Jeff Arend
Mooneyes Funny Car Driver for Jim Dunn Racing
4-Wide Nationals
April 23-26 | Charlotte, North Carolina
Event Overview
Friday, April 24 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5 p.m. EDT
Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 7:45 p.m. EDT
Saturday, April 25 (Nitro Qualifying & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
Nitro qualifying session (Q3) / Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – Semifinals: 12:30 p.m. EDT
Nitro qualifying session (Q4) / Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – Finals: 3 p.m. EDT
Sunday, April 26 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
Round 1: 12 p.m. EDT
Round 2: 2:15 p.m. EDT
Finals: 3:50 p.m. EDT
TV coverage on FS1
Friday, April 24: Qualifying show (7 p.m. EDT)
Sunday, April 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (11 a.m. EDT)
Sunday, April 26: Finals show (7 p.m. EDT)
Notes of Interest
The 16th Annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals is the fourth event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race calendar in 2026. Jim Dunn Racing brings its one full-time entry in Funny Car for Jeff Arend. A native of Canada, Arend moved to Southern California in 1997.
As the NHRA celebrates its landmark 75th season in 2026, Jim Dunn Racing is celebrating 76 years of success in drag racing. Jim started drag racing when he was 15 years old and at 91 years old, he plans to keep going as long as he can. In 2024, Jim received the NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award. He has won some of the sport’s most significant races and has provided driving opportunities for some of the biggest names in the sport.
Coming into Charlotte, Arend is 22nd in the Funny Car standings, 241 points behind leader Ron Capps.
Mooneyes is the primary partner of Arend this weekend in Charlotte. Mooneyes products and logos are an indelible part of hot rod nostalgia, easily recognizable to gearheads and novices alike. They take pride in producing high-quality products that look great and get the job done right. Mooneyes produces Moon Fuel Blocks, Moon Tanks, Moon Discs, and Moon Valve Covers among other original parts right on site in their machine shop. They also supply various parts and accessories for hot rods and kustoms as well as an expanding like of custom motorcycle products. Located in the same place since it all started back in the 1950s, Mooneyes is located in Santa Fe Springs, California.
Since Arend last drove for Jim Dunn Racing in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he has raced only sporadically in the NHRA Mission Foods Frag Racing Series. Arend has made 26 appearances and 18 starts with one round win in races in California, Nevada and Texas. This will be his first race outside those three states since he went to the semifinals for Jim Dunn Racing at Reading in 2014. In his Funny Car career, Arend has four wins and five runner-up finishes to his credit. His last win came in July, 2012, when he beat Courtney Force in the final of the Route 66 Nationals at Chicago. He also has started twice from the No. 1 qualifying position.
An instructor at the driving school founded by fellow Canadian Frank Hawley, Arend drove a nostalgia Funny Car in select races in the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series the last two years, winning the 2024 California Hot Rod Reunion event at Bakersfield, California.
Arend made his Funny Car debut in 1995 and has a pair of Top 10 finishes to his credit. During his two previous seasons with Jim Dunn Racing, he compiled a 10-44 record.
The 4-Wide Nationals will mark Arend’s 253rd career Funny Car appearance, and his 13th overall Funny Car appearance at Charlotte. Arend made five starts at the 4-Wide Nationals and seven starts in the Fall event.
Arend is seeking his first win and No. 1 qualifier at the 4-Wide Nationals. His best Charlotte result was a trip to the Semifinals in the Fall race in 2010.
Jim Dunn Racing is seeking its first berth in a final quad during the Four-Wide Era. Paul Lee advanced to the second quad in the inaugural four-wide at Charlotte in 2010 and John Hale raced into the second quad during his stint in 2015.
Jeff Arend, Driver of the Jim Dunn Racing Mooneyes Funny Car
The 4-Wide Nationals marks your 26th race for Jim Dunn Racing. What does it mean to be reunited with the iconic racing team in Charlotte?
“I have known Big Jim and the Dunn’s for over 30 years. He is a legend in the sport and I have major respect for him. I drove for them in 2013 and 2014 and made great performance strides and were even the main spoiler in the 2014 Countdown for the Championship and ran many 4.0’s (elapsed time). I have continued the relationship with the Dunn’s for many years and helped as a consultant for lots of races. I honestly can’t wait for Charlotte. It came as quite a surprise when I got the call at 10 a.m. Saturday morning in Pomona from Jon (Dunn) asking if I wanted to drive the car in two and a half hours! I said I would, but all my driving gear was in Northern California. Jon and I worked together to borrow some stuff, got fitted in the car and warmed it up at noon. I got to make two attempts and we actually got in the show on Q4, but got bumped out by the last car that could. I am usually not happy about not qualifying, but what we did in two hours was nothing short of amazing. Jon Dunn and his family are like family to us. I look forward to making Big Jim and the team proud in Charlotte . They deserve it!”
