Points leaders Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the first NHRA Nationals at The Rock, while Greg Stanfield won Pro Stock and took over the class points lead. The event ran in front of a near-capacity crowd at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina (NHRA.com).
How it was won
Top Fuel: Langdon beat Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta on a holeshot. Langdon left with a .024 reaction time and ran 3.739 seconds at 342.73 mph, the first 340-mph pass in Rockingham Dragway history, to hold off Kalitta’s quicker 3.722 at 330.40. Langdon beat Cam Ferre, Billy Torrence and Shawn Reed to reach the final.
Funny Car: Hagan drove his Tony Stewart Racing Dodge//SRT Hellcat to 3.922 at 327.75 mph as Paul Lee lost traction partway down the track. Hagan beat Dave Richards, Ron Capps and J.R. Todd to get there. Lee was in his first final of 2026.
Pro Stock: Stanfield (Elite Motorsports / Janac Brothers Racing) cut a .019 light and won with 6.537 at 210.48 mph against rookie Cody Anderson, whose quicker 6.525 came too late. Stanfield had a .005 light against reigning champion Dallas Glenn in the semifinals.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gadson won when Vance & Hines teammate Gaige Herrera red-lighted by .018, and ran 6.789 at 199.65 mph on his Suzuki.
Results snapshot
| Class | Winner | Final-round run | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Fuel | Shawn Langdon | 3.739 / 342.73 mph | Doug Kalitta (3.722 / 330.40) |
| Funny Car | Matt Hagan | 3.922 / 327.75 mph | Paul Lee (lost traction) |
| Pro Stock | Greg Stanfield | 6.537 / 210.48 mph | Cody Anderson (6.525 / 209.99) |
| Pro Stock Motorcycle | Richard Gadson | 6.789 / 199.65 mph | Gaige Herrera (red light) |
Points after Rockingham (NHRA.com): Top Fuel, Langdon +25 over Kalitta. Funny Car, Hagan +84 over Jordan Vandergriff. Pro Stock, Stanfield +31 over Matt Hartford. Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gadson +64 over Herrera. Full sportsman and Pro Mod winners: NHRA official results. Round by round: Competition Plus.
History & significance
This was the first NHRA Nationals at The Rock, race 16 of 20 and the second of six Countdown to the Championship events. Langdon has now won three straight (the U.S. Nationals plus the first two Countdown races), with his seventh win of 2026 and the 29th of his career. Hagan picked up his fourth win of the year and 59th of his career as he chases a fifth Funny Car title, which would put him with John Force as the only drivers to win five or more. Stanfield’s win was his eighth in Pro Stock, and Gadson now has seven career wins (NHRA.com).
What’s next
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns October 2–4 for the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. Texas drag fans can look ahead to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis during the Stampede of Speed in October.