Thu, 17 Sep 2026, 20:55 PM Elite Motorsports Enters 2026 Countdown to the Championship

Courtesy of Sara Slaughter, Elite Motorsports NHRA Great Lakes Nationals

MARTIN, Mich. - After closing out the 2026 regular season, Elite Motorsports is heading to U.S. 131 Raceway Park for the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals, race one of six in the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. The points have reset and the championship title is up for grabs as the Countdown opens with three back-to-back race weekends with two events that are new to the calendar. It's been 66 years since NHRA has raced a national event at U.S. 131 and the Elite Motorsports camp is looking to start the championship chase with a long race day capped off in the winners circle.

Greg Stanfield and the Janac Brothers Racing team lead Elite Motorsports heading into the Countdown to the Championship from the No. 3 spot. Arguably the most consistent car in the Elite camp, Greg picked up a win at the NHRA Sonoma National and started race day from the No. 1 spot at the Potomac Nationals in Maryland. The veteran, who is racing in his 300th Pro Stock nationals event this weekend, has had only one first round exit all season with seven semifinal finishes and a final appearance in Seattle.

"I'm looking forward to the Countdown to the Championship. This whole year has been a dog fight. We've been lucky to come out on top a few times and to be entering the Countdown third in points is a great position to be in," Stanfield said. "We aren't getting too comfortable. Now the real work begins. With three back-to-back races, there's no chance to let up, no one else is. If we want to stay at the top we need to keep our heads down and keep working like we have been all year. All the long days, the extra testing, this is where it pays off. Hopefully we can make a splash early, create some separation after the points reset, and keep ourselves in the championship conversation until the very end."

Tony Stewart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team are entering the Countdown to the Championship sitting fourth in points just 18 behind wife Leah Pruett in third. Stewart picked up his first win for Elite Motorsports at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California in April and added a runner-up finish at the U.S. Nationals just two weeks ago.

"I like things that stir the pot a little bit, and to see us go to a track that nobody's been to yet, and for it to be the first race of the Countdown, nobody has historical data to go off of, so it's absolutely the biggest equalizer you can ask for," Stewart said. "With where this R+L car is at right now, I feel comfortable going into a new track like this. Mike Green and Joe Barlam and all our guys are in a good spot, our car's in a good spot. When it comes to experience in the Countdown, I'm probably the youngest guy on tour, besides Maddi Gordon. So anything that's different or has the potential to shake things up, I feel like it only helps us. I think it's a great way to start the Countdown and depending on what the racetrack gives us, things could get pretty exciting."

Erica Enders and her Johnson's Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers Pro Stock team will start their championship chase from fifth. The six-time Pro Stock world champion earned her No. 5 position after a runner-up finish to Greg Stanfield in Sonoma and five semi-final exits along with a No. 1 qualifying position in Chicago.

"We're still trying to figure out clutch program, our race car program. These are all new race cars, so its just going to take some time. To have such a strong group of drivers, like we have, is pretty important, especially at this point in the season," Enders said. "If you had told me earlier in the year that we would be entering the Countdown fifth in points, it wouldn't have made much sense. I think it's a fine start. We've won championship from worse positions than that. After these next three in a row, we'll have a really good idea of where we stand. We've just got to go out there and give it our all and play with all the heart we got."

Jeg Coughlin Jr. and the classic yellow and black of his JEGS machine will start the Countdown tied for seventh with teammate Aaron Stanfield. Jeg Jr. is coming off a dominating showing at the U.S. Nationals where he finished runner-up from the No. 13 qualifying position.

"As we enter round one of six of the Countdown to the Championship, we are heading to a new event for the NHRA tour at a venue that is very near and dear to my heart," Jeg Jr. said. "I grew up at U.S. 131 Dragway in Martin, Michigan. I've ridden my bicycle on every single inch of that ground, the motocross track, everywhere on the racetrack, around the pits. It was one of those iconic spots in the 70s, always so cool to go to. My dad was racing an Alcohol dragster, and then later in Top Fuel. And it hosted one of the biggest meets outside of the national event in the late 70s called the Popular Hot Rodding Event, so cool. Let's fast forward to 2026 though, we've got some great momentum coming off of a nice showing at Indy. The new car is definitely continuing to respond to changes and fixes that we're giving to it. I'm really excited to unite with our Michigan fans and fans nearby in Indiana and Ohio. It should be an amazing event, and it's coming at a great time of the year. This track usually has teeth on a bad day, so I'm sure it's going to be really good for the NHRA tour."

Aaron Stanfield and his JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers team had mid-season success that earned them their No. 7 spot along side Jeg Jr. Aaron raced to victory at the event in Chicago and later in Norwalk, Ohio. The young phenom also

"It's going to be a fight this year. It always is. This Elite Motorsports team probably hasn't had a day off all year. These guys have been back in the shop, looking for changes and tweaks that can be made to get us ahead. Testing, changing chassis, all of it is for these last six races. The points have reset and it's really anybody's championship to claim. These first three races, back-to-back the way that they are, could really help build momentum, but they'll also start to show who is really making a run for the No. 1 spot. We plan to be right at the top, in contention until that last pass down the track in Pomona. Hopefully we're surrounded by the rest of our Elite Motorsports teammates. It should be exciting, I know I'm looking forward to it."

Troy Coughlin Jr. and the midnight JEGS team will look to capture their first championship from the No. 10 starting spot. Troy Jr. is 110 points out of the lead after a runner-up finish at South Georgia Motorsports Park and a pair of semi-final finishes in Maryland and Sonoma, Calif. where, for the first time in history, there was an all-Elite Motorsports semi-final round.

"Heading into the Countdown is exciting. The points reset and it really evens the playing field," Troy Jr. said. "We're entering with the same mindset as those sitting at the top of the leaderboard. We owe that to our partners, our teammates and to ourselves. Elite has been working tirelessly to give us all the best shot at winning a title. This JEGS team is knocking on the door. We've turned some corners with our program and I think we're going to be some party crashers."

Stephen Bell, will be returning to competition at race two of six in the Countdown to the Championship, the NHRA Nationals at The Rock in Rockingham, N.C. at Rockingham Dragway. Bell won't be in contention for the 2026 Pro Stock Championship but the 1320 LLC team will look to build on their second season progress.

"It's going to be good to be back in the seat. I'm grateful for the time away, lots of focus on family and business, but I'm looking forward to racing again. I may not be in contention for the championship, but I can't say I'm not looking forward to maybe hurting some feelings and helping my Elite teammates out a bit. We'll see how it goes. These last six races are so important. I hope we can get some round wins, take down a few competitors who might be in the way of one of our cars getting ahead. That would be ideal, have a solid showing and lend a hand at the same time. One this is for sure, it should be a good time."