The battle for the 2026 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports championship officially kicked into high gear at Summit Motorsports Park, and Kevin Rivenbark wasted no time making his presence felt.
Rivenbark delivered one of the biggest performances of his season Sunday, defeating Billy Banaka in the final round of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals to earn his first victory of 2026. More importantly, the win came at the perfect time as the first of five races in the NHRA Pro Mod Road to the Championship playoffs.
Powered by Polaris and presented by Jan-Cen Motorsports, the Norwalk event marked the seventh stop on the 11-race NHRA Pro Mod schedule and immediately tightened an already competitive championship battle.
Driving a car that showed far more potential than its No. 13 qualifying position suggested, Rivenbark laid down a strong 5.714-second pass at 251.53 mph in the final round. Banaka was right there with a 5.716-second run at 252.33 mph, but Rivenbark’s quicker elapsed time secured his second career NHRA Pro Mod victory and his first since Phoenix in 2024.
“We haven’t won this (Wally) since Phoenix in 2024, but we never stop,” Rivenbark said. “The guys are restless. They just keep going and going. We’ve had some bad times and some tough times, but hopefully we’re on the right road. We knew we had a better car than what we showed in qualifying.
“This weekend was really a shakeup. We’re hoping to get going for the Road to the Championship and hopefully both of us (with teammate Stan Shelton) will come out on top or at least one and two.”
Rivenbark Peaks When It Matters Most
Championship races often come down to teams finding their stride at exactly the right moment, and Rivenbark’s weekend followed that script.
After qualifying 13th, he methodically worked his way through one of the toughest elimination ladders of the season. His impressive run included victories over former world champion Mike Castellana, regular-season points leader Derek Menholt, and hard-charging Lyle Barnett before advancing to the championship round.
The victory vaults Rivenbark into ninth in the championship standings and immediately puts him back into the title conversation with four playoff races still remaining.
Banaka Continues Strong Championship Push
Although he fell just short in the final, Billy Banaka continued one of the strongest stretches of his NHRA Pro Mod career.
Banaka earned his spot in the championship round with victories over Alex Laughlin, Justin Bond, and Mike Thielen, proving once again that his team will be a major factor throughout the remainder of the Road to the Championship.
The runner-up finish moves Banaka to third in the championship standings, just 15 points behind the series lead heading into the next event.
Championship Battle Tightens
Despite an earlier-than-expected exit, Derek Menholt leaves Norwalk still holding the championship lead. However, the margin has become razor thin.
Menholt now leads Mike Stavrinos by just 13 points, while Banaka sits only 15 markers behind the leader in third. With Rivenbark’s breakthrough victory adding another serious contender to the mix, the NHRA Pro Mod championship picture has become even more competitive.
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