NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Shawn Langdon, Gary Scelzi, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Angelle Sampey, and Jeff Taylor are the latest superstar talents to be named to NHRA’s prestigious Top 75 Drivers list. The five drivers join 15 previously announced drivers, with five more to be announced next week to complete the list, which is comprised of the original Top 50 Drivers from NHRA’s 50th Anniversary season in 2001 and 25 drivers from the modern era.

From Jr. Dragsters to Top Fuel, Langdon has excelled in nearly every NHRA category. A two-time Super Comp world champion and 2013 Top Fuel world champ, he has collected 30 national event wins — including a trio at the NHRA U.S. Nationals — and is one of just 19 drivers to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

“I’m speechless,” said Langdon. “I’m very appreciative of the honor. I just got goosebumps thinking about the other names on this list. I’m very humbled to be with such great legends like Connie Kalitta and Don Garlits, some of the biggest names ever in our sport. This kind of recognition is a pinch-me moment; I was just a kid with a dream to race race cars, and now I’m living that dream every week and continue to give my best effort and demand perfection of myself.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to be surrounded by the greatest of people, starting with the Lucas family, who gave me my big break, and then obviously Alan Johnson, Don Schumacher, and now Connie. I’ve been extremely fortunate; sometimes I look back and don’t know how I got here, but I just keep my head down and work hard to be the best racer and best person I can be.”

Scelzi, a 43-time national event winner, is not only one of just three drivers to win world championships in Top Fuel and Funny Car, but also the only driver to win in both nitro classes and both Top Alcohol classes. He exploded onto the nitro scene in 1997 and scored three Top Fuel championships and added a Funny Car title in 2005.

“I'm in awe, thank you for this great honor,” Scelzi said. “I'm as excited about that as I was getting into the [Internal Drag Racing] Hall of Fame; that’s how much this means to me.

“I am blessed to have been able to have lived a childhood dream, because I remember lying on my bed at 10 or 12 years old, reading National Dragster and seeing the names of guys like Dale Armstrong and Bill Walsh and Arnie Karp, and then getting to race with and against them in the alcohol classes. Then I wanted to race people like Kenny Bernstein and John Force and Joe Amato, because they were my childhood heroes, and I got to do that, too, and actually beat them and then become friends with them. I've gotten to work with some great people, like Alan Johnson, Don Schumacher, Todd Okuhara, and Mike Neff, and the whole time I was just living this great dream.”

Coughlin, often dubbed “the Natural” by his racing peers, is one of NHRA’s most accomplished drivers. A Sportsman standout turned Pro Stock powerhouse, he’s a five-time Pro Stock champion, past NHRA Rookie of the Year, and the first driver to win national events in seven different racing categories. He owns 88 career wins, including four at the U.S. Nationals.

“It's very flattering and quite an honor to join the other new nominees and the original Top 50,” said Coughlin. “I've grown up my entire life in the sport, whether it was doing burnouts with my shoes or reading National Dragster or dropping oil pans on my dad’s Top Fuel dragsters with my brother and then getting that first chance of racing something down a quarter-mile and tasting victory for the first time. That first win, right in our hometown in Columbus [Ohio] in 1990, was a career made whole at that point in time, so everything since then has been just amazing.

“It's humbling to look back over the years and see the accomplishments we've made. I say ‘we’ because it's not just me behind the wheel, but my family has been a huge part of all my successes. I feel very fortunate and pretty damn blessed to still be doing it. I've had some amazing opportunities, been part of some amazing teams, and been very fortunate to really do what I do at the highest level. Drag racing has always been my first love, and always will be.”

Sampey defied the odds to become NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle royalty. A three-time world champion with 47 national wins, she broke barriers for women in the class and excelled across teams and brands. After returning from two-wheeled retirement, Sampey expanded her legacy by winning in Top Alcohol Dragster and hopes to compete in Top Fuel in the future.

When I started this career nearly 30 years ago, I had no idea what my future held," said Sampey." I’ve been so fortunate to always have the best teammates around me to help make my dreams a reality. It wasn’t without challenges or ups and downs, but I can assure you that every sacrifice was worth it. Being chosen for the Top 75 is a huge honor, and I sincerely appreciate every person who helped me get here."

Taylor has had one of the longest and greatest careers in NHRA Sportsman-racing history, including four world championships and more than 50 national event wins. He won his first world championship in Stock in 1981, added Super Stock crowns in 1988 and 1991, then won the Comp eliminator world championship in 2005 and then again in 2025.

“Wow, just wow; I’m speechless,” said Taylor. “Growing up in North Carolina, Bobby Warren was my hero. I saw Bobby the other day, and he said, ‘I'm awfully proud of what you've done in racing,’ and that meant so much to me. I remember being a little boy, walking into his house and seeing a Wally [trophy] sitting there, and I thought, ‘Man, I hope one day I can win one of them.’ I've won five championships and a lot of races, but this is probably the biggest honor I've ever received. This is huge. For a guy that's nearing the end of his driving career, this is unbelievable.”

The original Top 50 Drivers remain a foundational part of the new Top 75 Drivers list, with historical figures such as Don Garlits, John Force, Don Prudhomme, and Shirley Muldowney celebrated alongside current stars. The full list showcases NHRA’s best across all eras.

The 25 new additions were selected for their excellence over the last 25 years and include the best from NHRA’s Professional and Sportsman classes.

When the list is completely revealed, fans can purchase a commemorative book saluting the Top 75 Drivers, a keepsake packed with photos and profiles of each of the 75 drivers.

To view all of the Top 75 drivers so far, visit the Top 75 Drivers homepage.