Wed, 28 Jan 2026, 13:46 PM Top Fuel All-Star Callout Returns to Open NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season at Gatornationals

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2026 Auto Imagery, Inc.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - As part of the season-opening kickoff to NHRA's 75th anniversary in 2026, the NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout returns to Gainesville Raceway, taking place on Saturday, March 7 as part of the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

Doug Kalitta won 2025 rain delayed event.

The specialty race features a loaded eight-car field, including defending Callout winner and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta. He earned the top seed in the unique bonus race that offers a big purse and bragging rights to open the milestone campaign. The rest of the field, in order, includes Kalitta's teammate, Shawn Langdon, 2025 Gatornationals winner Antron Brown, racing legend Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, Clay Millican, Shawn Reed and 2023 Callout winner Josh Hart.

With the unique Callout format, Kalitta will get to pick his opening-round opponent. Langdon will get the next selection until all the first-round matchups are set. The quickest winning driver in the opening round gets to call his shot for the semifinals, too, setting one of the matchups.

Shawn Langdon qualified No. 1 in Dallas.

All three rounds take place on Saturday in Gainesville, with the opening-round selections set for Friday, March 6 in the Top Eliminator Club, A special Callout broadcast will also air on FS1.

Kalitta will also try to become the first Top Fuel driver to earn multiple wins in the Callout, which offers a total purse of $130,000.

"It was a good event last year and we ended up winning it, so definitely hoping we can pull it off again this year," Kalitta said. "We ended up calling out Clay (Millican) for the first round. Anytime you get an opportunity to have those specialty races, they usually are just a lot of fun. It's the first race of the year, too, and Gainesville really packs in the people. It's always good to have an extra race on Saturday and just kind of have some fun with it. Our Mac Tools team is definitely looking forward to another opportunity this year. We hope to have some fun with it for sure and pick up right where we left off last season."

Justin Ashley qualified No. 1 at Norwalk.

Last season, Kalitta defeated Millican in the opening round and then knocked off Brown before taking down two-time world champ Brittany Force in the finals.

With a big purse, a special Callout trophy and plenty of bragging rights on the line, it can also provide the perfect boost to open the season at one of the most historic races on the NHRA schedule. This year's loaded field features three NHRA Top Fuel world champions, while all eight participants have Top Fuel victories.

Final 2026 NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout Field
1.   Doug Kalitta
2.   Shawn Langdon
3.   Justin Ashley
4.   Tony Stewart
5.   Clay Millican
6.   Shawn Reed
7.   Antron Brown
8.   Josh Hart

Tony Stewart qualified No. 1 in Bristol.

The 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals featured wins by Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle). This year's race will again be broadcast on FS1.

This year promises to be one of the biggest races in Gatornationals history. Along with a full slate of racing, fans can expect a multitude of events to celebrate the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and NHRA's 75th anniversary, including:

• Appearances from a host of NHRA legends during the event, including Kenny Bernstein, Don Garlits, Joe Amato, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Darrell Gwynn and Bob Frey.
• A celebration of Bernstein's historic 300-mph run from 1992.
• A free, limited-edition NHRA 2026 season poster to the first 6,500 fans in attendance on Sunday.
• A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and a 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley.
• Race winners will get the special NHRA 75th anniversary Diamond Wally, along with the Gatornationals traditional Golden Gator trophy.

This year, fans will see a host of major stars, including Kalitta, Stewart, Hart, who joined John Force Racing, and the return of star driver Leah Pruett. In Funny Car, the stars include back-to-back world champ Austin Prock, Capps, Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman and new John Force Racing driver Jordan Vandergriff, while Pro Stock features champ Glenn, Anderson, Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera is after a fourth straight Gatornationals win, while Richard Gadson begins his title defense against the likes of Matt Smith, Angie Smith and Chase Van Sant.

To purchase tickets to the 2026 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Including upgraded experiences in the Gainesville Top Eliminator Club, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Feb 10- Wally Parks 75th Anniversary Appreciation Fund Part of $27 Million Overall Purse
Feb 08- NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Releases 2026 Schedule
Feb 07- Huge List of Legends Set to Appear at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 05- NHRA and Legends Global Extend Merchandise Partnership Ahead of 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 04- Doug Foley Announces Addition of Ron Douglas as Consultant to Foley Lewis Racing Top Fuel Team
Feb 04- Tickets Now on Sale for NHRA's Debut at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway
Feb 04- Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster
Jan 29- NHRA to Honor Iconic John Force in 2027 with "50 Years Of Force"
Jan 28- Top Fuel All-Star Callout Returns to Open NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season at Gatornationals
Jan 28- John Force Racing Announces Crew Chiefs for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season