If Thursday’s NHRA press release announcing South Georgia Motorsports Park as a host for a 2026 NHRA event seemed unreal for Raul Torres, Friday’s press conference at the NHRA U.S. Nationals drove reality home.
The NHRA will return to Georgia in 2026 with the revival of the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park, marking the sanctioning body’s first new national event track in more than a decade.
The announcement came Thursday during the unveiling of NHRA’s 20-race schedule for its 75th anniversary season. On Friday at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, it became even more real for South Georgia Motorsports Park’s Raul Torres and his wife Jennifer.
The Southern Nationals will take place May 1-3, 2026, in Adel, Georgia, just outside Valdosta.
“This is a dream come true,” said Raul Torres. “When my wife, Jennifer, and I bought the track two years ago we wanted to build a community for drag racers and fans to enjoy quality family entertainment. We have put in a lot of blood, sweat and some tears to get to this point. We are dedicated to hosting premiere events at every level and adding the NHRA Southern Nationals next season will be a great opportunity and challenge. We are up to the task, and we can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for thousands of fans from across the country.”
The NHRA last staged a Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national event in Georgia in 2021, when the Southern Nationals closed out Atlanta Dragway in Commerce. The 2026 event will be the first Southern Nationals since that closure and the first time since 2013 a new venue has joined the NHRA tour.
NHRA President Glen Cromwell said the move represents both tradition and growth. “For us to grow, we have to go to new markets. We need to take our athletes and our superstars to new fans, new eyeballs, and this is just the beginning of what I see the future of NHRA,” Cromwell said. “It starts with Raul, Jennifer, a great team, and of course, a great market. I’m excited to bring the superstars of the NHRA to a great racetrack and a great track owner.”
The Torres family purchased South Georgia Motorsports Park from Ozzie and Maria Moya in 2023 and have since worked to expand its reach through bracket races, divisional events, and specialty promotions. Torres said the Southern Nationals will elevate that effort. “This is monumental for South Georgia and the region,” he said. “This racetrack has been around for 23 years. My wife and I, honestly, could say we found our calling in the industry.”
Torres pledged fans will experience southern hospitality. “We’re going to open our doors, make you guys feel at home. It’s going to be like a Thanksgiving dinner in May,” he said. “We’re going to make you feel at home and you’re going to leave the property just as happy as you were when you came in.”
The track is preparing for upgrades ahead of 2026, including expanded seating, improved parking, relocated scoreboards, and raised walls. Torres said the event will be capped at a manageable attendance level to ensure fan comfort. “We’re not going to sell 40,000 tickets,” he said. “We want everyone to have an experience, not just watch a race. We’re bringing in more grandstands, we’re going to extend our campsites, and we’re confident we can fit a race of this size.”
The economic impact of the race is expected to be significant, drawing fans from Georgia, Florida, and surrounding states. Torres said the event will showcase Cook County and beyond. “Hosting an NHRA national event will raise awareness for the area and bring in new dollars to the surrounding community,” he said.
To support capital improvements, South Georgia Motorsports Park is promoting its “Legacy Lane Wall,” allowing fans, racers, and businesses to purchase personalized bricks or tiles to be displayed on-site. Proceeds will help fund new grandstands and improved suites. “The Legacy Lane Wall is a way for all parts of our support system to play a role in our success,” Torres said.
Cromwell said bringing NHRA back to Georgia was a priority following the loss of Commerce. “Commerce was a big event for us for many, many years, and that was a difficult decision for us coming out of COVID,” he said. “But we knew when we did it, we wanted to be back there and now we’re back there and we’re in a great place with a great track owner that’s going to take us to new heights.”
Torres admitted he had been working toward the goal since purchasing the facility. “This was my ultimate goal. This is going to be the pinnacle of races here at South Georgia Motorsports Park,” he said. “Everyone realizes you just don’t ask for a national event and you receive one. A lot of hard work, a lot of time, and a lot of effort goes into that and we’re certainly going to hold our side of the bargain.”
Asked about pressure leading into the 2026 event, Torres acknowledged the weight of expectation. “I’ve been anticipating this for just over two years,” he said. “My anxiety is well-mannered or controlled at this moment. Let’s speak April 30th, the day before we open the gate, and that may be a different story. But we expected this at some point. I’m extremely grateful and blessed and appreciative that they gave us the opportunity sooner rather than later.”
The Southern Nationals’ return also comes as the NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary, a milestone Torres said his team does not take lightly. “It’s huge for us to be able to represent Wally Parks and his family and his legacy. That isn’t taken lightly. We want to make sure we make him and his family proud and we’re going to do that.”
Cromwell echoed that sentiment. “It’s an exciting time going into our 75th and we’re going to celebrate Wally’s legacy,” he said. “It’s great to be able to share that with Raul at South Georgia Motorsports Park. It’s going to be a big event.”
Torres said he has leaned on advice from veteran track operators such as the Bader family of Norwalk, Ohio, whose Summit Motorsports Park is regarded as one of the premier facilities in the country. “First and foremost, hospitality and putting the customers first,” Torres said. “The Baders have set the bar high and we hope to fulfill that. If it’s 10%, we’re headed in the right direction.”
Cromwell praised Torres’ approach. “He’s a good one to idolize,” Cromwell said of the Baders. “And Raul is really good. It starts with him and his wife. They embrace the NHRA drag racing world, not just the national event, but every event they do.”
Fans in the Southeast, who since 2021 have had to travel to Gainesville or Charlotte for national events, welcomed the news online. Cromwell noted that the region has long been a stronghold for drag racing. “Very important,” he said. “Now we’re back there and we’re in a great place with a great track owner. We’re excited.”
South Georgia Motorsports Park has already made a name for itself with high-profile independent events, including radial-tire showcases and “Lights Out,” which draw large crowds. Cromwell said NHRA’s arrival will give longtime SGMP fans a new reason to attend. “There’s a generation of racers that know your racetrack. They don’t necessarily know us as well, and I think they’re the ones that may be most excited to attend,” Cromwell said.
Torres agreed. “That’s the bridge we want to gap. We want to bridge that gap between NHRA and the smaller markets,” he said.
While the NHRA’s biggest facilities like Indianapolis and Las Vegas draw massive crowds, Cromwell said bringing national events to smaller, fan-friendly venues like SGMP and Maryland International Raceway will give the sport a personal edge. “I believe we’re going to sell out three days in a row and put fans in there nice and close,” Cromwell said. “Every track’s got its different personality. But for us to separate ourselves, we need to go to new markets.”
Torres said he hopes to one day be compared to the sport’s most respected track-owning families.
“We can’t be compared to those families. Those are legacies. We hope to one day be able to be compared to them,” he said. “We certainly share their vision, but we want to prove ourselves in this industry. We’ve just begun, but we are going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
