Courtesy of the NHRA
TEMECULA, Calif. – After a successful debut season in the highly competitive Funny Car class, Spencer Hyde has been named the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Hyde was awarded Rookie of the Year honors on Monday at the NHRA Awards Ceremony at the Pechanga Resort Casino. He was part of a standout field of 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series rookies, including Hunter Green, also in Funny Car; Pro Stock’s Stephen Bell, Cody Coughlin, Matt Latino and Chris Vang; and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Brayden Davis.
Throughout his 2025 rookie campaign, Hyde attended every national event. He won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Las Vegas in the spring as well and collected the No. 1 qualifier position in Reading. Hyde appeared in two final rounds this season in Epping and in Sonoma, closing out an impressive season in Funny Car.
“It’s a huge feather in my cap to come out here as a nobody and do well,” said Hyde. “We’re at a 50 percent win-loss ratio, which is pretty tough to do your first year out here. You’ve got a guy like Tony Stewart who won it last year. Other big names in our sport like Del Worsham, who was Rookie of the Year in 1991, who I just raced in Las Vegas. To be added to this list is a huge honor. I hope to be another Rookie of the Year who goes on to win big races and championships.”
Green, an accomplished Top Alcohol Dragster driver, joined the Funny Car ranks this season as part of his father Chad Green’s racing team. Green attended nine races and advanced to the quarterfinals at Richmond and Sonoma.
Bell made his Pro Stock debut this season and attended 10 races. He qualified for six events and advanced to the second round at the Charlotte spring race.
Coughlin made the jump to NHRA this season after a stint in the NASCAR Trucks Series. Coughlin attended 18 races this season with a runner-up finish in Reading and a No. 1 qualifier position in Epping to his credit.
Latino joined the KB Titan Racing powerhouse this season to team up with his father, Eric. Latino attended 11 events and advanced to the semifinals at the Las Vegas spring race, as well as St. Louis.
Vang made his debut in Brainerd, attending five events throughout the season. He went on to win a round of competition in St. Louis.
Finally, Davis made a splash in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class when he joined Vance & Hines this season. Davis advanced to three final rounds and earned two No. 1 qualifier positions.
Last season, motorsport legend Tony Stewart was named the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year. Other recent winners include Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley, Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chase Van Sant as well as 2025 world champions Austin Prock and Dallas Glenn.
The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor who also represents the future of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors, and media.
