The learning curve was apparent, but Dylan Winefsky wouldn’t change a thing.
Winefsky, who is now a 21-year-old, made his debut in NHRA’s big show nitro Funny Car ranks in 2025 in his family-owned Nitro Moose entry.
Winefsky competed in three races — Las Vegas twice and Seattle. He qualified in Seattle and faced back-to-back NHRA world champion Austin Prock in the first round and conceded the race when his Funny Car had engine problems after the burnout, giving the tire-smoking Prock the win.
“It was a different experience,” Winefsky said about driving a nitro Funny Car. “It was a big learning curve and there’s still a lot I’m learning about the car, but each time we go out, we all get better and better. Honestly, it’s probably the vision (inside the car that’s the biggest transition) because the body we have is older, so the windshield is really small, and the windshield sits a lot further forward than new bodies do. Just (adjusting to the) vision was the biggest thing, but the more runs I make in the car, the more comfortable I get with the vision.”
In a very limited debut, Winefsky praised his team’s work.
“I think everything went great and we’re a new team. Our guys have all been around it, but it’s been a while since they’ve all been around a big show car, so everyone’s getting back into the mix of things. My first three races, I think I did pretty good other than the one time that (the Funny Car) threw me for a curveball in Seattle on my first qualifying run and I took out a couple of cones. But I learned from that.”
Now, Dylan and his father, Rob — the team owner and former driver of the family altered for more than a decade — are taking the next step in 2026. Like last year, nitro legend Johnny West will serve as Dylan’s crew chief.
Dylan is scheduled to compete at the NHRA Nationals in Phoenix, March 20-22; the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, April 9-12, in Pomona, Calif.; the Cornwell Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Sept. 2-7, in Indianapolis; and the NHRA Nevada Nationals, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, in Las Vegas.
“Last year was our learning year, and we took everything that we learned last year, and we’re using it over the winter to get everything serviced as best as it can be, and we’re going to go out, start the year in Phoenix, and hopefully be able to go out and run four races and put on a good show.”
Rob said it is possible his team may expand its upcoming schedule and compete at some IHRA races.
“We are working on funding,” Rob said. “We have an all-volunteer team, so we have to make sure that everybody can get time off, and I want to make sure if we are going to do more races that everybody can get time off. I want to keep my whole team intact.”
Dylan’s quickest pass in 2025 came in Seattle when he qualified No. 16 with a 4.224-second elapsed time.
“Johnny (West) has helped us immensely,” Rob Winefsky said. “We couldn’t have gotten this far and done this without him and had any kind of success. We had a couple of team owners and crew guys tell us that it takes some guys three to four years to get to where we are already at, and we couldn’t have done that without Johnny.
“When I talk with (Johnny) about the car, he refers to it as our car. It’s ours and we, not you, which makes me feel good knowing that and that he is as committed as he is.”
The younger Winefsky got his start in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League as soon as it was legal, and after eight years in the half-scale dragster ranks, he earned his Super Comp license at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School.
From there, he acquired an Advanced E.T. license in his family’s de-tuned Fuel Altered, and under the advice and guidance of West, he then licensed in an NHRA Nostalgia Funny Car.
As Dylan was going through the licensing process, he received help from fuel altered driver Kevin Knowles, his father, Rob, and NHRA stars Dan Wilkerson and Del Worsham, who signed off on Dylan’s license.
Jon Capps and Ron Capps also aided Dylan in getting his nitro Funny Car license in Phoenix last March.
“This is something that I never thought I’d be able to say that (I’m a nitro Funny Car driver), and that my family owns one,” Dylan said. “I’m glad to say I drive (a nitro Funny Car) because it’s definitely a good experience.”
The elder Winefsky is hopeful the family-owned nitro Funny Car is a
springboard for his son. Rob’s racing highlight came in 2020 when he reached the finals of the famed March Meet in Bakersfield, Calif., in his AA/Fuel Altered before losing to Ron Capps.
“As a dad, I could not be prouder of Dylan,” said Rob, who runs the family business — Robert’s Car Care in Youngtown, Ariz. “Honestly, I would have quit racing a couple of years ago if it wasn’t for the fact that he (Dylan) put so much work into the altered. I raced it for 10 to 12 years, and he always worked on the car. We would come home from a race, and he would be 10 years old, and he would be out there pulling heads off the car. People think it got handed to him, but he worked at it and he still does. He works full time in our family business, and he works on the (Funny Car), and he’s working on getting sponsors, and he is only 21. As much as this is new to me, it is all new to him.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where the future takes him. I don’t think running a family team is going to be long term. I think someday, somebody’s going to say, ‘You know what, we need to put this kid in the car,’ and I sure hope that happens. Hopefully sooner than later, a sponsor is going to say we need a kid. Everybody says drag racing needs younger fans, and they might need someone who younger fans can relate to.”
