Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Jordan Vandergriff (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and John Hall (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, where persistent rain pushed eliminations from Sunday to Monday. Langdon beat Spencer Massey in the Top Fuel final with a 3.664-second run at 346.15 mph after setting the fastest pass in NHRA history in the semifinals (NHRA.com).
How it was won
Top Fuel: Langdon opened Monday with a 3.652, the quickest run of the year, against Maddi Gordon. In the semifinals he beat Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta with a 3.663 at 346.95 mph, the fastest pass in NHRA history, then topped 346 mph again in the final against Massey’s 3.764 at 327.75. It was his sixth win of 2026, his second in a row and the 28th of his career, and it moved him back into the points lead, 11 points ahead of Kalitta. Massey reached his first final in more than a decade by beating Tony Schumacher, Josh Hart and Tony Stewart.
Funny Car: Vandergriff went from the No. 16 qualifier to the winner’s circle. He did not make a clean qualifying run and smoked the tires in round one, but No. 1 qualifier Austin Prock red-lighted and handed him the round. Vandergriff then made three runs in the 3.80s and beat points leader Matt Hagan in the final, 3.858 at 329.43 mph to Hagan’s 8.357. It was his third career win and the first for a No. 16 Funny Car qualifier since Del Worsham in 2003. He is now second in points, 23 behind Hagan.
Pro Stock: Coughlin Jr. beat Matt Latino, Greg Anderson and his uncle Jeg Coughlin Jr., then ran 6.515 at 209.69 mph in his JEGS Camaro to beat No. 1 qualifier Matt Hartford (6.527) in the final. The win, his sixth career victory, ended a 41-race drought dating to 2024. Hartford still took the points lead, five points ahead of Greg Stanfield.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Hall beat Clayton Howey, teammate Matt Smith and Ronnie Procopio, then won the final on the starting line when first-time finalist Marc Ingwersen red-lighted. Hall ran 6.808 at 194.22 mph on his Matt Smith Racing Buell for his first win of 2026 and the fifth of his career. It was the second straight year he has won the Countdown opener. Ingwersen had knocked out Gaige Herrera, reigning champion Richard Gadson and No. 1 qualifier Ryan Oehler. Gadson leads Hall by one point.
Results snapshot
| Category | Winner | Runner-up | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Fuel | Shawn Langdon | Spencer Massey | 3.664s / 346.15 mph def. 3.764s / 327.75 mph |
| Funny Car | Jordan Vandergriff | Matt Hagan | 3.858s / 329.43 mph def. 8.357s / 84.97 mph |
| Pro Stock | Troy Coughlin Jr. | Matt Hartford | 6.515s / 209.69 mph def. 6.527s / 208.14 mph |
| Pro Stock Motorcycle | John Hall | Marc Ingwersen | 6.808s / 194.22 mph def. red light |
No. 1 qualifiers: Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), Ryan Oehler (Pro Stock Motorcycle) (NHRA qualifying report). Sportsman winners: Greg Hunter (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Curtis Fredrich (Top Sportsman) (NHRA results). Full ladders: Competition Plus round-by-round.
History & significance
This was the first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, and NHRA called it the series’ long-awaited return to Michigan. It was race 15 of 20 and the first of six Countdown to the Championship rounds in NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. Sunday’s rain pushed eliminations to Monday (NHRA), and fans still packed the grandstands for Monday’s finish. Michigan native Kalitta, the Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier, reached the semifinals (NHRA Monday notes). Langdon’s 346.95 mph run now stands as the fastest pass in NHRA history.
What’s next
The Countdown continued with the NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina (September 25–27). Next came the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway (October 2–4) and the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas (October 9–18). Full calendar: NHRA 2026 schedule.