in the season is so special. It's such an integral race. People tend to look at Dallas as I learned from the Champions Dinner,” Ashley said. “So, I figured it was that much more important. And every race is important, but being this time of the year, knowing that Pomona is points-and-a-half. Everything is up for grabs, and I know it's going to come down to the wire. But we really wanted to take advantage of every opportunity that's presented to us. And sometimes it's not going to work out that way. Sometimes it is. But for us, this weekend, our entire Phillips Connect team did such an outstanding job, and I'm just happy for these guys that were able to collect the win at this point in the season.” 

For Ashley, it was a rebound from the previous race, at St. Louis, when he lost in the opening round of eliminations to Mike Salinas. 

That, he conceded, was “critical” but he said, “First round losses can kill you in the Countdown, but only if you let them. It's more important about how you're going to respond. It's going to happen. You might have a throwaway race here or there, and that was our throwaway race. But we have to keep our pedal to the metal, right? We have to. There are two more races left, and we cannot let up. There are a lot of cars right behind us, ready to pounce at any opportunity, anytime that door is open. So we just have to continue moving forward.” 

Ashley said he benefits from “just having people in my corner that have been there, done that. Obviously my father, who's been there and done that for a long time, explaining to me about how you win races and give yourself the best chance to win races, and that's by not riding that emotional roller coaster. So, of course, the moment is big, but it's not going to do anything if you worry yourself or concern yourself.” 

The key, he said, is to “focus on the championship. You have to take care of business yourself. And my father has been a tremendous influence in a number of different areas, especially in that regard, but Antron Brown [has], as well. That's the guy who's been there, done that, and he's a teammate, but he's more than that. He's family, and he's always the first to call me or give me advice. And one thing that makes him so great, one thing that makes him so special, is his ability to thrive when it matters most. And it's about staying calm, enjoying the moment. My father, Antron, and a lot of good influences in my life have helped me with that,” he said. 

Like every other title contender this season, Ashley said, “This class is tough. If you ask me. I think it's definitely the toughest Top Fuel field in NHRA history. And I know a lot of other drivers share [that] sentiment: Brittany, Steve, Antron, the list goes on and on and on. It doesn't matter, first-round exit, final-round win, they're all tough. There's no easy draws – and there never was but especially this year, everyone's putting their best foot forward. And what it does is it makes us better. It makes us better as teams. It makes us better as drivers. So, I really think that we probably have each other to thank, to be honest with you, but really it just speaks volumes of this field. This field is tough, and it's going to be tough the rest of the way.” 

Ashley naturally is a fan of the Stampede of Speed. 

“It was great last year, and it became even better this year,” he said. “And really it’s a testament to Billy and Christie Meyer and Elon Werner and the entire Texas Motorplex, they do a great job. It started with the Champions Dinner, which was really a first-class event, which speaks volumes of this Texas Motorplex Complex. And it ended with all kinds of events. It's excitement, right? I love the entertainment part of it. We're racers, but we're entertainers, as well, and it's really good for the teams. But more importantly, it's really good for the fans, and I know that they're onto something.” 

And so is Justin Ashley.