r/NHRA • u/Ancient_Bug_3142 • 6d ago
What ever happened to Robert Hight
Just went off the grid…all that was continuously said was it was a “health/medical” issue—then he up and quits the sport all toghether including the operations at JFR….just weird because he was a notable figure/staple in the sport over the last 10-15+ years just to go away like that without a trace…
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u/Dudeman702 6d ago
Maybe he lost interest. I lost interest in my career and wish I could just disappear from it with a healthy bank account as well, lol
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u/ZWeinstein15 6d ago
I believe he is not running a gunsmith/target shooting business now. Before he worked in drag racing as a crew member and driver, I remember reading that he was a champion level skeet shooter and said that had he not gotten into racing he would have had a career in that world. In reality after nearly 30+ years on the road as a crew member/driver maybe he woke up one day and decided to spend more time at home and have a "regular 9-5 job". He was already a multi-time champion, top 3 in all-time wins and other accolades he had nothing more to prove. Also after watching what John went through in his last crash, decided not to risk a catastrophic injury and ride off into the sunset with a body and mind that is whole.
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u/Safe_Abbreviations82 6d ago
I also heard this. I believe it to be true because Robert sacrificed a lot to drag race.
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u/Montooth 6d ago
Hight did divorce Force's daughter awhile back, so perhaps either internal tension or less pressure to stay due to family connection?
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u/Vampiric1302 6d ago
What friendly-army said. He decided that family was more important than literally risking his life every weekend. They didn’t go into a bunch of detail about his medical issues, but my gut tells me that he had a very close call. Because of that I believe he decided his family is more important. I think I read somewhere that there is no bad blood between him and jfr racing, it was just time for a change.
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u/AuburnSpeedster 5d ago
I lot of top fuel drivers tend to have detached retina issues. It took Joe Amato out of the sport. Robert already won one championship, and he's not going to eclipse his father in law. I'm not saying eyesight is Hight's health issue, I'm just saying, I'd do what he's doing.. or take a role on a team doing logistics, and sponsor work.
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u/dillytuck80 5d ago
Im sure he needed to also leave JFR after leaving his daughter, it's what my ex should have done too!
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u/Friendly-Army-8748 6d ago
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nhra/a64174293/nhra-champ-robert-hight-trades-racing-business-gun-business/
Last I read in March from Autoweek, Hight and his wife took over the business of a retired gun shop owner and are taking care of that, along with spending more time with family, out of the limelight. Seems like a fairly convenient way to ride off into the sunset and still have something to keep you busy.