Tristian Sholar: DragChamp Racer Spotlight

Tristian Sholar is in this week’s DragChamp Racer Spotlight. Learn all about this DragChamp Pro Member in his spotlight below!

GONZALES, LA – Tristian Sholar has been drag racing for around 14 years, and like many, he got his start in a Junior Dragster. He was first introduced to the sport by his dad, who at the time was racing a ’77 Chevy Luv truck. His dad won the Super Chevy Show while Tristian’s mother was pregnant with him, so you could say he was quite literally born with a passion for the sport. After running Junior Dragsters for a few years, he eventually transitioned into big cars in 2013.

Fast forward to now, Tristian usually competes in Top Bulb races in the Mississippi and Louisiana area, due to the plethora of racing opportunities available locally. He is a frequent flyer at King of the Coast events at Gulfport Dragway and CP Racing Promotions races. Once a year, he also enjoys running Footbrake at the Footbrake 150 in Gulfport.

Learn more about Tristian below!

His Race Car

Tristian’s race car, a 2016 Ezell Dragster, was purchased as a brand new build in 2016. Powered by a Shafiroff 582 engine, it is paired with a BTE Top Dragster power glide and an Abruzzi converter.

Outside of Racing

When not racing, Tristian is involved in musical theatre, a passion that sets him apart from the typical racer. He finds joy in performing and loves the energy of a live audience. He also actively serves as a minister at his local church and fulfills the role of chaplain for Gulfport Dragway, demonstrating a commitment to both his faith and his racing community.

His favorite movie is “Old Yeller,” and his preferred TV show is “The Chosen.” Occasionally tuning into College Football, his favorite team to cheer on is LSU. However, his true passion lies in the unconventional sport of Disc Golf.

Major Accomplishments

• 2023 Gulfport Dragway Champion
• KOC $6,000 Winner
• 2021 BTE King of the Coast Tournament of Champions Winner
• 2022 BTE King of the Coast Tournament of Champions Runner-up
• 2023 WDRA Race of Champions Winner
• Gulfport Dragway $4,000 Double Up Footbrake 150 Shootout Winner

Tristian’s Q&A

What’s on your bucket list, future goals, what do you hope to achieve?

Future and bucket list: Attend more of the big money events around the south and click off a win or two. Race a spring fling event (especially Bristol or Vegas). I hope to achieve what everyone else wants to achieve, to park my car on the dance floor at something that pays a lot haha!

What is your favorite race car, and why? 

Besides my own, my favorite race car out there is Steve Wellmans 1955 Austin Healey Roadster. While I personally cannot afford that cars price tag, I love something different and unique, especially if it pops wheelies.

Who has made the biggest impact on your racing success?

Jeez, where do I begin. My dad, he’s always wrenching on the car and helping me make my program as good as it possibly can, and traveling with me to (almost) any place in the country I wanna go race. He also helped me for years just to be able to go race before I could pay my own way, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my dad. He’s believed in me when I didn’t even believe in me.

Who do you look up to in the sport?

I look up a lot, to the people who have been successful in our sport for a long time and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to befriend and learn from a few of them. Such as Wyatt and Johnny Ezell, AJ Ashe, Lane and Perry Comeaux and my dad Trey Sholar. I’ve learned a lot from being around these people and seeing how they strategize and operate.

Tell us what you do for a living?

I work for Team Industrial at Oxy Chem as an Emissions Control Technician. I basically work with the environmental group to find leaks and keep our emissions on the chemical side down.

How do you support your racing, side hustle, sponsor, partner, etc.? 

We have a few side jobs that aid in our operation. My dad has a side Metal Plasma cutting business on the side. I teach Theatre to youth and teens on Mondays for a theatre organization on the side. But we will not turn down a sponsor or ten if they would like to come aboard the team (wink wink).

Who do you hate to see in the other lane, and why? 

Trampas Stewart, for some reason that Camaro of his has had my number for a long time.

What’s the hardest part of drag racing?

Getting out of your own way is the hardest part for sure, having the confidence to know you can do it and to trust yourself to turn on the win light even after letting go .040 or taking .040.

Also, getting past the 1/4 finals! I’ve improved a lot on my mental and physical game of this sport and been blessed lately to make the 1/4’s of some pretty big money stuff around our area but those last two rounds have evaded me.

What’s your most embarrassing moment in a race car? 

Letting go on nothing 2nd round of the million.

What are you saying to yourself just before you stage the car?

Mostly: Alright take a deep breath, focus up and kick his teeth in (the guy in the other lane).

What do you enjoy the most at the racetrack?

I really enjoy spending the weekend and waking up at the race track and spending the early morning hours by myself drinking coffee eating breakfast, getting a few things on the car ready and walking the track or property in the quiet. (At least until the Jr’s start) I also enjoy Pastoring the Church Services for Gulfport Dragway events, it’s a huge passion of mine to bring Jesus to the folks who pack the Sunday morning grandstands.  

Are you superstitious?  If so, what are they? 

Only at the race track am I superstitious, but I wash and bring the same shirts to race in every weekend and those are only to be worn for racing. I also keep a few of the same food and drink items restocked that I ate or drank from a weekend where I was more successful. If I did something a certain way I basically try to recreate that pattern throughout the day if I’m on a roll.

Do you love to win or hate to lose? 

I hate losing, because once I’m out, I at t least need it to be late so I can eat and go to sleep and not have to think about how I lost for the rest of the day.

Which are you better at the starting line or the finish line? 

Here lately the starting line is where I’ve been getting it done mostly.

What motivates you to continue racing?

My family and the desire to win one of these big money paydays.

If money were no object, what would your racing operation look like?  Car, trailer, class, race schedule, etc.

I’d have a fleet of really weird stuff (Volvo wagons, VW bugs, Roadsters, Ezell dragsters out the ying yang). I’d have chassis builders busy because some of my ideas for race cars are let’s just say not traditional. Then we’d take this fleet and go race every million and $100k we could.

How often do you use a practice tree? 

Once a week. I try to only use it when I haven’t seen an actual race track tree in a while.

What is your daily driver? 

2009 Dodge Ram 3500 or our all original 1969 Ford F-100 Ranger. It was my great grandfathers and I’m the 4th generation to drive that old truck, so it means a lot to take it to work here and there.

Favorite music, artist?

I really enjoy a lots of different kinds of music but lately I’ve listened to Brandon Lake and Toby Keith

What are you really good at? 

I feel kinda arrogant answering this question but I’m pretty good at public speaking. I do it a lot in my other activities so I’ve gotten used to it!

Name one thing most people don’t know about you?

Most who aren’t really close to me wouldn’t know that I do musicals in my spare time, and I love ministering!

Would you rather hang out with a crowd or have a quiet evening at home? 

Quiet evening for certain, I can’t do the large crowd thing very often! I need an easy way in and out of a place, it’s why I like racing so much I suppose, if I don’t want to talk to anyone I can lock myself in my living quarters.

What’s your favorite thing to eat?  Individual item, meal, or restaurant?

I love Indian Greek and Italian food! I’m not incredibly picky.

Who would you like to thank, who helps you the most?

First and foremost, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, without him I am nothing. Secondly my family and friends who help me do what we do and to be as successful as I’ve been. My mom and dad and siblings who have always believed in me no matter what I chose to pursue. My fiancé Molly and her family for not questioning a guy who likes to strap himself into expensive pipe racks to go fast on the weekends. Lastly is the racing community, there’s no community like the bracket racing community. The help andknowledge I have gained from my racing family is priceless.

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