2026 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Photo Gallery

Bill Bader Jr. (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Leah Pruett (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr) 

"Big" Jim Dunn (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Spectators in the John Force Grandstands (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Jack Beckman (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Del Worsham (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Leah Pruett (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Maddi Gordon (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

John Force (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Erica Enders (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

The Christmas Tree at Summit Motorsports Park (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Matt Hartford (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Dallas Glenn (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Burnout Smoke at Summit Motorsports Park (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Greg Anderson (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Angie Smith (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Track Prep (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Richard Gadson (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Summit Motorsports Park (Photo Credit: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

Every pass tells a story, and every photo freezes a moment that lasts only seconds on the track. We hope you enjoyed this look through our lens, we will see you at the next track!

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History Made at Norwalk as Gordon, Capps Shine

 

Race day at the 20th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park could perhaps be best summed up in one word: history.

It was a banner day for Ron Capps Motorsports as the team completed the rare double-up. In Top Fuel, Maddi-Mania ran wild after Maddi Gordon scored her first career Top Fuel win in a landmark moment, defeating Antron Brown in the final round.

Gordon ran a 3.786 at 333.16 mph, besting Brown’s 3.840 pass at 328.14 mph.

Gordon had her fair share of adversity en route to her historic day. She defeated Tony Stewart, got the better of Shawn Langdon in a pedal-fest, and narrowly made the pass needed to topple Spencer Massey in round one.

The day served as the culmination of plenty of sacrifice and hard work, and Gordon was reflective after initially being overcome with emotion. She revealed that her day started off shaky, even outside of the cockpit.

“Well, I have to admit this morning was actually pretty low because I missed driver intros… I was frustrated at myself. I thought we got fined for it, which that’s not good… I thought I cost my boss a lot of money. Then, Bill Bader made me feel better because he actually said he was glad that I missed driver intro because that means I got to go with him, but I was still pretty upset.

“So, this morning, I was all flustered and it was a very flustered day in the car, and then we had our first round debacle going on where it was—I thought we weren’t going to make the run, and I’m just sitting there like, ‘Can anything else happen right now?’

“It just seemed like the cards were stacked against us and then we got Chuck, Chuck Grospitch, like that knight in shining armor that comes and saves the day. He thought of some off-the-wall, as he said, ‘hood-rat stuff,’ and he pulled this part off the car that we didn’t need. It’s nice to have, but we made it work.”

She then delivered a message of perseverance as she elaborated further about just how far she has come.

“I’ve had bigger lows in my career. I remember specifically here in Norwalk, I peddled against Bob McCosh in our Alcohol Funny Car and I missed the shifts and I blew the motor up and kicked five rods out, and I was absolutely devastated. I never caused my family that much money in my life.“I worked for the family company at the time, and I knew how much cabinets I had to sell to make up for it, and that is a lot of work. I was really, I was so mad, and I was like, ‘Man, can I even do this?’

“And it’s moments like that when you persevere and you come back, and you do better, and it makes you a stronger driver, and anybody out there who you know is having a bad day or wondering, ‘can I do it?’ then you absolutely cannot, if you think you can, then you can. It’s also about the people that you have around you.”

Gordon also reflected on the impact her family and her boss have had in helping her reach this moment.

“When I drove my family’s car, I had my family who picked me up when I was down and reminded me that I wasn’t that bad of a driver. For me, I don’t have my family around all that often anymore; they’re running all over the place, too, but I got Ron [Capps], and I got every single one on my team and Ron’s team, and if I’m ever down, they remind me why I shouldn’t be down. It’s all about who you surround yourself with.”

For Capps in Funny Car, not only did he achieve his first double-up as an owner, but his third win of the season was also the 80th of his legendary career. The big moment left the three-time Funny Car world champion reflecting on the greats he has worked with over the years.

There was something poetic about Capps defeating his former longtime teammate at Don Schumacher Racing, Jack Beckman, in the final round. The significance was not lost on him, and he took a moment to reflect on his former boss’s impact on the sport, which still looms large.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of Schumacher everywhere. Antron [Brown]. I told Antron down there that I’m not sure this would even be happening without him. He was a huge help to me.

“I decided to go on my own. He had just done it right ahead of me, so I mean the smallest of things and the largest of things that you don’t think about, starting a business or a race team and things like that. He was a huge, huge help to me, so we call each other brothers from another mother, and we are. I’m so grateful for what he’s done.”

Capps then elaborated on the dynasty Don Schumacher created.

“It was cool, Beckman obviously a longtime teammate and good friend, and then Antron. That was pretty cool that they have the final four and have us four, and that's the setup.

“Don always brought out—most of the time—brought out the best in you. He had ways of bringing out the best in us. It’s cool to look around and see Hagan and all my teammates and Leah [Pruett], and you go down the list of people that are still out here that were all under Schumacher’s roof, and it’s impressive.

“Now, when you look back at what he did at one time, we had eight cars at Schumacher, which is just crazy to think about. Very cool.”

Capps toppled Beckman in the final round with a 3.969 pass at 328.54 mph to Beckman’s 4.011 effort at 323.43 mph.

(Photo Credit: NHRA)

In Pro Stock, Aaron Stanfield put Elite Motorsports back on top by defeating Matt Hartford for his second win of the season and the 35th of his NHRA career across multiple classes. Stanfield was quick to give credit to the team around him.

“Surround yourself with great people; that is for sure what I’ve done. Everything I’m a part of in racing, I have great people around me, and that makes a tremendous difference. I eat, sleep, and breathe drag racing, so that definitely helps.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson got the better of Gaige Herrera in an all Vance & Hines final round. For the second straight day, Herrera went red against Gadson, just as he did in Saturday’s Mission Foods

#2Fast2Tasty

Challenge.

The win served as a full-circle moment for Gadson, who had his first real taste of success during his rookie campaign at Norwalk in 2024.

“The first media center interview I ever did was right here. My first taste of any sort of winning was right here. Norwalk is really one of those things; I don’t think I’ve given it justice how good it’s been to me.

“This is the first overall win, but I’ve had success here now two #2Fast2Tasties, a win here, and a final round last year. I love Norwalk. Mr. Bader is amazing. This facility is amazing. The ice cream, the whole deal. The whole experience of being here in Norwalk.

“I really hate that it rained and the forecast on Friday, because we potentially could have had an evening session, and that’s something to see at Norwalk. This is a special place.”

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action July 17-19 with the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge at Sonoma Raceway.

(Cover Photo Credit: NHRA)

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U.S. Nationals Likely Next Opportunity for Ida Zetterström

When Shawn Reed Racing announced that Ida Zetterström had joined the team, they couldn't have expected that, by the halfway point of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, she would have competed in just one event: the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina.

While that has been the reality, the team knew from the beginning that sponsorship would be the biggest hurdle. They alluded to as much in the original announcement, and Zetterström acknowledged the challenge at the time.

“Shawn and I have the same shared vision of me ultimately running full time in a second Shawn Reed Racing dragster. But until that happens, I’m excited for the opportunity to get in a car that is known to perform well and be consistent.

“The fact that this team will be out there at all the races is a big deal because I know that every time I strap in, I’ll be in a car that's ready to go out and win. I value this highly, both for the sponsors and for me to have the best chance of advancing in the class.

“This is a great step towards the future and the goal of finding enough partners to put together a full campaign and one day run for a championship. I’m truly honored that Shawn and Andrea are trusting in me to drive their car.”

Fast forward to the halfway point of the season, and while sponsorship has limited Zetterström's seat time, Shawn Reed says he's been impressed by her work ethic and determination away from the racetrack. More importantly, the team is already planning her return to competition.

“It’s great, she's great to be around. She’s a hustler, you know, we need to get a few more sponsors on board so we can get her more time. It just costs a bunch of money, so we have to strategically plan out what races, but I think she’s going to be in the car in Indy and maybe Texas.”

The team as a whole continues searching for additional partners, but Reed says the long-term vision has never changed. The goal remains to field two full-time Top Fuel dragsters, with both Reed and Zetterström behind the wheel.

Despite the financial challenges, Reed is pleased with the progress the independent team has made.

“We’re just a little underfunded. I’m the only contributor. So, it’s tough. We got a great group of guys working. We’re running within a couple hundredths of everybody else. I mean, we’re probably the only team out here that’s independent. I guess you can count Capco.”

Reed wants to get Zetterström back in the car as soon as possible, and he says the team is ready whenever the funding comes together. As is often the case in motorsports, however, everything comes down to sponsorship.

“Unfortunately, it’s a money thing. I mean $125,000 or $150,000 a weekend. Just gotta get money.”

So, for now, the 2023 FIA European Top Fuel champion waits for her next opportunity, one that will likely come on the biggest stage in NHRA drag racing: the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Maybe that's the race that changes everything.

"The Big Go" has launched careers and created unforgettable moments throughout NHRA history. No matter what, Reed is bullish about his long-term plans for Zetterström and his team.

“Two cars, me and her… She’s got a car sitting upstairs ready to go, it’s got her body on it. It’s ready to go. Just gotta find the money for the weekend.”

Ida Zetterström is expected to return to the driver's seat September 2-7 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

(Photo Credit: NHRA)

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Jim Dunn Racing: A Family Tradition That Endures

As the NHRA celebrates 75 years in 2026, so much about the sport has changed over that time. Names, faces, speeds, classes, parts, rules, and countless other things have evolved in ways that would be too numerous to mention.

One thing that has not changed is "Big" Jim Dunn leading his Funny Car team.

Year after year, season after season, Funny Car Summer after Funny Car Summer, Jim and his family continue to show unmatched perseverance and persistence. More than halfway through another season, co-crew chief Jon Dunn, Jim's son, says the team is still here because of one simple thing: passion and a love for the sport.

For the Dunn family, drag racing has defined not only Jim Dunn's life, but much of their family's lives as well.

“It’s definitely passion. We love it, you know, my dad [Jim Dunn] loves it, I love it, you know? Years ago, my dad was telling me how much he liked it, and I just worked hard for him. Then, there were times in my life when I was working really hard, and my dad came to me and he said, ‘you know what, you finally love it as much as I do.’

“With us together, the two of us, and my mom of course, my mom is right there alongside us every step of the way, my daughter—she’s part of it too. It’s a family thing, and we just enjoy that part of it.”

Make no mistake, though. While the team carries on because of that passion, they also still love the competition.

Jon says one lesson his father has always preached is that, when it's time to race, everyone's on equal ground.

“We enjoy the competition and probably one of the really big things is my dad always said, ‘When you go to the starting line, it doesn’t matter how many motors are in the trailer, how big your trailer is, how big your shop is, because when you go up there—you have one car, you have one motor, and you’re just racing the guy next to you.’”

After starting the season with Todd Lesenko behind the wheel, the team brought in veteran driver Jeff Arend. The original plan was for Arend to compete in three races, but Jon confirmed that he will now remain in the seat for the rest of the season.

He also said Arend has fit in perfectly with both the team and its sponsors.

“It started off for three races, he had to clear some stuff off his schedule. We had to make sure it worked for us, and we talked to some of our sponsors, and they were all on board. Jeff was definitely on board; we’ve been friends for a long time.

“I’m very thankful that he was available when we needed him. In the middle of a race, he jumped in the seat and got the job done for us, and I thoroughly enjoy racing with Jeff; he’s part of our family as well.”

Jon Dunn with the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car

 

Some have openly wondered in recent years how involved Jim is with the team's decisions and direction. Jon quickly made it clear that, even at 92 years old, it is still very much Jim Dunn's team.

"100%. At 92 years old, he surprises me. How much he stays in tune with this car and everything we do—from start to finish, he’s right on it.”

Just as he has countless times before, Jim Dunn will lead Jeff Arend into Funny Car eliminations Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Norwalk Nationals. The team will take on Austin Prock and Tasca Racing in the opening round, with eliminations scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.

(Photo Credits: Loganity Media/Peyton Lohr)

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Final Qualifying Sets the Stage for Race Day at Norwalk

Day one of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Norwalk Nationals brought sunshine with just a little bit of rain. Day two's conditions could be summed up in a simple phrase: cloud cover, and lots of it. If you're a fan of high speeds and low ETs, that's exactly what you wanted to see.

The cooler conditions led to some impressive performances across all four professional categories as teams made their final qualifying runs and settled the Mission

#2Fast2Tasty

Challenge winners before Sunday's eliminations.

No matter the conditions, Shawn Langdon has looked nearly unbeatable all season, and that trend continued Saturday. Langdon secured the No. 1 qualifying position heading into race day thanks to a stellar pass of 3.695 at 333.08 mph.

Perhaps even sweeter, he accomplished the feat while defeating teammate Doug Kalitta in the Mission

#2Fast2Tasty

Challenge. The victory marked Langdon's third win of the season in the specialty event and his fifth No. 1 qualifier during an incredible start to the 2026 campaign.

Langdon credited the consistency of Kalitta Motorsports as the driving force behind the team's success.

“The magic is really just the consistency that these cars have shown over the last couple of seasons, being able to make the semifinals of the races, being able to get into the show of the Mission

#2Fast2Tasty

, and then making good quality runs during the Challenge. Both cars have been really good the last few seasons, so that's just the end result of that.

“I absolutely love being the No. 1 qualifier when there are 15 cars. I feel our cars have made a pretty good statement over the last year or two. Our Kalitta cars have made some really incredible runs throughout the season, and so I think anybody that pulls up to us on Sundays, they've got to bring a pretty fast race car.”

In Funny Car, Austin Prock and Tasca Racing made a statement of their own.

The back-to-back reigning world champion earned his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and defeated Ron Capps in the Mission

#2Fast2Tasty

Challenge with a pass of 3.875 at 333.49 mph.

Earlier in the day during the third qualifying session, Prock also reset the Funny Car speed record at Summit Motorsports Park with a run of 337.41 mph.

Prock said the result is a reflection of the steady progress the team has made throughout the season.

“I can't say enough about this Ford Racing team. It's an honor to work with them. We've really made incredible progress each weekend in these 10 races. Our progression has been very linear. It's just kind of been a steady pace. The entire show has been better this weekend, and that's great for these packed Norwalk grandstands.”

In Pro Stock, the beat continued for six-time world champion Greg Anderson, who secured his seventh No. 1 qualifier of the season with a pass of 6.564 at 209.04 mph.

When it came to the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout, however, it was his KB Titan Racing teammate, Dallas Glenn, who walked away with the championship belt and the winner's check.

Glenn admitted that when the entire team is performing at such a high level, the pressure shifts squarely onto the driver.

“When your car is working good, and everything is going your way, it definitely puts a lot more pressure on your shoulders to not mess up. Basically, I have no excuses because if the car is good enough to win, then I need to be able to go out there and win and do my job. When the car is running bad, you need to do your job just to try to get a round, but you know you got something to work for. But if you’re running good, and you’re qualifying up at the top, you really have no reason not to go out there and do your job, so it definitely puts a little more pressure on the driver.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the Vance & Hines teammates split the day's honors.

Gaige Herrera earned the No. 1 qualifying position with a run of 6.768 at 199.64 mph. Richard Gadson, meanwhile, capitalized on Herrera's red-light start to claim the Mission

#2Fast2Tasty

Challenge victory.

Afterward, Gadson explained how the friendly competition within the Vance & Hines camp continues to elevate everyone's performance. Even after winning a world championship, he said he still races with something to prove.

“I think one thing people don’t understand about me is, I constantly have a chip on my shoulder. Constantly, when I ride, I always feel like I have something to prove and a lot of the time it’s to my own team and people close to me. That’s pretty much my motivator.

“Gaige is obviously—he’s Gaige. Like, that speaks for itself. So, I don’t want to be the guy who can’t, I don’t want to be the one who’s the weak link on the team. 2024 was a hard year for me, so it just makes me rise to the occasion.

“Gaige brings out the best in me. Everybody knows how good of a rider he is, and the same thing goes for Andrew [Hines]. Everybody knows how amazing he is as a tuner. So then you got me and Eddie [Krawiec] over there. Eddie wants to say, ‘Well, hey, I can put a guy off at the top of the field too,’ and I want to ride at the top of the field, so we all are really feeding off each other.“

We do help each other still, too. I asked him before that round, he told me what to do with my back wheel. I asked Gaige what he does. So, we do help each other. We do talk and we do communicate, but when we want to.

“When we’re out there against each other, it’s the same thing as if Matt [Smith] was over there. It’s not worse, you know what I mean? There’s just definitely an internal camp rivalry, but it’s fun.”

Sunday is race day at Summit Motorsports Park, with eliminations set to begin at 11:00 a.m.

(Photo Credit: NHRA)

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