By Mike Haag | Raceday San Antonio
ENNIS, Texas — Three races down. Three to go.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship has reached a critical stage. Every round victory, qualifying bonus point and mistake carries greater consequences as the championship battles intensify.
When the NHRA returns to the Texas Motorplex for the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Oct. 14-18, championship contenders in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will arrive knowing time is running out to make their move.
Texas marks the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship. After the Motorplex, only Las Vegas and the season-ending NHRA Finals at Pomona remain.
The championship battles could hardly be more different.
Shawn Langdon is threatening to run away with the Top Fuel title. Matt Hagan is trying to hold off a determined group of Funny Car challengers. Greg Stanfield leads a crowded Pro Stock championship fight. And in Pro Stock Motorcycle, teammates Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera are separated by just 32 points.
With championship hopes hanging in the balance, here are five storylines in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle I am keeping an eye on going into the Texas FallNationals.
TOP FUEL
1. Can anyone stop Shawn Langdon?
There may not be a hotter driver in drag racing right now.
Langdon has won four consecutive events, including all three races to open the Countdown, and arrives at the Motorplex with eight victories this season and a 116-point advantage over Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta.
Another dominant weekend at Texas could put Langdon in position to take a commanding lead in the championship chase. With only two races remaining after the FallNationals, the rest of the field may be running out of opportunities to stop him.
2. Doug Kalitta needs a big weekend
Kalitta’s championship hopes took a significant hit at St. Louis, where a first-round loss, combined with another Langdon victory, turned a 25-point deficit into a 116-point gap.
Kalitta, who has enjoyed success at the Texas Motorplex, needs a deep elimination-round run Sunday to close the distance. An early exit by Langdon would certainly help.
If Kalitta hopes to keep his championship aspirations alive, Texas could be one of the most important races of his season.
3. Is Top Fuel becoming a two-driver championship?
Although Langdon and Kalitta appear to be separating themselves from the field, several other contenders remain mathematically alive.
Tony Stewart is third, 225 points behind Langdon, followed by Leah Pruett (235 back), Will Smith (250) and Antron Brown (252).
For those drivers, Texas represents an opportunity to make one final push toward the leaders.
But with only three races remaining, they need more than strong performances. They also need Langdon and Kalitta to stumble.
An early-round upset could dramatically change the championship picture.
4. Will Smith has momentum and is looking for an encore
Smith turned heads at St. Louis by advancing to his first career Top Fuel final round.
He defeated Maddi Gordon, Tony Stewart and Shawn Reed before falling to Langdon in the championship round.
The performance moved Smith to fifth in the standings and gave him a significant confidence boost heading into Texas.
Although he faces a steep climb in the championship standings, another strong showing could make Smith a dangerous spoiler against the leading contenders.
5. Could Texas become Langdon’s championship statement?
Langdon’s remarkable stretch began with a victory at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis to close the regular season. He followed that performance by sweeping the first three Countdown events.
Now he has an opportunity to make it five consecutive victories.
A win at the Texas Motorplex would further separate Langdon from the field and put him in excellent position to claim his second Top Fuel world championship.
With Las Vegas and Pomona still to come, Texas could be remembered as the weekend Langdon took firm control of the title chase.
FUNNY CAR
1. Matt Hagan arrives in Texas with the points lead
Hagan enters the Texas FallNationals holding a 72-point advantage over Jordan Vandergriff in one of the most competitive championship battles of the season.
Two-time defending world champion Austin Prock is third, 106 points behind, followed by Jack Beckman (123 back) and J.R. Todd (132).
Unlike Top Fuel, the Funny Car championship remains wide open.
A victory by Prock, Beckman or Todd, particularly if Hagan suffers an early elimination, could dramatically reshape the standings heading into Las Vegas.
2. The “Prock Rocket” is back in the championship fight.
Austin Prock reminded everyone at St. Louis why he is the two-time defending Funny Car world champion.
Prock defeated Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman before beating Jordan Vandergriff in the final round.
The victory propelled Prock to third in the standings and brought him back into serious championship contention.
With three races remaining, Prock has momentum on his side and another opportunity at Texas to close the gap on Hagan.
3. Is Jordan Vandergriff ready to make a championship run?
Vandergriff continues to establish himself as a serious championship contender.
At St. Louis, he reached the final round for the sixth time this season, further demonstrating the consistency that has kept him near the top of the standings.
He enters Texas just 72 points behind Hagan.
A victory at the Motorplex could put significant pressure on the four-time world champion and potentially tighten the championship battle heading into the final two events.
The question now is whether Vandergriff can turn his impressive season into a championship-winning performance.
4. Don’t forget Jack Beckman and J.R. Todd
While much of the attention surrounds Hagan, Vandergriff and Prock, Beckman and Todd remain firmly in the championship conversation.
Beckman, the 2012 world champion, trails Hagan by 123 points, while Todd, the 2018 champion, is 132 behind.
Both have the experience to handle the pressure of a late-season championship battle.
An early exit by Hagan, combined with a victory by either driver, could dramatically tighten the standings.
Neither can afford a disappointing weekend at Texas, but neither should be counted out.
5. Can Hagan protect the lead?
The biggest question entering the Texas FallNationals is whether Hagan can maintain his championship advantage.
Consistency has been one of the keys to his position atop the standings, and avoiding an early-round loss could prove just as important as winning the event.
Hagan does not necessarily need to leave Texas with another Wally trophy, but he cannot afford to surrender significant ground to his closest challengers.
As a four-time world champion, Hagan understands what it takes to win under pressure.
He also knows that every other contender is trying to chase him down.
PRO STOCK
1. Greg Stanfield leads one of the tightest championship fights
If there is one professional category where the championship standings could undergo a major shakeup at Texas, it is Pro Stock.
Five drivers are separated by just 124 points.
Greg Stanfield leads reigning world champion Dallas Glenn by 71 points. Matt Hartford is 81 points back, followed by six-time champion Greg Anderson (109) and Troy Coughlin Jr. (124).
With so many championship contenders packed together, a single early-round upset could have significant consequences.
By Sunday evening, the Pro Stock standings could look considerably different.
2. Dallas Glenn remains within striking distance
Glenn knows firsthand what it takes to win a Pro Stock championship.
The defending world champion enters Texas just 71 points behind Greg Stanfield, a deficit that could shrink quickly with a strong weekend.
Qualifying bonus points and elimination-round victories will be especially important as Glenn attempts to close the gap.
If Stanfield suffers an early exit Sunday and Glenn advances deep into eliminations, the championship race could tighten considerably.
3. Never count out Greg Anderson
When championships are on the line, Greg Anderson knows how to get the job done.
The six-time Pro Stock world champion enters Texas 109 points behind Greg Stanfield, but his experience makes him a serious threat.
Anderson also has an impressive history at the Texas Motorplex.
He owns both ends of the track’s Pro Stock record, with a 6.457-second elapsed time and a speed of 214.59 mph, both established in 2015.
With three races remaining, Anderson has an opportunity to draw upon that experience and make another late-season championship push.
4. What about Elite Motorsports?
Elite Motorsports has dominated the opening three races of the Countdown, winning each event with three different drivers.
Troy Coughlin Jr. captured the playoff opener, Greg Stanfield won at Rockingham and Aaron Stanfield completed the three-race sweep at St. Louis by defeating his father, Greg, in the final round.
That success makes Elite Motorsports a formidable presence heading into Texas.
Although Aaron Stanfield trails the points leader by 171 points, he could play a significant role in determining the championship outcome.
With several Elite Motorsports drivers capable of winning on any given weekend, the team’s influence on the title chase could be substantial.
5. Father-and-son battles could influence the championship
Family connections add another intriguing dimension to the Pro Stock championship battle.
Greg Stanfield and his son, Aaron, have already demonstrated their ability to compete against one another, including their final-round meeting at St. Louis.
Another showdown at the Texas Motorplex could have significant championship implications.
Once the cars stage, family ties take a back seat to reaction times, horsepower and execution.
There is another father-and-son storyline worth watching involving Greg Anderson and his son, Cody Anderson.
Whether competing for victories or upsetting championship contenders, the father-and-son combinations could have a major influence on the Pro Stock title chase.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1. Richard Gadson vs. Gaige Herrera
The Pro Stock Motorcycle championship has developed into a heavyweight showdown between Vance & Hines teammates Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera.
Gadson enters Texas holding a slim 32-point advantage over Herrera after the two riders met in the final round at each of the last two events.
Herrera won their most recent meeting at St. Louis, tightening an already intense championship battle.
With three races remaining, another head-to-head showdown at Texas could produce a change atop the standings.
2. Herrera is charging
Herrera arrives at the Texas Motorplex with momentum following an impressive performance at St. Louis.
He qualified No. 1 with a track-record 6.644-second run before defeating Gadson in the final round.
The victory marked Herrera’s fourth consecutive St. Louis triumph and moved him within 32 points of the championship lead.
After winning back-to-back world championships in 2023 and 2024, Herrera has an opportunity to put himself in position for a third title.
Another victory at Texas could shift the championship momentum firmly in his favor.
3. Other contenders remain in the hunt
Although Gadson and Herrera have captured much of the attention, several other riders remain within striking distance.
John Hall is third, 105 points behind Gadson, followed by six-time world champion Matt Smith (113 back) and Ryan Oehler (119).
Those deficits are significant, but with three races remaining, the championship picture is far from settled.
A strong performance at Texas, coupled with early losses by the two leaders, could bring the chasing group back into contention.
Otherwise, the title fight could become a two-rider showdown heading into Las Vegas and Pomona.
4. Matt Smith remains dangerous
Few riders understand the pressure of championship racing better than Matt Smith.
The six-time world champion enters Texas 113 points behind Gadson and knows he needs to gain ground before the series heads to Las Vegas.
Smith has enjoyed success at the Texas Motorplex, winning in 2021 and finishing runner-up to Herrera in 2024.
His championship experience and history at the track make him a dangerous contender.
A victory at Texas could put Smith back into the championship conversation and prevent Gadson and Herrera from pulling further away.
5. Teammates are becoming championship rivals
Gadson and Herrera may share the same Vance & Hines team, but their championship rivalry continues to intensify.
When they line up against one another, their shared team affiliation takes a back seat to the pursuit of a victory and valuable championship points.
Herrera described their battle as a “dogfight” following St. Louis, and there is every reason to believe that intensity will continue at the Texas Motorplex.
Another final-round meeting could add a compelling chapter to their rivalry and dramatically influence the championship standings.
With so much at stake, their battle could become one of the defining storylines of the final three races.
THE PRESSURE POINT
Since opening in 1986, the Texas Motorplex has produced its share of championship-defining moments. The 2026 Texas FallNationals has all the ingredients to add another chapter to that history.
Langdon arrives looking to transform one of the hottest winning streaks in recent NHRA history into a second Top Fuel world championship.
Hagan faces a determined group of Funny Car challengers, each hoping to take advantage of the slightest mistake.
Greg Stanfield is trying to maintain his advantage in a crowded Pro Stock championship battle where one round could change everything.
And in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gadson and Herrera are separated by little more than a round of racing as their rivalry continues to intensify.
Three races remain.
By Sunday evening at the Texas Motorplex, some championship contenders could be one step closer to achieving their dreams.
For others, the road to a world championship could become considerably more difficult.
In the Countdown to the Championship, there is little room for error. And at Texas, every round matters.
