NASCAR Powerhouses Join Forces with Paul Lee for NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway

The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway are turning heads—not just for the earth-shaking speeds, but for the powerhouse partnerships forming behind the scenes. Two major players with deep roots in NASCAR, SRI Performance and Daido Metal USA, are shifting gears and throwing their support behind current Funny Car point leader Paul Lee, signaling a bold expansion into the world of drag racing.

The growing trend of NASCAR-affiliated companies entering the NHRA scene is hard to ignore. High-profile team owners like Tony Stewart and Rick Ware have already joined the drag racing ranks, and even Rick Hendrick has stepped in as a key sponsor. Now, SRI Performance and Daido Metal are taking the leap—bringing with them decades of experience, innovation, and a serious commitment to motorsports excellence.

A Strategic Move Fueled by Passion and Growth

Greg Fornelli, owner and president of Stock Car Steel and SRI Performance, couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the shift into drag racing.

“We opened a shop in Indianapolis six years ago to get into this market,” Fornelli shared. “Our Mooresville shop has been around for 30 years in NASCAR, and we’ve since expanded into dirt racing as well. Drag racing has been amazing for us, especially with our strong nitro program.”

The transition is not just strategic—it’s personal. It reflects a deeper embrace of the adrenaline-pumping world of nitro racing, where engineering excellence and team synergy are paramount.

Engineering at the Extreme: Daido Metal Steps Up

For Daido Metal USA, known for its high-performance bearings used in Formula One and IndyCar, the NHRA presents a new kind of challenge.

“NHRA is a huge part of the racing culture in North America,” said Ron Brock, strategic business manager for Daido Metal USA. “It’s a completely different world, and the engineering challenge of supporting the performance demands of an 11,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car is intriguing for us.”

Dusty Cole, who works with Daido on performance racing, emphasized their focus on real-world solutions:

“We aim to improve reliability and performance for our engine customers by solving any issues they face with bearings and the oiling system.”

The engineering leap is significant. Kashiyama Motoro, an application engineer at Daido Metal, described the intensity of developing parts for NHRA’s most powerful machines:

“When we first started designing for 11,000-horsepower engines, I thought, ‘Are you crazy?’” he recalled. “But it’s an exciting challenge, and it’s driving innovation in ways we never imagined.”

Racing Forward Together

This partnership is more than just a business move—it’s a celebration of motorsport collaboration. SRI Performance and Daido Metal bring a deep well of expertise from NASCAR and beyond, injecting new energy into NHRA drag racing. Fornelli summed it up best:

“We’re all about teamwork and innovation, and that’s what keeps us moving forward in every racing discipline.”

As Paul Lee continues to lead in points and push performance boundaries, he’s doing so backed by a team with unmatched credentials and a shared vision of racing greatness.

🔧 Learn more about the brands fueling this partnership:

🌐 SRI Performance – www.sriperformance.com

🌐 McLeod Racing – www.mcleodracing.com

Ready for more NHRA action? Stay tuned—this collaboration is just getting started.