Photo of the Seipel family courtesy of Sonoma Raceway

The Seipel family—known to many as “the first family of drag racing in Northern California”—has been named Grand Marshal of the NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway this weekend.

Kyle Seipel, the former drag strip manager for Sonoma Raceway, passed away in June of this year following a three-year battle with cancer. He took over the management position from his mother, Georgia, in 2018. 

Seipel, also the son of the Super Gas pioneer Ted Seipel, co-promoted the Spring and Fall Fling bracket races with Peter Biondo. Those remain as some of the most popular E.T. races in the nation, often selling out within minutes. 

Also a drag racer, Seipel first rose to bracket racing prominence in Northern California in the 1980s. He won 10 NHRA championships in the Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street categories between 1990 and 2000, plus 12 NHRA national events in five different classes. His nickname was, affectionately, “Big Nasty.” 

The Seipel family, which includes Kyle’s wife Dana and children Sydney and Hudson, will be represented by Georgia and Ted and will be honored during pre-race festivities on Sunday morning before the NHRA Sonoma Nationals final eliminations. 

In related news, Pro Stock driver Troy Coughlin, pilot of the JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, is dedicating his efforts at this weekend’s NHRA Sonoma Nationals in memory of Seipel.

For more information about the event, visit nhra.com.