The inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS kicked off in impressive fashion at Maryland International Raceway, with championship contenders and veteran stars taking advantage of favorable conditions during Friday qualifying.
Leading the way was Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon, who continued his dominant 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series campaign by securing the provisional No. 1 qualifying position during NHRA’s first-ever appearance at the Maryland facility. Joining Langdon atop the qualifying sheets were Funny Car veteran Cruz Pedregon, six-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, and Pro Stock Motorcycle standout Angie Smith.
Shawn Langdon Continues Championship Surge In Top Fuel
Fresh off back-to-back Top Fuel victories, Langdon showed no signs of slowing down in his Kalitta Air dragster. The former world champion blasted to a 3.758-second pass at 336.23 mph, making him the quickest driver on Friday and positioning himself for his third No. 1 qualifier of the season and 25th of his career.
The run came after the Kalitta Motorsports team made significant adjustments following the opening session.
“We didn’t think we could make that kind of run here today,” Langdon said. “We actually underestimated the track on the first run, and so Brian [Husen, crew chief] realized he could get after it a little more and we were able to take the No. 1 from Doug. This is just such a great team effort from everyone at Kalitta Motorsports, starting with Connie, and I’m just proud to be able to drive the car.
“Tomorrow, we’ll just have the kind of mindset that we had today. Just try to make some good runs, but also win the Mission #2fast2Tasty Challenge, too.”
Langdon’s teammate and reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta sits second with a 3.774-second run at 333.91 mph, while Tony Stewart currently holds the third spot with a 3.790 at 333.33 mph.
Cruz Pedregon Finds Momentum In Funny Car
After a difficult start to the season, Cruz Pedregon appears to have found his footing.
The two-time Funny Car world champion powered his Snap-on America 250 Dodge Hellcat to the provisional No. 1 spot with a strong 3.951-second run at 323.19 mph. Pedregon has struggled through the first six races of the season but has shown improved performance over the past two events.
“That probably won’t stay No. 1. I think there’s a .92 or (.93) out there, and we’re going to give it a shot tomorrow,” Pedregon said. “It’d be nice to stay No. 1. It doesn’t win the race, but it gives you some confidence. We’re in the numbers game, so you know, being in that top three or four is important.
“The thing about this place, it’s near the ocean. Anytime you get near the ocean at sea level, you’re going to get good atmospheric conditions. The challenge for our cars is we have more power than we really need, so the challenge for us is to pull it back and not get too fancy and cute. We had a good balance, and it ripped, man. It was a good run.”
Spencer Hyde sits second after posting a 3.953 at 323.58 mph, while Southern Nationals winner Jordan Vandergriff is currently third with a 3.970-second pass at 321.88 mph.
Greg Anderson Fires Early Shot In Pro Stock
Greg Anderson wasted little time reminding the Pro Stock field why he’s a six-time world champion.
Driving the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, Anderson laid down a 6.494-second pass at 211.79 mph to grab the provisional No. 1 position. The run came at a venue Anderson knows well from his days working alongside legendary racer Warren Johnson.
“I remember so many times coming here back 25 years ago when I worked with Warren Johnson as a crew chief, and we’d come up here, and we would race the Wednesday night before Englishtown, and the grandstands would be packed, so it’s just a great atmosphere,” Anderson said.
“We love going to sea-level type tracks, because we don’t have a blower, we don’t have any type of power. We’re dependent on Mother Nature. So, we hope and pray we get races somewhere through the season that have conditions like this. These are fantastic conditions; they’re basically Disneyland conditions, and you’ll see the cars all run faster tomorrow. You should see a lot of 6.40 runs tomorrow.”
Points leader Dallas Glenn sits just behind Anderson with a 6.497-second pass, while Matt Latino rounds out the top three at 6.504 seconds.
Angie Smith Delivers Emotional Performance In Pro Stock Motorcycle
Perhaps the most emotional story of the day belonged to Angie Smith.
With husband and six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith hospitalized and unable to compete, Angie stepped up in a major way by recording a career-best 6.690-second pass at 202.97 mph aboard her Denso Auto Parts Buell. The performance currently places her atop the Pro Stock Motorcycle field and puts her in position for a third No. 1 qualifier this season.
“My run was awesome. I cried. I don’t usually cry at the racetrack because I’m usually pretty tough, but I was just scared, you know? I have made probably 5,000 runs down a racetrack, and zero have been without Matt Smith,” Smith said. “I knew he was watching, I’m pretty sure he was proud. Matt tuning from the hospital is pretty remarkable to me, because he’s not here to look at the weather conditions, look at the track and do a lot of the things that he takes into account when he makes a tune-up call. So all I can say is, ‘Honey, you did a remarkable job.’
“I’m relieved, to say the least. It’s just been a lot the last 24 hours, and this whole day has been a blur. I’m just glad that we ran well. I’m glad that all the bikes went down and everybody was safe. That was my main goal. I’ve never had this much responsibility, and the whole team rose to the occasion.”
Points leader Richard Gadson currently sits second, while Chip Ellis, filling in on Matt Smith’s motorcycle, is third.
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