Worsham named 2025 inductee for Bristol's Legends of Thunder Valley

Del Worsham, one of drag racing’s most gifted drivers and tuners of 330 mile per hour nitromethane vehicles, is the 2025 inductee for the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley, historic Bristol Dragway’s Hall of Fame.

Worsham is one of only three NHRA drivers in history to win world championship crowns in both the Top Fuel (2011) and Funny Car (2015) categories, the top two divisions in the sport. The Southern California native, who in 1990 became the youngest driver to win an NHRA race in Funny Car at age 21, earned 33 career victories in NHRA competition, including 25 in Funny Car and eight in Top Fuel. In IHRA competition, Worsham’s Bristol IHRA victory in a tough final over Whit Bazemore helped him clinch the IHRA crown in the 1992 season.

Worsham, who raced in many competitive races at Bristol Dragway and competed at the track under both NHRA and IHRA sanction, will be inducted during the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 6-8. 

Worsham, 55, is the 22nd inductee in the Legends of Thunder Valley and joins the exclusive club that also includes Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, NHRA founder Wally Parks, John Force, Don Schumacher, last year’s inductee Shirley Muldowney, Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher and Scotty Cannon, to name a few. He will be presented with the customary Legends of Thunder Valley plaque by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway president and general manager Jerry Caldwell during pre-race ceremonies, which begin at 11 a.m. The accompanying signage showcasing his name in brilliant red will be installed upon the grandstand suite fascia as part of the ceremony.

In his career, Worsham claimed three victories at Bristol Dragway as a driver, including two in NHRA (2003 and 2009) and one in IHRA (1992). He also scored one win and one runner-up finish as a crew chief at Bristol, tuning Alexis DeJoria to victory in 2021 and a runner-up finish in 2012. He also tuned DeJoria to the No. 1 qualifying position at Bristol in 2021. In 2019, Worsham also had success as a crew chief guiding Funny Car rookie Shawn Langdon to the No. 2 qualifying position and a quarterfinal finish.

Worsham was always fast at Bristol. He set low ET in 2009 and 2014 and top speed in 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2016. He claimed No. 1 qualifying awards in 2013 and 2014 in Funny Car. Both of his No. 1 qualifying performances in 2013 (4.008 seconds) and 2014 (3.992 seconds) were certified official Bristol Dragway Track Records at the time.

In his lone NHRA season in Top Fuel he won the world championship, which included a quarterfinal finish at Bristol to Spencer Massey and leaving the event as the series points leader.

“Del is one of those rare individuals who can do it all in the drag racing arena,” Caldwell said. “In addition to his superlatives on the national stage including world championship titles in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, Del really performed great at Bristol Dragway during his career, earning multiple victories, No. 1 qualifying performances and posting track record times and speeds. He did it as both a driver inside the cockpit and a crew chief turning the wrenches in the pits. We are thrilled to induct Del into Bristol Dragway’s Legends of Thunder Valley, in recognition of all that he has accomplished over the years at Thunder Valley and in NHRA competition.”

Guests are invited to come out and celebrate with Worsham June 6-8 at Thunder Valley. He will be featured in several autograph sessions, including Saturday night’s popular Fan Fest in the Pits. Worsham is entered in the race as a team owner and crew chief for the Funny Car being driven by Julie Nataas, the 2023 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Fans will get to see plenty of NHRA stars during the weekend, like recent Bristol winners Austin Prock, Ron Capps, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, a three-time Bristol winner, motorsports icon Tony Stewart, who is making his second Bristol Dragway start, four-time Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence, three-time champ Antron Brown,  Virginia cattle rancher and four-time world champ Matt Hagan.

The high-revving Pro Stock category returns to action at Bristol with some new faces leading the way including Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield, Christian Cuadra and Troy Coughlin Jr. Meanwhile, series veterans and multi-time champs Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders are ready to return to their winning ways. Enders and Coughlin are three-time Pro Stock winners at Bristol.

The 200-mph Pro Stock Motorcycle class also returns this season and Bristol has produced three winners in three seasons: Gaige Herrera, Steve Johnson and Angelle Sampey. Matt Smith, Angie Smith, Chase Van Sant and Richard Gadson.

The Congruity Pro Mod Drag Racing Series also will return to Bristol Dragway along with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, Mountain Motor Pro Stocks and the Factory Stock Showdown.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA's popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

There are three major events that fans definitely won’t want to miss, including Friday’s Nitro at Night qualifying session where the Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars “light their candles” and power down the drag strip at more than 330-mph as flames erupt out of their header pipes. That session is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. A brilliant fireworks show will complete the racing on Friday.

On Saturday, race officials will host the popular Fan Fest in the Pits, where many of the top drivers are available to meet with fans and sign autographs. This event begins 30 minutes after the final pro qualifying session and is held in the large Guest Welcome Center tent in the pro pit area.

The other is the Sealmaster TrackWalk on Sunday morning prior to pre-race ceremonies. Join NHRA drivers and NHRA officials as they walk the famed Bristol Dragway quarter-mile strip before racing begins.

Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday, June 6 with a pair of pro sessions, the first at 5 p.m. and the second under the lights at 7:30 p.m. The final two rounds of qualifying are set for Saturday, June 7, at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will include the new bonus program Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 8.

Friday’s two-hour qualifying show will air on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. (ET), and be followed by another 90-minute qualifying show on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET), also on FS1. Sunday’s three-hour final eliminations show will air at 3 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Single-day Friday tickets start as low as $35 for adults. Saturday adult tickets start at $52 and Sunday’s tickets start at $42. All grandstand tickets for kids 12 and under are free on Friday and $10 each day on the weekend with a paid adult. Discounted weekend packages and limited premium seating are also available.

To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (866) 415-4158. Tickets also are available online by visiting the BMS website.

2025 – Del Worsham, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2024 – Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel

2023 – Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel

2022 – Don Prudhomme, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2021 – Scotty Cannon, Pro Mod / Funny Car

2019 – Ted Jones, promoter / drag racing visionary

2018 – Mark Oswald, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2017 – Doug Herbert, Top Fuel

2016 – John Force, Funny Car

2015 – Carl Moore, Bristol Dragway founder

2015 – Connie Kalitta, NHRA pioneer/Top Fuel/Funny Car

2014 – Don Schumacher, NHRA team owner / Funny Car pioneer

2013 – Warren Johnson, Pro Stock

2012 – Gene Fulton, Engine Builder

2011 – Jeff Byrd, Bristol President and GM / RJ Reynolds marketing

2010 – Shirl Greer, Funny Car

2009 – Dale Pulde, Funny Car

2008 – Ronnie Sox & Buddy Martin, Pro Stock

2007 – Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports / Bristol Dragway owner

2007 -  Wally Parks, NHRA founder

2007 -  Don Garlits, Top Fuel

2007 -  Larry Carrier, Bristol Dragway founder

2007 -  Rickie Smith, Pro Stock / Pro Mod

Affectionately known as “Thunder Valley,” Bristol Dragway is nestled between two mountains in northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line and sits adjacent to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. In 2025, the historic dragstrip will celebrates its 60th anniversary and is scheduled to play host to numerous major events including the fan-favorite Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, a marquee event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Other key events at the Dragway in 2025 include the DER Bracket Series, Thunder Valley Street Fights series, BTE World Footbrake Challenge races, PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, JEG Summer Fling, RAD Fall Fling 500K, and the NHRA Jr. Drags Eastern Conference Finals. Bristol Dragway also transforms into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers and becomes The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health. With more than 50 event days each season and serving as the longtime starting point for The Food City Speedway in Lights holiday spectacular, Bristol Dragway continues to be one of the busiest drag racing facilities in the nation. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/dragway.

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