NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

This weekend, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing series makes a long-awaited return to the State of Georgia with the return of the NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Ga. The event, the fifth of the 2026 season, features competition in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle as well as the JBS Pro Mod series and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

South Georgia Motorsports Park is the first of four new venues on the 2026 NHRA schedule along with Maryland Int’l Raceway, U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, and Rockingham Dragway.

South Georgia Motorsports Park opened in April 2004 as a multi-purpose racing facility, featuring a quarter-mile dragstrip and a 0.5-mile oval. Previously, the track was known for hosting radial, small tire, and heads-up events. In 2023, the track was purchased by Raul and Jennifer Torres, who have worked diligently to improve the facility to the point where it now hosts a national event during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q1

For the record, the first NHRA Pro to make a run down the South Georgia Motorsports Park quarter-mile was Charles Poskey, who clocked a 7.005 to kick off Friday’s first Pro Stock Motorcycle session. From there, it only got quicker.

Marc Ingwersen followed with a 6.806 while 2003 world champion Geno Scali also turned in a competitive time slip with a 6.842.

Jianna Evaristo made the first 6.7-second run and the first 200-mph run with a 6.778, 200.29  but that didn’t last long as a track record as Matt Smith followed with a 6.699 at a booming 203.03 mph speed aboard his Denso Buell.

Angie Smith made a very competitive run with a 6.757 at over 200 mph while Chase Van Sant followed last weekend’s semifinal in Charlotte with a 6.778.

Clayton Howey, also a semifinalist last weekend, opened with a 6.795, 200.53 mph run.

The final pair featured points leaders Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera. Both were quick, but could not catch Smith. Herrera ran 6.732 while Gadson was third-quickest at 6.730.

PRO STOCK Q1

The same cool conditions that allowed Pro Stock Motorcycles to run 6.6s was good for Pro Stock cars, where 6.5-second runs were plentiful.

Rookie of the Year contender Cody Anderson opened the floodgates with a 6.536 run

Eric Latino, who has qualified in the top half of the field more often than not lately, was impressive with a 6.508 while Jeg Coughlin Jr. ran 6.547.

Greg Stanfield was also impressive with a 6.526 to put his Elite entry into the thick of the battle.

In the last pair, Greg Anderson did what he’s done many times in the past with a 6.498 to take over the provisional pole in his HendrickCars.com Camaro.

As good as the track conditions were for some, they were challenging for others as Kenny Delco, Troy Coughlin Jr., Deric Kramer, Matt Latino, Matt Hartford, Dallas Glenn, and Erica Enders all shook the tires and shut off early during Friday’s opening session. 
 

FUNNY CAR Q1

Other than occasional pre-season testing, South Georgia Motorsports does not have much of a history when it comes to nitro racing but that changed during Friday’s first pro qualifying session as NHRA’s top pros tackled what is generally regarded as one of the best racing surfaces in the sport.

While some of the Pro Stock teams struggled with traction, that wasn’t as much of an issue with the Funny Car crowd as the first nitro session kicked off with a pair of full runs including a 3.958 by Hunter Green and a 4.035 by Jeff Arend, who is once against driving Jim Dunn’s entry.

Austin Prock’s Motorcraft team continues to make progress, but still didn’t register a full run while Cruz Pedregon was solid with a 3.948 in his Snap-on Dodge. Spencer Hyde also made a solid first run at 3.963 in Jim Head’s car.

Pedregon held the top spot until Jordan Vandergriff drove the Cornwell Tools Chevy to a 3.924 to earn the provisional pole. That number held for one pair until J.R. Todd ran 3.887. SGMP also nearly became the latest track to host a 340-mph speed when Todd drove the DHL entry to a 332.28 speed.

Todd ended the session as the provisional low qualifier after current points leaders Ron Capps and Matt Hagan both failed to make full runs in an otherwise competitive session.

TOP FUEL Q1

It took a few pairs for the Top Fuel dragsters to find their footing on the unfamiliar SGMP surface as there was plenty of tire smoke before Antron Brown broke through with a 3.896 in his Matco Tools dragster.

Maddi Gordon continues to make steady progress in her rookie season in Top Fuel and that showed in Q1 where she drove the Carlyle Tools entry to a 3.775, 329.75 for the provisional pole. Josh Hart was slightly ahead of Gordon to the 660-footmark before slowing with a 3.990.

When the final pair, featuring teammates Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon, went into side-by-side tire smoke, Gordon had secured the provisional pole for Q1.
 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q2

Matt Smith continued to set the pace in Pro Stock Motorcycle as the six-time world champion backed up his earlier 6.699 second run with a 6.716 in Q2 to set the pace and earn three more qualifying bonus points.

Smith was well ahead of the pack including world champ Richard Gadson, who ran 6.754 and Q1 leader Gaige Herrera, who was third quickest at 6.765.

The only other riders in the 6.7s were Angie Smith, who recorded a 6.788 and Clayton Howey, who continues to impress with a 6.795 on his Suzuki.

After missing Q1, John Hall put his Buell solidly into the field with a 6.841 while Jianna Evaristo was also impressive with a 6.800 on her JHG Buell.

PRO STOCK Q2

The biggest story in Pro Stock isn’t who is qualified in the top half of the field, but rather who is not as reigning world champ Dallas Glenn and six-time world champ Erica Enders, are among those who did not register a competitive elapsed time on Friday. With an uncertain forecast for Saturday, both must wait and hope for the best before the 16-car field is set.

Some of the better runs from Q2 came from Eric Latino at 6.541, Matt Hartford, who ran 6.544, Deric Kramer at 6.585 and Kenny Delco, who ran 6.591.

Cody Coughlin posted a 6.558 to back up his earlier 6.527 while Cody Anderson was also solid with a 6.557.

Greg Anderson, the Q1 leader, shook the tires and failed to make a full run, but held on to the lead heading into Saturday’s final two scheduled runs.
 

FUNNY CAR Q2

There was a bit of hit and miss in the second Funny Car session but those who managed to hit the combination, seemed to do quite well including Matt Hagan with a 3.933 and Jack Beckman, who clocked a 3.973 in the Peak Chevy.

Another driver who had plenty of reason to feel good about his performance was Dave Richards, who posted a career best speed of 334.57 mph along with a very respectable 3.959 elapsed time. Spencer Hyde also improved from Q1 with a 3.982.

Austin Prock undoubtably breathed a sigh of relief after a 3.956, one of his best runs of the season since joining Bob Tasca’s team.

Late in the session, Chad Green and Cruz Pedregon put on a great show with side-by-side runs of 3.946 and 3.975, respectively.

Finally, Alexis DeJoria posted a 3.968 while Q1 leader J.R. Todd remained consistent with a 3.930, 332.67. 

TOP FUEL Q2

Qualifying across all four NHRA pro classes was solid on the first day of qualifying for the Southern Nationals, but no run was more impressive, or more celebrated than Shawn Langdon’s 345.00 mph blast at the tail end of Top Fuel qualifying. Officially the fastest run in the history of the sport, it also came with a 3.724, the quickest pass of the day.

Tony Stewart finished the day just behind Landon with a 3.758 while Doug Kalitta, Maddi Gordon, and Billy Torrence also found the 3.7s in NHRA’s first appearance at SGMP.

The top eight includes Leap Pruett, Josh Hart, and Antron Brown who ran 3.896 in his Matco entry.

Justin Ashley, coming off several strong performances, is currently qualified 11th with an early shut off 4.250.