The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series reached its halfway point with one of the most memorable race weekends of the season at Summit Motorsports Park. By the time the smoke cleared Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, history had been made for Ron Capps Motorsports.
Top Fuel rookie Maddi Gordon earned her first career NHRA Top Fuel victory in just her 10th professional start, while team owner Ron Capps added another milestone to his legendary career by collecting his 80th Funny Car victory. Combined with Doug Gordon’s Top Alcohol Funny Car win, it was one unforgettable weekend.
Aaron Stanfield continued his strong Pro Stock campaign with a clutch holeshot victory, while Richard Gadson doubled up in Pro Stock Motorcycle after defeating teammate Gaige Herrera for the second straight day.
Maddi Gordon Delivers Storybook First Top Fuel Victory
Few drivers have experienced a breakthrough weekend quite like Maddi Gordon.
Driving the Carlyle Tools/Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster, Gordon defeated four-time world champion Antron Brown in the championship round with a stellar 3.786-second pass at 333.16 mph to secure her first NHRA Top Fuel victory.
The accomplishment almost never happened.
Before the first round, Gordon’s team scrambled to overcome a mechanical issue that prevented the dragster from starting. Thanks to the patience and sportsmanship of fellow competitor Spencer Massey, the team managed to fire the engine just in time before Gordon defeated him to begin her remarkable day.
She followed that victory by knocking off Tony Stewart and Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon before outrunning Brown in the final.
“It literally doesn’t get any better than this,” Gordon said. “We brought three race cars here, we came home with three trophies and three ice cream scoopers, and y’all know me, you know I love ice cream, so that is like the cherry on top. I remember backing up from the burnout, and I wanted that win so bad, so bad. For my dad to win, and then Ron to win, it’s like the pressure is on, right? I’m just so grateful for this opportunity. This is the best day of my life.”
The victory carried even more emotion because Gordon credits Capps with helping launch her professional career.
“They say people usually stick out an arm or a leg for you; well, Ron catapulted out of a cannon for me. He believed in me even before I won a Top Alcohol Funny Car trophy. He signed my license in 2023, and I never imagined I would be sitting next to him in the media center. He could have thrown any driver in there, but he chose me, and I’m forever grateful for this opportunity. He changed my life in every way except for where I live.”
Brown reached his second consecutive final round after defeating Leah Pruett, Tony Schumacher, and Clay Millican. Shawn Langdon continues to lead the Top Fuel standings by 150 points over teammate Doug Kalitta.
Ron Capps Earns Historic 80th Funny Car Victory
Ron Capps made sure the celebration at Ron Capps Motorsports continued.
The Funny Car points leader drove his NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra to a 3.969-second pass at 328.54 mph to defeat Jack Beckman and earn his third Funny Car victory of the season.
The win was the 80th of Capps’ Hall of Fame career, making him the first Funny Car driver to reach three victories during the 2026 season.
Capps defeated Bobby Bode, J.R. Todd, and Alexis DeJoria before meeting Beckman in the championship round. A stellar .048 reaction time helped deliver another Diamond Wally while completing the team’s first-ever NHRA nitro sweep.
“I went over to her car before the final round, and I go, ‘Well, you got your head on straight, right?’ and she’s just smiling at me, that Maddi Gordon smile, and I actually asked her for advice,” Capps said.
“You lie in bed, and you dream about stuff like this. I don’t know how many final rounds I’ve been in, but it was fun, and I was just hoping we got the win. Once we got the win, I thought the odds were definitely going down with her dad and me getting a win, but this is crazy. We’re just lucky.”
The victory strengthens Capps’ hold atop the Funny Car championship standings as the series heads into the second half of the season.
Aaron Stanfield Wins Pro Stock With Near-Perfect Reaction Time
In Pro Stock, Aaron Stanfield proved once again that races are often won at the starting line.
Driving the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling/Janac Brothers Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Stanfield used a nearly flawless .002 reaction time to defeat Matt Hartford on a holeshot despite Hartford posting the quicker elapsed time.
Stanfield crossed the finish line wtih a 6.626 run at 208.75 mph to earn his second victory of the 2026 season and the 16th of his NHRA career.
His route to victory included wins over teammate Erica Enders, Cody Anderson, and Kenny Delco before edging Hartford by just .006-second at the stripe.
“I definitely knew I was going to have to be pretty good on the tree, and the old hot rod did just enough to pull one off,” Stanfield said. “Matt’s been driving really good here lately, and he’s had a fast race car. Every time Matt and I race, it’s a good and tight race. I think the world of Matt. He does a great job driving the car, and they do a great job tuning their own car. It feels great as a driver whenever you’re able to do your job and pull off a holeshot win like that.”
Hartford reached his third consecutive final round after defeating Eric Latino, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and points leader Dallas Glenn.
Glenn regained the Pro Stock points lead and now holds a 23-point advantage over Greg Anderson.
Richard Gadson Completes Norwalk Double
Richard Gadson capped a dominant weekend in Pro Stock Motorcycle by defeating teammate Gaige Herrera for the second consecutive day.
After winning Saturday’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Gadson benefited from another Herrera red-light start in Sunday’s final before laying down a 6.849-second pass at 197.36 mph aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
The victory marked Gadson’s second win of the season, sixth career NHRA victory, and first overall event win at Summit Motorsports Park.
“Obviously, I didn’t lie yesterday when I told you it’s pretty much ‘are you willing to red light situation’ and you know he’s a tough competitor, he’ll rebound, and it’ll probably be hell for us all for the next couple races,” Gadson said.
“I’m really happy, and I don’t know if you believe in energies, but I feel like Norwalk owed me one. I got the ice cream scoop that I always hoped for, a double up with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty win, and the overall win. It doesn’t get much sweeter than this.”
Gadson also praised Summit Motorsports Park and track owner Bill Bader Jr.
“I don’t think I’ve given Norwalk its due just how good it’s been to me. This is the first overall win, but I’ve had a lot of success here now – two #2Fast2Tasty wins and a final round last year. I love Norwalk. Mr. Bader is amazing – this facility is amazing, the ice cream, the whole deal, the whole experience of being here. This is a special place.”
Herrera reached his third final round of the season by defeating Jianna Evaristo and Angie Smith before fouling in the championship round.
Top Fuel — Maddi Gordon, 3.786 seconds, 333.16 mph def. Antron Brown, 3.840 seconds, 328.14 mph.
Funny Car — Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.969, 328.54 def. Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 4.011, 323.43.
Pro Stock — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.626, 208.75 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.597, 207.98.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.849, 197.36 def. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Matthew Cummings, 5.283, 273.39 def. Jamie Noonan, 5.337, 268.81.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Doug Gordon, Chevy Camaro, 5.510, 266.06 def. Sean Bellemeur, Camaro, 6.589, 218.83.
Competition Eliminator — Peter D`Agnolo, Chevy Cobalt, 8.485, 142.39 def. Al Ackerman, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.
Super Stock — Brenda Grubbs, Chevy Camaro, 9.385, 140.17 def. Ron Richards, Chevy Cobalt, Foul – Red Light.
Stock Eliminator — Matt Antrobius, Chevy Camaro, 11.288, 113.43 def. Timothy Fletcher, Camaro, 11.139, 114.10.
Super Comp — Phil Unruh, Dragster, 8.888, 183.49 def. Howie Smith, Dragster, 8.887, 181.64.
Super Gas — Phil Unruh, Chevy Camaro, 9.936, 161.40 def. Raymond Miller, Chevy 210, 10.017, 119.46.
Super Street — Victor Marqua, Plymouth Duster, 10.907, 128.24 def. Phil Smida, Cheevy Cavalier, 10.957, 138.86.
Top Sportsman — Alex Miller, Olds Cutlass, 7.957, 141.76 def. Glenn Butcher, Chevy Camaro, Broke – No Show.
Top Dragster — Sadie Glenn, Dragster, 9.470, 87.70 def. Kenny Carson, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.
Pro Modified — Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 5.714, 251.53 def. Billy Banaka, Chevy Camaro, 5.716, 252.33.
Factory Stock Showdown — Taylor Dietsch, Ford Mustang, 7.711, 178.10 def. Jonathan Allegrucci, Mustang, 10.836, 85.11.
Junior Dragster Shootout — Brandon Dupont, Halfscale, 8.028, 78.52 def. Samuel Wilson, Halfscale, 12.322, 53.87.
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