NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

These Notes are updated throughout the day

 It's Race Day.

When the gates swung open Sunday morning at Maple Grove Raceway, it wasn't just another eliminations day. The Reading Nationals are the starting line for the Countdown to the Championship—the moment where every round counts. If Indy is the wedding, Reading is the honeymoon, where fresh vows of speed, risk, and reward get tested in front of one of NHRA’s most loyal fan bases.

Top Fuel Round One Update — NHRA Reading Nationals

Eliminations roared to life at Maple Grove Raceway  and the opening round of NHRA Top Fuel did not disappoint. The first eight pairs brought high drama, side-by-side speeds over 330 mph, and razor-thin margins.

Tony Stewart stunned Tony Schumacher — Stewart left first with a .072 light and thundered to a 3.808 at 329.58 mph to knock out Schumacher’s traction-troubled 4.261 at 195.19 mph by .4662 seconds.

Shawn Langdon holds off Doug Foley — Langdon posted a 3.763 at 335.07 mph to edge Foley’s 3.824 at 328.70 mph, leveraging a sharp .067 reaction and a .8425 MOV to advance.

Clay Millican delivers as the No. 1 — Millican powered to a 3.764 at 333.25 mph competition solo. 

Justin Ashley drops the hammer — Ashley cut a brilliant .029 light and laid down a 3.761 at 330.31 mph to dismiss Scott Farley’s 6.176, winning by 2.6904 seconds.

Doug Kalitta outduels Antron Brown — Kalitta’s defending champ form showed with a 3.779 at 336.40 mph to hold off Brown’s 3.839, winning by .0472 seconds.

Shawn Reed nips Kyle Satenstein — Reed’s 3.801 at 328.54 mph barely edged Satenstein’s 3.802 at 293.73 mph by just .1905 seconds in one of the tightest matchups of the round.

Steve Torrence turns back Josh Hart — Torrence’s championship-caliber composure was on full display. A crisp .087 light and 3.766 at 334.15 mph was enough to fend off Hart’s 3.804 at 335.07 mph by just .0502 seconds.

Brittany Force overcomes Dan Mercier — In her first Countdown run since announcing her upcoming retirement, Force looked laser-focused, ripping a .087 light and 3.798 at 337.41 mph. Mercier smoked the tires to a 6.453, and Force advanced easily by 2.6802 seconds.

With Torrence and Force joining Millican, Ashley, Kalitta, Langdon, Reed, and Stewart in Round Two, the Top Fuel ladder is loaded with champions and championship hopefuls. The Countdown has officially detonated at Reading.
 

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Brittany Force

Funny Cars are already in the lanes

Funny Car Round One Update — NHRA Reading Nationals

Ron Capps drives around JR Todd — Capps rocketed off the line with a  .022 light and stayed locked in to post a 3.950 at 331.85 mph. Todd fell into early trouble and coasted to a 5.976 at 172.45 mph, as Capps advanced easily by 2.0756 seconds.

Paul Lee capitalizes to take out Chad Green — Green hazed the tires and slowed to a 9.573 at just 78.76 mph, opening the door for Lee’s clean and composed 5.792 at 118.09 mph. It wasn’t pretty, but Lee’s .069 light and mistake-free drive moved him on with a 3.7761-second margin.

Spencer Hyde keeps his hot hand — The No. 1 qualifier delivered again, launching with a .075 reaction and ripping to a 6.215 at 137.48 mph after Phil Burkart struggled mightily to a 14.069. Hyde’s 7.8342-second margin shows just how in control he is of the Jim Head-tuned machine.

Austin Prock pounds out low ET of the round — Prock was electric on the line (.048) and even more ferocious downtrack, blazing to a 3.911 at 333.99 mph to eliminate Joe Morrison’s 5.995. Prock’s 2.1504-second margin underscored his championship intentions.

Jack Beckman delivers for John Force’s team — In his high-profile fill-in role, Beckman was cool and composed with a .073 light and a strong 3.941 at 328.54 mph. Dave Richards put up a solid 5.356, but Beckman’s 1.4484-second win shows he’s handling the spotlight with ease.

Pro Stock Round One Update — NHRA Reading Nationals

Dallas Glenn sets the tone — Glenn got off the line clean with a .058 reaction and delivered a smooth 6.531 at 209.20 mph to outpace Shane Tucker’s 6.691. Glenn’s .1392 margin keeps his championship charge intact.

Aaron Stanfield withstands Brandon Miller — Stanfield clocked a 6.548 at 210.28 mph from a .035 light to edge Miller’s 6.632 by just .1083, showing the Elite camp has early-race muscle.

Deric Kramer eliminates Matt Hartford — Kramer left first with a .071 light and powered to a 6.456 while Hartford slowed to a 6.545. The margin wasn’t close on the clocks—Kramer advances clean.

Eric Latino red-lights against Jeg Coughlin. — Latino’s -.199 foul handed Coughlin a free ride. Jeg's 7.401 was well off pace but good enough to move on, as his veteran savvy shows in the Countdown opener.

Cody Coughlin edges Troy Coughlin Jr. — In one of the round’s closest races, Cody’s 6.545 at 208.39 mph nipped Troy’s 6.581 at 209.04 mph by just .0021 in a classic Coughlin family clash.

Cory Reed knocks out Matt Latino — Reed’s crisp .025 light and 6.552 at 209.30 mph was enough to hold off Latino’s 6.592, taking the stripe by .0362.

Greg Anderson defeats Greg Stanfield — Anderson was better on the tree with a .043 light and followed it up with a 6.529 at 209.49 mph to edge Stanfield’s 6.541 at 210.54 mph by .0082 in a battle of titans.

Erica Enders moves past Kenny Delco — Enders stayed mistake-free with a .012 light and 6.540 at 210.28 mph as Delco spun the tires to a 6.613. Enders’ .0503 win margin keeps her firmly in the title fight.

With Glenn, Stanfield, Kramer, Jeg, Cody Coughlin, Reed, Anderson, and Enders all advancing, the Pro Stock ladder is stacked with championship contenders—and round two promises all-out warfare as the Countdown heats up in Reading.
 

Pro Stock Motorcycle Round One Update 

Matt Smith holds off Brandon Litten — Smith was steady with a .070 light and clocked a 6.741 at 200.23 mph to advance. Litten stayed close early but fell off to a 6.873, giving Smith the win by .1103 seconds.

Gaige Herrera advances on a bye — The No. 1 qualifier left early (-.007) on his solo shot but still clocked a 6.819 at 198.26 mph. He’ll reset and return as the favorite in Round Two.

John Hall overcomes Kelly Clontz — Hall blasted off with a .046 light and a 6.800 at 199.11 mph to easily defeat Clontz, who struggled to a 20.099. Hall’s 3.3463-second margin was the largest of the round.

Angie Smith takes down Steve Johnson — Angie’s .060 light and 6.833 at 196.79 mph edged Johnson’s 6.950 at 189.82 mph. A .0986 MOV pushes her deeper into the Countdown mix.

Jianna Evaristo outduels Ron Tornow — Evaristo left first with a .038 reaction and turned in a 5.863 at 195.08 mph to hold off Tornow’s 6.921, winning by .0362.

Chase Van Sant clips Chris Bostick — Van Sant delivered a 5.729 at 193.71 mph on a .049 light to take down Bostick, who slowed to a 7.421. Van Sant’s .30226 MOV was decisive.

Brayden Davis topples Marc Ingwersen — Davis cut a .020 light and ran 5.724 at 199.32 mph to advance over Ingwersen’s 6.913. Davis’s .1264 margin keeps his breakout season alive.

Richard Gadson wins a thriller over Ryan Oehler — Gadson’s .050 light and 5.666 at 199.91 mph barely held off Oehler’s 5.789 at 189.76 mph. The margin was a tight .1051 as Gadson continues to build momentum.

Top Fuel Round Two Update 

The second round of NHRA Top Fuel eliminations at Maple Grove Raceway opened with high drama—and a hard-hitting collision.

In the first pairing, Tony Stewart and Doug Kalitta made contact in the shutdown area, triggering an immediate safety response. Both drivers climbed from their cars, and after a lengthy cleanup, the run was declared official. Kalitta took the win light with a 3.787 at 335.73 mph to Stewart’s 3.809 at 326.71 mph, earning the stripe by a razor-thin .0512 seconds.

In the very next pair, Clay Millican powered past Brittany Force. Millican left second (.088 to .076) but drove away with a 3.866 at 313.88 mph as Force smoked the tires early and coasted to a 4.220 at 237.88 mph. Millican’s .3421 margin sends the No. 1 qualifier into the semifinals with major momentum.

Incident Report: NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: 

During the second round of Top Fuel eliminations on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway, Doug Kalitta’s dragster crossed the center line past the finish line and collided with Tony Stewart’s dragster in the left lane. Stewart’s dragster went on its side, came back down on its wheels and struck the left guard wall before coming to a stop, while Kalitta’s dragster went back over the center line before coming to a stop. Both Stewart and Kalitta were alert and exited their cars under their own power. They were examined onsite by NHRA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Surface before being released.

Hear from Doug Kalitta after the incident

Hear from Tony Stewart after the incident

On the other side of the ladder, Shawn Reed outpaced Shawn Langdon with a solid 3.834 at 326.87 mph. Langdon left first (.049 to .104) but spun the tires downtrack and could only muster a 4.198, as Reed advanced by .3094. Closing the round, Steve Torrence turned back Justin Ashley in a heavyweight clash. Torrence’s 3.835 at 331.77 mph overcame Ashley’s 3.994 at 279.38 mph, earning a .1535-second margin and a semifinal lane choice. The semifinal bracket is now set: Kalitta vs. Millican and Reed vs. Torrence—four drivers, one round away from the Reading finals and a massive Countdown momentum boost.

Funny Car — Round Two Update

Alexander outpedals Hyde
In a matchup of polar-opposite qualifying positions, No. 8 qualifier Blake Alexander took down top qualifier Spencer Hyde. Hyde had the early advantage (.072 to .085) and led until around 800 feet, when he lost traction and had to pedal. Alexander also lost traction but managed to recover cleanly, charging to a 4.631 at 242.15 mph for the win by .0383-second.

Pedregon capitalizes on Prock’s trouble
Cruz Pedregon survived a wild one against Austin Prock. Prock was out first (.053 to .098) but dropped a cylinder early, causing the car to move toward the centerline and collect the half track blocks. Pedregon was hazing the tires downtrack but hung on for a 4.215 at 228.89 mph win by .1454-second.

Capps outruns Beckman in close duel
Ron Capps stayed perfect on the day, getting past Jack Beckman in a strong side-by-side race. Beckman’s .062 reaction time gave him the edge early, but Capps’ 3.974 at 327.74 mph run edged Beckman’s 4.013 at 325.77 by just .0143-second (roughly seven feet). Capps will carry lane choice into the semifinals.

Lee leaves first, holds off DeJoria
In the final pair, Paul Lee used a holeshot to upset Alexis DeJoria. DeJoria had the quicker run (3.958 to Lee’s 3.962), but Lee’s .082 light helped him get to the stripe first by .0272-second (about 13 feet). It marked the sixth holeshot win of DeJoria’s career—this time on the wrong side. Lee moves on to face Pedregon in the semifinals.

Pro Stock — Round Two Update
 

Latino outpaces Stanfield
Eric Latino advanced past Aaron Stanfield with his best run of the weekend, clocking a 6.625 at 210.14 mph to Stanfield’s 6.756 at 208.49. Latino’s .069 light trailed Stanfield’s .061 off the line, but he made up ground quickly to win by .1238 seconds.

Coughlin holeshots Enders
Cody Coughlin pulled off one of the round’s biggest upsets by defeating Erica Enders on a holeshot. Coughlin’s .025 reaction time was the difference-maker, as his slower 6.564 at 207.91 mph held off Enders’ quicker 6.549 at 210.11 mph by just .0081-second (about three feet).

Glenn advances as Kramer fouls
Dallas Glenn got an easy pass to the semifinals when Deric Kramer went red by -.111. Glenn still laid down a solid 6.542 at 209.72 mph after a .037 light to keep lane choice potential alive.

Anderson takes clean win over Reed
Closing out the round, Greg Anderson powered to a 6.550 at 209.39 mph to defeat Cory Reed, who ran a 6.581 at 209.07. Anderson left first with a .044 light to Reed’s .068 and never trailed, winning by .0557-second.

Semifinal matchups: Latino vs. Coughlin and Glenn vs. Anderson.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Round Two Update

Davis edges past Angie Smith
Brayden Davis used a clutch .020 light to get the jump on Angie Smith and never trailed. Davis ran 6.854 at 200.02 mph to Smith’s 6.874 at 195.65, taking the stripe by .0252-second.

Hall knocks out Herrera
In one of the biggest surprises of the day, John Hall upset reigning champion Gaige Herrera. Hall left first with a .046 light to Herrera’s .033 and held on for a 6.806 at 198.61 mph to Herrera’s 6.851 at 197.36, winning by .0324-second.

Gadson outruns Van Sant
Richard Gadson delivered a strong 6.781 at 200.00 mph to defeat Chase Van Sant, who slowed to a 6.902 at 195.25 mph. Gadson left first and never looked back, taking the win by .1386-second.

Smith powers past Evaristo
Closing out the round, Matt Smith advanced with a 6.790 at 198.93 mph to beat Jianna Evaristo’s 6.923 at 192.19. Smith’s .033 light helped seal a .1563-second margin of victory.

Semifinal matchups: Davis vs. Hall and Gadson vs. Smith.

Factory Stock Showdown — Round Three Update

Libersher advances on Pawuk’s red-light
Scott Libersher moved into the final after Mark Pawuk went red by -.015. Libersher left clean with a .006 reaction time and cruised to a 12.812 at 91.71 mph, while Pawuk’s run was disqualified despite a quicker 7.789 at 173.90 mph.

Dietsch defeats Nash with strong pass
Taylor Dietsch powered to a 7.723 at 178.54 mph to defeat Raymond Nash, who slowed to an 8.323 at 139.69 mph. Dietsch left evenly with Nash (.020 each) but pulled away by .6009-second at the stripe to secure his spot in the final.

Final round set: Libersher vs. Dietsch.

Factory X — Round Two Update

Alexandra advances solo
Jesse Alexandra advanced to the final on a competition bye after his opponent was unable to make the call. Alexandra cruised to a 13.310 at 63.40 mph to officially earn his spot in the championship round.

Lottig edges Statler
Lenny Lottig punched his ticket to the final with a narrow victory over Conner Statler. Lottig left first with a .031 light to Statler’s .100 and held on for a 6.986 at 197.16 mph to Statler’s 6.963 at 197.74 mph, winning by just .0461-second.

Final round set: Alexandra vs. Lottig.

Top Fuel Semifinal Recap — Maple Grove Raceway

Shawn Reed vs. Clay Millican
In the first semifinal matchup, Shawn Reed advanced after a wild race against Clay Millican. Reed was steady off the line with a .090 reaction time and powered to a 3.833 at 326.87 mph. Millican got away with a nearly identical .093 reaction time but encountered problems downtrack—falling off pace to a 6.135 at just 102.32 mph. Reed’s margin of victory was a commanding 2.3055 seconds, securing his place in the final round.

Doug Kalitta vs. Steve Torrence
In the other pair, it was a razor-close battle between Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence. Kalitta launched with a .061 reaction time to Torrence’s .071 and never relinquished the edge, stopping the clocks at 3.812 seconds at 335.23 mph to Torrence’s 3.830 at 330.55 mph. Kalitta’s margin of victory was just .0283 seconds, punching his ticket to the final round in dramatic fashion.

Final Set
Kalitta and Reed will square off for the Top Fuel Wally, with Kalitta chasing another Maple Grove victory and Reed eyeing a career-defining upset.

Funny Car Semifinal Recap 

Blake Alexander vs. Ron Capps
Blake Alexander advanced in surprising fashion over Ron Capps. Alexander got off the line with a .081 light and held steady through the early part of the track to post a 4.608 at 199.02 mph. Capps launched well with a .071 reaction time but struck trouble midtrack, slowing to a 9.055 at just 80.81 mph. Alexander’s clean run gave him a 4.4371-second margin of victory.

Cruz Pedregon vs. Paul Lee
In the other matchup, Cruz Pedregon powered his way past Paul Lee. Pedregon’s .070 light helped him blaze to a 4.046 at 309.70 mph, while Lee encountered major issues and coasted to an 8.312 at only 82.97 mph. Pedregon’s margin of victory was 4.2422 seconds, securing his place in the final.

Final Set
Alexander and Pedregon will now square off for the Funny Car trophy, each looking to cap their strong weekends with a statement win.

Pro Stock Semifinal Recap — Maple Grove Raceway

The semifinal round in NHRA Reading Nationals Pro Stock featured two decisive performances that set up a thrilling all-KB Titan Racing final.

Dallas Glenn vs. Greg Anderson
Dallas Glenn took the round win over teammate Greg Anderson who crossed the starting line twice during his two burnouts and was thus disqualified. Anderson does not use in-car communication, so he was not aware that he had crossed the starting line the first time.

Cody Coughlin vs. Eric Latino
On the other side of the ladder, Cody Coughlin powered past Eric Latino with a strong .057 light and a 6.576 at 207.78 mph. Latino got off the line slower with a .155 light and slowed downtrack to a 7.091 at 146.24 mph, allowing Coughlin to take the win by .6133 seconds.

Final Set
It will be Glenn vs. Coughlin for the Pro Stock Wally — with both drivers chasing the first Countdown victory of the season.

Pro Stock Motorcycle Semifinal Recap

John Hall vs. Brayden Davis
John Hall grabbed a slight starting line edge with a .012 reaction time and never looked back, turning in a strong 6.800 at 199.23 mph to defeat Brayden Davis. Davis left with a .042 light and ran a solid 6.812 at 199.76 mph, but Hall’s early lead held, giving him the win by just .0427 seconds.

Matt Smith vs. Richard Gadson
Matt Smith also punched his ticket to the final with a wire-to-wire victory over Richard Gadson. Smith left with a .050 reaction time and powered to a 6.862 at 197.83 mph. Gadson was quicker off the line with a .030 light but slowed to a 6.949 at 199.26 mph, allowing Smith to slip around him for the win by .0672 seconds.

Final Set
Hall and Smith will now face off for the Pro Stock Motorcycle Wally, with both riders carrying strong momentum into the showdown.