Veteran nitro Funny Car driver Jeff Diehl is returning to the track.
Diehl will be piloting his Funny Car at the Denso Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals this weekend.
Diehl is racing thanks to his long-time sponsors as well as new sponsors.
“I’m excited about Sonoma and the new sponsors we will have helping us,” Diehl said.
This will be Diehl’s fourth race of the season as he also competed in Pomona, Calif., Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Jeff’s wife and back up girl Leeza will be returning to the track as well after a four-month hiatus with a badly broken foot.
“I’m trying to stay on the West Coast because of the craziness and the fuel prices,” Diehl said.
The new sponsors consist of the iconic SoCal SPEED SHOP who has been a staple in racing since the late 1940s and recently was reacquired by the Chapouris family with Pete IV at the helm.
Brandishing a new store and warehouse in Upland, Calif., SoCal is getting back to its roots building roadster frames and front-end components for the racing fans. In addition to the Upland store, SoCal has stores in Waco, Texas, Las Vegas Nev., and British Columbia.
The second new sponsor is Agua Plus Alkaline Water based out of Michigan
Agua Plus is premium alkaline water. Agua Plus undergoes a 7-step purification process and is bottled at a pH of 9+. Enhanced with added minerals and electrolytes for a smooth pristine taste and superior hydration.
Third new sponsor is Vintage Electric Bikes. These guys are racers too and love the sport. They give a new take on an old concept with cool designed electric bikes with a vintage look and feel. We are stoked to have them onboard. Based out of Santa Clara, Calif., they will have a few bikes on display and of course Jeff will be cruising the pits electric style.
Diehl was also quick to thank his other sponsors for making it possible for him to race.
That lists consists of Red Line Oil, Nitro*A*gogo! , CP Carrillo, Central Valley Auto Haus, Borrmann’s Steel, Excel Drywall, The Real Deal Pepper Sauce, So Cal Speed Shop, Spell Paving, Nitro Barry, Shirt Lizard, Darton Sleeves, Engine Tech, BR Motorsportrs, ARP, Robert’s Auto Body, Thalia Street Surf Shop, Aipa Surfboards, Woody’s Custom Headers, JS Solutions, Moore Performance, CarLeaseReturn.com, Pitmove, Shorty’s Oil Pans & Evo Crankshafts and Pac West Trailers.
When Diehl isn’t running a limited NHRA schedule, he also spends time tuning Don Knoblauch’s Atomic Punk Nostalgia Funny Car. He tuned Knoblauch to a win at the Funny Car Chaos Classic event at Texas Motorplex near Dallas on March 27.
Knoblauch is fifth in the Funny Car Chaos season points standings – 57 points behind the top spot.
“Nathan Huber and I built that Nostalgia Funny Car (Knoblauch drives) and maintain it and tune it,” Knoblauch said. “I love it. I really enjoy it. We came out the first race (of the Funny Car Chaos) season and he’s a new driver and we won the race (at the Texas Motorplex). He’s done well and the car is running well. We are chasing the points. I like tuning it. I spent my whole life working on these things.
“That car is a lot different than my (Funny Car), but it isn’t because it is still the same kind of thought process. I have a lot of time invested in this and I enjoy doing this.”
The next two Funny Car Chaos races on the schedule are Eddyville, Iowa, (July 29-30) and Kearney, Neb., (Aug. 5-6).
“After those (Funny Car Chaos) races, I’m looking at running in Dallas, Vegas, and Pomona,” Diehl said. “If I can add anything else I’m going to try. (Tuner) Aaron Brooks helps me quite a bit. Thanks to my long-term and new sponsors, I hope to take this all the way. I’m looking for funding to go all the way and that’s what keeps me trying.”
