NHRA Pro Stock competitor Gaydosh temporarily sidelined following surgery

Pro Stock driver John Gaydosh wants nothing more than to race at the upcoming Toyota NHRA Supernationals at the racetrack that he considers home, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.

Unfortunately, the motivated Pontiac GXP pilot suffered a major setback just prior to the recent NHRA event in Atlanta – the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals – when he tore a tendon in his right forearm. It was determined shortly thereafter that the painful injury would require immediate repair through surgery, and so Gaydosh went under the knife the very week he returned from racing at Atlanta Dragway.

“I knew I was hurt, but I didn’t know how bad,” he explained. “Thankfully, they were able to get me in for the surgery pretty quickly, but during the recovery process I haven’t been able to do anything at all, including drive a regular car. The most frustrating part is that we have all of these new parts, and I can’t work on the racecar.”

As he continues to heal through rest and physical therapy, Gaydosh will miss the race in Englishtown and the soon-after event, the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, but he plans to rejoin NHRA competition at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago in late June and race the following weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. 

As the second half of the Full Throttle Drag Racing season kicks into high gear, Gaydosh intends to pick up speed and attend as many events as possible as he continues to live out his dream of driving in one of the most competitive categories in the series.

“This situation really stinks, but nothing is going to keep me away from drag racing,” said Gaydosh. “Englishtown is right in my backyard and I’ll be there spectating, but I can’t wait to get back in my Pontiac so that I can represent Pypes Performance, Snapping Turtle Tie Downs, Weldon Fuel Pumps, and Competition Products the right way. These few weeks of sitting on the sidelines will be tough, but I’m going to labor through it with my eye on the future and getting back in that racecar.”