Jul.14.2025STIHL Southeast Hits High Gear with FHDRS
STIHL Southeast Hits High Gear with Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School at Gainesville Raceway
On a recent day in May, 
Florida’s Gainesville Raceway didn’t just roar with the thunder of dragsters—it echoed with the camaraderie and competition of STIHL employees living out the ultimate bucket list experience. Spearheaded by David Sease, Director of Sales at STIHL Southeast, the event wasn’t an average team-building exercise. Instead of trust falls and repetitive PowerPoint slides, the team members strapped into dragsters and barreled down a quarter-mile track, courtesy of Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School.
For Sease, the decision to host a team-building day at a drag strip was intentionally unconventional. “So much of team building now is very… beige,” he shared. Inspired by his father-in-law’s love of NHRA drag racing, Sease thought it would be fun if he and his group could get in on the action themselves and a quick Google search led him to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. “Within a day, I had Frank [Hawley] on the phone and a plan in place.”
The objective wasn’t just about fun: it was about rewarding 26 of STIHL Southeast’s hardworking men and women. Competitive by nature, STIHL’s field teams are actively engaged with supporting dealers with sales and service—and thrilling team building events, like participating in the School’s Dragster Adventure Challenge, help keep that spirit live.
Kicking off the day, participants enjoyed a classroom session with Hawley himself, a legend in the racing community revered for his insights and lessons. Next, the group transitioned to the track for a dry run on procedures and a walkthrough of what to expect. Finally, it was time to gear up and get going with the Dragster Adventure Challenge.
After getting comfortable in the full-sized, competition-style dragsters and graduating from initial eighth-mile runs to full quarter-mile passes, STIHL’s team members each made their qualifying hits to see if they would make the cut for the grand finale: a thrilling 16-car eliminator competition.
One of the participants, Wesley Kuehling, STIHL Southeast’s District Manager for Florida, never expected to walk away from the weekend as a winner, but that’s exactly what happened—and, just days shy of his 41st birthday.
“This was probably the most fun thing I’ve ever done,” Kuehling proclaimed. And that’s saying something, considering STIHL Southeast’s previous team-building exercise had the group driving tanks. With no formal racing experience other than an affinity for fast cars, Kuehling was admittedly a little apprehensive at first. “I was thinking, ‘I’m going to sit in a rocket and shoot down the dragstrip.’ And I was the very first one to go. I didn’t get to see anyone do it first!”
It didn’t take him long to get the hang of things, though, and he quickly clocked a quarter-mile trap speed of more than 120 mph. “It was almost like going through warp speed in Star Wars,” he laughed. “But not a single one of us slipped up, which proves what a great job Frank [Hawley] and his team did teaching us the process.”
Ultimately, it was Kuehling’s quick reaction times and consistency that helped him defeat each teammate-turned-opponent until he found himself taking an unexpected yet extremely gratifying trip to the winner’s circle as the official victor of the School’s Dragster Adventure Challenge. His first real win in a competition of any kind, Kuehling ended the day feeling exhilarated and inspired. “A couple of guys and I spent a few hours that night looking at dragsters for sale, and hopefully I’ll get to take my restomod ’51 Chevy down the track one day,” he added.
The Dragster Adventure Challenge wasn’t just about raw speed—it was about showing how preparation, clear communication, and coaching could create an environment where everyone felt empowered to succeed.
“It’s easy to underestimate how difficult it is to coordinate a large group and keep things safe, smooth, and efficient,” said Sease, who participated in the program and had a blast experiencing the rush of eclipsing triple-digit speeds behind the wheel of a dragster. “But Frank and Lana were the definition of professional and did a fantastic job running the day. This was probably the best team-building event we’ve ever done!” Additionally, Sease enjoyed seeing his team encourage each other while also wanting to win; the balance of good sportsmanship and spirited competitiveness was exactly what he had hoped to achieve.
“Working with corporate clients always produces exciting days at the School. Having spent my life outdoors, I’m very familiar with STIHL’s industry-leading brand of chain saws, weed eaters, and other products” said founder Frank Hawley. “Although STIHL Southeast President Mark Bixler didn’t race, he watched his team race side-by-side in our dragsters. STIHL is a great fit for drag racers who are traditionally DIY-type folks that spend a great deal of time outdoors.”
In the end, the STIHL Southeast team left Gainesville Raceway with more than just a trophy and bragging rights. They departed with a renewed sense of camaraderie, a shared memory of pushing their personal limits, and a powerful lesson in focus and execution—made possible thanks to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School and its Dragster Adventure Challenge. For a company built on performance, STIHL’s day at the drags was a perfect, and profoundly loud, affirmation of their core values.
Written by Ainsley Jacobs