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.”
