Leah Pruett surged to the provisional No. 1 position in Top Fuel on the final pass of Friday, leading qualifying at the 66th annual NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Jordan Vandergriff in Funny Car and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock also secured the top spots at the third race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Pruett’s 3.724-second run at 329.75 mph in her Tony Stewart Racing dragster came at a critical moment, vaulting her past the field late in the session. The performance continued a strong start to her season following a runner-up finish in Phoenix.
If the run holds, Pruett would claim her 16th career No. 1 qualifier and first of the season at her home track. That opportunity underscores the early-season momentum she has built with a team still finding its peak performance window.
“What we’re seeing today is the cohesiveness of our whole team, the collaboration that has happened over the last year and a half,” Pruett said. “Tony’s [Stewart] competitiveness last year shows how this team has gelled so well and worked really, really hard.
“Temperatures will be cool tomorrow and my opinion is 3.72 is not going to hold, not by any means. But that doesn’t mean that we still can’t come out hopefully up on top, as we work our way into having a solid 3.66-.67 foundation. That’s where our focus is right now, and I think you see that in the overall qualifying position that we’ve been in.”
Pruett’s outlook reflects expectations across the Top Fuel field that conditions on Saturday could reset the order. Cooler temperatures are expected to improve performance and challenge the current standings.
Josh Hart, the Gainesville winner, sits second with a 3.733 at 336.15 mph, while Phoenix winner Shawn Langdon is third at 3.745 and 338.51. The trio signals a competitive early-season mix of established contenders and resurging programs.
In Funny Car, Vandergriff continued his rapid progression with a 3.951 at 327.90 in the John Force Racing Chevrolet. The pass placed him atop the field in just his third Funny Car start and positioned him for a potential first career No. 1 qualifier.
The significance extends beyond performance, as the weekend marks the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. Vandergriff’s emergence adds a new storyline to a milestone event dominated by veteran names.
“This is definitely a new experience for me,” Vandergriff said. “I’ve never been in this position before, but I’m happy to be here. Coming into this race, I just had a feeling we were going to do well. The first two races were so hot, but we knew what we had, especially in testing before the season started. So coming here, we knew that we had a good race car. That second run felt pretty perfect, and now we’re No. 1. I’m really proud of the team.
“Racing at my home track is very motivating. I have my entire family here, and this is the home track for John Force Racing, too. Pomona has always meant something special. This is where drag racing was introduced to me, and now that I’m here on the same track, it’s pretty surreal.”
Vandergriff’s position also highlights the strength of the John Force Racing camp, with Alexis DeJoria second at 3.989 and Ron Capps third at 4.007. The group reflects a blend of experience and emerging talent shaping the Funny Car landscape.
In Pro Stock, Anderson once again asserted control at a facility where he has built much of his legacy. His 6.544 at 209.39 in the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro led both sessions and placed him atop the provisional order.
The six-time world champion is also the defending event winner, and his performance comes after a first-round loss in Phoenix despite qualifying No. 1. That combination of speed and inconsistency has become a focal point as the season develops.
“We come here and we got a decent racetrack that we’re all used to. The grip numbers are back up where we’re used to, and you can run fast,” Anderson said. “Quite honestly, we all missed in the first session. We all should have run better, but that’s because we were too shy. After the first run, everybody learned, so everybody stepped up and it’ll continue to get better tomorrow.
“The field is nowhere near set. It’s going to reset, probably from top to bottom again. This is a great Pro Stock track. You’re going to see this Pro Stock field probably end up being three-hundredths [of a second] from top to bottom, from No. 1 to No. 16.”
That margin underscores the tightening competition in Pro Stock, where small gains in setup and execution often determine qualifying position. Anderson’s comments suggest the field could compress further as teams adjust to improving track conditions.
Dallas Glenn, the reigning world champion and Phoenix winner, is second at 6.553, while Greg Stanfield is third with a 6.568. The trio represents the continued rivalry between top-tier teams that has defined the category in recent seasons.
Qualifying resumes Saturday afternoon, with cooler conditions expected to challenge the current order across all three professional categories. With fields not yet set, Friday’s leaders face a renewed push from contenders aiming to capitalize on improved track performance.
