Del Worsham was inducted into the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley on Sunday morning during pre-race ceremonies for the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
The 55-year-old Southern California native was selected for the honor due to his mastery of the legendary Bristol Dragway. Worsham is a three-time winner with two No. 1 qualifying awards as a driver and a winner in two final round appearances as a crew chief during his career. He has also set several track records at the famed Tennessee dragstrip, including four in top speed and two in elapsed time.
Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway President Jerry Caldwell presented Worsham with a commemorative plaque and the track also added Worsham’s name to the fascia high atop the left side grandstands.
“It’s amazing to have my name up there,” Worsham said. “All of those names up there are the people I grew up watching, and a couple I raced against. It’s a pretty major feat and honor to be up there and definitely an honor to be named a Legend of Thunder Valley.”
Worsham had a car entered in the event over the weekend driven by rookie Julie Nataas. She qualified 13th and then won her first-round matchup over Jack Beckman. Her success in a Worsham-owned and tuned car continued to solidify his prowess at Thunder Valley.
“I feel like I’m still too young to receive honors like this, but I guess I’m not as young as I think I am,” Worsham said with a smile. “It was definitely an honor to get that call from the folks at Bristol. I was already planning to come here to race with Julie. When she said she had funding to run some races the first one I thought of was Bristol. And then the track called me and told me about this. It’s been a great weekend.”
One of Worsham’s first visits to Bristol Dragway came in 1992, when he raced at the old version of the track in an IHRA national event. He beat Whit Bazemore in the Bristol final to earn his second career victory. That win led Worsham to win the IHRA Funny Car world championship title at a young age.
That trip also opened his eyes to the magic of Bristol, East Tennessee and the surrounding area.
“Bristol is a track that I didn't know a whole lot about growing up,” Worsham said. “I read a little bit about it but I'm from Southern California. But when I did come here for the first time, I really saw what this place meant to drag racing and what it means to racers. I was always fascinated by the fans. It was such a big race town and the fans were so into racing. They knew the history, they knew what you did and they were excited to have you here. That was always my favorite part about Bristol.”
Worsham claimed NHRA Funny Car victories at Bristol in 2003 and 2009. He also raced Top Fuel at Bristol in 2011, a year he won the NHRA Top Fuel world championship. He claimed his lone NHRA Funny Car world championship in 2015 and also had a strong run at Bristol that year that helped him take that crown.
In all, Worsham scored 33 NHRA Funny Car victories and eight NHRA Top Fuel victories. His championships in both Top Fuel and Funny Car was a feat only accomplished by two other drivers in NHRA history, Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi. Worsham also tuned Alexis DeJoria to her first final round appearance here in a loss to John Force in 2012 and later tuned her to a victory here in 2021. In 2019, Worsham tuned Shawn Langdon in Funny Car during his rookie season in that class.
Worsham is the 24th inductee in the Legends of Thunder Valley and joins the exclusive club that also includes Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, NHRA founder Wally Parks, John Force, Don Schumacher, last year’s inductee Shirley Muldowney, Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher and Scotty Cannon, to name a few.
LEGENDS OF THUNDER VALLEY
2025 – Del Worsham, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2024 – Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel
2023 – Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel
2022 – Don Prudhomme, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2021 – Scotty Cannon, Pro Mod / Funny Car
2019 – Ted Jones, promoter / drag racing visionary
2018 – Mark Oswald, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2017 – Doug Herbert, Top Fuel
2016 – John Force, Funny Car
2015 – Carl Moore, Bristol Dragway founder
2015 – Connie Kalitta, NHRA pioneer/Top Fuel/Funny Car
2014 – Don Schumacher, NHRA team owner / Funny Car pioneer
2013 – Warren Johnson, Pro Stock
2012 – Gene Fulton, Engine Builder
2011 – Jeff Byrd, Bristol President and GM / RJ Reynolds marketing
2010 – Shirl Greer, Funny Car
2009 – Dale Pulde, Funny Car
2008 – Ronnie Sox & Buddy Martin, Pro Stock
2007 – Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports / Bristol Dragway owner
2007 - Wally Parks, NHRA founder
2007 - Don Garlits, Top Fuel
2007 - Larry Carrier, Bristol Dragway founder
2007 - Rickie Smith, Pro Stock / Pro Mod
