Justin Herbst captured the 2025 Funny Car Chaos championship Saturday night at Great Lakes Dragaway, closing a tense three-way battle that came down to the final round of the season. Herbst outlasted Keith Zimmerer and Brian Lewis to secure the title in front of a packed crowd.
Zimmerer entered the weekend as the points leader, but Herbst and Lewis were within striking distance. Every qualifying pass and elimination round carried championship implications.
After three rounds of qualifying, Herbst and Zimmerer ended tied on points, setting the stage for eliminations to determine the crown. Lewis saw his chances end with a first-round loss, while Herbst and Zimmerer advanced steadily through their respective fields.
In the Wulff Pumps “C” Field final, Herbst faced Jordan Ballew in a decisive matchup. Ballew’s car lost power near the finish line, allowing Herbst to pull ahead and keep his title hopes alive with the round win.
Meanwhile, the AlkyDigger “B” Field saw veteran Wayne Hofmann defeat rookie Luke Furr on a holeshot to earn his first win of the season. Furr impressed in just his second Chaos start and signaled he will be a factor in future events.
That set up the “A” Field showdown between Zimmerer and Mike Williams. Both drivers launched with nearly identical reaction times, but Williams powered ahead at the finish line, leaving Zimmerer behind and clearing the path for Herbst to clinch the championship.
Herbst’s team “Executioner” celebrated the season title after a year-long pursuit across multiple Chaos events.
“What an intense finish to an exciting season of Funny Car Chaos action! Congratulations to all of our Top 10 finishers and to Justin Herbst and team ‘Executioner’ on an impressive Championship effort!” Funny Car Chaos said in a statement.
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— Competition Plus (@competitionplus) October 3, 2025
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