Getting an opportunity to compete and succeed in NHRA drag racing is not easy.

However, NHRA team owners Joe and Cathi Maynard are now trying to help that process along for drivers.

On Feb. 22, the Maynards announced the launch of the JCM Racing Driver Development program.

The Maynards have been making news in the offseason by having their Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher, an eight-time world champion, gain a teammate in nitro Funny Car veteran Tim Wilkerson.

The JCM Racing Driver Development program is an extension of the Maynard's growing drag racing team.

JCM Racing will lend support to three up-and-coming racers in the 2023 season. The inaugural list of JCM Racing’s developmental drivers consists of Junior Dragster driver Waylon Bennett, 10; Super Comp driver Kayleigh Hill, 21; and Super Stock racer Wyatt Wagner, 21.

The JCM Racing Driver Development program was created to offer young racers the opportunity to focus in on and perfect their driving and sponsor relation skills as they work towards a career of competing at NHRA’s pro level.

 

 

JCM Racing developmental drivers will receive funding to help offset their operational costs, Joe Maynard, however, sees that as only one part of the equation to lead these drivers down the road to success.

“It’s important to us to help the next generation of racers,” Maynard said in a press release. “We’re here for the long haul and are committed to the growth of this sport. Our developmental drivers are the future, so we want to keep them on the track and performing at a high level, but there’s more to being a great racer than just driving skills. The most obvious benefit is the financial investment, and this program offers so much more than that. At any time, our developmental drivers can call upon Tim or Tony and receive guidance from two of the greats. They have a direct line to our front office staff and can consult with them on how to interact with sponsors or ask for advice on things such as putting a marketing deal together, for example. We’ve also already held a PR and social media seminar with the group.

 

 

“How a driver conducts him or herself off the track is just as important as how they do on the track, and we want to set our developmental drivers up with a solid foundation as they advance in their young careers. But make no mistake; this is not a sponsorship; it is an opportunity. The goal is for these young folks to become as well-rounded as possible. This isn’t a direct pipeline to a seat in a JCM Camping World Series car, rather it’s an incredible opportunity to learn. They have all the tools at their disposal, and it’s up to them to make the most out of it.”

With support from JCM, Bennett, the 2022 Division 2 champ, will strive for more success in the Jr. Drag Racing League in the upcoming season. Hill, a four-time race winner who has previously found success in the Stock Eliminator and Jr. Dragster categories, will make her Super Comp debut in the Division 5 circuit, while Wagner, a two-time JEGS All-Star and NHRA national event champion, will be competing for his third Division 5 Super Stock championship title.

“This partnership has already opened up doors for me as far as meeting people we probably wouldn’t have otherwise met without the JCM team making that connection,” said Wagner in a press release. “Having the support from the Maynards will only help to elevate the program we have been building over these last several years. The goal for right now is to continue to race in the Super Stock category and continue to be successful. Eventually, I’d love to get behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car but I’m taking it one step at a time, and it feels good to know I have the support from JCM as I work towards that long-term goal.”

While the developmental driver roster is set for 2023, the program will open to new candidates at a date to be announced later in the year. Starting with the 2024 class, new inductees into the program will be limited to Jr. Drag Racing League competitors, and the program will support up to one Jr. driver per division. Additional information regarding how to apply for the 2024 JCM Racing Driver Development program will be announced via the team’s social channels, so interested candidates should be sure to follow @JCMNitro on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Potential applicants should refrain from contacting JCM Racing about the program until further instructions have been provided.