I’ve been fortunate to do some really cool things in racing, but if I’m being honest, I haven’t always been great at sharing much of it.
Not because I don’t care. (Probably the opposite). Racing has been such a big part of my life for so long that sometimes it’s easy to just keep my head down, go to the next race, and then do it again, and again.
This year, I’m trying to challenge myself to do a little more than that. To share my life behind the wheel, and everything that goes into it.
That’s part of the reason I’m excited to kick off the ELITE Member Spotlight series. Throughout 2026, three other ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE members and I will be contributing to this column every couple of weeks. We’ll be sharing more about who we are, what we’re doing in racing, and the lessons we’re learning along the way.
For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Jordan Pratt. I’m from Minnesota, and in recent years, I’ve focused on Super Comp and Super Street in NHRA Division 5. This season, I’ll be adding a new class to my resume.. But we’ll get to that in a bit!
I got my start in racing when I was 9 years old after waking up to a Jr. Dragster in the garage on Christmas morning… I was instantly hooked, and now, nearly 20 years later it feels like we’ve been full throttle ever since.
My Jr. dragster memories are filled with weekends racing at Grove Creek Raceway with my entire family: Mom: Lori, Dad: Bob, Sister: Lindsey. Today, I’m fortunate to still have the support of my entire family; even my Grandma Pratt is rooting for me from back home. However, most weekends these days I’m surrounded by my Dad, and girlfriend Maggie. Without them, I’d have a hard time keeping this thing right side up!
One of the reasons I wanted to be a part of this project was that I couldn’t think of a better company to represent than ThisIsBracketRacing.com. TIBR has become part of my identity over the last decade. I think this is obvious for my close friends, but I’m sure there are some of you who aren’t as familiar with my affiliation.
I first came across TIBR in 2013- Luke was still writing the monthly written tutorials. In hindsight, my decision to register an account that day was somewhat of a linchpin moment in my life. I was instantly blown away (and intrigued) by all of the content available. It felt like I unlocked a new way to race, and in many ways- a new way of thinking. I spent the next couple years immersing myself in the material and implementing many of it on the race track.
Fast forward a couple of years, I crossed paths with Luke in person at his Super Seminar class he hosted with Tommy Phillips. He must have seen something in that quiet kid taking notes in the front row… Because around the same time he was starting the Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast with Luke & Jed and they were looking to hire an assistant for the show.. I eagerly submitted my application and… didn’t get the job. I did however get an email from Luke- he had another position in mind for me. At the time, ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE had started to grow some legs and he was looking for some help with social media content. We chatted for a bit, I probably oversold myself… But I was in! Social Media Intern for the win.
As excited as I was to have a “job” in racing, it always felt like it would be a short term role. College graduation was on the distant horizon, and I’d probably have to get a “real job” at some point… Well as that date neared closer, my role inside TIBR expanded, then expanded again, to the point that it would be hard to walk away. And, the truth is, I didn’t want a real job. In college, I was surrounded by business-school classmates. Summer internships at large corporations lit them up with excitement. Not for me. At this point, racing was such a big part of my life. I didn’t want to imagine anything but a flexible career that would allow me to continue racing. I’m very fortunate for the opportunity Luke has given me to grow with TIBR. ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE is celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary this year. I’m proud to have played a role in its trajectory, growing with the rest of our team at TIBR. ThisIsBracketRacing.com has opened countless doors, introduced me to some of my closest friends, and given me a platform to grow as a racer and person.
My other why:
The main reason I wanted to start this program was to challenge myself… I’ve been fortunate to do some really cool things in racing and not too long ago I realized I don’t really share much of it outside my small circle of friends. This winter, a friend said “You’re good at writing. You should do a blog”… I don’t know about that first part.. But here we are! I look forward to sharing more about myself, my racing, and the lessons learned in my upcoming blog entries.
Before we take a look at my plans for 2026, I’ll share a quick recap of 2025. Last year marked the return of my dragster. I made the decision to park the dragster in 2022 to focus on dialing in my S/ST setup and start saving funds for a proper super comp engine. After three seasons off, “excited” would be an understatement for that first weekend back. Despite the nerves surrounding getting the dragster back out, I managed to win the first weekend out at the division race in St Louis. That set the tone for the season!
A few more late round finishes early in the season, and all of a sudden the Jegs Allstars was on my radar. I managed to squeeze just enough rounds wins at the final event in Brainerd (my home track) and secured the Division 5 SC spot by literally 1 point. It was determined- we’d be making the trip to Dallas in October to represent Division 5 (my second Jegs Allstar appearance).
I earned a cowboy hat there in 2024… So it felt great to have the opportunity to go back and compete at the pinnacle of NHRA Sportsman racing. As the leaves fell in Minnesota, we loaded up for (what we thought was) our last trip of the season.
My time in Dallas had moments of greatness.. But not enough to bring home any hardware. My Allstars experience ended with a -.002 in R2, and I fell short in Round 5 of the national event (after a near-boxing match in the staging lanes. Story for another day!)
As I said earlier, we thought our season would end after Dallas, but things change right? You see, back in March when I mapped out my schedule I put a small note on the bottom of the paper that said: “*If you have 500 pts after Indy, go West?”
The truth is, I was still a little shy of that 500 pt goal. But with a little convincing from our friends Trevor and Kendra Larson, we decided to make the trip! The Larsons graciously offered to haul my dragster out to Vegas and Pomona. We hauled Kendra’s car back to MN, and left my dragster in TX with their rig.
The goal? Top Ten.
I don’t know how old I was, but I vividly remember the first time I saw a “single digit” on a super comp car. It was Gary Stinnett, rolling through the staging lanes at Brainerd when I was a kid. I remember asking my dad why his number was just one digit and not four like the rest. “That’s because he finished top 4 in the world last year.” he said… The WORLD?! I couldn’t think of anything cooler than that back then.. And not much has changed today!
Achieving Top 10 is no easy feat. The logistics behind hitting 6 national events and 8 divisionals present its own challenges… And stringing together success on a consistent basis takes the challenge to a whole new level.
In my early years behind the wheel I wasn’t old enough to race national events (back when you had to be 18 to run a national event). And in my recent years of racing Super Street exclusively, I wasn’t eligible for a national championship. So when I zoom out, I haven’t really had a whole lot of opportunity to put together a high national score. So when I had a chance- I HAD to go for it.
Making the trip out West was a big commitment. But in hindsight, it was one of the best experiences of my racing career so far. Going into Vegas, I was sitting #11 and the way I had the numbers figured… I needed to advance to R5 at least once to have any shot. But in my mind, a final round appearance would lock in Top 10 for me.
I clipped off a few rounds in Vegas, but ultimately fell victim to Steve Williams in R4 on a double breakout by .002… That winlight would have moved me from #11 to #6. The anticipation built! It was settled: I had one bullet left and would need to make it work in Pomona.
If you followed the NHRA season last year, you know Pomona was not your typical event. We hadn’t even landed yet and I received an email from NHRA stating that time trials were CANCELED due to the poor forecast.
That was a bit of a mental hurdle! Here we are at perhaps the biggest race of the year, at a facility I have never been to, with Top 10 in the balance…
Thankfully it didn’t take long to flip the switch and start framing the situation as an opportunity rather than a set back. The plan was no different than normal: trust myself and my equipment, do my best, and soak in the opportunity.
My confidence was shaken slightly when I rolled into the lanes and hooked World Champion-contender Kris Whitfield. Yea, my buddy and fellow ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE member Kris Whitfield. (Maybe we need to teach a class on how to pull into the staging lanes.. I really messed that part up!)
I got by Kris in R1 on a coinflip round. We both missed the dial a LOT on the fast side and I came out a few thou in the right direction. That win light was one of the strangest feelings I have ever had given the circumstances around Kris’s national points chase. I hated to get in the way.
After all that, my journey out West came to a halt in R2 after a surprising -.005 red light. I ended up finishing #12, missing a Top 10 spot by 2 points. Super Comp is an unforgiving class- but that’s why I love it. The experience gained on this trip is sure to serve me the next time I have the opportunity to compete on the big stage.
Double-duty in 2026
I’ve been keeping a secret for a few months now. I’m excited to announce that you’ll see me in a new category in 2026… Super Gas to the lanes!
In addition to my Super Comp entry, I will be driving a 1963 Corvette Roadster owned by Jesse and Kelli Smith. The car is hard to miss: it’s a beautiful multi-colored Corvette bodied roadster built by Undercover Motorsports. The Smiths purchased the car new in 2013 and have taken excellent care of the car ever since. The combo is powered by a 582 cubic inch engine with 12 degree Brodix cylinder heads, featuring a Stinnett carburetor, A1 Converter, and Fuel Factory race fuel. It is quite-literally the perfect S/G weapon in my opinion, and I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to drive and care for it this year.
Jesse and I have become great friends in recent years. I mentioned earlier that ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE has introduced me to many of my closest friends. Jesse is no exception; we both joined ELITE about the same time in 2016 and have been standing members ever since. But it wasn’t until about 2023 when we got to know each other better. For the last 3 years, we’ve met regularly every other week or so to discuss our race programs: reviewing data, strategy, and holding each other accountable for our goals. It’s been a huge benefit to both of our programs. It’s something I’d recommend to anyone. Call it whatever you want: an accountability partner, bench racing, etc. There’s power in surrounding yourself with like-minded, positive people that believe in you.
Embracing “the thrash”
The 2026 season is officially underway! We’re a little behind up here in Minnesota compared to other parts of the country, but we’re officially rolling. If you were paying attention to the National event in Chicago, you may have already noticed my name on the SG ladder. Weather conditions earlier this year prevented us from getting any meaningful testing in, so Chicago was my SG debut! Q1 was my first full run in the car in 9.90 trim- so a nice clean pass was already a success in my book.
By the time first round came I was finally settling into the car and getting comfortable. I was lucky enough in R1 to win a double-red and move on to the second round against Rusty Cook. Unfortunately this is where the fun ended for me: a fluke mechanical issue slowed the car down substantially and I was dead in the water when Rusty drove by me at the 1/8th mile. A fresh vacuum pump is all we needed and I’m looking forward to our next event in Earlville, Iowa.
I’ve really had to embrace the “thrash” this season. Despite our best efforts of being prepared “extra early” this year.. Things have come down to the wire. This feeling used to annoy me. But I’ve come to take a different approach. The thrash makes that first start up, that first win light, and if you’re lucky- that first win feel so much better. It’s just part of it. This sport is demanding, but equally rewarding.
My dragster stayed home during Chicago as the engine was not quite ready. What was supposed to be a “simple” engine freshen this winter turned into a bit more of a complicated project. I guess the age-old advice of “Don’t buy a used engine” is true after all. Even if your buddy said it was new. Thanks Tim! Needless to say, there were a few surprises when we opened it up. Nonetheless, this offseason provided a lot of learning in the engine department.
Special thanks to John Gosh for his dedication and expertise on the rebuild, along with Joe Hessling at APD for getting the heads back up to par. They look brand new!
What’s on tap:
I’ll be racing in Earlville, Iowa the next two weekends. We’ll kick things off on Memorial Day weekend with the NHRA Double National Open followed by the first NHRA Division 5 event the next weekend. These two races have become a staple on my schedule the last few years. The national open is a great opportunity to get some testing in before our divisional season kicks off, and Tri-State Raceway is one of my favorite tracks.
Two other events I’m looking forward to this season:
- Double Divisional at SRCA Drag Strip (Great Bend, KS). The track has been out of commission the last few years due to a track surface issue. However, they recently had their grand re-opening with a brand new concrete surface. It’s obvious the SRCA crew has put a ton of effort into getting back up and running. I look forward to supporting the event in July.
- INDY… Duh, it’s Indy!
Well, that’s a wrap for my first blog entry! If you’re still reading.. THANK YOU! I appreciate your interest in this new series. I’ll be “taking over” the ThisIsBracketRacing FB and IG pages during the Earlville divisional… Stay tuned for updates!
My next entry will be in about a month, just prior to that double divisional in Great Bend. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to share between now and then!
Until then,
Jordan
