NHRA officials announced that Flexjet will continue as title sponsor of the Factory Stock Showdown class for the 2026 season. The popular class, featuring factory-built performance machines, will compete at nine national events next year — one more than in 2025.
The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown will open its season at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, March 5-8. It will then head to zMAX Dragway in Charlotte for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 24-26.
Next on the schedule are stops at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago on May 14-17 and Bristol Dragway on June 12-14. The series will then race at Norwalk, Ohio, June 25-28 before taking a midseason break.
Racing resumes at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day Weekend, followed by events at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania (Sept. 17-20) and World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis (Oct. 2-4). The 2026 season will conclude at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, held Oct. 14-18 during the Texas Motorplex’s Stampede of Speed.
Veteran racer Mark Pawuk captured his second straight Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown championship in 2025, driving his Empaco Dodge Challenger. Pawuk’s season included victories at Norwalk and Bristol and a runner-up finish in Charlotte, holding off strong performances from Jason and Taylor Dietsch, who combined for four event wins.
The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown continues to showcase fierce competition between Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets, and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks. The class has become a fan favorite for its parity and high-performance factory roots.
The series will also retain the popular Flexjet Bounty Program in 2026, which awards a cash bonus to any driver who defeats the previous event winner. The incentive, introduced in 2021, has added an extra layer of intrigue and competition to the growing category.
Flexjet, a global leader in private aviation, has partnered with NHRA to elevate the profile of the Factory Stock Showdown class, blending precision engineering and performance excellence across both industries.
🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL — MODIFIED PRODUCTION IS COMING BACK! 🚨
— Competition Plus (@competitionplus) November 5, 2025
After more than four decades, NHRA is reviving one of drag racing’s most iconic eliminators — Modified Production — bringing it back home to Competition Eliminator where many believe it always belonged. 🏁
Stick-shift… pic.twitter.com/b0HLkApmJu
