Elite Motorsports Surges Into Charlotte With Top Fuel Victory Momentum

Fresh off a breakthrough Top Fuel victory and with multiple storylines unfolding across its expanding program, Elite Motorsports heads to zMAX Dragway for race four of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with serious traction in  

It didn’t take long for Elite Motorsports to make a statement in Top Fuel. Just three races into its nitro program, Tony Stewart delivered the team’s first Top Fuel win at the NHRA Winternationals, defeating Justin Ashley in the final and marking the third Top Fuel victory of Stewart’s career.

The rapid success is a testament to how quickly team owner Richard Freeman assembled a competitive operation after acquiring the program late in 2025. With R+L Carriers backing the effort and championship crew chiefs Mike Green and Joe Barlam calling the shots, the pieces came together fast and effectively.

“All the ingredients are here. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but to see these guys and see their progression, it’s awesome. It’s been great to race with them,” Stewart said. “This is not easy, we definitely know that, but it’s such a unique and great group of people at Elite Motorsports. To get Richard his first win in the nitro class, there are no words to express how much that means. It’s such a special deal and a cool feeling.”

After two top-five qualifying efforts and consistent early-round performances, Stewart now sits fourth in the Top Fuel standings, firmly in the championship conversation heading into Charlotte.

While Stewart builds momentum in Top Fuel, Jeg Coughlin Jr. is preparing to hit a milestone few drivers ever reach. When he stages on Sunday, it will mark his 500th NHRA Pro Stock national event start, a career that spans nearly three decades of excellence.

“Five hundred Pro Stock events. Yet it seems like yesterday I was making my debut at the 1997 Dallas FallNationals,” said Jeg Jr., who raced his first full professional season in 1998. “I’ve had so many great runs, wins, and championships since then. And been on so many great teams and made some awesome fans along the way. It really has been such a fun run and we ain’t done yet.”

The numbers behind that milestone are staggering: 69 Pro Stock victories, 121 final-round appearances, and the distinction of winning from all 16 possible starting positions. Add in 19 sportsman wins and a Super Gas world championship, and it’s clear why Coughlin remains one of the most accomplished drivers in NHRA history.

Elite Motorsports is also using its platform to make an impact beyond the racetrack.

This weekend, the team is partnering with HBOT4 Heroes, a nonprofit focused on providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy to veterans and first responders dealing with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD. Retired Sgt. Maj. Joe Houle, a 32-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, will attend as a special guest.

At the same time, the Coughlin family is continuing its support of Children of Valor, an organization dedicated to helping children of Special Operations service members. The initiative will be visible throughout the event, with branding on the race cars of Jeg Coughlin Jr., Troy Coughlin Jr., and Paige Coughlin, along with a midway presence and special guests sharing their stories during the weekend.

The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals are already one of the most intense events on the schedule, but this year’s format brings even more opportunity for Elite Motorsports.

The Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge adapts to the four-wide structure, expanding to include not just semifinalists but quarterfinalists from the previous event. That means Tony Stewart, Greg Stanfield, Erica Enders, and Jeg Coughlin Jr. will all compete in the high-stakes qualifying showdown. With bonus points and prize money on the line, it’s another chance for Elite drivers to gain an edge early in the season.

Elite Motorsports is growing. The recent addition of Mike Lomas to the team’s Competition Eliminator program further strengthens an already diverse lineup that includes six Pro Stock cars, a Top Fuel dragster, multiple Comp entries, and a Pro Mod program driven by Mason Wright. That expansion reflects a broader commitment to the sport’s future, from grassroots categories to professional ranks.