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
Competition license classes! There are only a few seats left in the second class at Maple Grove Raceway on August 24-25. In September we’ll be at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for classes on September 12-13 or 14-15. Drive our race cars or contact us about bringing your own to class in these 2-day programs. In addition to on-track time and video reviews, the classroom sessions cover the physiology of how your mind and body work together. Participants will learn how to mentally prepare, perform at the highest level, improve focus and block out distractions. Frank teaches how to practice more effectively whether at the track, at the shop or at home.
Following Reading & Vegas, we’ll be running classes all fall, winter & spring at our home track in Gainesville. We have lots of dates starting with September 29-30 at Gainesville Raceway, so check out all of the class dates & locations at www.frankhawley.com.
If you’re looking to upgrade your license to the 6.50 range in the Funny Car or Dragster, we schedule those dates on request at Gainesville Raceway. There are a number of dates available, so call Paul Shields or Jeff Arend at 866-480-7223 now to get on the calendar.
We should have some 2023 Gainesville class dates on the website soon, so keep an eye on www.frankhawley.com!
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103
Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 866-480-7223 x102
Some of you may be keeping up with the venue & class changes we are posting on social media, but here’s the latest in class changes & additions. This is the year we are all learning to be very flexible and we couldn’t be happier to be offering classes at all the tracks that are hosting us! Whether you’re new to racing, moving up from Jr Dragster, need to improve your skills, or just want to check an item off your bucket list…there are lots of class dates coming to a track near you! In addition to the popular Super Comp/Super Gas or Bring Your Own Car classes offered, the Dragster Adventure with side-by-side racing will be offered at some of the locations, which is an incredibly fun program for you, friends, family, employees or customers!
If you’re looking to upgrade your license in the Alcohol classes, give us a call as those dates are scheduled on request at our home base at Gainesville Raceway.
Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis, IN — June 23-24 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; June 25 Dragster Adventure
National Trail Raceway, Columbus, OH — July 21-22 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; July 23 Dragster Adventure
Bandimere Speedway, Denver, CO — July 27 Dragster Adventure; July 28-29 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Woodburn Dragstrip, Woodburn, OR — August 2 Dragster Adventure; August 3-4 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA — August 26-27 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; August 28 Dragster Adventure
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, FL — October 1-2, November 10-11, December 8-9, December 29-30 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; November 20 Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV — October 12-13 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA — October 21-22 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; October 23 Dragster Adventure
Call our knowledgeable guys with your questions or to book a seat in one of the upcoming competition license classes.
Hello Everyone! Who’s ready to get back on the track?
We know everyone is ready to get back to their regular lives soon and we are sure ready to get back to running classes! So whether you’re new to racing, moving up from Jr Dragster, or need to improve your skills, there are lots of class dates coming to a track near you! We also added a class following the rescheduled Gatornationals in June! And did you see we added Bandimere Speedway to the schedule this year? In addition to the popular Super Comp/Super Gas or Bring Your Own Car classes offered, the fun Dragster Adventure will be offered at many of the locations. Plus, we added a fall Dragster Adventure date in Florida!
If you’re looking to upgrade your license in the Alcohol classes, give us a call as those dates are scheduled on request at our home base at Gainesville Raceway.
Updated schedule:
Gainesville Raceway — May 12-13, June 9-10 (following the new Gators date), October 1-2, November 10-11, December 8-9, December 29-30 SC/SG or BYOC
Gainesville Raceway — November 20 – Dragster Adventure
Gainesville Raceway – January 21-22, February 4-5, February 18-19, March 17-18, March 24-25 Two-day competition license class; Dragster Adventure – March 27, 2020. These are just the spring dates – we run here ALL YEAR!
Tucson Dragway – April 5 Dragster Adventure; April 6-7 Two-day competition license class
Auto Club Dragway – April 15-16 Two-day competition license class, April 17 Dragster Adventure
Houston Raceway – June 3-4 Two-day competition license class, June 5 Dragster Adventure
Route 66 Raceway – June 24-25 Two-day competition license class, June 26 Dragster Adventure
Summit Motorsports Park – July 13-14 Two-day competition license class, June 16 Dragster Adventure
Bandimere Speedway – July 27 Dragster Adventure; July 28-29 Two-day competition license class
Woodburn Dragstrip – August 2 Dragster Adventure; August 3-4 Two-day competition license class
You can earn your competition license to 7.50 in the two-day competition license class in our car or yours, so please contact us and we can answer all your questions about this program. This is a great foundation if you’re building a car, moving up to a faster car or making the move up from Juniors. Or maybe it’s on your bucket list to take the class. You’ll learn so much more than how to drive the race car! Frank’s renowned “Personal Performance Development” classroom sessions cover the physiology of how your mind and body work together. Participants will learn how to mentally prepare, perform at the highest level, improve focus and block out distractions. Frank teaches how to practice more effectively whether at the track, at the shop or at home. He’ll share techniques on how to remove the emotional baggage (everybody has some) that can often disrupt good performance .
If you’re looking for a fun day driving a dragster, the dragster adventure is for you, friends, customers and employees. The Dragster Adventure is a fun course specifically designed for drivers that want to “DRIVE A DRAGSTER” and you can even compete in “SIDE-BY-SIDE” racing. This program does not have the in-depth classroom sessions that our competition course does, but is great for team building and group events too! Group dates are available on request.
If you’re currently racing and are ready to move up to a faster car, check out the 200 mph class! These upgrade courses are designed not only for those seeking to compete in Nostalgia Funny Car, Pro Mod, Top Dragster, A-Fuel Dragster, Top Alcohol Dragster, but also numerous other types of programs such as Super Quick, Quick 16 Shootouts, Super Pro, Big Money Bracket Races or anywhere a competition license to run quicker than 7.49 in a quarter mile is required. You can earn your license to 6.00 in these classes. Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School offers drivers who are looking to upgrade their current NHRA competition license to 3A or 3B or 2A or 2B in this unique one day course. Participation in this course requires a strong drag race history or successful completion of the Super Comp or Super Gas Course.
Call us with your questions or to book. Seats are limited in all programs and pre-registration is required.
Please call Jeff Arend or Paul Shields at the numbers below with your questions!
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 909-973-8279 c
Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 904-472-6312 c
Busy times at FHDRS! We have been running lots of classes and helping new racers earn their NHRA competition licenses this year! Our annual class after the 50th Gatornationals is always a melting pot of drivers, and this year we had people attending from all over the US, Canada, Norway and England. We followed up with a Funny Car class, hosted another Super Comp/Super Gas Competition License Class and the one-day Dragster Adventure. Then while we were getting ready to head west, we added another 2-day competition license class and Alcohol Dragster class to help more people earn their licenses to go racing.
When you receive this we’ll be running classes at Tucson Dragway. Following Tucson, we head to Auto Club Dragway and then on to Las Vegas. While our classes in Vegas have been sold out for some time, we have a few seats left at the Fontana class on April 24-25. There are also a couple seats in the Dragster Adventures on April 19 and April 26 at Auto Club Dragway. Class dates coming up: Gainesville Raceway May 14-15 (license class); Route 66 Raceway May 23-24 (license class); Houston Raceway June 5-6 (license class) and Houston Raceway June 7 (dragster adventure); Woodburn Dragstrip June 26-27 (license class with only SC Dragster seats left) and Woodburn Dragstrip June 28 or June 29 (dragster adventures); Summit Motorsports Park July 15-16 (license class); Heartland Motorsports Park July 30-31 (license class); and Maple Grove Raceway August 12-13 (license class). More fall dates on our calendar, too!
Many of our dragster adventure days are already sold out, so we thank you for your support of this program and please know we’ll try to increase the dates for these next year!
All the competition license classes include the lectures on how to “Improve your Personal Performance”. The classroom sessions cover the physiology of how your mind and body work together. You’ll learn how to mentally prepare, perform at the highest level, improve focus and block out distractions. Frank teaches how to practice more effectively whether at the track, at the shop or at home. He’ll share techniques on how to remove the emotional baggage (everybody has some) that can often disrupt good performance. People share with us they find this classroom time extremely useful in their work, at home and of course on the track!
Remember, our Alcohol class dates are scheduled on demand, so give us a call if you’re ready to take that next step in your career.
Paul Shields and Jeff Arend can answer all your questions about our programs and their contact information is below. We look forward to seeing you at a class soon!
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 909-973-8279 cell
Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 904-472-6312 cell
866-480-7223
www.frankhawley.com
Hey everyone! We have the majority of our 2019 class dates published on our website, so check them out! We also wanted to let you know that due to a delay with construction of our home track at Gainesville Raceway, our December 2-day Super Comp and Super Gas competition license classes will be held at Bradenton Motorsports Park. The original dates of December 4-5 and December 27-28 remain the same. As those classes are nearly full, we have added an additional class date on December 11-12, so we hope to see you in Florida in December!
We will be visiting many of your favorite tracks in 2019, as well as running classes in Florida. Clink on the following link to see all the upcoming dates and locations! https://frankhawley.com/class-dates-locations/
Remember, the Funny Car and Top Dragster classes are scheduled on demand, at Gainesville. So if you’re ready to upgrade your license, give us a call and we can arrange some one-on-one time on the track for you with Frank Hawley and crew.
You can contact us by calling 866-480-7223 (Paul Shields x102 or Jeff Arend x103), or by emailing us through our website at the following link: https://frankhawley.com/contact/
If you haven’t had a chance to watch the video below, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to view it, as it is a great inside look at the 2-day competition license class. We think you’ll enjoy it, from our friends at Cars Illustrated Magazine.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at a class soon! 866-480-7223, www.frankhawley.com
Come and join us for what many of our clients call a “life changing experience”. Not only will you get the best drag racing instruction available anywhere but Frank’s lectures cover a broad range of topics on how we think, act and behave and how to retrain your mind, allowing you to perform at a highter level in both your professional and private life.
Since so many of our competition license classes have been sold out this year, we wanted to get the word out about our fall and winter class dates! First, we added a NEW class on October 1-2 at Gainesville Raceway! The October 11-12 class at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway only has a few spots available. And there are a few seats left in the class at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA on October 17-18 so we added a second class on October 24-25.
We’ll be running classes all winter at our home track in Gainesville, FL and currently have classes on December 4-5 and December 27-28 to finish out 2018. We’ve added a few dates for the competition license class in 2019 too in Gainesville – January 22-23, February 5-6, February 19-20, March 19-20 and March 26-27.
Drive well in this program and you can earn your license to 7.50. The competition license course includes classroom, in car and on track instruction. Drivers will make progressively longer runs down the strip, enjoy video review of all runs and learn from Frank Hawley’s lectures on improving personal performance. Those new to drag racing will learn basic techniques and procedures and those currently racing can improve their skills.
Please contact Paul Shields x102 or Jeff Arend x103 at 866-480-7223 for information on any of the classes and to register. Pre-registration is required in all the programs and the seats are limited so don’t wait. Group event dates and the 200 mph classes are scheduled on demand.
It’s awesome there are lots of people getting ready to race this year! So, due to overwhelming demand, we have added an additional competition license class on March 22-23 at Gainesville Raceway. We’re doing everything we can to let people know about this new date, so please help us spread the word! You can earn your competition license to 7.50 in this program, improve your skills if you’re moving up to a faster car, or check an item off your bucket list. This class is a great foundation for future racing in NHRDA, NMCA, NMRA, PDRA, NHRA, IHRA and your local bracket races.
If your interest is in the alcohol cars, or you’d like to schedule a group event, remember those dates are on demand, so you’ll need to contact us to schedule.
Below is a link to currently scheduled class dates/locations. We hope to see you at a class soon! Contact information is below to reach out directly to Paul or Jeff.
Here at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School we’ve been helping build successful careers and making dreams come true for a number of years! Whether you have attended our Dragster Adventure program or one of our competition license classes, our grads are our best endorsement and we are thankful for you all! For those that are racing, please keep us updated with your news and we will share it on our social media.
There are only a few seats left in the ever popular Super Comp or Super Gas class between Christmas and New Years. Don’t delay if you may be thinking about attending this class!
Our very knowledgeable guys, Paul Shields and Jeff Arend, are responsive to your calls, texts and emails so feel free to contact them with any and all questions you have about the school. Whether you want to bring your own car to a class, arrange a group event, buy a gift for someone, or even treat a potential sponsor to a taste of drag racing, give them a call. Their direct contacts are listed at the end of this email.
Below is a list of confirmed class dates. Please check back as we will be confirming other dates! **Additional dates for Group Events, TD/NFC are on demand
Gainesville Raceway: December 27-28, 2017 SC/SG/BYOC, January 13 Adventure (private group), January 16-17 SC/SG/BYOC, January 18 NFC, January 22 TD or NFC, February 6-7 SC/SG/BYOC, February 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, March 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, March 23 Dragster Adventure, March 27-28 TD or NFC. Summer, fall & winter dates for Gainesville will be coming soon!
Tucson Dragway: April 12-13 SC/SG/BYOC, April 15 Dragster Adventure
Auto Club Dragway: April 18-19 SC/SG/BYOC, April 20 Dragster Adventure, April 26 Dragster Adventure (private group), April 27 Dragster Adventure, October 17-18 SC/SG/BYOC, October 19 Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: April 30-May 1 SC/SG/BYOC or May 2-3 SC/SG/BYOC, October 9-10 SC/SG/BYOC or October 11-12 SC/SG/BYOC
Route 66 Raceway: May 17-18 SC/SG/BYOC, May 19 Dragster Adventure
Royal Purple Raceway: May 23-24 SC/SG/BYOC, May 25 Dragster Adventure
Heartland Park: June 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, June 22 Dragster Adventure
Woodburn Dragstrip: June 28-29 SC/SG/BYOC, June 30 Dragster Adventure, July 1 Dragster Adventure
Summit Motorsports Park: July 16-17 SC/SG/BYOC, July 18 Dragster Adventure (private group), July 19 Dragster Adventure
Maple Grove Raceway: August 14-15 SC/SG/BYOC, August 16 Dragster Adventure, August 17 Dragster Adventure
Paul Shields, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 c, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com
Jeff Arend, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 c, jarend@frankhawley.com
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.
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.
