Big moves are happening in the No Prep Kings world! One of the most talked-about shakeups for the 2025 season is the Gucci Nova bringing in a new driver. As many fans know, JP Gentile was behind the wheel last season and put on one hell of a show. However, due to other commitments, JP won't be competing in NPK this year. That means the Gucci Nova is getting a new pilot – and it's none other than Nate Sayler.
Photo by Mallory Elizabeth Photography
Nate Sayler has already proven himself to be a serious contender in NPK. Despite not making every single race last season, he still finished in the top 16, which speaks volumes about his skills and the speed of his car. Now, he's taking on the challenge of driving the Gucci Nova, a move that has a lot of people excited.
But that’s not all. The tuning duties for the Gucci Nova will now be handled by Lee White, a name that carries a lot of weight in the racing world. Lee is no stranger to high-horsepower setups, having worked with Justin Swanstrom and many other big names in Pro Mod, No Prep, and radial racing. If there's one guy who knows how to extract every bit of performance from a car, it's Lee White.
What Makes the Gucci Nova So Competitive?
The Gucci Nova has already built a reputation as a fast and lightweight machine, running a potent Hemi and ProCharger combination. With Nate behind the wheel and Lee White dialing in the setup, this car is expected to be a serious threat this season.
Photo by Nate Sayler
What’s even more interesting is the ongoing trend among ProCharger racers making modifications to stay competitive. Some of the biggest names in NPK, like Jeff Lutz and Ryan Martin, have been experimenting with nitrous and lockup Liberty transmissions. The reason? In a no-rules format, the ProCharger setup seems to be getting outgunned by screw blowers—especially when you consider the advantage a screw blower has on a 36-inch tall tire. When turned up, screw blowers generate insane amounts of power, putting ProCharger teams on the back foot.
Can ProCharger Cars Stay Competitive?
To keep up, racers are adding nitrous and lockup transmissions to their ProCharger combos. While this can make more power, it also introduces challenges—particularly when racing on no prep surfaces. The lockup transmission has been tricky for some racers, with Jerry Bird's nitrous car struggling when engaging the lockup on marginal track conditions. Now imagine that same challenge but with a ProCharged Hemi making 800 to 1,000 more horsepower. That’s a lot of power to put down on a sketchy track.
Photo by Mallory Elizabeth Photography
With all these changes happening, it’ll be fascinating to see how the ProCharger racers adapt. Will the added nitrous and lockup transmissions be enough to keep them in the fight, or will they struggle with consistency? One thing is for sure—this NPK season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable ones yet.
What’s Next for the Gucci Nova?
With Nate Sayler stepping in as the new driver and Lee White fine-tuning the setup, the Gucci Nova could be one of the surprise threats of the season. They’ve got the right combination of talent, experience, and power to shake things up. Whether they can take down the dominant screw blower cars remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain—this is a team that nobody should take lightly.
Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the first race of the season. One thing’s for sure, the battle between ProCharger and screw blower setups is only getting more intense!
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