NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With just three NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events left on the 2026 schedule, the battle for the NHRA Rookie of the Year has narrowed to five drivers, two in Top Fuel and one each in Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Here’s a look at the five eligible drivers. To be eligible, the driver/rider must compete in five (5) or more events and may not have previously competed in any NHRA Professional category (whether existing or discontinued category) at more than four (4) NHRA national events within a single racing season or more than a total of 15 events across multiple seasons (participation in the Sportsman categories, including Top Alcohol, Pro Mod, or Top Fuel Harley, does not count against these totals).

CODY ANDERSON

The son of six-time world champ Greg Anderson has impressed in his first year in Pro Stock but has suffered most at the starting line, fouling four times and sitting at 8-21 in the crucial “left first” stat, ninth best among full-time drivers, as is his reaction-time average. He has been beaten on four holeshots (with one holeshot win) this season but has beaten his father and Erica Enders (another six-time world champ) and is 2-1 against championship contender Matt Hartford.

MADDI GORDON

The first-year Top Fuel phenom became an instant crowd favorite in her Gainesville debut in the Carlyle Tools dragster for Ron Capps Motorsports. She won her first Top Fuel Wally in her 10th start in Norwalk, added a runner-up in Brainerd, and also has a pair of semifinal finishes to her credit. She’s ninth best in the class in the “left first” stat against opponents (13-21). Gordon has done substantially more PR work than her rivals here, which is part of the criteria for rookie of the year.

CLAYTON HOWEY

The experienced two-wheel rider, another graduate from NHRA’s Sportsman Motorcycle ranks, has yet to reach a final round in his first full season but does have a trio of semifinal finishes. He’s especially sharp at the Tree with a perfect .000, a .001, and a .008 reaction time to his credit already this season and owns the class’ best reaction-time average; the flipside of those hair-trigger reactions is a trio of foul starts. He’d probably be ranked higher in the standings but skipped two summer races, in Bristol and Norwalk.

WILL SMITH

After a number of abbreviated seasons, this is Smith’s first full campaign in the Scag-affiliated Bluebird Turf dragster. He has consistently been one of the class’ best starting-line leavers and ranks second in both reaction-time average and “left first” (19-5), including four straight holeshots last weekend in St. Louis, where he reached his first career final round. Despite failing to qualify in his Gainesville debut, he’s a lofty fifth in points and is 2-1 against Top Fuel rival Gordon.

DYLAN WINEFSKY

The up-and-coming Funny Car racer will become NHRA Rookie of the Year-eligible with one more start, which is expected to take place in Las Vegas. While the team’s tenacity and want-to is widely respected throughout the pits, the team’s performance is not quite there yet, with two DNQs in four starts and a pair of first-round losses when they did qualify.

The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor who also represents the future of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors, and media.

The winner will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16, as part of the NHRA Awards Ceremony at Pechanga Resort Casino.