With half the season complete in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, three drivers have emerged as leading candidates to win the prestigious NHRA Rookie of the Year award. At this point, Funny Car drivers Spencer Hyde and Hunter Green are in the mix, and they are joined  by first-year Pro Stock sensations Cody Coughlin and Matt Latino. With 10 events remaining, there is also ample opportunity for other drivers to meet the required minimum of five events. Here is a closer look at the drivers who might well be on stage at the NHRA post-season awards banquet.

To be eligible for NHRA Rookie of the Year, 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.

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.

Here’s a look at the eligible drivers (and those potentially eligible), ranked by number of events attended, and their statistics heading into the second half of 2025:

SPENCER HYDE (FUNNY CAR)

Driving a Funny Car is difficult, but then again, so is driving a Pro Mod car, so perhaps Spencer Hyde’s relatively smooth transition from Pro Mod to Jim Head’s Nitro Funny Car isn’t as much of a surprise as it would first appear. Hyde spent several years in the Pro Mod class and made two starts in Top Fuel before making the move to Funny Car this season. After an inauspicious start that included DNQs at his first two events, Hyde quickly adapted to his new surroundings, and he’s a threat to not only win an event, but also make a run at the title. At this point, he’s a significant favorite to win the ROY award.

Current points position: 12th
Races run: 10
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 1
Round-wins: 6

Season highlight: Scored runner-up in Epping and also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Las Vegas; qualified a season-best No. 3 in Las Vegas and has run a best of 3.863.

CODY COUGHLIN (PRO STOCK)

One of the biggest surprise announcements of the offseason came when former NASCAR driver Cody Coughlin joined the ranks of NHRA Pro Stock and did so as a member of the KB Titan Racing team. Cody is the fifth member of the Coughlin family to race in Pro Stock, continuing a longstanding tradition that dates back to his grandfather, Jeg Sr. Much like Hyde, Coughlin got off to a tough start when he missed the field at his first two events, but he has since recovered to reach the Top 10.

Current points position: 10th
Races run: 8
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 3

Season highlight: Qualified No. 1 in Epping and beat his uncle, six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., in the first round in Norwalk.

HUNTER GREEN (FUNNY CAR)

After four wins in Top Alcohol Dragster in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Hunter Green joined his father, Chad, in the Funny Car class this season, and he’s proven to be a quick study. Green made his debut in Las Vegas and earned his first Professional round-win at race later in Charlotte, where he defeated Daniel Wilkerson and Bob Tasca III in four-wide action. A recently expanded schedule has allowed Green to not only fulfill the eligibility requirements for the NHRA Rookie of the Year award, but to also establish himself as a contender.

Current points position: 17th
Races run: 5
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 2

Season highlight: Narrowly defeated four-time world champ Matt Hagan in the opening round of the NHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond, 4.06 to 4.08.

MATT LATINO (PRO STOCK)

Following in his father, Eric’s footsteps, Matt Latino made his Pro Stock debut earlier this season, and the results have been nothing less than impressive. Following a DNQ in Phoenix, Latino qualified for his next event in Pomona and defeated his father in round one via a holeshot. Latino went on to reach the semifinals in Las Vegas and also topped Jeg Coughlin in the first round in Bristol. In his brief time in Pro Stock, Latino has already begun to earn a reputation as someone who is adept at getting the clutch out on time, and the thought of him actually winning a Pro Stock race this season isn’t at all far-fetched.

Current points position: 16th
Races run: 5
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 4

Season highlight: Defeated his father, Eric, on a holeshot in his first Professional round earlier this year in Phoenix. 

These drivers still need to compete at more events to become eligible for NHRA Rookie of the Year:

STEPHEN BELL (PRO STOCK)

A veteran of Factory Stock and Factory X, Stephen Bell made the move to Pro Stock this season and plans a limited schedule as part of the Elite Motorsports team. Bell qualified in Pomona with a career-best 6.531 and gave Jeg Coughlin Jr. all he could handle in round one. Bell needs to race in just one more event in order to officially qualify for NHRA Rookie of the Year, and he is entered for this weekend’s event in Seattle. 

Current points position: 23th
Races run: 4
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 0

Season highlight: Qualifying for his first Pro Stock event at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.

BRAYDEN DAVIS (PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE)

If he had the ability to compete in more events, Brayden Davis might well be the frontrunner for the NHRA Rookie of the Year award. As it is, Davis has made quite an impression in just three starts. After beginning the season aboard a White Alligator Racing bike, Davis joined the Vance & Hines lease program for Bristol and Richmond. He reached the semifinals at both events. Davis also qualified No. 1 in Bristol and won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Richmond. It’s unclear how many more events he might run this season, so it’s possible that he maintains his rookie eligibility into 2026. 

Current points position: 11th
Races run: 3
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 4

Season highlight: Qualifying No. 1 and reaching the semifinals in his second-ever NHRA race at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol.

JULIE NATAAS (FUNNY CAR)

Julie Nataas, the 2023 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champion, made her debut in the nitro Funny Car class this season as a member of Del Worsham’s team, and it didn’t take long for her to demonstrate a lot of potential. Nataas made her debut in Bristol and not only qualified for the field, but also upended Jack Beckman in round one with a solid 4.05 run. Nataas isn’t certain of her schedule going forward, so she might also be a 2026 ROY candidate because she has yet to compete in the minimum required five events.

Current points position: 18th
Races run: 2
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 1

Season highlight: Beating 2012 world champ Jack Beckman in her first Funny Car race in Bristol.

DYLAN WINEFSKY (FUNNY CAR)

With just one Pro start under his belt, it's difficult to gauge the potential of Funny Car rookie Dylan Winefsky, but so far, he appears to be right on schedule. The Arizona-based Winefsky obtained his license earlier this season and then debuted in Las Vegas, where he just missed the field with a 4.217 best. Winefsky is entered for this week’s Muckleshoot Casino & Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, and it’s a good bet that NHRA fans will see him at additional events before the end of the season.

Current points position: 29th
Races run: 1
Event wins: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Round-wins: 0

Season highlight: Running a career-best 4.271 in his NHRA Pro debut earlier this season in Las Vegas.