Jordan Vandergriff has yet to turn a wheel in competition at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, but he has been part of a winning team there and is looking at the July 17-19 NHRA Sonoma Nationals as a perfect opportunity to write his name into the Northern California track’s history book while earning a second Diamond Wally during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.
“I know that a lot of people go to wineries and take tours of the region and all that stuff, but I’m all business. Going to the racetrack is what I like to do. My favorite place in Sonoma is Sonoma Raceway.”
The Southern California native was a crew member on his family-owned Top Fuel team in 2018 when current Funny Car competitor Blake Alexander earned the NHRA Sonoma Nationals title after winning at Norwalk just three races before.
“I haven’t raced there, but I was a crew guy on my family’s Top Fuel team when we won there with Blake Alexander in 2018 against Tony Schumacher in the final round,” said Vandergriff. “I was rat guy, floater, whatever-needed-to-be-done guy for my family team. I love Sonoma. Growing up in SoCal when my uncle raced, it was one of the tracks our family would always take a trip to. Some of my early memories as a kid was staying at the hotel in Sonoma, getting breakfast, and then heading to the track. So, Sonoma’s a very near and dear place in my heart being a California race.”
Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team is currently fifth in the point standings after 10 races and just 40 points behind Matt Hagan in second place with four races remaining in the regular season.
“The mindset for our Cornwell Quality Tools Chevy team has switched,” Vandergriff said. “I think the first half of the year has been about getting me comfortable, meshing as a team, and seeing what (crew chiefs) Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker can do together. I would say we’ve exceeded expectations so far and now we are a player in this championship race. We have a great race car and a great team, and I’ve done pretty well as a driver. We’re contenders so we have to have that contender mindset and go for full force. I think we’re gonna be a contender in the regular season championship and in the season championship, as well.”
Friday night’s qualifying session will have added incentive with the Deecell Power Systems “After Dark Low Qualifier” bonus. The top qualifier of that session In Top Fuel and Funny Car will each earn $4,000. Last year, Brittany Force dazzled the huge crowd with a record speed run at the time, going 3.645-seconds at 343.16 mph.
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.
Television coverage of the event includes qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Elimination coverage begins Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on FS1.
This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. 
The post Vandergriff Wants Own Sonoma Nationals Title first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
