Author: Mike Haag

By Mike Haag | Raceday San Antonio The opening race in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs last weekend at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan will go down in history as one of the greatest drag racing events of all time. The inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals produced four very different championship stories that were filled with speed, excitement, drama and heartache. Langdon and Hall left Michigan with victories and momentum, Vandergriff made one of the most improbable Funny Car runs of the season, and Troy Coughlin Jr. dramatically reshaped the Pro Stock championship picture. Now…

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. — Soon after trading punches with an uncharacteristically irate Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar declared to TV cameras that, in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race, fans “got an old-school Bristol show here.” Yes—and no. The post-race brawl at Bristol Motor Speedway certainly was old-school, at least in terms of the two principals. As soon as Hocevar parked his car on pit lane after a third-place run, Blaney strode toward the Spire Motorsports driver and gave him a shove. Hocevar responded with a glancing right-hand punch that sent Blaney’s cap flying. Hocevar’s second…

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Tempers flared after the NASCAR race Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. After a race incident on the track between Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney, the two drivers went to blows in the pit area. To read more about what triggered this fight, click here. https://youtu.be/MsJuBKfoTrs?si=qYK83z5NzQf9PHSJ

Courtesy of Werner Communications DALLAS – With the 6th annual Stampede of Speed, October 9-18, including Stars of Texas Music Festival, October 9-11, and the 41st installment of the historic Texas Fall Nationals, October 14-18, Texas Motorplex is rolling out an impressive group of new and returning marketing partners. The wide variety of companies and brands will be on site and in action throughout the Stampede of Speed to give fans an incredible experience during the fastest and loudest ten days of music and motorsports. “We are thrilled to bring new brands and products to the tens of thousands…

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio Doug Kalitta vs. Shawn Langdon: Who will win the Kalitta teammate battle? The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship begins this weekend with a new track, a reset of the points and four classes that are filled with drivers capable of making a run at a world championship. The six-race NHRA playoffs kick off with the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by Mopar at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan on September 18-20. It is the first NHRA national event at the facility and marks…

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, TX – Texas Motorplex officials have announced that Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, a Hall of Fame Top Fuel driver and drag racing innovator, and original Texas Motorplex General Manager Glenn Menard have been named Texas Motorplex Legends. They will be honored at the 2026 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, which will be held October 16-18. Garlits and Menard are among some of the earliest drag racing personalities that had a major impact in NHRA history at the Texas Motorplex when the track opened for business in 1986. “When the Motorplex opened and hosted its…

Courtesy of the NHRA INDIANAPOLIS – Shawn Langdon finished off an impressive weekend with a victory on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Tony Stewart in the final round of the prestigious 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the 14th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Langdon went 3.804-seconds at 333.99 mph in his 12,000-horsepower SealMaster dragster for Kalitta Motorsports to hold off Stewart’s 3.904 at 315.27, earning his fifth victory in…

Langdon, Capps, Hartford and M. Smith secure No. 1 spots at The Big Go Courtesy of the NHRA INDIANAPOLIS – Funny Car’s Jack Beckman won the PlayNHRA All-Star Callout on Sunday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for John Force Racing, defeating Matt Hagan in the final round of the bonus race as part of this weekend’s Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 in Indianapolis at the 14th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag…

Langdon, Capps, Hartford and Herrera are provisional No. 1 qualifiers at The Big Go Courtesy of the NHRA INDIANAPOLIS – Back-to-back Funny Car world champion Austin Prock claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Cody Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday in Indy, while Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car),…

Courtesy of the NHRA INDIANAPOLIS – Shawn Langdon went to the top on Friday’s final run at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, taking the provisional No. 1 spot to kick off the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in Indianapolis at the 14th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Langdon went 3.727-seconds at 334.98 mph in his 12,000-horsepower SealMaster dragster for Kalitta Motorsports as the past champion looks to pick up his…