NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

As the start of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season approaches, Doug Kalitta, Austin Prock, Dallas Glenn, and Gaige Herrera are favored to win their respective categories.

NHRA fans participating in gaming as part of the PlayNHRA initiative continue to have the opportunity to place wagers on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series champions in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle as the series heads to historic Gainesville Raceway for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 5-8.

With a total of 20 events on the schedule, including six playoff races as part of the Countdown to the Championship, titles in each class are wide open, although there are several drivers who have emerged as strong favorites due to their performance in 2025 and their expectations for the upcoming season. The experts at Alt Sports Data have provided opening odds for each of the four Professional classes.

TOP FUEL

In Top Fuel, 13 drivers are listed as potential title contenders with reigning and two-time champ Doug Kalitta leading the way. Kalitta carries an opening price of +500, which means a wager of $10 would return $60.00 for a $50.00 profit. Teammate Shawn Langdon is listed behind Kalitta and is considered a co-favorite at +550, while Indy winner Justin Ashley is also among the preferred drivers at +650.

Other prime title contenders include former champs Josh Hart, in his first season with the John Force Racing (JFR) team, and Leah Pruett, who is returning after a two-year layoff. They are both priced at +700.

Antron Brown, Tony Stewart, and Clay Millican are solid mid-pack contenders at +800, with Billy Torrence also in the mix at +900.

When it comes to long shots, the list begins with eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher at +1800, Shawn Reed (+2200), and Will Smith and Maddi Gordon at (+6500).

FUNNY CAR

In Funny Car, Austin Prock opens as a solid favorite after winning the last two titles with a pair of dominant performances. Prock, who left the JFR team in order to drive for Bob Tasca III, is a heavy favorite at +230, which means a $10 wager nets a profit of $23.00. Mat Hagan, who is seeking his fifth championship, has an opening price of +425, while Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, two more former world champions, are +600 and +650, respectively.

Aside from the previously mentioned favorites, just about everyone else in the field can be considered a long shot, including newcomer Jordan Vandergriff, who represents an intriguing option because he is racing in the Funny Car class for the first time but is driving the same car that won the last two titles with Prock at the helm. Vandergriff is a bit of an unknown at this point, and his opening price is +1000, followed by J.R. Todd (+1100), Chad Green (+1200), Alexis DeJoria (+1200), and Daniel Wilkerson (+1400).

One other Funny Car driver who figures to attract a lot of interest is Spencer Hyde, the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year, who is racing in his second season with Jim Head Racing. Hyde is a big long shot at +3300, providing solid value for a driver who enjoyed a successful debut.

PRO STOCK

KB Titan teammates Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn dominated the regular season in Pro Stock in 2025, so it’s little surprise that they’re also atop the leaderboard as the new season begins in Gainesville.

Anderson, who finished second last season but already has six titles to his credit, opens the season at +175 with Glenn, the defending champ, close behind at +200. Last year, Anderson and Glenn combined to win 14 of 17 events, and they remained atop the standings for the entire season.

There should be big value found in the rest of the Pro Stock title contenders, third-place finisher Matt Hartford at +800. After a down season, the Elite Motorsports team is looking for a big rebound, and that could be great news for PlayNHRA participants who might favor Aaron Stanfield (+1400), six-time champ Erica Enders, (+1500), five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. (+1700), or Greg Stanfield (+1700).

When it comes to long shots, there are many, including the father-son teams of Chris and Mason McGaha and Eric and Matt Latino, as well as Cody Coughlin, Deric Kramer, and Troy Coughlin Jr., who are all priced at +2000 or higher.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Even though he came up a few points short in his quest for a third title last season, Gaige Herrera remains a big favorite to win the title in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Herrera has dominated the last three seasons with 28 victories, and he’s priced accordingly at (-115), meaning a $10 wager would return a profit of $8.69 ($18.69 total). Richard Gadson will look to once again fend off Herrera and the rest of the field, and he’ll do so at +250 as the two Vance & Hines teammates dominate the leaderboard.

When it comes to value picks, Matt Smith, who is seeking a record seventh title, can be had for +900, while past rookie of the year Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith have opened at +1600 and +1800, respectively.

The rest of the field, including John Hall, Steve Johnson, Jianna Evaristo, Ryan Oehler, Chris Bostick, and Geno Scali, fall between +2000 and +6500 for openers.

Wagering on season champions is a part of the PlayNHRA initiative, NHRA’s partnerships with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers, which enables fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

  Opening odds provided by Alt Sports Data (Odds are subject to change). 

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