Jonathan Allegrucci backed up his 2025 victory in impressive fashion, returning to zMAX Dragway and once again driving his Ford Mustang Cobra Jet to the winner’s circle in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series.
Coming into race day with the top qualifying position can be a double-edged sword, especially in a class as competitive as Factory Stock. Allegrucci knew exactly what he was up against.
“Getting this win means a lot,” said Allegrucci. “Everyone thinks because you won last year, you’re going to come out and do it again. And it just puts the bullseye on your back, and we put more pressure on ourselves. I think it makes it much harder. We came out and qualified on the top spot, and it just gave us more pressure. And then the car started fighting us, showing us who’s boss.”
Despite the added pressure, and a car that didn’t always cooperate, Allegrucci stayed composed when it mattered most. The final quad was anything but easy. Allegrucci faced off against proven competitors Jason Dietsch, Taylor Dietsch, and Raymond Nash, each capable of taking home the win. But a strong launch off the starting line set the tone, and Allegrucci never looked back.
His winning pass of 7.716 seconds at 178.42 mph held off Jason Dietsch, who charged to a runner-up finish with a 7.722 at 166.93 mph in his Mustang Cobra Jet. Nash and Taylor Dietsch rounded out the final quad with solid performances of their own.
According to Allegrucci, the key moment of the day came earlier in eliminations.
“We just said, ‘Hey, let’s go do the best we can and let the cards fall where they fall,’” said Allegrucci. “This was a tough day, and that second round was really a turning point. We got by that quad, and that really set us up for the day.”
The unpredictability of four-wide racing was on full display throughout the event.
In one of the most unusual moments of the day, a quad featuring Doug Duell, David Davies II, Jason Dietsch, and Taylor Dietsch saw three drivers leave the starting line early before the tree activated. That left Taylor Dietsch as the winner of the quad, with Jason Dietsch also advancing as the last driver to foul.
Meanwhile, Raymond Nash added another highlight by defeating Gatornationals winner Ricky Hord to claim the $1,000 Flexjet Bounty before advancing to the final round. With the win, Allegrucci not only secured back-to-back 4-Wide Nationals victories, but also moved into the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown points lead.
He’ll carry both the momentum and the $1,000 bounty into the next event, along with one of the special diamond NHRA Wally trophies commemorating the sanctioning body’s 75th anniversary.
“It’s amazing. Just feeling how heavy it is and looking at it, it’s something special to be able to get out here and do this,” said Allegrucci. “I didn’t think it was ever possible. I knew we could run with this class and throw some punches here and there. I never thought we could be contending like this at this level. It’s all because of the guys behind us. It’s because of KSR. These guys are just top-notch, and they make our job easier.”
The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series now shifts to Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago (May 15–17), where Allegrucci will look to continue his early-season dominance.
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