John Force Racing Teams Ready To Tackle Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals

The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues to break new ground as teams head to Maryland International Raceway for the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS. The weekend presents more than just another race on the schedule for John Force Racing it’s an opportunity to capitalize on momentum, experience, and adaptability at one of the newest venues on the NHRA tour.

With Josh Hart, Alexis DeJoria, Jordan Vandergriff, and Jack Beckman all entering the weekend carrying different storylines, the common theme throughout the JFR camp is simple: new tracks create opportunity.

Josh Hart And John Force Racing Eye Breakthrough At Maryland International Raceway

Josh Hart believes the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway could be the perfect opportunity for the John Force Racing Speedmaster Top Fuel team to remind the rest of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series what it’s capable of.

As the series heads to the second of four new venues added to the 2026 NHRA schedule, Hart sees a unique opportunity in the unknown. With no NHRA national event history at Maryland International Raceway, every nitro team will begin the weekend with minimal data and a nearly level playing field.

For Hart and the Dave Grubnic and John Collins-led Speedmaster operation, that scenario could play directly into their hands.

The Speedmaster Top Fuel team opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion at the NHRA Gatornationals. Hart captured the No. 1 qualifying position, recorded the first official 340-mph run of his career, and drove to his third NHRA Top Fuel national event victory.

That breakout weekend immediately established the John Force Racing team as a championship contender.

While the following races brought mixed results, Hart and the Speedmaster team showed signs of returning to peak form at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago. During his 100th career Top Fuel start, Hart advanced to the semifinals and reset the track speed record with a blistering 341.25 mph pass — the first and only 340-mph run in Route 66 Raceway history.

Now, Hart hopes that momentum carries directly into Maryland.

New NHRA Venue Creates Level Playing Field

One of the biggest storylines surrounding the inaugural Potomac Nationals is the lack of available data for teams. In nitro racing, track history and previous setup notes are often critical for crew chiefs trying to manage 12,000-horsepower race cars.

At Maryland International Raceway, however, every team starts from scratch.

Hart welcomes that challenge.

“I love the new venues because it levels the playing field,” Hart said. “Dave Grubnic and John Collins (crew chiefs) have decades of knowledge to pull from and, with track guru Lanny Miglizzi providing information to all the John Force Racing teams, I have every confidence our Speedmaster team will end up in the winner’s circle at the end of the day Sunday.”

That confidence comes from the proven ability of Grubnic and Collins to adapt quickly under changing conditions. The crew chiefs helped guide Hart to career-best performances earlier this season and continue to fine-tune one of the quickest Top Fuel dragsters in the class.

Speedmaster Team Focused On Championship Push

Six races into the 2026 NHRA season, Hart believes the Speedmaster team is beginning to fully gel as a championship-caliber operation.

“At this stage, about one-third of the way through the 2026 season, the Speedmaster Top Fuel team is focused on one round at a time, both in qualifying and eliminations,” Hart said. “There’s so much at stake every time you roll up to the line that you can’t take anything for granted and can’t look past one round to the next.”

That measured approach has become increasingly important in the ultra-competitive Top Fuel category, where small mistakes can quickly end a race weekend.

Hart believes the foundation is now in place for the team to start stacking together consistent results.

“The Speedmaster team has come together nicely,” Hart said. “We’re six races in and getting our feet firmly planted as we go. We’ve proven what we’re capable of but now it’s time to show everybody we are a championship-caliber combination. It’s time to turn on more win lights each weekend and set some records.”

Jordan Vandergriff Building Momentum In Rookie NHRA Funny Car Season

Jordan Vandergriff’s rookie Funny Car season has already delivered a crash course in the highs and lows of NHRA drag racing.

Just two weeks after scoring his first career NHRA Funny Car victory at the Southern Nationals in Georgia, the John Force Racing driver experienced the other side of the sport at Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago. After qualifying 10th, Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevy SS Funny Car made a solid first-round run, only to lose to eventual event winner Chad Green.

The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season has already been filled with milestones for Vandergriff. His breakthrough victory at South Georgia Motorsports Park marked the first Funny Car win of his career and came during the NHRA’s first national event at the new facility.

That victory instantly validated the potential of the John Force Racing-backed Cornwell Tools program.

But as Vandergriff quickly learned, consistency in the ultra-competitive Funny Car category can be difficult to maintain.

“The main takeaway is that drag racing isn’t easy,” Vandergriff said. “We were coming off our best weekend, my first career win in South Georgia. We got to Chicago just two weeks later, and we struggled all weekend. We actually had a really good run in the first round of eliminations, but just got outrun a little bit.”

Despite the setback, Vandergriff remains confident in the direction of the team.

“It’s the highs and lows of drag racing, and you’re going to go through these kinds of times,” Vandergriff continued. “You obviously don’t want the lows, but they’re going to happen. We know the Cornwell Tools Chevy has been really good all season, so we’re going to brush this one off, reset, and head into Maryland with the confidence that we have had all year.”

Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals Creates New Opportunity

Maryland International Raceway presents another fresh challenge for the entire NHRA field. Like South Georgia Motorsports Park earlier this season, MIR will host its first-ever NHRA national event, meaning teams will enter the weekend with little or no usable national event data.

That uncertainty could benefit Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools team once again.

“I know absolutely nothing about Maryland, but I’m super excited to get there to learn all about it, see the venue and track, and meet all the fans,” Vandergriff said. “I think it’s cool for the NHRA to go to new markets so we can race in front of new fans as well as longtime fans.”

The rookie Funny Car driver believes new venues help eliminate advantages normally held by veteran teams with years of setup notes.

“The new tracks level the playing field and, based on the last time we went to a new track, it worked in our favor,” Vandergriff said. “I’m really confident in Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker, and this Cornwell Quality Tools team to figure out the new racetracks.”

Alexis DeJoria Finding Consistency In 2026 NHRA Funny Car Season

Alexis DeJoria and the John Force Racing Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team are starting to hit their stride at exactly the right time in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

After a semifinal finish at the NHRA Southern Nationals and a runner-up performance at the Route 66 Nationals, DeJoria enters this weekend’s inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway with growing momentum and a race car capable of competing for wins.

The recent surge in performance has positioned the Mike Neff and Jonnie Lindberg-led Funny Car team as one of the hottest combinations in the category heading into the summer stretch of the NHRA season.

The early part of DeJoria’s 2026 campaign showcased flashes of speed, but consistency remained elusive. She opened the season with a final-round appearance before suffering a first-round exit at Phoenix.

Since then, however, the Bandero Café team has steadily built momentum race after race.

DeJoria has now advanced at least one round in each of the past four national events, a clear sign the John Force Racing program is beginning to gel. More impressively, her 10 round wins through six races already equal her entire total from the 2025 season.

That type of improvement has not gone unnoticed inside the JFR camp.

“Now that we have the consistency we were working on, Mike (Neff) and Jonnie (Lindberg) will be shooting for those low E.T.s and high mph,” DeJoria said.

The veteran Funny Car driver credits the strength of the John Force Racing organization for helping the team continue its upward trajectory.

“At John Force Racing, we have a team full of experts who know what they are doing, which means a high level of confidence for me as a driver, even when we’re looking at a new facility,” DeJoria said. “My faith in this crew is unwavering.”

New NHRA Venue Levels The Playing Field

This weekend’s NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway presents another unique challenge for the entire Funny Car field.

As an inaugural NHRA national event, teams will arrive with limited data and little knowledge of how the racing surface will react to 12,000-horsepower nitro Funny Cars. That uncertainty often creates opportunity for teams capable of adapting quickly.

DeJoria understands the challenge but remains confident in her team’s ability to adjust.

“Honestly, I don’t have any expectations heading to Maryland,” DeJoria said. “We’ve never raced there, so it’s new territory for all of us. There are so many factors at play when it comes to assessing a new track.”

Fortunately for the Bandero Café team, they’ve already shown the ability to perform in changing conditions throughout the season.

“One thing I can say is we have a great tune-up for hot or cold weather,” DeJoria added.

That flexibility could prove critical as teams navigate Maryland International Raceway for the first time during a busy early-summer race weekend.

DeJoria’s John Force Racing Funny Car Program Heating Up

The recent runner-up finish in Chicago and victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge further demonstrated the gains DeJoria’s team has made over the opening six races of the season.

With Mike Neff and Jonnie Lindberg continuing to refine the setup, the Bandero Café Funny Car appears increasingly capable of making consistent low E.T. runs while also going rounds on race day.

“After winning the Mission #2fast2tasty Challenge and getting another runner-up in Chicago, we’re on a good trajectory,” DeJoria said.

The next step for the team is clear: converting consistent performance into another Funny Car victory.

DeJoria’s last NHRA Funny Car win came in October 2021 at Bristol Dragway, but if recent trends continue, the Bandero Café team may not have to wait much longer to return to the winner’s circle.

Jack Beckman Focused On Winning At Maryland International Raceway

Jack Beckman and the John Force Racing PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team know the results through the opening third of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season haven’t matched their expectations.

For the 2012 NHRA Funny Car world champion, new race tracks bring equal parts challenge and opportunity. With little available setup data for Maryland International Raceway, teams will spend qualifying building a notebook from scratch while searching for the quickest and most consistent combination possible.

That uncertainty may be exactly what Beckman and crew chiefs Dan Hood and Tim Fabrisi need to regain momentum in the ultra-competitive Funny Car category.

Jack Beckman Brings Veteran Experience To New NHRA Venue

While many drivers entering Maryland International Raceway have little or no experience at the facility, Beckman does have one unusual connection to the track.

“I filmed an episode of the TV show Pinks with Clay Millican out there, probably 17 years ago, but none other than that,” Beckman said.

Even with limited firsthand experience, Beckman already understands some of the technical characteristics that could make MIR one of the more challenging facilities on the 2026 NHRA schedule.

“I know it’s the shortest concrete section on the tour and I know it’s the third-lowest elevation of any racetrack on tour,” Beckman explained. “I also know it’s a track we need to win at.”

The Maryland race also carries personal significance for Beckman beyond competition.

“I always love going to new racetracks. That’s always cool to me as a historian and a fan, going to a new venue,” Beckman said. “My dad’s from Maryland, and Christine’s from Maryland, so there’s a lot of family in that area. What better place to earn our first Wally of the year.”

Maryland International Raceway Creates Unique Setup Challenges

One of the biggest storylines entering the NHRA Potomac Nationals will be how teams adapt to Maryland International Raceway’s shorter concrete launch pad.

Modern NHRA facilities typically feature approximately 700 feet of concrete before transitioning to asphalt. MIR, however, reportedly offers just over 300 feet of concrete, creating a dramatically different tuning scenario for 12,000-horsepower nitro Funny Cars.

According to Beckman, that transition point could become critical.

“Dan Hood and Tim Fabrisi (the PEAK SQUAD’s crew chiefs) have a pretty sophisticated program and we always try to get our power level about as close to a baseline as we can, whether we’re at Vegas or Gainesville,” Beckman said.

Beckman explained that balancing power delivery and clutch management will be especially important on a track with such a short concrete section.

“Concrete provides better traction than asphalt, but it’s a lot more expensive and arguably a little harder to keep clean,” Beckman said. “So, most racetracks now are 700 feet of concrete, but Maryland, from what I understand, has just over 300 feet.”

That shorter concrete section means teams must carefully manage how the car reacts as it transitions onto asphalt during the run.

“The shorter pad is going to present unique challenges for two reasons,” Beckman said. “One is we are coming off that transition from concrete to asphalt, and it’s almost never perfectly smooth. That bump could upset the car, and we’ll reach it in what I would argue is the most critical area of acceleration.”

The lack of comparable historical data only adds another layer of difficulty.

“The issue is there are probably no data sheets in most of these crew chiefs’ computer cache that go back to racetracks with that short of a launch pad, and certainly our tuneups and power level have evolved since then,” Beckman added. “So, there’s going to be a lot of educated guesses for the first couple of qualifying runs trying to get situated and get the car to a level where it can make that transition and still put up a respectable ET.”

PEAK SQUAD Looking To Rebound In NHRA Funny Car Points Battle

Despite entering Race 7 deeper in the Funny Car standings than anticipated, Beckman remains focused on maximizing opportunities during the remainder of the season.

“There’s only ever one inaugural event at these new facilities, so we have three more shots this year to etch our names in the history books,” Beckman said. “We still want to earn our inaugural win of 2026.”

The veteran driver understands that reducing mistakes and minimizing poor race weekends will be critical moving forward.

“I didn’t think we’d be going into Race 7 this deep in the point standings, but it is what it is,” Beckman said. “We just have to make our bad outcomes fewer and further between. We’ll continue working on a solution to that this weekend.”

With the PEAK SQUAD’s experience, John Force Racing resources, and Beckman’s ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions, Maryland International Raceway could become the ideal venue for the team’s first victory of the 2026 season.