NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway was packed with drama and upsets that made the fourth event of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series one to truly remember. Here’s our five big takeaways.

FOUR-WIDE TOP FUEL MADNESS

Crazy things always seem to happen in eliminations at the four-wides, and it only took until the first pair of round one of Top Fuel to prove that right.

As the first four cars completed their burnouts, sprinkles began to dot the track, and all four in the first quad — Tony Stewart, Billy Torrence, Josh Hart, and Tony Schumacher — were all shut off. The initial plan, agreed to by the teams, was to refire them all once the weather cleared, but Schumacher's car had a seized supercharger and returned to the pits. There was some confusion on the starting line as to the correct procedure -- could Schumacher quickly return? -- but the other three eventually went on to race without him.

In the next pair, Antron Brown destroyed a motor and oiled Lane 1, leading to enough lane swapping to mimic a New York traffic jam as Leah Pruett’s team, scheduled to run behind Brown, had overall lane choice and went to Lane 2, and Will Smith, with second lane choice, went to Lane 4, displacing Ida Zetterström to Lane 3, while Justin Ashley, with no say in the matter, ended up in Lane 1.

A round later, Shawn Langdon’s Kalitta Air dragster popped a steering heim joint turning into its lane, and Brian Husen and crew dived in to get it fixed while on the clock, reminiscent of teammate Doug Kalitta’s flat tire on the starting line in round one in Pomona. The crew raced back to its pit for a replacement and had their Mac Tools twirling and got ‘er done. The work paid off as Langdon steamrolled to the win with a 3.74 and into the final.

BRACKET BUSTERS UNITE!

Whether you’re playing Drag Race Bracket Bonanza or the Bellagio of Bracketology, the four-wide race inevitably will bust anyone’s bracket.

While I had Shawn Langdon pegged to win Top Fuel, I had Antron Brown, who always kills at four-wide, and Josh Hart, in the car that ran 341 mph here last year, in the final with Langdon and Kalitta, but AB and Hart were sawed off in round one.

I had Dallas Glenn picked to win Pro Stock, but the class’ best starting-line artist didn’t even make the final as he lost on a double holeshot in the second round, so everyone pivoted to making low qualifier Greg Anderson the final-round favorite, but Matt Hartford stole the final.

Ditto for Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle, who looked dominant in qualifying but inexplicably red-lighted in round one. The final round had the Nos. 3, 7, 8, and 9 qualifiers after Smith, and then No. 2 Ryan Oehler went out early. Even though he qualified just seventh, I had Richard Gadson pegged to win the race and he just missed.

REPEAT OFFENDERS

Through three races this season, there hadn’t been a repeat winner in Top Fuel, Funny Car, or Pro Stock, but we got all two of three in Charlotte, where Ron Capps and Matt Hartford got their second diamond Wallys.

Capps lost in round one in Gainesville, then won in Phoenix, but was denied a second season win when he finished as runner-up behind Matt Hagan in Pomona.

Hartford won the Pro Stock season opener in Gainesville but lost in the first rounds in Phoenix and Pomona, which were won, respectively, by Dallas Glenn and Greg Anderson.

Doug Kalitta, who just missed the Top Fuel win in Gainesville behind Josh Hart and then went to the semi’s in both Phoenix and Pomona, got his 60th career win this weekend after stopping his teammate, Shawn Langdon, from scoring his second win of the year.
 

OUTLAWS STOLE OUR HEARTS

The Right Trailers Outlaw Street exhibition made its first of four starts this year and wowed the fans not only with the variety of machinery but some quick and flawless eighth-mile passes from the nine entries on hand.

They met the press and were openly enthusiastic not just about racing on NHRA’s big stage but also landing a prestigious Wally.  Read their comments here.

Fans of the Street Outlaws series openly cheered for Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington and Ryan Martin, and it was Martin taking the win after performance leader Scott Taylor fouled against him in the final.

BELLEMEUR, KILLER Bs STING AGAIN FOR 50TH WIN

When it comes to Top Alcohol Funny Car at zMAX Dragway, you can almost go ahead and fill out the winner’s check to Sean Bellemeur and the Killer Bs team (owner Tony Bartone, tuner Steve Boggs, and Bellemeur) as the team had won eight of the previous races here and were runner-up and the other two.

Their almost-predictable win here was a special one as it was Bellemeur’s milestone 50th national event win, making him just the 26th driver in NHRA history to reach that mark and only third behind Frank Manzo and Pat Austin to do it in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

“We have a great crew, a strong crew chief, and a fast driver. I knew we would do it; I just didn’t know when,” said team owner Tony Bartone. “The team worked hard on the car all weekend, and it resulted in a fast run. Getting Sean his 50th win is just an added bonus in a very young season. I am proud of this team and the effort they bring every weekend.”