BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 10, 2026) – Funny Car teammates Jack Beckman and Jordan Vandergriff from John Force Racing will be racing for two trophies at this weekend’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, starting when they face off on Friday at scenic Bristol Dragway to complete last weekend’s race in New England.
Beckman, the 2013 Funny Car world champion, and his teammate, Funny Car newcomer Vandergriff, who won last month in Valdosta, will be racing on Friday in Bristol in the delayed Epping final.
The JFR teammates will face off under the lights on Friday during the second session of qualifying. Fans will be treated to a thrilling nitro session at night racing with Beckman and Vandergriff matching up in Funny Car, while Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon will take on Leah Pruett.
It also means Beckman and Vandergriff both have a chance to win Friday, pick up a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory on Saturday and add a Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals triumph on Sunday.
“Q2 will be the night run and the hero shot,” said Beckman, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car. “I’ve always raced smart, which means you qualify shallow. It gives you the best possible elapsed time because you get to move further before it starts your elapsed time.
“Well, because Q2 is also going to count for qualifying and likely is going to be the best conditions we see in qualifying, I’m going to treat that aspect of it like a qualifying run. But it’s a big deal because it’s also the final round of the Epping national event. It was tough to lose the momentum to not finish it in New England, but the fact is we’re going to finish it at Bristol, they’re going to give a trophy to someone and I sure hope it’s the PEAK Squad.”
Vandergriff wheels the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car and has been on an impressive run. He earned his first NHRA win this season when he won the NHRA Southern Nationals at NHRA’s debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park and he also picked up his first career No. 1 qualifier last weekend in Epping.
He’ll look for the biggest weekend of his young career in Bristol and Vandergriff, who is third in points, also has a chance to move into the points lead ahead of leader Ron Capps with a successful three days.
“I’m trying to keep my mind in race day mode this whole week,” Vandergriff said. “We were left with a cliffhanger at the end of Sunday. I thought about it Sunday night and I was like, ‘Well, I’m going to have to hit the ground running on Friday and be ready to race.’ So, I’m trying to really keep my mind in race mode. I haven’t really allowed myself to think that Epping is over, so I’m just staying ready for Friday night that way.”
This year’s annual visit to Thunder Valley combines the NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration with the 25th annual race at Bristol Dragway. It is the ninth of 20 events during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and will feature several highlights throughout the race weekend:
- An appearance from NHRA fan-favorite Top Fuel driver Clay Millican as well as NHRA legend Darrell Gwynn. Millican’s memorable 2017 Bristol win on Father’s Day weekend will be celebrated as the race’s historic moment, a theme that will take place at all races in 2026.
- On Sunday, a free, limited-edition NHRA pennant will be given to the first 4,000 fans in attendance to take in eliminations.
In 2025, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Bristol. This season’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations starting at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14.
The Top Fuel final from Epping will feature dominant points leader Langdon and surging Pruett on Friday. Langdon has won three straight races for Kalitta Motorsports, while Pruett is after her first win since returning to the sport this year. Other marquee names to watch in the Top Fuel ranks this year includes reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, racing legend Tony Stewart, Gainesville winner Josh Hart, rookie sensation Maddi Gordon, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley and Clay Millican.
Six-time world champ Anderson made history last season when he secured his 1,000th round win en route to the win over Dallas Glenn, who is the points leader and reigning champ. Erica Enders, Matt Hartford and Greg Stanfield are after wins as well.
Gadson, the reigning world champ and points leader, hopes to repeat, but will be challenged by Maryland winner Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and Steve Johnson.
The event will also feature the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. After final qualifying on Saturday, fans can attend a special autograph session at the Bristol Dragway Welcome Tent in the midway.
Bristol race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk and congratulate the winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. They can visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 12, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 13 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, fans can visit NHRA.com/tickets. For more information on NHRA, please visit NHRA.com.
About Mission Foods
MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
