Jack Beckman, Jordan Vandergriff Lead John Force Racing Into NHRA Countdown

John Force Racing heads into the first race of the 2026 NHRA Countdown to the Championship with four teams trying to turn a solid regular season into something bigger. Jack Beckman brings the most momentum after winning the U.S. Nationals. Jordan Vandergriff starts his first full playoff run just 35 points from the Funny Car lead. Alexis DeJoria is looking for the breakthrough win that has narrowly escaped her so far, while Josh Hart sees the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park as a chance to reset his Top Fuel program.

If there’s such a thing as perfect playoff momentum, Beckman has it. The 2012 NHRA Funny Car world champion ended the 14-race regular season by winning the U.S. Nationals, his third career Funny Car victory at the Big Go. That result moved the PEAK Chevrolet SS team to third in the standings.

Beckman begins the Countdown only 17 points behind Ron Capps for second and 34 behind leader Matt Hagan. The PEAK SQUAD finished the regular season with two victories, 23 elimination-round wins, and two No. 1 qualifying positions.

Now comes something different: a national event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, a facility new to the current NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule.

“It’s the first time in the history of NHRA that we’ve added four new racetracks to the schedule in the same year. I’ve tested at Martin, but that was about 17 years ago. Then you throw in the variables that it’s a racetrack nobody has data on and the changing weather forecast that continues to improve the closer we get to the race weekend. The point that I’m making is that the crew chiefs have so many variables they have to juggle before we send the PEAK Chevy down the track on our first qualifying run. But I have all the confidence in the world that Tim and Dan (crew chiefs Fabrisi and Hood) and John Force Racing’s track prep guru Lanny Miglizzi will have it figured out.”

The Countdown starts with three consecutive race weekends, but Beckman isn’t spending much energy worrying about the schedule.

“My response when asked about the schedule, multiple races back to back, or multiple weekends off, is ‘it is what it is’. It is a schedule, we will conform to it and will always do the best we can every time. When you throw in those kinds of variables along with weather, it always tends to favor the better-funded teams simply because we have far more data to fall back on for that first run or two down the track. So, I think Dan and Tim are going to be as aggressive as they think that they can get away with on Friday and, come race day, we’ll hopefully have a car like we did at Indy, where our PEAK Chevy was simply the best car.”

Jordan Vandergriff’s first full NHRA regular season already produced plenty of milestones, now comes the part that decides championships. Vandergriff enters the Countdown fourth in Funny Car points, just one point behind Beckman, 18 behind Capps, and 35 behind Hagan.

The Cornwell Tools team collected two victories, 25 elimination-round wins, and three No. 1 qualifiers during the regular season.

“I love the fact that we’re going to a track hosting its first national event. Not only are we going to a new market where we’ll be meeting new fans, but an inaugural event levels the playing field. Let’s go somewhere new. Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker and my Cornwell Quality Tools boys have done well at new facilities so far this year so, hopefully, we can keep that going in Martin, Michigan.”

The regular season was about learning, but the Countdown is about executing.

“I think it’s GO time! That’s what we had the whole regular season for: to perform to the best of our abilities, build consistency, and figure things out when they don’t go our way. The Countdown is here, so it’s time to get to it, see what we’ve learned during the regular season, and continue to do what we’ve been doing all year. We’ve been consistent, had a strong success rate, and accrued a lot of points so, uh, I’m ready to go. I’m ready to go. I feel like the whole regular season, I was happy and having fun. Now I’m feeling the switch start to flip a little bit. The pressure of that first round at Indy against J.R. Todd, realizing what was at stake, and the fun and games are over. It’s serious business.”

Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Café Chevrolet team enter the Countdown seventh in Funny Car points. She’s only 27 points behind J.R. Todd for fifth and 76 behind Hagan for the lead.

The first-year John Force Racing team reached two finals during the regular season, collected 15 round wins, and qualified inside the top eight at 10 of 14 events. The only missing piece is a race victory, and DeJoria wants to change that now.

“I’m excited to race at a new track I’ve never even been to, let alone race at. It’s great for the sport and for the fans to have a new market added to the series. It shows the strength of the series and should be a great event to start the Countdown to the Championship.”

DeJoria also likes the idea of opening the playoffs with three consecutive weekends.

“I believe having back-to-back-to-back race weekends to start the Countdown keeps the drivers and teams sharp. It’s a grind, no doubt, but the Bandero Café team will get in a rhythm so I’m looking forward to it.”

And when it comes to the championship reset, her focus is straightforward.

“The Bandero Café team has a great opportunity to make it happen, to win our first race of the season and finish the season strong. Now’s the time to get hot.”

Josh Hart enters the Countdown seventh in Top Fuel points with a different kind of objective. The Speedmaster team won the season-opening Gatornationals and earned two No. 1 qualifying positions, but the rest of the regular season didn’t always meet expectations.

Hart starts the playoffs 24 points behind Antron Brown for fifth and 89 behind leader Doug Kalitta. The new U.S. 131 event gives him something he likes: a clean slate.

“I feel like it’s good fresh territory to turn our program around, so I’m excited about the new location and the new track. More importantly, I’m excited to make another pass in the Speedmaster Top Fuel dragster to collect some good data and set the world on fire again. This team has what it takes to create great success, and the playoffs is the best time of the year to do so.”

While some teams may dread three consecutive race weekends, Hart sees upside.

“I think more seat time, more tuning time, keeping everything fresh in your mind over three consecutive weekends sounds pretty good. Repetitive action will hopefully make it a lot easier and keep everybody in a good rhythm.”

And his approach to the six-race playoff?

“For me, it’s time to get it done now.”

John Force Racing enters the playoffs with four very different situations.

Beckman is coming off one of the biggest wins of the season and starts third in Funny Car. Vandergriff is a rookie full-time driver sitting fourth and only 35 points out of first. DeJoria is looking for her first victory of the season and starts within striking distance of the top five. Hart wants to reset his Top Fuel program and make up ground from seventh.

Momentum can snowball quickly, and one strong opening weekend can completely change the look of the championship standings. For John Force Racing, the regular season was about building toward this point, and now it’s time to see who can finish the job.