Marquee NHRA Pro names take to the podium at 44th NHRA Brainerd Nationals….
4X Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan moved into the points lead, defeating Jordan Vandergriff in the final round in front of another huge crowd on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also won the 13th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Hagan went 3.946-seconds at 320.13 mph in his American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car to power past Vandergriff and win for the third time this season for Tony Stewart Racing. It is Hagan’s 58th career win and second at Brainerd, and the triumph in the final round sent him to the top of the loaded Funny Car category.
Hagan was incredibly consistent on raceday, reaching the finals after defeating Jim Campbell, Chad Green and Austin Prock. Hagan went 3.94 in the final three rounds, including the finals when he quickly drove past Vandergriff, who slowed to a 4.038.
The standout started the weekend fifth in points but ended as the points leader in the ultra-competitive Funny Car class. Heading to Indy, Hagan will have a seven-point lead over Vandergriff, with Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman all close behind. Capps is just 12 points back, with Todd and Beckman 22 and 74 points behind, respectively.
“We definitely could have bracket-raced this car this weekend. It just shows what our team is capable of,” Hagan stated. “Everybody is just working hard and doing what they’re supposed to do. As I was doing the burnout and backing up, it gave me chills, man. The fans were packed in here. NHRA is doing a great job promoting our sport, and our sport is growing every day.”
Matt Hagan vaulted to the NHRA points lead after winning at BIR last weekend.
Vandergriff, who qualified No. 1, reached the finals for the third time this season thanks to victories against Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd.
Top Fuel reigning world champion Doug Kalitta finished off an epic and flawless weekend in Brainerd, getting his third straight victory by holding off rookie Maddi Gordon in the championship round with an impressive run of 3.743 at 333.74 in his Mac Tools dragster.
It’s also the second straight Brainerd victory for Kalitta, who moved into the points lead on Saturday and strengthened his grip on the regular season championship on raceday. After qualifying No. 1 – making the quickest run in all four sessions – and winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, Kalitta was unbeatable on Sunday, too, rolling past Cam Ferre, Antron Brown and Justin Ashley to reach the final round.
Doug Kalitta – also assumed the top in NHRA points – winning Top Fuel.
Gordon left first and put up a respectable 3.770 at 328.78, but Kalitta quickly tracked her down to pick up his fourth win this season and the 63rd in his career.
Just like last year, Kalitta has a dominant car at the perfect time as the veteran attempts to win the world championship for the third time in the past four years. First up, Kalitta will try to win the regular season title in Indy, and he’ll have an impressive 67-point lead over teammate Shawn Langdon leading into the world’s biggest drag race.
“It was definitely an interesting day,” Kalitta said. “My guys did a great job throughout the weekend, through qualifying, the Mission Foods deal and then being able to go rounds on Sunday and get to the final and beat Maddi. She’s doing a great job and they’re tough.”
Rookie of the Year candidate — Maddi Gordon advanced to her 2nd career final round.
Gordon reached her second final round in her debut season after getting past Scott Palmer, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett.
In Pro Stock, the track where Greg Anderson grew up racing continues to be very good to the six-time world champion, as the points leader won for the second straight year in Brainerd, going 6.584 at 208.17 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to chase down first-time finalist Chris Vang.
It was a massive points day for Anderson after KB Titan Racing teammate and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn fell in the first round after qualifying No. 1. Anderson took advantage in a major way, defeating Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Greg Stanfield to reach the finals.
Minnesota homestate-native racer Greg Anderson won in Pro Stock.
Vang left first, but Anderson tracked him down to win for the fourth time this season and the 116th time in his spectacular career. He also opened up a significant 85-point lead over Glenn with one race remaining in the regular season. That gives Anderson a sizeable advantage as he aims to win the regular season championship in Indy. It’s also the fifth career Brainerd victory for Anderson, which is the most in Pro Stock history at the standout facility.
“The world knows this is the place where it all started for me. I wouldn’t be a Pro Stock racer today if it wasn’t for this place and all the people around here,” Anderson said. “My father and John Hagen gave me my start in Pro Stock. It’s been a special place to me since the first time I walked on the grounds.
Class newcomer Chris Vang advanced to his first Pro Stock final round.
Vang reached the final round for the first time in his young career thanks to round wins against Matt Latino, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and rookie Cody Anderson.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 2-7 with the prestigious 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Sportsman Racing – Final Round Results
Top Alcohol Dragster — Anthony Troyer, 5.220, 276.63 def. Melanie Johnson, 5.250, 274.00.
Anthony Troyer won BIR’s TAD class racing for the 2nd straight year.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Shane Westerfield, Chevy Camaro, 5.523, 264.49 def. Christine Foster, Camaro, Broke – No Show.
TAFC winner – Shane Westerfield
Competition Eliminator — Cody Lane, Bantam, 7.348, 171.01 def. Bruce Schmiedl, Bantam, 7.351, 179.97.
Comp winner – Cody Lang
Super Stock — Jack Beutler, Olds Cierra, 10.181, 128.90 def. Mike Graham, Ford Mustang, 10.340, 126.00.
Super Stock racing produced a first time winner – Jack Beutler’s GT/KA Cierra.
Stock winner Jamey Picht
Stock Eliminator — Jamey Picht, Buick, 11.140, 99.54 def. Dirk Olson, Chevy Nova, Foul – Red Light.
Super Comp — Jeff Chaney, Dragster, 8.947, 168.26 def. James Glenn, Dragster, 8.961, 166.81.
Super Gas — Greg Maaninga, Chevy Camaro, 9.917, 145.55 def. Dale Evens, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.
S/G 9.90 winner – Greg Maaninga
Super Street — Rich Hill, Chevy Camaro, 11.225, 105.43 def. Donnie Durenberger, Chevy Nova, Foul – Red Light.
Top Sportsman — Curt Fredrich, Chevy Camaro, 6.587, 209.79 def. Chris Roe, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light.
The Top Sportsman champion was Curt Fredrich
Top Dragster — Kendra Larson, Dragster, 6.929, 191.59 def. Bob Fischer, Dragster, 6.828, 194.97.
Kendra Larson now has 3 NHRA titles for T/D. All of her wins have come at BIR!
Junior Dragster Shootout — Evan Songas, Halfscale, 8.038, 80.53 def. Bodie Carlson, 8.018, 80.94.
Outlaw Snowmobiles — Anthony Mini, HRC4, 4.195, 168.87 def. John Jacklitch, HRC III, 4.522, 154.92.
The exhibition Outlaw Snowmobile title went to Anthony Mini
Saturday Schedule Extra!
Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta, the reigning world champion won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge while also clinching the No. 1 qualifier for the 70th time in his career – on Saturday.
Kalitta made the quickest run in all four qualifying sessions, including a blistering pass of 3.673-seconds at 332.26 mph in Mac Tools dragster to open Saturday and qualify No. 1 for the fourth time in 2026. He finished the day with his fifth victory of 2026 in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, defeating Josh Hart in the final round of the bonus race with an impressive run of 3.726 at 329.50.
In Funny Car, J.R. Todd ensured a Kalitta Motorsports double-up in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge defeating back-to-back world champion Austin Prock on a holeshot and a run of 3.938 at 321.88 in his 12,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra.
JR Todd scored in Saturday’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge event.
Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson squeaked past Dallas Glenn in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge thanks to a 6.555 at 209.04 in his HendrickCars.com
Chevrolet Camaro. That gave the 6X world champion three wins in the bonus race this year.
Outlaws in the House!
NHRA’s limited edition 4-race season schedule featuring Outlaw Street car class racers was in attendance at BIR. The 2nd event for the Right Trailers-presenting was dominated by Scott Taylor’s Mississippi-based Camaro.
Taylor after qualifying #1 waded past the 8-car field capping that victory with a close final round win over Shawn Ellington 3.709 secs 202.82 mph to 3.717 secs 203.46 mph (1/8th mile racing).
Scott Taylor won the Right Trailers Outlaw Street car special feature event.
Taylor’s final round time was low ET for the event. He had defeated Bobby Ducote and Carson Baker in rounds one and two.
The Outlaw Street class will be presented at upcoming Indy and Dallas NHRA nationals.
Posted with files by NHRA Communications and Bruce Biegler
Photos by David Ostaszewski
