The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series rolls into the Chicago suburbs this weekend for the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, the sixth event of the 2026 season. Four nights of nitro, Pro Mod, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, and Factory Stock Showdown action at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois – May 14-17, 2026. This is your one-stop hub for storylines, schedule, track records, TV times, and Drag Illustrated’s full coverage. Bookmark it. We’ll update with winners and results as eliminations roll Sunday.
Jump to: Storylines to Watch · Weekend Schedule · Track Records · TV Schedule · DI Coverage · Results
Storylines to Watch in Chicago
Top Fuel: Langdon’s record run meets Stewart’s title defense
Shawn Langdon arrives at Route 66 Raceway riding the hottest streak in Top Fuel after rewriting the NHRA speed record book at the Southern Nationals in Valdosta, where he reset the national speed record at 345.00 mph. Tony Stewart is the defending Route 66 Nationals champion and the points race in the world’s quickest accelerating class continues to tighten. Watch for Doug Kalitta, who owns the Route 66 Raceway track record at 3.661 seconds set last May, and Antron Brown, tied with Tony Schumacher for most active-driver wins at this event with four apiece.
Funny Car: Beckman defending, Capps looking for redemption
Jack Beckman returns to Joliet as the defending Route 66 Nationals Funny Car winner and brings momentum to the John Force Racing camp. Matt Hagan sits tied for the active-driver event wins lead with four. Ron Capps, who told Drag Illustrated last week he’s “looking ahead to Chicago after a challenging Southern Nationals weekend,” is overdue. Track records to chase: Robert Hight’s 3.831 ET from May ’23 and J.R. Todd’s 336.40 mph from May ’25.
Pro Stock: Back at Route 66 after a year off
Pro Stock did not contest the Route 66 Nationals in 2025, which means no defending champion – and a wide-open weekend. Jeg Coughlin Jr. leads active drivers with four Route 66 wins. Greg Anderson owns the track speed record (212.39 mph from June ’19) and recently set the national ET record (6.443 sec at the Gatornationals). Dallas Glenn holds the Route 66 Raceway track ET record at 6.510 seconds from May ’23 and will look to defend it.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Herrera chases a third straight Chicago Wally
Gaige Herrera arrives at Route 66 Raceway as the three-time defending winner of this event and the bike with the most active-driver Route 66 victories on the property. Herrera also holds the track ET record at 6.672 seconds from May ’23. Matt Smith reset the Pro Stock Motorcycle track speed record at 204.26 mph last May and will be the rider most likely to break Herrera’s stranglehold. Angie Smith, Richard Gadson, and Steve Johnson round out the headliners.
Pro Mod: Six-race JBS Equipment series rolls on
The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports continues its 2026 schedule with two qualifying sessions Friday and two more Saturday before Sunday eliminations. The class continues to draw the deepest fields in drag racing, with the doorslammer wars between turbo, supercharger, and nitrous combinations producing some of the most competitive racing on the NHRA tour.
Weekend Schedule
All times Central. Spectator gates open at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Friday, May 15 – Qualifying Day 1
| Time (CT) | Session |
|---|---|
| 12:45 p.m. | Pro Mod Q1 |
| 1:30 p.m. | Pro Stock Motorcycle & Pro Stock Q1 |
| 2:30 p.m. | Nitro Q1 (Funny Car, Top Fuel) |
| 3:30 p.m. | Pro Mod Q2 |
| 4:00 p.m. | Pro Stock Motorcycle & Pro Stock Q2 |
| 5:00 p.m. | Nitro Q2 with Chris Karamesines in the PA Booth |
Saturday, May 16 – Qualifying Day 2 + Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge
| Time (CT) | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:30 a.m. | Pro Mod Q3 |
| 12:00 p.m. | Top Fuel Q3 + Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Round 1 |
| 12:30 p.m. | Funny Car Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1 |
| 1:00 p.m. | Pro Stock Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1 |
| 1:30 p.m. | Pro Stock Motorcycle Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1 |
| 2:00 p.m. | Pro Mod Q4 |
| 2:30 p.m. | Top Fuel Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals |
| 3:00 p.m. | Funny Car Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals |
| 3:30 p.m. | Pro Stock Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals |
| 4:00 p.m. | Pro Stock Motorcycle Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals |
Sunday, May 17 – Eliminations
| Time (CT) | Session |
|---|---|
| 9:45 a.m. | SealMaster Track Walk & Driver Introductions |
| 11:00 a.m. | Mission Foods Series Eliminations begin (Top Fuel first) |
Track Records to Chase
| Class | Track ET Record | Track Speed Record |
|---|---|---|
| Top Fuel | 3.661 sec – Doug Kalitta (May ’25) | 338.09 mph – Antron Brown (May ’25) |
| Funny Car | 3.831 sec – Robert Hight (May ’23) | 336.40 mph – J.R. Todd (May ’25) |
| Pro Stock | 6.510 sec – Dallas Glenn (May ’23) | 212.39 mph – Greg Anderson (June ’19) |
| Pro Stock Motorcycle | 6.672 sec – Gaige Herrera (May ’23) | 204.26 mph – Matt Smith (May ’25) |
TV Schedule
All Route 66 Nationals broadcast windows are on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). All times Eastern.
| Day | Time (ET) | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Qualifying (90 minutes) |
| Saturday, May 16 | 11:30 p.m. | Qualifying (1 hour) |
| Sunday, May 17 | 5:00 p.m. | Finals (3 hours) |
Drag Illustrated Pre-Race Coverage
Catch up on everything DI has published heading into the Route 66 Nationals:
- NHRA Roars Into Chicago at Fan-Favorite Route 66 Raceway for Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals – The full event preview from Drag Illustrated.
- Hartman Father-Son Combo Looks to Take Win at Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown in Chicago – The Factory Stock storyline to watch.
- Drag Race Bracket Bonanza Partners with PEAK in Chicago – PEAK’s expanded footprint at the event.
- Racing Electronics Becomes Official Radio Supplier of Ron Capps Motorsports – New tech partnership for Ron Capps headed into Joliet.
- Ron Capps Looks Ahead to Chicago After Challenging Southern Nationals Weekend – Capps’ Q&A heading to Route 66.
Results – Updating Sunday
Final results, winners, and round-by-round eliminations will be posted here as the action unfolds Sunday, May 17. Check back for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, and JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series outcomes plus full Drag Illustrated coverage of every storyline that broke this weekend.
Track address: 500 Speedway Blvd, Joliet, IL 60433. Onsite PA broadcast on 88.3 FM. I-80 construction may impact travel times – check the IDOT project page before heading to the track.
This story was originally published on May 12, 2026. 
The post 2026 NHRA Route 66 Nationals: Results, Winners & Coverage first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
