After a season defined by loss and setbacks, Doug Foley is resetting his Top Fuel program, bringing veteran nitro crew chief Ron Douglas on board as a consultant for the 2026 campaign.
Douglas joins a group led by longtime Foley Lewis Racing crew chief Doug Kuch as the team prepares for what Foley described as a rebuilding year. The season will open at the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Douglas brings decades of experience guiding championship-contending teams in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. His role will focus on supporting Kuch and providing an additional technical perspective as the team refines its program.
Kuch tuned for Foley early in his Top Fuel career and returned to the team late in the 2023 season. The pairing is now supplemented by Douglas’ hands-on approach, which the team believes will accelerate development during a transitional year.
“I’ve always admired what Ron has accomplished in his career,” Foley said. “We’ve always been looking for somebody who could come in and put their eyes on the computer and their hands on the parts and see something through a different lens. We were fortunate that Ron was available. He’s a little bit different than some of the other crew chiefs in that he’s very hands-on. That’s only going to enhance what happens under the awning here and help the team continue to get better at what they do.”
The addition comes after a difficult 2025 season for Foley Lewis Racing, marked by significant setbacks both on and off the track. Team co-owner Tim Lewis died early in the year, and the season concluded with a late crash that further disrupted momentum.
“I really felt like we were getting there over the last couple of years, and I felt like we may have taken a step back in 2025,” Foley said. “There were opportunities that were missed. I don’t feel like I drove even close to my best, and it was a tough year overall. It started with losing Tim and never got better. This year is a fresh beginning. We’re going to put our heads down, focus on what our new goals are, and forget about 2025.”
Foley’s 2026 schedule will include a combination of NHRA national events and races in the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series. The team plans to be selective, emphasizing development and testing over sheer event volume.
A key part of the strategy involves evaluating when to race and when to step back and test, an approach Foley believes is critical for independent teams seeking consistent progress.
“This year, we’re putting a bigger focus on quality over quantity,” Foley said. “It’s difficult for smaller teams like ours to get quality runs in, so if we need to go testing instead of going to the next race, that’s what we’ll do. If we feel like we’re getting behind, we’re going to take a timeout and figure out where we’re weak and how we can get better. We’re looking at it as a rebuilding year.”
When Foley fires up his 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster at the Gatornationals, Authority Garage Supply Inc. will serve as the primary sponsor. United Garage Door Company, LiftMaster, C.H.I. Overhead Doors, Coble Enterprises, Red Line Oil, and The BAMR Company are also returning as partners.
