Wed, 12 Aug 2026, 13:02 PM NHRA's 75th Anniversary Celebration Continues at Drag Racing's Biggest Event

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2026 Auto Imagery, Inc. The Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park set to host the world's biggest drag race

Gaige Herrera, Justin Ashley, Erica Enders and Austin Prock celebrates 2025 Indy wins.

INDIANAPOLIS - As NHRA continues its yearlong 75th anniversary celebration in 2026, the spotlight turns to the world's biggest drag race, the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at the famed Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Sept. 2-7.

The sport's grandest stage will feature hundreds of racers competing for drag racing glory and the sport's biggest prize: a U.S. Nationals victory. From the 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph nitro-fueled Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars to the standouts in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, there's nothing like winning at The Big Go and there's no event as prestigious as the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

For more than seven decades, the race has shaped legacies and careers as the peak of every NHRA season. That holds true in 2026, as NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary in a major way at Indy, including these special highlights:

Don Garlits and Phil Burgess from Gainesville earlier this season.

• Appearances from NHRA legends, including Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Joe Amato, Shirley Muldowney and Darrell Gwynn.
• A celebration of NHRA's 75-year history with exhibition runs on Friday and Sunday from the classic Rat Trap and Bradford's Fiat nitro Fuel Altereds.
• Plus, push-start cackle cars on Friday and Sunday driven by NHRA legends.
• A new-look Nitro Mall, special apparel, displays and more.

On the track, the event is jammed with excitement, as all the top stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle compete for the special 75th anniversary Diamond Wally on the sport's biggest stage. From Friday qualifying under the lights, to the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year on Saturday to the thrilling Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday and eliminations on Labor Day Monday, there's no weekend quite like Indy,

Other major items include:

Jason Line vs. Jimmy Daniels in 2025 final.

• The Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge returns as the longest-running continuous specialty race in NHRA history, featuring exciting heads-up, wheelstanding, and side-by-side racing of Hemi-powered '68 Super Stock Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas competing in the NHRA SS/AH class.
• An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
• Free parking for all fans in attendance for the entire weekend.
• SealMaster Track Walk before Monday's eliminations.
• Multiple autograph sessions throughout the weekend.
• A can't-miss Hot Rod Junction.
• A special Sportsman appreciation dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday of the race in Top Eliminator Club
• Children 12-and-under get in free to an event offering all-day entertainment.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will again crown its four regular season champions at Indy, with nearly $400,000 on the line. Plus, eight top Funny Car drivers will compete in the big-money All-Star Callout. Two-time reigning Funny Car world champion Austin Prock swept the weekend in 2025 by winning the Callout, the regular season championship and the race on Labor Day. Prock will meet up with the other stars of the class as they battle it out for bragging rights and big money.

Last year's Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals saw Prock (Funny Car), Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) win the world's biggest drag race. This year's event will once again be broadcast on FS1 with qualifying and the NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout throughout the weekend. Monday's eliminations will be broadcast on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

Austin Prock celebrates Callout and Indy wins last season.

Prock claimed his second straight Indy last year as part of a $330,000 weekend when he defeated Jack Beckman, clinching the regular season title as Prock also rolled to the world title. Prock, now driving for Tasca Racing, has one win on the season as he looks to make a late-season charge. Other Funny Car standouts will be multi-time champs Ron Capps and Matt Hagan, with J.R. Todd, Chad Green, and Funny Car rookie and driver of the John Force Racing Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, Jordan Vandergriff.

Motorsports legend Tony Stewart secured last year's Top Fuel regular season title in Indy, but it was standout Justin Ashley who earned the win when he defeated Stewart in the finals. Stewart has one win so far in 2026 from Pomona, while his wife Leah Pruett picked up the Epping win. Former world champ Shawn Langdon currently leads the points, with his teammate and reigning champ Doug Kalitta in second.

Six-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders won for the fourth time at Indy last year, getting her 50th career victory with a win over Matt Hartford. Dallas Glenn earned the regular season championship and went on to secure his first world title. Currently leading the points is six-time champ Greg Anderson, thanks to his three wins on the season, with Glenn right behind in second.

Erica Enders celebrates win last season.

Two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Gaige Herrera rolled to his second straight win at The Big Go by defeating Brayden Davis. Herrera earned the regular season championship, but it was his Vance & Hines teammate Richard Gadson who took home the world title. Others to watch include Matt and Angie Smith, Steve Johnson, Ryan Oehler, Jianna Evaristo, John Hall and Chase Van Sant.

Also competing will be drivers in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown.

Indy race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Monday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can't-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner's circle celebration on Monday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 4, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 7.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

The first round of the Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the semifinals at 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 3:40 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult.

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