Elite Motorsports is rolling into the 2026 NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip with a stacked lineup and momentum across multiple classes, positioning itself as one of the most formidable teams heading into race three of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Few drivers in NHRA history have the kind of success at Pomona that Jeg Coughlin Jr. has built over his career. Back in the yellow and gold JEGS colors after a five-year absence, the six-time Pro Stock world champion enters the Winternationals eighth in points following a semifinal finish at the Arizona Nationals.
“On to Pomona! I love Pomona and Southern California, and it looks like we’ll be treated with some cooler temperatures after the scorcher we had in Phoenix. Whatever the weather brings, we’ll be ready to make some laps,” Jeg Jr. said. “I’ve had a lot of success at Pomona. I think one of the headlines after, fortunately, one of my many wins there was ‘Jeggy’s Love Affair with Pomona.’ And really, it’s been just that.”
Elite Motorsports’ Pro Stock program is firing on all cylinders early in 2026. Erica Enders, a six-time world champion and the winningest female driver in motorsports history, leads the team’s Pro Stock effort, sitting fifth in points after a semifinal and quarterfinal start to the season. Her early-season consistency marks a significant improvement compared to the same point last year.
Greg Stanfield enters the weekend sixth in points following a semifinal finish in Arizona and is aiming for his third professional win at Pomona. Meanwhile, Aaron Stanfield continues to be a threat at the facility, with recent wins including the 2023 NHRA Finals and a Winternationals victory in 2021. Troy Coughlin Jr. and Stephen Bell round out the Pro Stock roster, both looking to convert early-season progress into stronger results at one of the sport’s premier venues.
Adding another layer of competition, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Greg Stanfield will compete in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge during Saturday qualifying. The specialty event features rematches from the Arizona Nationals semifinals, with Coughlin set to face his nephew Cody Coughlin, while Stanfield takes on reigning world champion Dallas Glenn.
In Top Fuel, motorsports icon Tony Stewart continues to show steady progress in his first season under the Elite Motorsports banner. Stewart currently sits sixth in the standings after back-to-back quarterfinal finishes at Gainesville and Phoenix, demonstrating consistency in a highly competitive field. After reaching the Winternationals final round in 2025, Stewart returns to Pomona with unfinished business and the goal of taking another step forward in his Top Fuel career.
With multiple championship-winning drivers, proven race winners, and emerging talent across both Pro Stock and Top Fuel, the team has the tools to contend in nearly every session.
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