The 72nd running of the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals will soon begin, and Competition Eliminator racer Taylor Chomiski is bringing more than a reliable Chevrolet Cobalt and a strong and fast engine built by his father and crew chief, Gary Chomiski. The second-generation NHRA competitor is bringing a fresh perspective and renewed determination after a summer of life-changing moments.
“It’s full steam ahead for us at the U.S. Nationals this week, and we’re excited to see our friends and competitors – but more than ever, we’re focused,” said the younger Chomiski, a two-time NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event winner and four-time divisional winner, including earlier this season at NHRA’s South Central Division race in Belle Rose, La.
“It’s been a challenging summer with some unexpected hurdles to say the least, definitely a few phone calls we wish we didn’t have to answer, but tough times don’t last, tough people do,” said Chomiski. “In a perfect world, there would have been a few races over the summer to distract us from the waves of everyday life, but we’re excited to be back at the U.S. Nationals and we’re going to make up for lost time. One warm-up, one procedure, one round at a time. There’s only one Diamond U.S. Nationals Wally up for grabs.”
Chomiski’s season of racing started off on a strong note with his Blind Frog Ranch Cobalt powering to victory at the Division 4 race at No Problem Raceway, and a semifinals performance in Cajun SPORTSnationals eliminations just a few days later further bolstered the Chomiski Performance-powered team. Fast-forward three weeks to Las Vegas, and a final-round finish kept that momentum rolling.
But tragedy struck when family friend Duane Ollinger of Blind Frog Ranch passed away the first week of June.
“Duane was an incredible man, and he positively impacted a lot of people through many different walks of life,” shared Chomiski. “I’m forever honored for what he’s done for me and how he touched my life, but when we went to Amarillo for his celebration of life in July, it was really special to be in a room with so many great people remembering who he was and what he did for them. He made a difference in a lot of lives, and we’re honored to race with his name on our car at the U.S. Nationals. I know he’ll be riding with us every pass.”
The historic U.S. Nationals is booked with a strong entry list in Comp Eliminator, and Chomiski is set to run in the E/SM class. Heading into the event, he’s No. 13 in the national standings and No. 2 in the Division 4 points, but one thing is for certain in Chomiski’s 2026 education: Grounded perspective and great focus are key.
“We’ve had engines on and off the dyno at dad’s shop all summer long, and we feel good about the combination,” said Chomiski, who will race alongside his father as well as car chief David “Chief” Trujillo. “Last year, we had a great string of luck at Indy and ultimately, we beat ourselves. But we feel a lot stronger going into this year than last, and we’re racing with a different mentality. Although it’s been a while since our Cobalt has been on track, for our team, we’re as strong as ever. In life away from the racetrack, we are trending in the right direction. We’ve got so many people supporting myself and this team that will be watching and cheering us on. We’ll be thinking about Duane, we’ll be thinking about family at home, and we’ll make them proud one run at a time. Right now, we’re thinking about the future of these next few days at the biggest and best race on earth, the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.”
Chomiski offered words of thanks for his family and partners, including Blind Frog Ranch, Scott Seed, the Watson family of Watson Concrete and ACI, Wayne’s Garage, NC Machine, and Quality Floors.
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