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Top Fuel's Josh Hart looks to continue strong start at FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals

A near-flawless weekend to open the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season has Top Fuel’s Josh Hart riding high heading into this weekend’s FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs at Firebird Motorsports Park.
21 Mar 2026
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Josh Hart

A near-flawless weekend to open the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season has Top Fuel’s Josh Hart riding high heading into this weekend’s FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs at Firebird Motorsports Park.

Hart made career-best runs, qualified No. 1, set the Gainesville Raceway track speed record with a 340-mph run, and won in his debut with John Force Racing to kick off NHRA’s 75th Anniversary season.

It was a storybook start for Hart’s tenure at John Force Racing, and it’s only made the talented Top Fuel driver think even bigger in his Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster dragster. With a diamond Wally under his belt — as well as the points lead — Hart will have a chance to keep rolling in Phoenix and win the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge of the year, as well as get his first career victory at Firebird Motorsports Park.

“The Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster team checked a lot of boxes at Gainesville, and we’re going to take this momentum into Phoenix. We’re not going to take our foot off the gas; actually, quite the opposite,” Hart said. “We’ve set the expectation, we know where we need to improve, and now it’s just to make sure that I can live up to everybody else’s expectations.”

The weather may present some challenging conditions, but Hart and his team, led by standout crew chief David Grubnic, will be ready. The team ran well in all conditions in Gainesville, which adds to Hart’s confidence level.

He’ll face a loaded field in Phoenix, including reigning world champ and Gainesville runner-up Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett, Justin Ashley, and four-time champ Antron Brown. Hart, though, is thinking big this year, and that belief comes from the strong support around him.

“I want to earn the trust and respect of the John Force Racing fans. I want to earn the respect of my peers — be a good driver, stage properly — and I obviously want to earn the trust and respect of our team,” Hart said. “We’ve made a couple of really good steps in that direction, but I know that’s just the beginning."