Cody Anderson will make his NHRA Pro Stock debut at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, opening the sanctioning body’s 75th anniversary season at Gainesville Raceway. The 27-year-old son of six-time champion Greg Anderson will drive a KB Titan Racing entry backed by J&A Service, the Mid-West Drag Racing Series and Troy Humphrey Motorsports.
While the Anderson name carries weight in Pro Stock, Cody said he intends to write his own chapter in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. His first official appearance comes at one of the sport’s marquee events.
“I’m super excited and grateful for the opportunity,” said Cody, who completed his final licensing passes at Rockingham Dragway. “I’ve had a lot of encouragement and support, and honestly this wouldn’t have happened without that. Jim Whiteley, Keith Haney, my grandfather Troy Humphrey, my family, and every guy on this team made this possible for me. Their support has kept my nerves calm. I can’t wait to get to Gainesville.”
Cody’s path to Gainesville followed a deliberate licensing process. Testing began at Mooresville Dragway before shifting to Bradenton Motorsports Park and concluding with full passes at Rockingham.
His NHRA Pro Stock license was signed off by reigning world champion Dallas Glenn and Greg Anderson. The approvals marked a transition from longtime crew member to active competitor in one of drag racing’s most disciplined categories.
“This is pretty awesome, standing on the starting line watching my son,” said Greg, a six-time Pro Stock champion and the winningest driver in class history. “To jump into a Pro Stock car like this – this is the first time he’s ever let the clutch out on any type of vehicle, let alone a Pro Stock car, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s done fantastic.”
Unlike many second-generation racers, Cody did not graduate through Jr. Dragster or Sportsman ranks. His education came through immersion, traveling the country with his parents and witnessing his father’s first Bristol win in 2001 along with dozens of the 112 Pro Stock victories that followed.
He learned the demands of the class from the shop floor and the starting line rather than from a junior category ladder. That foundation shaped a cautious, step-by-step approach once serious discussions about driving began.
“We’ve taken it slow and gone step-by-step,” explained his father. “After Cody got the burnout down, he was doing it better than I’ve ever done. Leaving the starting line and driving downtrack and shifting gears, you can see that the kid’s got talent, without a doubt. I couldn’t be a prouder papa. This is a new chapter for me, and I am really looking forward to this.”
The team introduced Cody to the KB Titan Racing burnout car, a former championship chassis outfitted with a traditional Pro Stock clutch and shifter. Under the guidance of Dallas Glenn and later Dave Connolly, he progressed from controlled burnouts to full passes.
“It’s definitely difficult to drive one of these things,” shared Cody. “But I’ve been enjoying it. It’s starting to get easier, and it gets more and more fun as you start to learn more and get more comfortable.”
Cody’s background includes competitive baseball and golf, but most of his racing life has been spent working behind the scenes. He officially joined the team’s trackside effort as a teenager and later worked full time on his father’s car.
That experience placed him alongside longtime crew chief Rob Downing, assistant crew chief Nate VanWassenhove and Glenn in an environment defined by detail and expectation. The exposure offered insight into the discipline required to contend in Pro Stock.
Now the focus shifts to execution at Gainesville. Cody plans to compete in at least 10 national events in 2026 and will be eligible for Rookie of the Year honors.
He said the Gatornationals will be about absorbing information rather than chasing headlines. The objective is steady improvement in a class where margins are measured in thousandths of a second.
“I’m not going to Gainesville with any expectations, other than to continue to learn and to try to enjoy every minute of this,” he said. “This is just the beginning, and there is still a lot left to learn. I’m just going to soak it all in, enjoy the opportunity, and see what we can make of it.”
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