Leah Pruett, J.R. Todd, and Greg Anderson claimed No. 1 qualifying positions in their respective categories at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, setting the stage for Sunday eliminations. The trio led Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock fields at the third stop of the 2026 NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series season.
Pruett secured her first No. 1 qualifier since 2023 with a 3.724-second pass at 329.75 mph recorded on Friday. The run held through Saturday and marked the 16th top qualifying effort of her career.
Her performance comes one race after advancing to the final round, positioning her as a contender for her first victory of the season. The No. 1 spot also delivers a first-round bye, providing a strategic advantage heading into eliminations.
“We’re thrilled with where our performance is at and the confidence and momentum is building with this team,” Pruett said. “Yeah, I’m happy. I have my own work to do, but man, we’re moving and grooving and looking forward to eliminations tomorrow.”
Josh Hart qualified second with a 3.733 at 336.15 mph, continuing his strong start after a win in Gainesville. Shawn Langdon followed in third with a 3.745 at 338.51 mph, maintaining his presence among the top contenders.
In Funny Car, Todd returned to the top of the qualifying ladder for the first time in five years with a 3.896-second run at 335.32 mph. The performance marked his 15th career No. 1 qualifier and first since the 2021 season.
Todd’s resurgence places him in position to contend for a historic milestone, with Sunday’s eliminations determining the winner of the 1,000th Funny Car race. His pairing against Blake Alexander in the opening round offers an immediate test.
“It just shows that the performance of our DHL hot rod, that it’s coming around thanks to Dickie [Venables] and Todd [Smith],” Todd said. “It was awesome to see that 3.89 come up on the scoreboard when I went by, but I’m just happy for the guys; they put in so much hard work back there in the pit area.
“I saw the 1,000th Funny Car winner trophy on the wall up there in Q3. That’d be an awesome accomplishment. There’s been a lot of great Funny Car drivers and it was pretty awesome to see Shawn [Langdon, Top Fuel teammate] get the [1,000th Top Fuel win] last year in Charlotte. So, if we could pull that off and put that trophy next to his at the shop, I think that would make Connie [Kalitta, team owner] really happy. I love coming here. There’s a lot of history at this place and hopefully we can add some more history tomorrow.”
Ron Capps qualified second with a 3.919 at 330.88 mph, while Jordan Vandergriff secured the third spot with a 3.925 at 329.99 mph. Both drivers remain within striking distance entering race day.
In Pro Stock, Anderson claimed his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 142nd of his career with a 6.516-second run at 209.69 mph. The pass improved on his Friday effort and reinforced his position atop the field.
Anderson’s qualifying success adds to a career record that includes multiple wins at Pomona, where he seeks his 17th victory. His opening-round matchup against Kenny Delco presents the first step toward that goal.
Eliminations for the Winternationals begin Sunday at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip.
SATURDAY #2FAST2TASTY – KALITTA, HAGAN, GLENN BUILD MOMENTUM WITH #2FAST2TASTY WINS AT NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
Doug Kalitta continued his recent dominance in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, defeating Maddi Gordon in Top Fuel to headline Saturday’s bonus race winners at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona. Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also secured victories, strengthening their positions heading into eliminations.
Kalitta’s victory marked his seventh win in the specialty event since the start of the 2025 season, reinforcing his command of the Saturday format. His 3.747-second pass at 333.66 mph proved enough to hold off Gordon’s challenge and maintain his grip on the program.
The performance further solidified Kalitta’s standing at Pomona, where he already owns the most Top Fuel wins in track history. With momentum from Saturday and the points lead entering the weekend, he positioned himself for another potential milestone on Sunday.
“I think the fans like racing on Saturday. I think it’s cool just to be able to just try to outrun the people you raced the previous race, and winning these things on Saturday is huge momentum for everybody on our team,” Kalitta said. “Every time we go up there, regardless of what we’re doing with somebody in the other lane, I’m always just trying to get the win light to come on in our lane.
“The car got to about half track, and it was really cool because you can tell that the tires aren’t slipping and it’s hooked up one-to-one. I knew I had a good shot at getting the win. Tomorrow, it’s just one round at a time. Everybody’s tough, first round to fourth round, if you can make it that far.”
Kalitta’s consistency in the Mission Challenge has mirrored his overall approach, where clean, repeatable runs have become the foundation of his success. The Saturday format, which pits drivers against recent opponents, has only amplified that advantage.
The Top Fuel veteran now turns his focus to eliminations, where his track record suggests he remains the driver to beat. His ability to convert Saturday success into Sunday wins has been a defining trait during this stretch.
In Funny Car, Hagan delivered a timely performance, defeating Paul Lee in the final round with a 3.940-second run at 329.58 mph. The win marked his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the 2026 season.
Hagan’s result builds on his success in the program from a year ago, when he captured the overall Funny Car title in the specialty series. His two consistent runs on Saturday signaled a car capable of contending deep into eliminations.
“It’s a race inside of a race, and I hope I used up all my adrenaline for today,” Hagan said. “It’s cool, what Mission does and to be able to win some money for the crew guys and scoop up the points, it’s exciting. We’ve got a great race car this year, and I’m excited to see what we can do with it. This is one of the little accolades that we get to put up on the shelf, but I think there’s a lot more.
“I’ve been dreaming about getting three trophies: the Mission Challenge, the event trophy and that 1,000th trophy Funny Car trophy, so there’s a lot to be had. That’s wishful thinking, though, because these Funny Cars are super humbling.”
His comments reflect both ambition and caution, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the Funny Car category. While the Saturday win adds confidence, Hagan emphasized the challenge of maintaining consistency across four rounds on race day.
That balance between performance and restraint has defined his approach entering Sunday. With a proven car and momentum from the bonus race, Hagan remains a central figure in the Funny Car storyline.
Dallas Glenn extended his unbeaten run in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge this season, defeating Aaron Stanfield in the Pro Stock final. His 6.525-second pass at 208.55 mph continued a streak that began with a win in Phoenix.
The reigning Pro Stock champion has shown little drop-off from his title-winning campaign, carrying that form into both qualifying and specialty competition. His ability to deliver under pressure has made him one of the most consistent performers early in 2026.
“The Mission Challenge brings that race day mentality and gets you ready for Sunday,” Glenn said. “You go out there and get two win lights and that just builds the confidence to know that you can take out anybody when everything’s right. I feel like I’ve got a lot of confidence in the car and I feel like I’m driving good, where I don’t have to think about anything, and you can just go out there and do it, everything clicks and the car runs well.”
Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 66th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the third of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Leah Pruett, 3.724 seconds, 329.75 mph vs. Bye; 2. Josh Hart, 3.733, 336.15 vs. 15. Cameron Ferre, 5.785, 98.91; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.745, 338.51 vs. 14. Tony Schumacher, 4.618, 152.80; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.747, 338.34 vs. 13. Ron August, 4.613, 165.92; 5. Shawn Reed, 3.755, 330.31 vs. 12. Clay Millican, 4.022, 236.38; 6. Billy Torrence, 3.774, 334.65 vs. 11. Antron Brown, 3.953, 267.22; 7. Tony Stewart, 3.783, 332.18 vs. 10. Will Smith, 3.870, 324.20; 8. Maddi Gordon, 3.798, 327.98 vs. 9. Justin Ashley, 3.826, 327.98.
Funny Car — 1. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.896, 335.32 vs. 16. Blake Alexander, Dodge Charger, 4.143, 316.97; 2. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.919, 330.88 vs. 15. Dylan Winefsky, Charger, 4.112, 290.82; 3. Jordan Vandergriff, Chevy Camaro, 3.925, 329.99 vs. 14. Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.073, 288.70; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.940, 329.58 vs. 13. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 4.057, 312.06; 5. Austin Prock, Mustang, 3.967, 323.58 vs. 12. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.057, 318.09; 6. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.970, 322.65 vs. 11. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.024, 317.87; 7. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 3.979, 328.46 vs. 10. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.010, 317.27; 8. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.984, 325.61 vs. 9. Jim Campbell, Mustang, 3.992, 317.34. Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Arend, 4.160, 291.76; 18. Cruz Pedregon, 4.317, 217.04.
Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.516, 209.69 vs. 16. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.583, 208.84; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.525, 209.43 vs. 15. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.575, 209.98; 3. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.536, 210.01 vs. 14. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.572, 209.20; 4. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.541, 209.56 vs. 13. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.567, 208.68; 5. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.542, 209.65 vs. 12. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.565, 209.23; 6. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.547, 209.43 vs. 11. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.554, 210.41; 7. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.550, 209.65 vs. 10. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.553, 208.33; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.553, 209.85 vs. 9. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.553, 209.52. Did Not Qualify: 17. Chris McGaha, 6.586, 209.59; 18. Joey Grose, 6.604, 208.46; 19. Mason McGaha, 6.611, 209.23.
