The National Hot Rod Association rolled out the 2026 Pro Mod Drag Racing Series schedule this week, locking in 10 stops for one of the sport’s most unpredictable and popular categories.

The season will kick off where it always seems to shine brightest, the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville on March 5-8, before heading west for the Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park just two weeks later. Phoenix has quickly become a mainstay for Pro Mod, with 2026 marking its third consecutive appearance after the class’ strong debut there in 2024.

Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

The early stretch continues with a four-wide contest in Charlotte on April 24-26, followed by the NHRA’s very first national event visit to South Georgia Motorsports Park the very next weekend, May 1-3. From there, Pro Mod returns to Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway on May 14-17, then wraps up its regular season in the mountains of Bristol, Tennessee, June 12-14.

After a midsummer pause, all eyes will turn to the playoffs. The four-race “Road to the Championship” begins on drag racing’s biggest stage at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. A second playoff race venue is still to be announced, before the championship hunt pushes into familiar fall battlegrounds: World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis on October 2-4, and the season finale at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway October 29-November 1.

While plans for 2026 are already in motion, there’s still a championship fight to settle this year. The 2025 finale in Las Vegas later this month will have plenty of drama, with Billy Banaka leading the chase for his first Pro Mod crown. Derek Menholt and Mike Stavrinos are breathing down his neck just 11 points back, J.R. Gray is only 24 points behind, and Sidnei Frigo lurks 51 points out. With margins this tight, it’s shaping up to be one of the closest finishes the class has seen in years.

2026 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Season Schedule

March 5-8: 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.	March 20-22: 41st annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, Firebird Motorsports Park, Phoenix
April 24-26: 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte	May 1-May 3: NHRA Southern Nationals, South Georgia Motorsports Park, Adel, Ga.
May 14-17: 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago	June 12-14: 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.