What’s better than one weekend of great NHRA drag racing? How about two championships for the price of one? Fans in attendance at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, TN, were actually treated to two different sets of finals given the rainout in the New England Nationals in Epping, NH last Sunday. Fans and pundits alike were treated to a sensory explosion of nitro fuel, noise, heat, humidity, and rain-sometimes at the same time but what else can you ask for from a great early summer weekend of drag racing?
Pruett, Beckman cap off big wins to complete the NE Nationals.
With Mother Nature playing her early summer tricks last Sunday, the New England Nationals in Epping, NH were rained out in the finals and as a result both the Top Fuel and Funny Car championships had to be moved to the beginning of the Thunder Valley Nationals so fans were treated essentially to a two-for-one weekend. In short order, Leah Pruett got her first “W” for the 2026 season by beating out overall points leader Shawn Langdon with a 3.794 second/332.43 final run to claim the Epping Nationals Diamond Wally trophy. Pruett hasn’t won a race since 2023 when she stepped away from drag racing to start a family with husband Tony Stewart. With this victory over a red-hot Langdon, Pruett made a major statement that she’s “back” and will continue to be a major factor in the Top Fuel overall standings this season.
In the Funny Car category, “Fast” Jack Beckman brought home his 38th total win in an all John Force Racing final against teammate Jordan Vandergriff. While Vandergriff is an up-and-coming star in his own right in the NHRA Funny Car ranks, Beckman raced like a veteran driver and took care of business with this major win for both himself and for JFR.
Antron Brown brought down the lightning in Thunder Valley with a convincing Top Fuel win.
While Shawn Langdon has been the go-to winner in the Top Fuel category so far this season, Bristol brought out a new champion in the form of a familiar driver: Antron Brown. Brown, a veteran NHRA Top Fuel competitor, had never won at Thunder Valley, but this past Sunday he was able to best the overall points leader Langdown with a 3.788 second/331.61 mph throw down going into the final round. For Brown, earning his first Diamond Wally of the season (and the 82nd total win of his career) is more about righting a ship as the summer NHRA heats up literally and figuratively.
Matt Hagan tops off a great weekend for Tony Stewart Racing.
What is better than winning a Diamond Wally for your racing team during a drag racing weekend? How about winning two top-class trophies? For Matt Hagan, another “W” was another cap in the feather for the four-time NHRA Funny Car champion as he brought home a second winning trophy to add to teammate Leah Pruett’s first win of the season. With the 57th win of his career, Hagan successfully denied finals challenger Daniel Wilkerson his chance to earn his first Diamond Wally trophy as Hagan took care of business with Jon Capps and Austin Prock in the qualifying rounds and then beat Wilkerson with a 4.125 second/310.81 finals race time.
