Doug Kalitta has plenty of momentum heading into the closing stretch of the NHRA regular season, and the reigning Top Fuel world champion showed Friday at Brainerd International Raceway that he has no plans of slowing down.
Kalitta powered his Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster to a 3.705-second pass at 340.30 mph to grab the provisional No. 1 qualifying position at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals. The run also earned Kalitta the Brainerd “Battle for the Axe,” presented by Visit Brainerd & Baxter, giving him some bonus money and bragging rights to go along with his strong start to the weekend.
Austin Prock grabbed the provisional top spot in Funny Car, while Matt Latino made a bid for the first No. 1 qualifier of his Pro Stock career during the 13th race of the 20-event 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Kalitta Keeps His Top Fuel Momentum Rolling
There probably aren’t many Top Fuel drivers who want to line up against Kalitta right now.
The defending world champion entered Brainerd with three victories this season, including consecutive wins at Sonoma and Seattle. He’s also the defending NHRA Brainerd Nationals winner, so Kalitta and crew chief Alan Johnson clearly have a combination that can get the job done at this point in the season.
Friday’s 3.705 at 340.30 mph was another example of just how strong the Mac Tools dragster has become.
“I had a lot of confidence in Alan (Johnson, crew chief) and in our ability to get to the top,” said Kalitta. “The car left well, pulled hard and stayed nice and straight. It was a good, solid run for us.”
The performance put Kalitta in position to add another No. 1 qualifier to his resume, but the veteran driver was quick to put the focus on the people responsible for preparing his dragster.
“I’ve got the best crew behind me,” said Kalitta. “With Alan Johnson building these cars and the performance he gets from his engines, I couldn’t be more fortunate to be in the situation I’m in.”
Kalitta will have to hold off a pair of serious challengers during the remaining qualifying sessions.
Top Fuel rookie Maddi Gordon sits second after running a 3.725 at 336.15 mph, while championship points leader Shawn Langdon is third with a 3.731 at 334.57 mph.
Austin Prock Puts Tasca Racing On Top In Funny Car
Austin Prock’s 2026 season didn’t get off to the kind of start the reigning Funny Car world champion wanted, but the Tasca Racing driver has been steadily working his way back into championship contention.
Prock took the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang to a 3.893 at 329.91 mph Friday to secure the provisional No. 1 qualifying position.
It’s another positive step for a team that spent the first six races of the season sitting 14th in the Funny Car standings. Prock has since worked his way toward the top five as the Countdown to the Championship approaches.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished this season,” said Prock. “We were 14th in points for the first six races of the year, and now we’re creeping up on fifth going into the Countdown. A lot of progress has been made.
“We figured if we ran between an .87 and an .89, we’d have a pretty good shot at being the No. 1 qualifier and we did that. It was a good way to end my birthday here in Brainerd.”
Brainerd has already been very good to Prock. He won the NHRA Brainerd Nationals last season during a campaign that eventually produced his second consecutive Funny Car world championship.
This time, Prock is chasing his second victory of the 2026 season.
John Force Racing’s Jack Beckman finished Friday second with a 3.903 at 324.67 mph, while Dave Richards occupies the third position after recording a 3.924 at 327.66 mph.
Matt Latino Makes A Run At His First Pro Stock No. 1 Qualifier
Matt Latino could be on the verge of adding a new accomplishment to his NHRA Pro Stock career.
Latino drove his FASS Diesel Solutions Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.588 at 207.21 mph, putting him in the provisional No. 1 qualifying position. If that elapsed time survives the remaining qualifying sessions, Latino will earn the first No. 1 qualifier of his NHRA career.
His progress comes after a rookie campaign that allowed him to get comfortable competing in one of NHRA’s tightest professional categories.
“Last year, I did pretty well for a rookie and got comfortable in the car quickly. I brought some good brands on board, and I’m thankful they stayed with me for the full season. I don’t do anything unless I can excel at it. That’s not me pounding my chest and saying I’m the best—it’s about dedication.”
Latino doesn’t have much breathing room at the top.
Reigning Pro Stock champion Dallas Glenn also recorded a 6.588, but his 206.29 mph speed put him second behind Latino. Pro Stock rookie Cody Anderson is right behind them in third after running a 6.589 at 206.99 mph.
With only one-thousandth of a second separating the top three elapsed times, the battle for the Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier is far from settled.
You might also like
Chad Green Targets Third 2026 Funny Car Win At NHRA Brainerd Nationals
Chad Green spent the summer break getting ready for a big push during the countdown. Check out his plans for Brainerd this weekend.
