The smell of nitro hasn't even hit the air in Gainesville yet, but the 2026 NHRA season is already shaping up to be the most chaotic, headline-heavy year we've seen in a generation. Honestly, if you thought last year’s driver swaps were wild, you haven't seen anything yet. We are staring down the barrel of the NHRA’s 75th anniversary, and the pits are absolutely buzzing with nhra news and rumors that feel more like a Hollywood script than a drag racing circuit.
John Force is retired. Let that sink in for a second. The 16-time champ, the face of the sport, is officially out of the seat. But while the "Brute" is stepping back from the steering wheel, his team is actually expanding. It’s one of those weird paradoxes of the sport—the legend leaves, and the empire grows.
The John Force Racing Shakeup
The biggest bombshell dropped just a few weeks ago at the PRI show. After the Prock family—Austin and Jimmy—made a surprise exit from JFR, everyone was wondering who would fill those massive shoes. We finally got our answer. Jordan Vandergriff is moving from the FOX broadcast booth back into the seat to drive the Cornwell Tools Funny Car. It’s a huge gamble. Vandergriff has talent, but jumping into a JFR-prepped Funny Car after a hiatus is like being handed the keys to a fighter jet when you’ve been sitting in the control tower for two years.
But wait, there’s more. JFR is going back to a four-car stable.
Alexis DeJoria is officially joining the fold, bringing her Bandero Premium Tequila sponsorship over to the Force camp. It’s a move she calls a "career highlight," and frankly, it makes sense. Joining forces with Jack Beckman and Vandergriff gives JFR a Funny Car trio that could realistically lock out a semi-final on any given Sunday.
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The Top Fuel Pivot
With Brittany Force stepping away for the 2026 season to start a family, the Top Fuel seat was the hottest opening in racing. Enter Josh Hart. In a move that surprised basically everyone, Hart sold his own Top Fuel operation to Richard Freeman of Elite Motorsports just so he could join the JFR roster.
- Josh Hart: Moving to JFR Top Fuel.
- Jordan Vandergriff: Taking over the Cornwell Tools Funny Car.
- Alexis DeJoria: Bringing a third Funny Car to the JFR stable.
- Jack Beckman: Staying the course in the Funny Car ranks.
The Stewart-Pruett Power Dynamic
If the JFR news wasn't enough to keep the message boards on fire, the Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett situation is pure gold. Leah is back. After her own hiatus, she’s returning to the seat of the TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection dragster. But Tony isn't just going back to being a team owner.
Through that technical alliance with Elite Motorsports (remember how Freeman bought Josh Hart’s parts?), "Smoke" is going to keep racing. He’ll be driving a second dragster, which means we are going to see husband and wife lining up against each other in eliminations. Richard Freeman has already been talking trash, promising an "ass-whuppin" when they meet. It’s the kind of organic drama that most sports would kill for.
New Tracks and 75th Anniversary Madness
The 2026 schedule is a massive departure from the status quo. For the first time in over a decade, we have brand new venues on the national tour. The NHRA is heading to South Georgia Motorsports Park in May, and then making a massive debut at Maryland International Raceway just outside of D.C.
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These aren't just filler dates. These are strategic strikes into markets that have been starving for nitro.
Key Schedule Shifts
- Maryland International Raceway: Hosting the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals (May 29-31).
- South Georgia Motorsports Park: Bringing the Southern Nationals back to Georgia (May 1-3).
- U.S. 131 Motorsports Park: A new debut for the Countdown to the Championship kick-off in Michigan.
- Virginia Motorsports Park: Officially off the 2026 tour.
The 75th-anniversary celebration is also leaning heavily into nostalgia. The "Top 75 Drivers" list is being revealed in waves, with Antron Brown and Ron Capps recently joining the ranks of the immortals. It’s a cool touch, especially with the "Diamond Wally" trophies being handed out this year.
What’s Actually Happening with the Rumors?
The "mystery dragster" is the talk of the pits right now. On a recent NHRA Insider podcast, Tony Pedregon and Phil Burgess hinted at a new entry coming to Top Fuel that nobody saw coming. Rumors are swirling that a major European or Australian team might be looking to make a full-time U.S. run, or perhaps another Pro Stock heavyweight is looking to follow Richard Freeman’s lead into the nitro ranks.
Speaking of Pro Stock, Gaige Herrera is looking for redemption in Pro Stock Motorcycle. After a wild 2025, the target on his back has never been larger. Matt Smith is still the king of mind games, and with the anniversary season adding extra pressure, expect the staging light battles to get even nastier.
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The 2026 season is basically a reset button for the entire sport. You've got legends retiring, champions returning, and owners swapping parts like they’re at a local swap meet.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Book Your Tickets Early: With the 75th-anniversary hype and new tracks like MIR, sellouts are highly likely, especially for the Gatornationals season opener.
- Watch the Monday Drops: The NHRA is revealing five names for the Top 75 Drivers list every Monday through February 2—keep an eye on the official anniversary site to see who makes the cut.
- Follow the Technical Alliances: The blurred lines between Elite Motorsports and Tony Stewart Racing mean you should look at their data-sharing. If one car finds a tune-up, the other probably will too.
- Focus on the New Venues: If you're a gambler, look for veteran drivers to have an edge at the new tracks like SGMP. Experience in reading a "fresh" track surface is going to be worth its weight in gold during those first few qualifying sessions.
The 2026 season isn't just another year of racing. It’s a transition point where the old guard is handing the keys to a new generation, even if they're doing it while still trying to outrun them at 330 mph.