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Saturday News and Notes from the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals

Shawn Langdon, Alexis DeJoria, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Gaige Herrera lead their respective categories into two crucial final qualifying sessions at World Wide Technology Raceway.
03 Oct 2026
David Kennedy
Saturday News and Notes from the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals

Saturday at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals brings two final qualifying sessions and rising championship pressure to World Wide Technology Raceway. Shawn Langdon, Alexis DeJoria, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Gaige Herrera enter the day as the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, respectively, but each category remains primed for movement. 

Langdon was the only nitro driver to lead both Friday sessions, while DeJoria holds a speed-based tiebreaker over Matt Hagan after both ran 3.882. Coughlin leads Greg Stanfield by just one-thousandth of a second in an exceptionally tight Pro Stock field, and Herrera’s 6.666-second blast established him as the rider to beat in Pro Stock Motorcycle. With qualifying positions, bonus points and Countdown momentum at stake, Saturday’s runs will set the fields and establish the matchups for a pivotal Sunday of eliminations in St. Louis competition.

 

Maddi Gordon makes fastest run in track history during Top Fuel Q3

Maddi Gordon delivered the biggest speed of the weekend during Saturday’s third Top Fuel qualifying session at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, charging to a track-record 340.65 mph at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Gordon completed the run in 3.738 seconds, recording a .855-second 60-foot time and reaching the eighth-mile in 3.024 seconds at 295.66 mph. Although the run did not improve on her 3.708 from Friday, it made Gordon the fastest driver in the history of the St. Louis facility and kept her third in the overall qualifying order.

Shawn Langdon was quickest in Q3 with a 3.701 at 337.16 mph. His Friday-best 3.679 at 339.87 continues to lead the field.

Leah Pruett ranked second in the session with a 3.722 at 327.35, followed by Billy Torrence’s 3.727 at 338.00 and Gordon’s record-setting pass.

Shawn Reed ran 3.752 at 332.92, Josh Hart posted a 3.769 at 330.80 and Tony Stewart followed with a 3.775 at 334.98. Jasmine Salinas added a 3.793 at 320.20, while Antron Brown recorded a 3.821 at 322.42.

Doug Kalitta, Spencer Massey, Tony Schumacher and several other contenders encountered trouble and were unable to complete representative runs.