Photos by Alex Owens, Auto Imagery, Mike Burghardt, Jeff Burghardt
SUNDAY FINAL – CAPPS SURVIVES EXPLOSION, LANGDON DOMINATES AGAIN, GLENN CLAIMS REDEMPTION AT ARIZONA NATIONALS
Ron Capps overcame a dramatic engine explosion earlier in eliminations to win Funny Car on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park, defeating Spencer Hyde in the final round of the 41st annual NHRA Arizona Nationals. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also secured victories as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series completed its second race of the 2026 season.
Capps clocked a 4.124-second pass at 303.24 mph in the final to earn his 78th career victory and fourth in Phoenix. The win capped a day defined by mechanical adversity and strategic driving.
The veteran’s defining moment came in the second round when his Funny Car erupted in a massive explosion at the finish line during a win against Daniel Wilkerson. Despite the setback, Capps rebounded with a semifinal victory over defending event winner Paul Lee before delivering a decisive run against Hyde.
He left first on Hyde and steadily extended his advantage to secure one of the most resilient victories of his career. The triumph also provided closure after a similar explosion and crash at the same facility one year ago.
“We knew this was going to be a battle of attrition and dropped cylinders today,” Capps said. “A couple of those runs, there was no way I would imagine that would have got us lane choice, but it did. It was like a bracket car. This win reminded me a lot of my first win in St. Louis [1997] because it was hot and we had 150-degree track temps there and we dropped cylinders all day but still won the race.
“We burned a lot of stuff up. At that time it happened, we weren’t sure the win light was going to be worth it, but it wouldn’t have been worth it had it been a runner up. I have to thank Paul Lee and his team for waiting for us. We went to warm it up [in the pits], and it wouldn’t even fire, so we literally went up there not knowing it was going to start. To get that win in the semis, and have it blast down the road when it did was pretty cool.”
Hyde reached his third career final round after wins over Blake Alexander, J.R. Todd, and Matt Hagan. Gainesville winner Chad Green left Phoenix as the Funny Car points leader.
Langdon extended his dominance in Top Fuel at Firebird Motorsports Park, winning the event for the third consecutive year by defeating Leah Pruett with a 3.877-second run at 325.45 mph. The victory marked his 23rd career triumph.
He qualified No. 1 and delivered three runs in the 3.80-second range on race day, defeating Tony Schumacher and rookie Maddi Gordon before facing Pruett in the final. The performance underscored the team’s focus on consistency in extreme heat conditions.
“At the beginning of the year, we made some really good runs in testing under some really good conditions. One of the prime focuses for this year is on making good runs when it gets hot out, and being able to have a car that you can gain the small bonus points,” Langdon said. “So that’s been a big focus for the team and Brian [crew chief Husen], and being able to come out here on some of the hottest conditions that we’ve really ever seen. For him to make the adjustments and the team to make the adjustments, that feels really good.”
“That’s the cool thing about being a part of this team: Even though you win a race, they’re still looking at the finer details. Brian leads the way and he demands perfection, and the car’s not perfect. We’re going to make it perfect.”
Pruett advanced to her 26th final round with victories against Cameron Ferre, Josh Hart and reigning champion Doug Kalitta. Kalitta left the event holding the Top Fuel points lead.
In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn completed a weekend sweep by defeating Cody Coughlin with a 6.627-second run at 206.39 mph. The reigning NHRA champion secured his first victory of the season and first at Firebird Motorsports Park after finishing runner-up at the event one year earlier.
Glenn qualified third and defeated Stephen Bell, Matt Latino, and Greg Stanfield before facing Coughlin. His .027-second reaction time in the final ensured a wire-to-wire victory and his 22nd career win.
“It feels really good. Last year’s final was very ugly, and it was all caused by a mistake on my part and then a malfunction on Greg’s part. So to come here and do a much better job for the fans feels really great,” Glenn said.
“When we were driving here, I know I definitely screwed up last year and I really want to win Phoenix. I’ve never won here before, and I really want to get one of those cool 75th anniversary trophies, so this takes the pressure off for the rest of the season. I definitely feel like I have a lot less pressure on me this year. I feel more relaxed on race day. I’m kind of just going with the flow and definitely not putting as much pressure on myself. I know what I can do, and I was just trying to go out there and have fun and click some rounds off.”
Coughlin reached his second career final round after defeating Eric Latino, Chris McGaha, and Jeg Coughlin Jr. Glenn left Phoenix with the Pro Stock points lead following his dominant weekend performance.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 9-12 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING – LANGDON, HYDE AND ANDERSON SECURE NO. 1 QUALIFYING POSITIONS AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
Shawn Langdon surged to the Top Fuel pole Saturday, while Spencer Hyde and Greg Anderson locked down No. 1 qualifying positions in their respective classes at the Arizona Nationals. The trio set the tone for eliminations at Firebird Motorsports Park during the second race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Langdon delivered a 3.783-second run at 331.36 mph in his Kalitta Air Careers dragster to secure his 23rd career No. 1 qualifier. The performance also earned him a first-round bye as he pursues consecutive victories at the facility southeast of Phoenix.
His qualifying campaign overcame early adversity when a safety-system malfunction erased his opening run Friday. Consistency on Saturday allowed Langdon’s team to capitalize on improved track conditions.
“Obviously, the track is a little tricky out here, but we were happy to make three good runs. We lost our first run Friday due to a safety-system malfunction, and that’s not ideal, but, like I’ve always said, if you surround yourself with good people you can do good things,” Langdon said. “I’ve got a great group behind me. Brian [Husen, crew chief] has been doing a fantastic job, and all the guys have been doing a great job putting the car together, so my confidence is as high as it’s ever been inside of a race car.
“The [low qualifying] run this morning, we knew the conditions were the best they’d been, and there was a chance to go to No. 1 and get that bye in the first round.”
Leah Pruett advanced to the second spot with a 3.788-second pass at 325.92 mph. Doug Kalitta followed in third with a 3.804 at 330.55.
Hyde retained the Funny Car pole with his Friday run of 3.979 at 317.64 mph in the Head, Inc. Ford Mustang. The reigning Rookie of the Year earned the second No. 1 qualifier of his career and will face Blake Alexander in the opening round.
The young driver emphasized the value of consistency amid fluctuating surface conditions. Four controlled runs through qualifying strengthened the team’s outlook heading into eliminations.
“To be honest, looking at the weather and the schedule, I figured we figured we would stay No. 1,” Hyde said. “We’re really happy – just four good, solid runs. For us to make four A to B trips during qualifying is a really good place.”
Jack Beckman qualified second with a 3.982-second effort at 323.97 mph. Gainesville winner Chad Green secured the third position with a 3.990 at 321.04.
Greg Anderson claimed the Pro Stock pole for the 141st time in his career. The six-time champion improved Saturday with a 6.532-second pass at 208.26 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.
His qualifying effort positioned him to meet Chris McGaha in the opening round. The veteran’s performance reinforced his pursuit of a repeat victory at the Arizona event.
Greg Stanfield qualified second with a 6.558-second run at 209.10 mph. Dallas Glenn, the 2025 NHRA Pro Stock champion, placed third with a matching 6.558 at 208.91.
Eliminations for the Arizona Nationals are scheduled to begin Sunday at 10 a.m. PDT at Firebird Motorsports Park.
SATURDAY #2FAST2TASTY – STILL 2FAST2KALITTA: DOUG, TODD AND GLENN OPEN 2026 #2FAST2TASTY SEASON WITH PHOENIX WINS
Apparently, it’s still 2Fast2Kalitta. Doug Kalitta opened the 2026 Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge season the same way he dominated the specialty race a year ago — by winning.
Kalitta defeated Antron Brown in the Top Fuel bonus race Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park. The victory came during the 41st annual NHRA Arizona Nationals and continued a pattern of Saturday success for the reigning world champion.
His 3.924-second pass at 308.64 mph in the Mac Tools dragster was the quickest run of the session. The performance extended Kalitta’s streak after collecting five Challenge wins during the 2025 season.
He reached the final by defeating Maddi Gordon earlier in the day. The veteran credited his crew chiefs for navigating demanding track conditions in Phoenix’s heat.
“It’s fun to race on Saturday. It just brings an element to the fans to be able to see some racing,” Kalitta said. “I hope everybody comes back out on Sunday after seeing some racing on Saturday.
“It’s definitely tricky out there. My guys, Alan Johnson and Mac [Savage], they did a heck of a job to have the lowest time in the session. Alan is a wizard with these things, and he and Mac are in there deciding what to run, but we’re always throwing down and trying to go low.”
Kalitta’s win set the tone for a dominant afternoon by Kalitta Motorsports. J.R. Todd completed the team sweep by capturing the Funny Car portion of the Challenge.
Todd clocked a 4.196-second run at 282.42 mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra to defeat Jordan Vandergriff in the final round. The victory marked the first time Kalitta Motorsports swept the Saturday specialty race.
He advanced past Alexis DeJoria to reach the final. Todd emphasized the value of the bonus round as teams gathered critical data for eliminations.
“You always want to win these things, but I feel like we’re also trying to get good data for tomorrow,” Todd said. “I think Dickie [Venables] and Todd [Smith] wanted to see what we could get away with that run, because that’s what we’re going to be dealing with tomorrow.
“Once you get on the asphalt, it’s tricky and it’s fun. The car got real sideways, like I was dirt tracking in there, but that’s what makes Funny Cars awesome. As a driver, you’re going to have to deal with that and maybe pedal [the throttle] tomorrow.”
In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn, NHRA’s reigning champion, edged Erica Enders with a 6.608-second pass at 207.62 mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro.
Glenn defeated Matt Hartford earlier in the day to advance to the final round. His consistency in the specialty race last season played a role in building championship momentum.
The KB Titan Racing driver described a different mindset entering 2026. Confidence gained from last year’s title has reduced the pressure he previously carried.
“I felt a lot of pressure last year because I missed the championship by so little (in 2024), and I definitely wanted a lot of redemption,” Glenn said. “This year, I feel like I’m a lot more relaxed and confident. I know what I can do, I know what I’m capable of, so I just go up there and kind of do my thing.
“It feels really good to get this #2Fast2Tasty win and start accumulating those precious championship points that we know mean so much. At the very minimum, my main goal for every weekend is to make it to the semis so I can get into the next Challenge, and everything after that is a bonus. If you can just go to the semis every race, you’re usually one or two in points by the time the Countdown begins.”
FRIDAY QUALIFYING – GORDON, HYDE, ANDERSON SET EARLY PACE IN QUALIFYING AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
Rookie Maddi Gordon powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel on Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park, delivering a standout performance in just her second professional start. Spencer Hyde (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also secured provisional top spots during the opening day of the 41st annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Gordon posted a 3.844-second pass at 329.42 mph in her Carlyle Tools dragster, the only three-second run in Top Fuel during the first qualifying session. The effort placed her in position to earn her first career No. 1 qualifier if the time holds through Saturday.
The strong start continued momentum built from her semifinal appearance in her debut at the season opener in Gainesville. Warm track conditions challenged the field throughout the day, making Gordon’s run a defining performance.
“I was really, really stoked to go down that first pass,” Gordon said. “That was just so exciting after you hear all those cars smoking the tires ahead of us. But you know what? I got so much faith in Rob [Flynn] and Troy [Fasching]. They have done a stellar job of getting down those hot racetracks, and I couldn’t be more proud to drive for them.
“Before Gainesville, a month and a half ago, I had never even warmed up a dragster with a blower on it, so there’s so many firsts in the past month and a half. I learn something new every single pass I get on the racetrack. The more I know, I feel like I can be a better driver because I just have so much to learn.”
Defending event winner Shawn Langdon finished Friday in the second position with a 3.925 at 307.30. Antron Brown followed in third after running 3.985 at 297.09.
Hyde’s 3.979-second run at 317.64 mph in his Head, Inc. Ford Mustang gave him the provisional top spot in Funny Car. The result marked a sharp turnaround from a year ago when he failed to qualify at the same event.
The reigning Rookie of the Year showed improved consistency in challenging track conditions, underscoring the development of both driver and team. His early performance suggested a continued progression following his first full professional campaign.
“We had a tough start last year, and I learned that driving a Funny Car is not easy – it’s the most humbling thing I’ve ever driven,” Hyde said. “These things are hard to drive all the time. You just never know what they’re going to throw at you. Driving them is challenging when it’s hot and greasy. They’re moving around out there and they take a little bit to settle in.
“On our [3.97] it never really settled in, but we slipped it through there and made a good run, good enough to be No. 1. Second run, I was pointing a little bit too far right and made a pretty big correction early, and it actually dropped the [cylinder] and was trying to push me over the lane. But I kept it off the wall, made a good full run, and was second low the session, so we’re pretty happy.”
Jack Beckman secured the second spot with a 3.982 at 323.97. Matt Hagan was next with a 3.998 at 321.04, placing him third after two sessions.
In Pro Stock, six-time world champion Greg Anderson delivered the quickest run in both sessions, including a 6.552, 206.99 in his Chevrolet Camaro. The performance positioned him for the 141st No. 1 qualifying effort of his career.
The result contrasted sharply with his qualifying struggles at the season opener, where he narrowly secured a starting position before advancing to the final round. Friday’s performance reflected a renewed focus on qualifying execution in challenging heat conditions.
“Without a doubt that morning run, because of the track being cooler, is going to be the best qualifying run of the weekend,” Anderson said. “You better get right on that first one, so a lot of pressure. You just can’t go up there, you know, and shoot for the moon, because if you don’t make it down, you may not qualify.
“Just from the first session to the afternoon session, we lost about four or five-hundredths of ET, and that’s going to be probably 30-40 horsepower, just like that. You have to do other things to make the engine think it has power – gear ratio and things like that. You have to get all of the round pegs in the round holes, but it’s hard to do.”
Greg Stanfield moved into the second position with a 6.558 at 209.10. Jeg Coughlin Jr. followed with a 6.562 at 209.10 to hold down third.
Qualifying is scheduled to continue Saturday morning.
Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 41st annual FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs at Firebird Motorsports Park, second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Maddi Gordon, 3.844 seconds, 329.42 mph; 2. Shawn Langdon, 3.925, 307.30; 3. Antron Brown, 3.985, 297.09; 4. Leah Pruett, 3.997, 297.22; 5. Josh Hart, 4.053, 296.44; 6. Billy Torrence, 4.104, 277.60; 7. Doug Kalitta, 4.119, 257.78; 8. Tony Stewart, 4.191, 213.23; 9. Jaren Mott, 4.193, 211.03; 10. Will Smith, 4.196, 260.36; 11. Justin Ashley, 4.251, 225.33; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.282, 209.72; 13. Shawn Reed, 4.523, 182.28; 14. Clay Millican, 4.556, 179.28; 15. Cameron Ferre, 8.305, 71.58.
Funny Car — 1. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.979, 317.64; 2. Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.982, 323.97; 3. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.998, 321.04; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 4.011, 288.21; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.017, 313.44; 6. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.021, 311.49; 7. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.044, 306.05; 8. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.049, 324.12; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 4.081, 298.47; 10. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.088, 278.23; 11. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.103, 286.80; 12. Dylan Winefsky, Charger, 4.216, 272.89; 13. Todd Lesenko, Charger, 4.255, 256.70; 14. Austin Prock, Mustang, 4.427, 295.46; 15. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.504, 205.88; 16. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.602, 194.72. Not Qualified: 17. Ron Capps, 5.239, 142.67.
Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.552, 208.42; 2. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.558, 209.10; 3. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.562, 209.10; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.568, 208.91; 5. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.572, 208.26; 6. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.573, 208.46; 7. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.575, 209.23; 8. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.580, 208.39; 9. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.581, 209.04; 10. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.583, 208.84; 11. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.592, 208.55; 12. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.593, 208.59; 13. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.596, 208.55; 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.598, 209.62; 15. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.599, 208.14; 16. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.618, 206.48. Not Qualified: 17. Stephen Bell, 6.624, 207.11; 18. Mason McGaha, 6.625, 208.14; 19. Joey Grose, 6.631, 207.62; 20. Shane Tucker, 6.639, 207.05.
