Chicago firefighter Chris King will make his professional debut July 16-18 at the Dodge//SRT Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver. King, who has experience in both Top Alcohol Funny Cars and Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars, will pilot a Toyota for Mark Howard's Papillion, Neb.-based Howard Motorsports Funny Car operation.
"Not many people ever get the chance to drive a nitro Funny Car, let alone compete in one at the highest level of the sport, and I get chills and get all fired up just thinking about it," King said. "Tomorrow isn't guaranteed — especially in my line of work — and I'm 100% focused on making this happen while I can. Who knows? With some sponsor help and a little luck, maybe I can make a name for myself out here." After Denver, Howard Motorsports' all-volunteer crew, led by crew chief Terry Totten and sponsored by Chip Lofton's Vita C Shots, Impact, Competition Products, Howard's Cams, and JJ Supply of North Carolina, will run Topeka and possibly Indy.