Maddi Gordon has something the other candidates for NHRA Rookie of the Year don’t have: a national event victory. She’s also been to another final round, won 21 elimination rounds and made herself one of the most recognizable newcomers in professional drag racing.
That’s a pretty good argument for winning the award, but don’t tell Will Smith or Cody Anderson the voting is already over. Both have spent 2026 making cases of their own, and neither is interested in settling for honorable mention.
Gordon entered the season with considerable attention as the new driver of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster for Ron Capps Motorsports. She backed it up by winning at Norwalk in just her 10th career start, then reached another final at Brainerd.
She’s also put in the hours away from the racetrack, meeting fans, handling interviews and helping promote NHRA. Those responsibilities count in Rookie of the Year consideration, although Gordon would rather concentrate on what happens between now and the season finale.
“Absolutely. Yeah. It ain’t over till it’s over,” Gordon said when asked whether those already crowning her should reconsider. “I think that we’ve had a great year so far. But Will Smith, man, he’s coming on strong and Cody, everybody’s doing a great job. So, I am absolutely… We’re humble over here and we’re going to stay in the fight till the very end, but that’s our focus for sure. Not our only focus, but one of our main focuses.”
Gordon brought an established racing background into Top Fuel, but nothing guarantees success when you’re strapped into an 11,000-horsepower dragster. She’s learned that lesson while putting together a 21-17 elimination-round record heading into Las Vegas.
“I think we have a really great car, I really think we have a great team,” Gordon said. “It’s going to be tough, it’s a year long battle, so it ain’t over until it’s over. But I think that we’re giving it our best shot. Will Smith’s doing a fantastic job, Cody Anderson, everybody’s doing a great job. So, we’ll see what happens, but I think we got a great car, a great team. I’ve learned a lot throughout the season.”
Smith hasn’t won a national event, but his performance at St. Louis gave voters something worth remembering. He reached his first Top Fuel final after winning four consecutive rounds on holeshots, putting his starting-line ability on display against some experienced competition.
The driver of the SCAG-affiliated Bluebird Turf dragster ranks second in Top Fuel reaction-time average. His 9-17 elimination-round record isn’t going to frighten anybody, but the improvement has been noticeable, particularly as his team has become more competitive.
Smith and his team entered the season with limited experience together. They’ve spent much of the year learning what works, what doesn’t and how to compete against operations that have been doing this for years.
“Well, I knew if I did my job and continued that, I felt we would be in the conversation,” Smith said. “I knew it definitely wouldn’t be a lack of effort and performance on the team’s part. And so I’m just trying to get better with every run. As I’ve said, many times before we come out and just try to be better than we were the last run. And if we continue that trajectory, the results will take care of themselves. But I got a great group behind us in there that really put a good hot rod under me lately. And it’s been there all year. We’ve been just trying to build on it each race.”
Smith isn’t dismissing Gordon’s accomplishments, but he believes his own performances have improved as the pressure has increased. With the championship race tightening, he’s found himself in situations where a mistake at the starting line can ruin an otherwise good weekend.
“She’s doing a great job over there. She’s a great kid and she’s great behind the wheel,” Smith said. “But we just come out and be us, come out here and just try to get better with every run. I’ve always raced better under pressure. I feel like when I get backed into a corner, I tend to get up on the wheel and drive better. So the pressure’s on right now as we’re fifth in standings right now. I say the pressure’s here now, but we just got to go out and make run after run, and do a good job with it, and not worry about the outside pressure.”
There’s one thing he’d still like to accomplish before the season ends.
“And we can do it too,” Smith said. “We just got to stay at it, keep doing what we’re doing, keep working hard and try to win one of these Diamond Wallys before the end of the season.”
Cody Anderson’s rookie season started with a different challenge. He grew up around Pro Stock royalty as the son of six-time world champion Greg Anderson, but he had never competed in a drag race before climbing into one of the most demanding cars in the professional pits.
The younger Anderson has since reached his first final at Rockingham, beaten his father and six-time champion Erica Enders, and compiled a 12-18 elimination-round record. Those are accomplishments he couldn’t have expected to come easily when the season began.
“I set a lot of goals for myself this year, and I’ve achieved many of them – and that’s been extremely rewarding,” Anderson said. “They started as small goals, like qualifying for the race, getting past round one, cutting a good light, shifting well – but they’ve gotten bigger as the year has gone on. Just learning from my mistakes has been a big thing for me, and when you can find a way to be better than you were the race before, that’s a good feeling.”
Pro Stock cars have a way of humbling even experienced drivers. Anderson has discovered how difficult it can be to make a clean run while managing the clutch, shifting gears and trying to cut a competitive reaction time.
“Just driving these Pro Stock cars well. They’re very finicky, they’re tough to drive, and it’s hard to lay down a really good lap,” Anderson said. “When you do, it’s awesome, but that has been the most challenging part. You can’t be perfect every time – but you need to be in order to compete with a lot of these guys out here.”
Pro Stock Motorcycle rookie Clayton Howey has reached three semifinals despite missing Bristol and Norwalk. His experience in Sportsman Motorcycle racing gave him a foundation, but he’s spent this season finding out how demanding the professional ranks can be.
Funny Car newcomer Dylan Winefsky has made four national event appearances with a team working to establish itself against better-funded operations. A planned fifth appearance at Las Vegas would put him in position for Rookie of the Year consideration.
Gordon has the victory, Smith has the starting-line performances and Anderson has gone from complete newcomer to Pro Stock finalist. All three have reasons to believe they’ve earned consideration, even if Gordon appears to have the strongest case heading into the final two races.
For Anderson, the award isn’t the only uncertainty hanging over the end of the season. He’d like to continue racing Pro Stock, but he doesn’t know whether another opportunity will come.
“Hopefully, I get to keep running these things. They’re a blast to drive, and I’m enjoying it, but it’s not promised,” Anderson said. “I’m just trying to enjoy every second I can of this season, and I’m trying not to get my hopes up too far out. I’m just grateful for all of this, and I’d like to have a long future behind the wheel of one of these things. We’ve had a great rookie year, and hopefully we’ve impressed the right people to be able to keep doing this. Right now, we’re just looking forward to a good finish to the season.”
