Monster Energy has joined Ron Capps Motorsports and NHRA Rookie of the Year candidate Maddi Gordon in a multi-year partnership beginning with the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
The announcement came Friday at Gainesville Raceway ahead of qualifying for the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals, where Gordon will make her debut in the sport’s premier Top Fuel category.
Monster Energy will serve as a major associate partner for Gordon’s rookie campaign as Ron Capps Motorsports expands to a two-car nitro program.
The partnership places one of motorsports’ most recognizable brands alongside a team that captured the NHRA Funny Car championship in its first season of operation in 2022.
For Gordon, the agreement arrives at the start of a season expected to define the next step in her racing career.
Her first competitive Top Fuel runs will come this weekend at Gainesville Raceway as the NHRA launches its 75th anniversary season.
“This is a huge weekend for us,” said RCM team owner and NAPA Auto Care Funny Car driver Ron Capps. “We’re debuting as a two-car team with Carlyle Tools, it’s Maddi’s first-ever Top Fuel race, the start of NHRA’s 75th anniversary season, and now the cherry on top – we get to announce a partnership with Monster Energy.”
Capps said aligning with Monster Energy represents a significant milestone for the growing organization.
“It’s a brand that carries a lot of weight and has always backed some of the coolest, most extreme athletes in the world, and there’s not much more extreme than what we do, driving these nitromethane-burning beasts at 330 miles per hour,” Capps said.
“It’s an incredible brand to be aligned with, and I’m beyond proud that Ron Capps Motorsports gets to make this announcement today.”
Under the agreement, Monster Energy branding will appear on both Ron Capps Motorsports entries.
The most prominent placement will be on Gordon’s Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster as she begins her rookie season.
The Monster Energy “M-claw” logo will make its first competitive appearance when Gordon stages her 12,000-horsepower dragster during Friday’s opening round of qualifying.
The Gainesville debut represents the first time Gordon will compete in Top Fuel during NHRA national event competition.
Her move to the nitro dragster category follows several seasons spent building experience behind the wheel and working on race cars alongside her family.
That background helped establish a reputation for a driver with both mechanical knowledge and driving ability.
Her hands-on approach has long placed her in the pits learning the details of race car preparation.
Those experiences helped shape the path that ultimately led to the Top Fuel opportunity with Ron Capps Motorsports.
Gordon arrives in the class after two successful seasons competing in Top Alcohol Funny Car.
During that stretch she recorded three NHRA national event victories while driving her family’s entry.
She also captured a regional championship while establishing herself as one of the category’s rising drivers.
Those performances helped position her for the jump to the 12,000-horsepower Top Fuel machines capable of speeds exceeding 330 miles per hour.
The transition represents one of the most demanding steps a driver can make in professional drag racing.
For Gordon, the opportunity also comes with the backing of one of motorsports’ most visible brands.
“It’s really exciting to have a brand like Monster Energy supporting me as I begin my professional career,” Gordon said.
“They’ve been involved with some of the most incredible athletes in motorsports, so to now be a part of that Monster family is truly an honor, and honestly, somewhat surreal.”
Her rookie campaign places her alongside a championship-winning team owner who understands the demands of competing in nitro racing’s top divisions.
Capps formed Ron Capps Motorsports following the 2021 season and quickly established the organization as a championship contender.
The team captured the NHRA Funny Car world championship in its inaugural season.
Expanding to include a Top Fuel program marks the next phase of growth for the organization.
The addition of Gordon gives the team entries in both of the NHRA’s nitro categories.
“If someone would’ve told me a few years ago that in 2026 I’d be driving for Ron Capps, in a fuel car, and with huge, well-known brands such as Carlyle Tools and now Monster Energy, I would’ve told them they were crazy,” Gordon said.
“I’m just so incredibly grateful for the opportunity and proud to represent Monster Energy with this Ron Capps Motorsports team.”
The partnership also highlights the continued presence of major consumer brands in NHRA competition.
Monster Energy has maintained a strong footprint across motorsports and action sports worldwide.
Its involvement with Ron Capps Motorsports brings another global brand into the NHRA pit area.
For Ron Capps Motorsports, the agreement strengthens the foundation required to operate a two-car nitro program.
For Gordon, it provides major backing as she begins her Top Fuel career on drag racing’s biggest stage.
“I’ve grown up around this sport my whole life, so getting the chance to step into Top Fuel with a team like Ron Capps Motorsports and partners like Monster Energy and Carlyle Tools means everything,” Gordon said. “Now the goal is simple — learn as much as I can and prove I belong out here.”
