SONOMA, Calif. (July 14, 2026) – As if Maddi Gordon wouldn’t have been excited enough to race at Sonoma Raceway for this weekend’s 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, the Top Fuel rookie sensation has the added thrill of being the most recent event winner on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour.
Of course, that was Gordon’s first career Top Fuel win, getting the incredible victory in just her 10th professional start for Ron Capps Motorsports. Since then, Gordon and NHRA have been off for two weeks, meaning she’s more than ready to get back to racing.
Norwalk will be hard to top, as her boss, Funny Car points leader Ron Capps, and her father, past Top Alcohol Funny Car world champ Doug Gordon, both won on the same day, but M. Gordon can’t wait to see what she can accomplish in her 12,000-horsepower Carlyle Tools dragster in Sonoma, which has long been regarded as one of the fastest and most popular facilities on the NHRA tour.
“What a crazy couple of weeks it’s been in the Gordon household, but crazy in the best way possible,” Gordon said. “I’m very grateful we had these few weeks to really be able to soak in the win to the fullest extent, and I’m glad the team was able to enjoy the break. I’ve been on cloud nine, but even still, I’ve been itching to get back to the track.
“My sister will be competing in Super Comp and Top Dragster as well. This is one of two races where we’ll be racing at the same national event, so I can’t wait to support her, support my family, and get back to one of the fastest tracks on tour.”
The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge will feature a full weekend of action at the 11th of 20 events in 2026, as well as NHRA 75th anniversary items like:
- An appearance from legendary NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car world champion Gary Scelzi. Scelzi is one of only three drivers in NHRA history to claim world titles in both Top Fuel (1997, 1998, 2000) and Funny Car (2005). NHRA will honor Scelzi’s accomplishments at his home track in Sonoma.
- Brittany Force appears on the special commemorative ticket for the event following her incredible 343.16-mph run from a season ago.
- A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and more.
The 2025 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge featured wins by Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock). This year’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19.
The victory in Norwalk continued Gordon’s magnificent rookie season, as she moved to fourth in points in the loaded Top Fuel category, behind only Epping winner Leah Pruett, reigning world champ Kalitta and points leader Shawn Langdon, who has four wins and holds a commanding advantage.
Others to watch this weekend include 2026 event winners Tony Stewart and Antron Brown, as well as Justin Ashley, Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher.
Gordon, though, has proven the moment isn’t too big for her as she looks for another huge weekend in Sonoma. It all starts with the epic night qualifying session on Friday, which includes the Deecell Power Systems “After Dark Low Qualifier” bonus, offering up $4,000 to the driver who lights up the scoreboard with the quickest run under the lights.
“The race track is my happy place; it’s my element and where I feel at home,” Gordon said. “I can’t wait to get back into my Carlyle Tools dragster and make some fast passes, especially since we’re headed to Sonoma, which is one of my home tracks. We’ll have a lot of friends and family out there this weekend.
“The Friday night nitro session under the Sonoma Raceway lights is legendary, and I’m excited to be a part of it this year. I just cannot wait to get back out there this weekend and strap back into our mean green hot rod.”
Two-time reigning Funny Car champion Prock won for the first time in Sonoma last season, defeating 2025 Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde. Prock currently has one win on the season from Maryland while three-time world champ Ron Capps leads the points, with three wins so far in 2026.
Last year’s Pro Stock final was a family affair, as Greg Stanfield defeated his son, Aaron, in the final round. A. Stanfield has two wins on the year in 2026, while reigning world champion Dallas Glenn currently leads the points with his KB Titan Racing teammate and six-time world champion Greg Anderson in second.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, a $25,000 prize on the line for the winner of the one-day GETTRX All-Star Callout on Saturday. Matt Smith is the defending Callout winner, while the eight-bike field this year includes Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson, Smith, Angie Smith, John Hall, Jianna Evaristo, Chase Van Sant and Steve Johnson.
The event also features thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the popular Top the Cops exhibition race.
Sonoma race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the SealMaster Track Walk. After racing finishes on Sunday, fans are invited to congratulate and celebrate with event winners. Fans always get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet and can visit Manufacturers Midway, featuring displays, merchandise, food and fun.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. PT on Friday, July 17, and the final two rounds on Saturday, July 18 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 19.
The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout takes place at 11:15 a.m. PT on Saturday, with the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. and the finals at 3:40 p.m. Television coverage of the Callout begins at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.
Television coverage includes the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Elimination coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
About DENSO and PowerEdge
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.
In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ team members across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, DENSO in North America generated $12.5 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and explore career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.
PowerEdge® is a value-driven line of high quality and durable aftermarket products, designed to deliver performance, and reliability. Backed by the sales, service, and logistics support of DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc.—DENSO’s North American aftermarket headquarters in Long Beach, California—PowerEdge brings trusted quality at a competitive price. For more information, visit https://www.poweredgeproducts.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.
