JOLIET, Ill. (May 17, 2026) – Aaron Stanfield and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing team rallied to victory Sunday at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.
After a streak of stellar reaction times through the first three rounds of racing (.008, .011, .004), Stanfield took the victory in the final round on the starting line when six-time world champion Greg Anderson went -.096 seconds red on the tree. It was Stanfield’s 15th win of his career, first since the U.S. Nationals in 2024 and was the first win in Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports since Erica Enders won the U.S. Nationals in 2025.
“Our team’s definitely been waiting on this moment for a pretty good while. It’s the best feeling you can get out here when you see that win light come on in the final round. We had a great weekend and a great day today, and kind of had some luck roll my way in that final round,” Stanfield sais. “We felt like we had something in South Georgia, but the racetrack was a little tricky, so we really didn’t get to see it there. I think we saw it this weekend with a combination of KB being a little off. I think these Elite Motorsports guys have been working really, really, really hard. I think we’re going in the right direction.
“I felt very focused today. When you see another driver driving really well, you’re going to try to get up on the wheel and try to cut a light. I do think it can affect you, but I just woke up like any other normal day and decided to drive well today,” said Stanfield in reference to his reaction times and the implications on his opponents. “It was one of hose days, everything lined up and you’ve got a clear mind and focus. I also saw an opportunity today. This is the closest we’ve been to KB, and I knew I really needed to take advantage of it, so that definitely had an effect.”
Stanfield started the day from the No. 7 qualifying position before taking down Matt Hartford in the first round. In the quarterfinals and semifinals he took down two Elite teammates: first was six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the yellow and black of JEGS and then his father, also a six-time world champion, Greg Stanfield in the Janac Brothers machine.
This was Stanfield’s fourth final round at Route 66 Raceway, he won in Super Stock over his father in 2017, was runner-up in 2018 in Top dragster and reached the finals in Pro Stock and Factory X in 2024, he lost to his dad in Factory X final.
The weekend was a sweep for Elite Motorsports in Pro Stock. Stanfield’s victory came after Erica Enders secured the No. 1 qualifying position and won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday.
Elite Motorsports heads to Maryland Internationals Raceway next for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS May 29-31. It’s stop seven of 20 on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series 2026 schedule and the second new track on the tour.
AARON STANFIELD, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 7
6.563 seconds at 209.82 mph
Q1: 6.563 at 209.82 mph
Q2: 6.569 at 208.49 mph
Q3: 6.593 at 208.65 mph
Q4: 6.567 at 208.42 mph
Race Results:
E1: 6.595 at 207.82 def. Matt Hartford 6.591 at 208.20
E2: 6.620 at 208.39 def. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 9.499 at 100.71
Semis: 6.639 at 207.18 def. Greg Stanfield 6.646 at 207.34
Finals: 6.595 at 208.59 def. Greg Anderson -.096 red
ERICA ENDERS, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers Pro Stock Car
Noteworthy:
*Earned her 42nd No. 1 qualifier of her career, first since St. Louis 2024.
*Won her first #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season.
*Won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Championship in 2024.
*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.
*First Pro Stock win came at Route 66 Raceway in 2012 over Greg Anderson
*Her matchup against Greg Anderson in the semifinals was the 62nd of their careers, they are now tied 31-31
Qualifying:
No. 1; 6.542 209.92
Q1: 8.266 at 116.41
Q2: 6.542 at 209.92
Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge
Q3: 6.580 at 210.28 def. Troy Coughlin Jr. 6.591 at 207.78
Q4: 6.563 at 208.75 def. 6.585 at 208.10
Bonus Qualifying Points: 5
Race Results:
E1: 6.576 at 208.52 def. Derrick Reese -.005 red
E2: 6.604 at 208.14 def Deric Kramer 6.622 at 206.26
Semis: 6.603 at 208.84 lost. Greg Anderson 6.597 at 206.99
GREG STANFIELD, Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car
Noteworthy:
*Last defeated Aaron Stanfield in the 2025 Sonoma Finals
*Five-time Super Stock world champion
*Former Factory X world champion
*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.
Qualifying:
No. 3
6.549 seconds at 210.11 mph
Q1: 6.549 at 210.11 mph
Q2: 6.575 at 209.65 mph
Q3: 6.600 at 208.01 mph
Q4: 6.585 at 208.10 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 2
Race Results:
E1: 6.629 at 207.50 def Kenny Delco 6.632 at 205.16
E2: 6.661 at 207.59 def. Dallas Glenn 13.489 at 64.18
Semis: 6.646 at 207.34 lost. Aaron Stanfield 6.639 at 207.18
JEG COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock
Qualifying: No. 2
6.543 seconds at 210.21 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 5
Race Results: Beat Joseph Wilczek; Lost to Aaron Stanfield
undefined
TROY COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock
Qualifying: No. 6
6.558 seconds at 209.36 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 1
Race Results: Lost to Dallas Glenn
TONY STEWART, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster
Qualifying: No. 4
3.754 seconds, 327.82 mph
Race Results: Beat Tony Schumacher; Lost to Josh Hart
MASON WRIGHT, ProFlow Solutions / Elite Motorsports Pro Mod
Qualifying: No. 10
5.741 seconds at 251.25 mph
Race Results: Lost to Mike Stavrinos
ROYCE LEE FREEMAN, Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator
Qualifying: No. 7
6.887 seconds, -.633
Race Results: Beat David Billingsley; Lost to Bruno Massel
MIKE LOMAS, The Financial Guys / Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator
Qualifying: No. 15
8.486, -.484
Race Results: Lost to Scott Chamness
JACKIE FRICKE, Top Alcohol Dragster
Qualifying No. 11
5.312 seconds at 267.96 mph
Race Results: Lost to Jon Bradford
