NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Just two races remain in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season, making it the perfect time to check out the points race for the regular-season championship during NHRA’s 75th Anniversary campaign.

With nearly $400,000 overall on the line to the drivers who finish first in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, there’s plenty on the line next weekend in Brainerd and then to close out the regular season at the world’s biggest drag race, the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Things have gotten ultra-tight in several categories, making Indy a must-see weekend to see who ends up on top.

TOP FUEL

What seemed like a Shawn Langdon runaway has quickly become a toss-up for the $150,000 prize. Langdon was on a torrid early-season streak, winning three races in a row at one point, but that hot streak has now shifted to his Kalitta Motorsports teammate, reigning world champion Doug Kalitta.

In a scene eerily similar to last year when Kalitta got hot midseason and rode that to a second world title in three years, the veteran again appears to be peaking perfectly.

Kalitta won back-to-back races in Sonoma and Seattle, pulling to within a mere five points of his teammate. The duo has been dominant all year — especially when factoring in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge — and it could literally come down to the final run in Indy, which would make for quite the scenario at the Big Go.

FUNNY CAR

Without question, Funny Car will provide the wildest finish to crown the $150,000 regular-season champion in Indy. A whopping four drivers are within just 64 points — or just more than two rounds in Indy — of leader Ron Capps, who, like Langdon, has watched a comfortable points lead wither over the past two races.

He’s just 37 points ahead of Jack Beckman, who has been remarkably consistent in recent months, and 42 ahead of J.R. Todd, who rolled to the win in Seattle.

Jordan Vandergriff, who dominated in Sonoma, is only 54 points back, while four-time champ Matt Hagan trails Capps by 64 points. It’s going to make for a thrilling two-race stretch, as any of the five is capable of winning in Brainerd and Indy. Should all five stay close heading to Indy, we could be able to witness one of those classic Indy finishes on race day.

PRO STOCK

This remains the Dallas Glenn and Greg Anderson Show, and it may remain a coin flip to the end. Anderson jumped back on top with his Seattle victory, but it’s just an eight-point difference between Glenn, the reigning regular-season and overall world champion, and the six-time champ.

Greg Stanfield has surged to third and is 158 points back, but this likely remains a two-horse race in Indy.

Being that it’s basically a tie between the pair of KB Titan Racing teammates, this could come down to whoever goes further on race day on Labor Day. Anderson has always run well at the Big Go, but Glenn, who is looking for his first Indy win, surely loves the sound of a second straight regular-season title.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

It has been a minute since we’ve last seen the full Pro Stock Motorcycle category, which doesn’t return until Indy. Richard Gadson won in June in Norwalk, giving the reigning world champ a healthy 83-point lead over teammate Gaige Herrera.

That will be hard to overcome in one race, putting Gadson in the driver’s seat to win this championship for the first time. Angie and Matt Smith are 111 and 136 points back, respectively, and have enjoyed great seasons, but Gadson remains the clear favorite to take the lead into the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

REMAINING RACES IN THE 2026 REGULAR SEASON

Aug. 20-23: 44th annual NHRA Brainerd Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd

Sept. 2-7: 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis

NHRA COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS

Sept. 18-20: Inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by Mopar, U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Mich.

Sept. 25-27: Inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock, Rockingham Dragway, Rockingham, N.C.

Oct. 2-4: 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis

Oct. 9-18: 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas

Oct. 29-Nov. 1: 26th annual Mopar NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

Nov. 12-15: 61st annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona