{"id":103589,"date":"2026-05-12T19:44:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T19:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/2026-nhra-route-66-nationals-results-winners-coverage\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T19:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T19:44:08","slug":"2026-nhra-route-66-nationals-results-winners-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/2026-nhra-route-66-nationals-results-winners-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NHRA Route 66 Nationals: Results, Winners & Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/strong>, 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<\/strong> \u2013 May 14-17, 2026. This is your one-stop hub for storylines, schedule, track records, TV times, and Drag Illustrated\u2019s full coverage. Bookmark it. We\u2019ll update with winners and results as eliminations roll Sunday.<\/p>\n

Jump to:<\/strong> Storylines to Watch<\/a> \u00b7 Weekend Schedule<\/a> \u00b7 Track Records<\/a> \u00b7 TV Schedule<\/a> \u00b7 DI Coverage<\/a> \u00b7 Results<\/a><\/p>\n

Storylines to Watch in Chicago<\/h2>\n

Top Fuel: Langdon\u2019s record run meets Stewart\u2019s title defense<\/h3>\n

Shawn Langdon<\/strong> 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<\/strong>. Tony Stewart<\/strong> is the defending Route 66 Nationals champion and the points race in the world\u2019s quickest accelerating class continues to tighten. Watch for Doug Kalitta<\/strong>, who owns the Route 66 Raceway track record at 3.661 seconds set last May, and Antron Brown<\/strong>, tied with Tony Schumacher<\/strong> for most active-driver wins at this event with four apiece.<\/p>\n

Funny Car: Beckman defending, Capps looking for redemption<\/h3>\n

Jack Beckman<\/strong> returns to Joliet as the defending Route 66 Nationals Funny Car winner and brings momentum to the John Force Racing camp. Matt Hagan<\/strong> sits tied for the active-driver event wins lead with four. Ron Capps<\/strong>, who told Drag Illustrated last week he\u2019s \u201clooking ahead to Chicago after a challenging Southern Nationals weekend,\u201d is overdue. Track records to chase: Robert Hight\u2019s 3.831 ET from May \u201923 and J.R. Todd\u2019s 336.40 mph from May \u201925.<\/p>\n

Pro Stock: Back at Route 66 after a year off<\/h3>\n

Pro Stock did not contest the Route 66 Nationals in 2025, which means no defending champion \u2013 and a wide-open weekend. Jeg Coughlin Jr.<\/strong> leads active drivers with four Route 66 wins. Greg Anderson<\/strong> owns the track speed record (212.39 mph from June \u201919) and recently set the national ET record (6.443 sec at the Gatornationals). Dallas Glenn<\/strong> holds the Route 66 Raceway track ET record at 6.510 seconds from May \u201923 and will look to defend it.<\/p>\n

Pro Stock Motorcycle: Herrera chases a third straight Chicago Wally<\/h3>\n

Gaige Herrera<\/strong> 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 \u201923. Matt Smith<\/strong> reset the Pro Stock Motorcycle track speed record at 204.26 mph last May and will be the rider most likely to break Herrera\u2019s stranglehold. Angie Smith, Richard Gadson, and Steve Johnson round out the headliners.<\/p>\n

Pro Mod: Six-race JBS Equipment series rolls on<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Weekend Schedule<\/h2>\n

All times Central. Spectator gates open at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.<\/p>\n

Friday, May 15 \u2013 Qualifying Day 1<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Time (CT)<\/th>\nSession<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
12:45 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Mod Q1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1:30 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Motorcycle & Pro Stock Q1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nNitro Q1 (Funny Car, Top Fuel)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3:30 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Mod Q2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4:00 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Motorcycle & Pro Stock Q2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5:00 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nNitro Q2 with Chris Karamesines in the PA Booth<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Saturday, May 16 \u2013 Qualifying Day 2 + Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Time (CT)<\/th>\nSession<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
11:30 a.m.<\/td>\nPro Mod Q3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12:00 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nTop Fuel Q3 + Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Round 1<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nFunny Car Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1:00 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1:30 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Motorcycle Q3 + Mission Challenge Round 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2:00 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Mod Q4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nTop Fuel Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3:00 p.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nFunny Car Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3:30 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4:00 p.m.<\/td>\nPro Stock Motorcycle Q4 + Mission Challenge Finals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Sunday, May 17 \u2013 Eliminations<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Time (CT)<\/th>\nSession<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
9:45 a.m.<\/td>\nSealMaster Track Walk & Driver Introductions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11:00 a.m.<\/strong><\/td>\nMission Foods Series Eliminations begin (Top Fuel first)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Track Records to Chase<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Class<\/th>\nTrack ET Record<\/th>\nTrack Speed Record<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Top Fuel<\/strong><\/td>\n3.661 sec \u2013 Doug Kalitta (May \u201925)<\/td>\n338.09 mph \u2013 Antron Brown (May \u201925)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Funny Car<\/strong><\/td>\n3.831 sec \u2013 Robert Hight (May \u201923)<\/td>\n336.40 mph \u2013 J.R. Todd (May \u201925)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pro Stock<\/strong><\/td>\n6.510 sec \u2013 Dallas Glenn (May \u201923)<\/td>\n212.39 mph \u2013 Greg Anderson (June \u201919)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pro Stock Motorcycle<\/strong><\/td>\n6.672 sec \u2013 Gaige Herrera (May \u201923)<\/td>\n204.26 mph \u2013 Matt Smith (May \u201925)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

TV Schedule<\/h2>\n

All Route 66 Nationals broadcast windows are on FOX Sports 1 (FS1)<\/strong>. All times Eastern.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Day<\/th>\nTime (ET)<\/th>\nCoverage<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Friday, May 15<\/strong><\/td>\n7:30 p.m.<\/td>\nQualifying (90 minutes)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saturday, May 16<\/strong><\/td>\n11:30 p.m.<\/td>\nQualifying (1 hour)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sunday, May 17<\/strong><\/td>\n5:00 p.m.<\/td>\nFinals (3 hours)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Drag Illustrated Pre-Race Coverage<\/h2>\n

Catch up on everything DI has published heading into the Route 66 Nationals:<\/p>\n