The NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park delivered another standout moment in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, as Jason Collins captured his first career victory in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.
The NHRA Pro Mod category made its official debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park as part of the NHRA Southern Nationals, and the class did not disappoint. With tight racing, competitive fields, and standout performances, the event showcased the depth of talent in the series.
Making just his second career start in the ultra-competitive Pro Mod category, Collins put together a near-perfect performance on Sunday, defeating Mike Thielen in the final round to secure the win in the fourth of 11 races on the 2026 schedule.
After showing promise in his Pro Mod debut the previous weekend in Charlotte, Collins elevated his performance at SGMP, capitalizing on momentum and delivering under pressure in front of a sellout crowd.
Collins’ victory wasn’t a fluke, it was the result of consistent, competitive runs throughout eliminations. He worked his way to the final by defeating Mason Wright, Sidnei Frigo, and Lyle Barnett, recording a best pass of 5.685 seconds along the way.
After qualifying second, Collins showed he had a car capable of winning, but it was his execution on race day that sealed the deal. In the final round, Collins posted a 5.731-second pass at 252.99 mph, paired with a razor-sharp .009 reaction time, to take a decisive wire-to-wire victory over Thielen.
“It’s hard to believe,” Collins said. “I mean, I have to thank the Lord. I have to thank my dad and my mom. They spent a lot of money helping me learn how to drive a race car. I know it’s my second NHRA race, but I’ve done a lot of racing in my life.
“I want to thank Scott Tidwell for putting me in this ride. I want to thank my crew and the guys who do the tuning. This is a bad racecar. It is very good. It has aborted one run in about 27 runs and that was the pedal fest that I won. So even though it didn’t make it down, it still won the race. I guess it’s something about Blue Camaras and Jason Collins. They win a lot of rounds.”
The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action May 14-17 at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.
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