Lyle Barnett Joins Forces with Tommy Youmans Racing for Drag Illustrated Winter Series and 2025 Season
In a surprise move sure to stir excitement across the Pro Mod world, Lyle Barnett has officially joined Tommy Youmans Racing for the remainder of the 2024 season and all of 2025. This new collaboration will bring Barnett behind the wheel for Youmans at the upcoming Drag Illustrated Winter Series, with the team making three stops across Florida for one of the sport’s most anticipated series. Barnett announced the news in the latest episode of The Shake and Bake Show, the YouTube podcast he co-hosts with Stevie Jackson and Courtney Enders, expressing his enthusiasm for the new opportunity.
“I am pumped up to drive for Tommy and the team,” Barnett said during the episode, adding that he’s been eyeing this kind of opportunity for a long time. “Lee [White] and Tommy both asked me, ‘Hey man, you think you can drive three cars at one race?’ and I said, ‘I’ll drive 10 at one race if you want! I don’t care.’ This is a big deal, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
Barnett’s 2024 season has already been a whirlwind, with a standout performance in NHRA Pro Mod for team owner Scott Tidwell, highlighted by a win at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals in December 2023. Reflecting on his time with Tidwell’s team, Barnett emphasized that leaving wasn’t an easy decision.
“It almost feels like a breakup with a girlfriend, honestly. I really liked racing with them. Scott, Ken [Quartuccio], and everyone on that crew were amazing to work with, and I learned so much,” Barnett explained. “This isn’t the end with them, just what’s best for everyone right now.”
Youmans, a respected veteran and competitive force in Pro Mod, brings with him not only a solid racing program but also the opportunity for Barnett to expand his horizons. Barnett will be competing in both Youmans’ Pro Mod and Pro 275 cars at the Winter Series events, with an ambitious full season of PDRA Pro Boost competition also on the horizon for 2025. He’s confident that Youmans’ experience and Lee White’s tuning expertise will make for a winning combination.
“Tommy has top-notch equipment, and Lee is a great tuner,” Barnett said. “To get the chance to work with them both at this level—it’s something I don’t take lightly. I’m just so fired up to get to work.”
Stevie Jackson, co-host of The Shake and Bake Show and a fellow competitor in Pro Mod, shared his own excitement for Barnett’s new venture.
“It’s going to be a blast seeing what you and Tommy accomplish,” Jackson said, voicing his belief that the Barnett-Youmans collaboration will make a big impact, especially in the context of the Drag Illustrated Winter Series. “You’re going into this season ready to fight, and I know Tommy and Lee are just as ready. This team could be a serious threat.”
Reflecting on his journey to securing this opportunity, Barnett noted how transformative the past few years have been in his racing career, and how this new partnership brings a sense of stability that’s invaluable.
“This is the first time in a long time that I know what I’m doing next season,” Barnett said. “It’s a sigh of relief. I can go into the offseason talking about what I’m doing, not just hoping to get a call. I get to walk into PDRA events and tell people, ‘This is what I’m driving, and we’re here to win.’”
With the Winter Series just around the corner, Barnett is eager to put his new team through its paces and see what they can accomplish together.
“We’re going to put our best foot forward and go out there to make a statement. I know it’s going to be a wild ride,” he concluded. “This is just the beginning, and I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people.”
Barnett’s drive and Youmans’ experience are setting the stage for an unforgettable season of Pro Mod competition, with the Winter Series marking their debut together on the national stage. For drag racing fans and followers of The Shake and Bake Show, this pairing promises not only fierce on-track action but also the chance to see one of the sport’s most charismatic drivers push his potential to new heights.
This story was originally published on October 30, 2024.
The post Lyle Barnett Joins Forces with Tommy Youmans Racing for Drag Illustrated Winter Series and 2025 Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
