Alex Laughlin ContinuesTo Expand His Historic Racing Resume

From dragsters to doorslammers, sportsman categories to professional, Alex Laughlin has buckled into what is arguably a more diverse lineup of vehicles than any other drag racer in his 34 years. But the Texas native shocked fans – and himself – when he announced his move into the NHRA Funny Car category for 2023. In doing so, Laughlin added yet one more class to what is already a history-making motorsports resume.

Laughlin grew up racing go-karts and Legends cars in his youth (and still dabbles in competitive karting in his spare time today), but found his true calling on the dragstrip behind the wheel of a Super Comp dragster. Over the years, Laughlin has wheeled a vast array of other vehicles, but says he’s always had an affinity for dragsters. In addition to his 8.90-index dragster and a Top Dragster entry, he campaigned a Top Alcohol Dragster for several events in 2017. “I’ve always thought dragsters are cool. As a kid, that’s what I was drawn to and wanted to watch.”

Admittedly, Laughlin’s family did help get him going early in his sportsman career, but the family funding fell short when he decided to move up into the Pro Stock and nitro ranks, where it takes anywhere from $60,000 to $120,000 to race on a given weekend. “In the pro ranks, it’s a whole other level of expenses, and we don’t have enough to be able to run these types of cars,” explained Laughlin, who is often on the receiving end of criticism about where his funding comes from. “If we had the money, I wouldn’t have been sitting on the sidelines and only running partial seasons in the past.”

Contrary to what the haters believe, Laughlin’s success is a direct result of his skill, both as a driver and as a marketer – he’s never once run a race without a sponsor logo splashed across the side of his entry. He understands the business side of racing, and spends a tremendous amount of time working on the commercial elements of his program, such as sourcing sponsors, managing relationships, producing great promotional content, engaging with fans, and delivering results both on and off the track.

Photo: NHRA/National Dragster

It’s Laughlin’s ability to excel in these areas that keeps the cash flowing from outside sources. “Ashley Sanford once said, ‘it’s not about your net worth, it’s about your ability to network,’” added the enterprising young driver who has scored lucrative deals with big-name brands such as Chevron’s Havoline, Hot…