{"id":104383,"date":"2026-07-19T21:44:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T21:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/2026-denso-nhra-sonoma-nationals-schedule-storylines-live-coverage\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T21:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T21:44:07","slug":"2026-denso-nhra-sonoma-nationals-schedule-storylines-live-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/2026-denso-nhra-sonoma-nationals-schedule-storylines-live-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals: Schedule, Storylines & Live Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"


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FIELDS SET. KALITTA, VANDERGRIFF, VANG ON THE POLES. HERRERA WINS THE CALLOUT. ELIMINATIONS SUNDAY, 11 A.M. PT.<\/div>\n

Doug Kalitta<\/strong> (Top Fuel, 3.714 \/ 337.07), Jordan Vandergriff<\/strong> (Funny Car, 3.849 \/ 332.43) and Chris Vang<\/strong> (Pro Stock, 6.498 \/ 209.04) lead the pro fields into Sunday at the 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge. Vandergriff\u2019s pass is the quickest Funny Car run of the 2026 season. On Saturday, Gaige Herrera<\/strong> beat Richard Gadson in the final to win the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout and its $25,000 top prize. Sunday eliminations begin at 11 a.m. PT, with pre-race ceremonies at 9:45 a.m. Round-by-round results, photos and winner\u2019s circle coverage will be added here as the day unfolds.<\/div>\n

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\"Sellout<\/figure>\n
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Sellout Crowd<\/div>\n

Sonoma Packs the House Three Days Straight<\/h2>\n

NHRA officials announced a sellout crowd Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, capping three straight days of sellout crowds at the 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge. Overflow crowds packed the facility all weekend for the 11th of 20 races on NHRA\u2019s 75th anniversary season \u2013 a weekend that stacked the Deecell After Dark Low Qualifier, the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, four rounds of qualifying and Sunday eliminations into one picture-perfect show.<\/p>\n

It gives NHRA its eighth sellout of the milestone season, following capacity crowds in Gainesville, Valdosta, Maryland and Epping. This is what growing the sport looks like.<\/p>\n

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3<\/span>Straight Sellout Days<\/span><\/div>\n
8<\/span>Sellouts in 2026<\/span><\/div>\n
75th<\/span>NHRA Anniversary Season<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jump to Section<\/div>\n
\nLatest Update<\/a>
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\nSellout Crowd<\/a>
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\nDefending Winners<\/a>
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\nEliminations<\/a>
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\nFinal Qualifying<\/a>
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\nStorylines<\/a>
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\nPSM All-Star Callout<\/a>
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\nPhoto Galleries<\/a>
\n|<\/span>
\nSchedule<\/a>
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\nTV & Watch<\/a>
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\nBy the Numbers<\/a>
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\nTrack Records<\/a>
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\nTrack Info<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series rolls into wine country for the 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, July 17-19, the 11th of 20 races on the 2026 tour. Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock chase points toward the 2026 world championships at Sonoma Raceway, while the GETTRX NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout put eight of the two-wheel category\u2019s biggest names in a bracket-style shootout. This Drag Illustrated Event Hub carries the weekend from the first qualifying pass through Sunday\u2019s final round, with results, storylines, photos and coverage that refresh as the racing unfolds.<\/p>\n

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Defending Winners \u2013 2025 Sonoma Nationals<\/p>\n

Top Fuel:<\/strong> Doug Kalitta
\nFunny Car:<\/strong> Austin Prock
\nPro Stock:<\/strong> Greg Stanfield
\nPro Stock Motorcycle:<\/strong> Richard Gadson<\/p>\n

Kalitta returns to defend his 2025 Top Fuel title and does it from the pole. Prock, the reigning Funny Car world champion, backed up his 2025 Sonoma win with a season that has him in the title hunt again. Stanfield took the 2025 Pro Stock Wally, and Gadson won the Pro Stock Motorcycle race a year ago. Sonoma rewards the drivers who can adjust to its 15-foot elevation and cool coastal air, and the 2025 winners proved they can do it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sunday Eliminations<\/h2>\n
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ELIMINATIONS BEGIN SUNDAY, 11 A.M. PT<\/div>\n

Pre-race ceremonies are set for 9:45 a.m. PT, with the first round of NHRA Mission Foods Series eliminations following at 11 a.m. Round-by-round results for Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will be added here as they happen, then consolidated into one complete ladder once the final Wally is handed out. Check back through Sunday afternoon.<\/p><\/div>\n

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First-Round Pairings to Watch<\/div>\n

Top Fuel:<\/strong> No. 1 Doug Kalitta drew Clay Millican, with a possible bye run to the semifinals on the line. Tony Stewart faces Justin Ashley, and NorCal native Jasmine Salinas has lane choice over Gainesville winner Josh Hart.
Funny Car:<\/strong> Points leader Ron Capps lines up against Austin Prock, the reigning world champion and defending Sonoma winner, in the round-one matchup of the day. Pole-sitter Jordan Vandergriff drew Jason Rupert, and Matt Hagan meets J.R. Todd.
Pro Stock:<\/strong> Seven of the 16 drivers in the field are chasing their first career Pro Stock Wally. No. 1 Chris Vang faces Mason McGaha, and Greg Stanfield lines up against son Aaron Stanfield in a rematch of the 2025 Sonoma final.<\/div>\n

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Round-by-round results will post here as eliminations run. This section updates live.<\/em><\/p>\n

Final Qualifying \u2013 The Fields Are Set<\/h2>\n
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FINAL QUALIFYING COMPLETE<\/div>\n

Two Saturday sessions closed the book on qualifying at Sonoma Raceway. Kalitta held off Shawn Langdon, who matched his 3.714, for the Top Fuel pole on the strength of a quicker lap. Vandergriff\u2019s Friday-night 3.849 stood up as the Funny Car No. 1 and the quickest run in the class all year. Second-year Pro Stock racer Chris Vang locked down the first No. 1 qualifier of his career. This is the permanent qualifying record for the 2026 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals.<\/p><\/div>\n

Kalitta and Vandergriff each collected the $4,000 Deecell After Dark Low Qualifier bonus, with Vang picking up $2,500 on the Pro Stock side. It was Kalitta\u2019s third No. 1 of the 2026 season and his second straight Deecell bonus at Sonoma. On Saturday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge went to Shawn Langdon in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car and Dallas Glenn in Pro Stock.<\/p>\n

Top Fuel \u2013 Final Qualifying Order<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nDriver<\/th>\nET<\/th>\nMPH<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nDoug Kalitta<\/td>\n3.714<\/td>\n337.07<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nShawn Langdon<\/td>\n3.714<\/td>\n336.49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nBilly Torrence<\/td>\n3.726<\/td>\n336.57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nTony Stewart<\/td>\n3.736<\/td>\n333.91<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nTony Schumacher<\/td>\n3.744<\/td>\n293.73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nMaddi Gordon<\/td>\n3.751<\/td>\n336.49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nJasmine Salinas<\/td>\n3.751<\/td>\n331.77<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nJosh Hart<\/td>\n3.763<\/td>\n336.82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nLeah Pruett<\/td>\n3.772<\/td>\n327.98<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nAntron Brown<\/td>\n3.784<\/td>\n324.59<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nJustin Ashley<\/td>\n3.799<\/td>\n320.74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nShawn Reed<\/td>\n3.806<\/td>\n331.12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nWill Smith<\/td>\n3.840<\/td>\n326.32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nClay Millican<\/td>\n4.203<\/td>\n206.16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Funny Car \u2013 Final Qualifying Order<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nDriver<\/th>\nET<\/th>\nMPH<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nJordan Vandergriff<\/td>\n3.849<\/td>\n332.43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nJack Beckman<\/td>\n3.873<\/td>\n333.16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nDaniel Wilkerson<\/td>\n3.899<\/td>\n327.66<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nRon Capps<\/td>\n3.900<\/td>\n330.07<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nChad Green<\/td>\n3.903<\/td>\n321.12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nSpencer Hyde<\/td>\n3.915<\/td>\n325.92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nAlexis DeJoria<\/td>\n3.917<\/td>\n329.26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nMatt Hagan<\/td>\n3.934<\/td>\n321.81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nJR Todd<\/td>\n3.939<\/td>\n332.10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nCruz Pedregon<\/td>\n3.952<\/td>\n327.82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nDave Richards<\/td>\n3.966<\/td>\n329.50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nPaul Lee<\/td>\n3.975<\/td>\n326.48<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nAustin Prock<\/td>\n3.980<\/td>\n322.19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nHunter Green<\/td>\n4.006<\/td>\n320.97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nJeff Arend<\/td>\n4.019<\/td>\n283.13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nJason Rupert<\/td>\n4.048<\/td>\n316.67<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/td>\nTim Gibbons *<\/td>\n4.081<\/td>\n297.55<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/td>\nDylan Winefsky *<\/td>\n4.450<\/td>\n196.93<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

* Did not make the 16-car field.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pro Stock \u2013 Final Qualifying Order<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nDriver<\/th>\nET<\/th>\nMPH<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nChris Vang<\/td>\n6.498<\/td>\n209.04<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nCody Anderson<\/td>\n6.499<\/td>\n210.54<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nErica Enders<\/td>\n6.503<\/td>\n211.33<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nMatt Hartford<\/td>\n6.511<\/td>\n211.30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nShane Tucker<\/td>\n6.516<\/td>\n212.16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nMatt Latino<\/td>\n6.516<\/td>\n210.01<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nDallas Glenn<\/td>\n6.517<\/td>\n210.97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nGreg Stanfield<\/td>\n6.520<\/td>\n210.70<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nAaron Stanfield<\/td>\n6.520<\/td>\n210.21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nEric Latino<\/td>\n6.520<\/td>\n210.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nGreg Anderson<\/td>\n6.522<\/td>\n210.21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nStephen Bell<\/td>\n6.530<\/td>\n210.54<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nJeg Coughlin Jr<\/td>\n6.533<\/td>\n209.69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nKenny Delco<\/td>\n6.545<\/td>\n210.21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nTroy Coughlin Jr<\/td>\n6.549<\/td>\n210.14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nMason McGaha<\/td>\n6.564<\/td>\n206.13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/td>\nJoey Grose *<\/td>\n6.568<\/td>\n207.98<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/td>\nAlan Prusiensky *<\/td>\n6.626<\/td>\n208.49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

* Did not make the 16-car field.<\/em><\/p>\n

Storylines<\/h2>\n

Kalitta parks it on the pole \u2013 again<\/h3>\n

Doug Kalitta already owns more Sonoma Top Fuel victories than any active driver, and he opened this weekend by putting the Aflac dragster on top of the sheet with a 3.714 at 337.07 mph. He downplayed the run that ultimately held for the No. 1 spot. \u201cThat first run was definitely a close one,\u201d says Kalitta. \u201cAt the time, you don\u2019t realize it\u2019s going to hold up.\u201d As the defending event winner and the top qualifier, Kalitta drew Clay Millican in round one, with a possible bye run to the semifinals waiting if he advances.<\/p>\n

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\"Doug