Stringer Performance will have a new crew chief when it rolls into the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals this upcoming weekend in Las Vegas, NV. Jim Oberhofer will take over the tuning on the Parts Plus Top Fuel Dragster driven by Clay Millican for the remainder of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Professional Drag Racing Series.

“We are so happy to have Jim O join our racing family and make a run for the championship. His leadership qualities will definitely guide this race team to success. In addition, Jim O’s experience and expertise with this top fuel class will be a perfect combination to keep us contending all season long” remarks owner, Doug Stringer.

Jim O has been a staple in the professional drag racing world for many years learning from the best in the business and now gets an opportunity to take this top 5 in points race team to the next level starting with the Las Vegas NHRA national event this weekend.

"I'm excited to join Stringer Performance and the Parts Plus Team as their new Crew Chief. I am also looking forward to working with Clay Millican and the rest of the passionate Parts Plus Crew to build off of what they already have in place. I believe round wins and race wins are right around the corner for this dedicated group and I can't wait to get started!” says, Jim O.

With close to four decades of experience in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), it is safe to say that accomplished Crew Chief Jim Oberhofer is a veteran of the sport. A childhood filled with visits to various racetracks to watch his father, Dave, race a Top Fuel Dragster led to a passion for nitro racing that would later become his calling. Oberhofer started his racing career in 1985 at just 18 years old when he turned wrenches on the Alcohol Funny Car of Frank Cook and Chuck Landers. Just three years later, he found himself working on Scott Kalitta’s Nitro Funny Car to commence a thirty-year career with Kalitta Motorsports. 

By 2000, Oberhofer had worked his way up to become Co-Crew Chief on Doug Kalitta’s Top Fuel Dragster alongside Connie “The Bounty Hunter” Kalitta before becoming both the lead Crew Chief on Scott Kalitta’s dragster and General Manager of Operations of Kalitta Motorsports in 2003. During his time as General Manager, Oberhofer oversaw the expansion of Kalitta Motorsports from a one-car team to a powerhouse operating four nitro-fueled machines and an intricate chassis and CNC shop.

Between serving as a crew member, Crew Chief, and General Manager, Oberhofer has tallied over ninety National Event wins and three NHRA Championship titles. The Plano, TX native attributes his success in racing to his focus on teamwork and instilling a “Together Everyone Achieves More” mindset to any pit crew he leads.

After numerous highlights in racing, Oberhofer expanded his career to include author in 2015 after publishing Top Fuel for Life: Life Lessons From a Crew Chief – but he didn’t stop there. In late 2018 he began franchise agreements with Victory Lane Quick Oil Change to operate three Victory Lane locations, and in early 2020 he was named Business Development Executive at Cogistics Transportation. 

When he finds downtime from his busy career, Oberhofer enjoys visiting the movie theatre, cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and spending time with his family and loved ones.