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Five years later, Justin Schriefer’s name still stands in the history book as the 16th and final qualifier in the quickest field in Funny Car history at the 2019 U.S. Nationals. Schriefer’s career-best 4.005 is immortalized on a clock that hangs on the trailer door as both a moment of pride and a source of inspiration for the gutty Illinois independent.

Schriefer hasn’t run but once this year — at his home state race in Chicago — but he and new crew chief Rip Reynolds have been working hard to be ready for some more U.S. Nationals glory.

"I spent $150,000 on the car over the winter," he said, detailing the extensive upgrades he had made to his car. Including a new rear end, new fuel pumps, new bellhousing, an “All” valve for the clutch control, and the latest management systems, funded almost exclusively by his company, Renzo Excavating, which also handles demolition, trucking, and concrete work for projects big and small. WestSide Tractor, a long-time backer that has 14 stores, including one here in Indianapolis, has also been along for the ride.

"All that money I make goes right into the car," he said, shaking his head in good-natured semi-disbelief

The team’s outing in Chicago was a struggle, as were its first three runs here. They’re currently on the outside looking in with two runs to go today.

"We've been fighting some fuel issues," he said after wrestling the reverser into position; yes, he’s a driver who works on his own car. “The car wasn't getting enough fuel volume to run properly but we finally found a bad poppet Friday night that we think was causing the problem and sending fuel back into the tank instead of into the engine.”

Reynolds, a longtime Don Schumacher Racing tuner, began helping Schreifer late last year and Schriefer is hopeful that better days are ahead.

“I'm really excited,” he said. “Rip’s got a lot of connections and just helps steer me in the right direction. I basically changed the car to all the stuff he likes to get us on the path

“We’ve got the stuff to run 3.90, and all my stuff is pretty new because I spent a small fortune on it. We're getting closer and closer to being like a super competitive car. My guys on the crew are so good; they believe in me and I believe in them.”

It’s been a long ride to the bug time for Schreifer, who began his tenure in the nitro ranks working on Dale Creasy Sr.’s floppers in 1990 through drivers that included Gary Bolger, Tom Motry, Cory Lee, and John Lawson.

“I started out just cleaning the body, and the next thing you know, they asked me to help more with the car, so I started doing the clutch and the bottom end,” he remembers. “I already had a Top Sportsman license and one day, Dale says, ‘We're paying these drivers, you should get your license,’ so I drove for him from 2004 to 2012. I drove for Paul Richards for two years after that and got my own stuff.”

Who signed Schriefer’s license? How about John Force, Ashley Force, and the late Eric Medlen?

The Medlen name means a lot to Schreifer, who, like John Medlen, lost his child too early. Ericka Schriefer, 24, who had just begun her career in nuclear medicine, was killed in a snowboarding accident in January 2010, and a memorial decal still rides on her dad’s car.

He’s an emotional fellow when he starts to talk about all that and about his desire to make his way in the class.

“Why do I do this? I do it for my guys, for sure, but I love NHRA and I love the drag racing fans,” he said. ”They are just amazing when they come around to see us and tell us they’re rooting for us because we’re an underdog. That’s why we do this.”
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