LANGDON SETS NHRA SPEED RECORD, WINS DODGE NHRA GREAT LAKES NATIONALS

MARTIN, Mich., Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On a day when Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon again made the fastest run in Top Fuel history, the standout powered to the win on Monday at the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR, defeating Spencer Massey in the final round at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park to finish off one of the most dominant days in NHRA history.

Jordan Vandergriff (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and John Hall (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 15th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In the final round, Langdon went 3.664-seconds at 346.15 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air dragster, powering past Massey's 3.764 at 327.75 to pick up his sixth victory of the season and second in a row.

He moved back into the points lead, delivering one unbelievable statement run after another. That included an incredible blast of 3.663 at 346.95 in the semifinals against teammate Doug Kalitta, making the fastest pass in NHRA history.

That shattered the run of 345.00 from Valdosta that Langdon ran in May and Langdon again topped 346 mph in the finals against Massey. All four of his runs on Monday were 342 mph or faster, while he also made the quickest run of the year, going 3.652 to open the day against Maddi Gordon.

"It just goes to show it takes everything," Langdon said. "You have a track like U.S. 131 that takes a lot of pride in their facility. It's a great track and then you get some good conditions and really anything's possible. It all starts there and my guys have been doing such a great job.

"Brian (Husen, crew chief) made perfect calls and he races smart. It was just getting everything in sync and the car showed what it was capable of. We knew that it was going to be good, but to be able to do that for four runs today, I'm just proud of my guys to get this win. There was just a lot of good things going on this weekend."

Vandergriff, who qualified last in 16th, moved to second in points with his third victory of the season for John Force Racing, going 3.858 at 329.43 in his Chevrolet to defeat points leader Matt Hagan in the finals of the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR.

Coughlin won for the first time in 41 races, slipping past points leader Matt Hartford with a 6.515 at 209.69 in his Chevrolet Camaro. It is his sixth career win and first since 2024.

Hall earned his first win of the season after a run of 6.808 at 194.22 on his Buell in the championship round against first-time finalist Marc Ingwersen.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Friday through Sunday with the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, N.C.

-NHRA-

SOURCE National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)