The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway is the next race on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series calendar. Bristol sits in the mountains of northeast Tennessee, and its dragstrip runs parallel to the famous NASCAR oval — making it one of the most atmospheric venues in American motorsport. The track sits at elevation, which thins the air and forces tuning crews to work harder to keep their nitro cars consistent down the 1,000-foot strip.

Bristol Dragway has hosted some of the most dramatic eliminations in NHRA history. The mountain air, the sold-out grandstands, and the echo of 11,000-horsepower nitro engines bouncing off the surrounding hillsides make it one of the most intense race weekends of the season for drivers and crew chiefs alike. It routinely draws one of the largest crowds on the NHRA calendar, and 2026 is no different — the Thunder Valley Nationals sits in the middle of a stretch of four consecutive race weekends through June and into July that will define the early championship picture. Learn more about NHRA drag racing — history, classes and format.

Thunder Valley Weekend Schedule & Session Times

⚠ Session times are estimated based on standard NHRA event scheduling. Verify exact times at NHRA.com closer to the weekend.

Every one of the 20 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events in 2026 is broadcast on either FOX or FS1, making this the most accessible NHRA season on American television in the sport’s history. The partnership with FOX Sports — now in its sixth consecutive season — gives drag racing its biggest regular broadcast platform. Here’s how the coverage breaks down. See what channel NHRA is on today.

The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series runs 20 national events from March through November, with the season-opening Gatornationals in Gainesville starting the year and the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals back at Pomona’s In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip closing it out. The final six events from September onward make up the Countdown to the Championship — NHRA’s playoff format where the top ten drivers in each pro class reset their points and race for the title. See the full NHRA schedule 2026 page.

⭐ = Next upcoming event  |  Greyed rows = completed  |  TV listings subject to change — verify at NHRA.com and FOX Sports

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series runs four professional championship categories at most national events. Each is a different machine, a different sound, and a different kind of fast. If you’re new to drag racing and trying to work out which class to focus on, here’s the quick version. How fast do NHRA cars go? The full breakdown.

Top Fuel — The Fastest Accelerating Machines on Earth

Top Fuel dragsters run on nitromethane — a fuel so energy-dense that a single pass consumes roughly 15 gallons in 3.6 seconds. The cars produce over 11,000 horsepower, cover the 1,000-foot strip in around 3.6–3.7 seconds, and reach speeds above 335 mph. The g-force at launch is comparable to a Space Shuttle liftoff. Shawn Langdon leads the 2026 Top Fuel points heading into Bristol after a strong run through the first eight rounds. How far do NHRA Top Fuel cars race?

Funny Car — The Crowd Favourite

Funny Cars run the same nitromethane fuel as Top Fuel but sit inside a carbon-fibre body shell shaped like a production car — currently Chevrolet Camaros and Toyota GR Supras for most teams. They’re slightly slower than the dragsters (typically 3.8–4.0 seconds) but louder, more dramatic at shutdown, and the class most likely to produce fire, smoke, and spectacle at any given pass. Jordan Vandergriff of John Force Racing earned his first career No. 1 qualifier at Epping this weekend in the Cornwell Tools Camaro — a significant moment for the young driver and JFR’s rebuilding effort following John Force’s retirement after 40-plus years behind the wheel.

Pro Stock — The Horsepower Engineers

Pro Stock runs naturally aspirated V8-powered production-bodied cars without nitromethane, reaching around 210 mph in under 6.5 seconds. It’s the class where tuning craft and driver reaction time matter most — there’s no nitro explosion to mask a slow tree. Dallas Glenn had an outstanding Sunday at Epping, defeating Matt Hartford in the final round to claim his third win of the 2026 season. The U.S. Nationals — NHRA’s biggest race explained.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 200 MPH on Two Wheels

Pro Stock Motorcycle competes at 14 of the 20 national events in 2026. Riders on purpose-built V-twin bikes cover the 1,000 feet in around 6.7–6.9 seconds at speeds approaching 200 mph — crouched on a machine with no roof, no cage, and nothing between them and the track surface. It is one of the bravest things in professional motorsport. Discover the legends who shaped motorsport history.

The Countdown to the Championship

After Round 14 — the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend — the top ten drivers in each pro class enter the Countdown to the Championship. Points are reset to a tighter spread, and the final six races determine the world champion in each category. The format guarantees drama deep into November, because a driver who dominates the regular season can still lose the title if they run poorly in the Countdown. It rewards consistency over six consecutive weekends, and it has produced title-deciding final-round finishes at Pomona multiple times in recent years. How racing championships are scored — points, tiebreakers and formats explained.

Round 8 at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire drew a sellout crowd for the 13th annual NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto — one of the strongest attendances the track has seen in years. The weekend belonged to Jordan Vandergriff and Dallas Glenn before weather moved in during Sunday finals to delay the Top Fuel and Funny Car conclusion.

[[VERIFY: update Top Fuel and Funny Car Epping final results once NHRA completes and announces the postponed finals]] · Who won the NHRA race today?

Saturday at Epping was a genuinely historic afternoon for Jordan Vandergriff. The 26-year-old John Force Racing driver earned his first career No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car at the same time the track was packed to capacity — a moment that will stick with him for a long time. JFR has been rebuilding its identity since Force’s retirement, and Vandergriff stepping into that Saturday spotlight was exactly the kind of result the team needed. Leah Pruett’s return to Top Fuel — what it means for 2026.

In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon continued his impressive run as the season’s points leader, qualifying No. 1 on Friday with a 3.709 at 335.48 mph — then winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. The question heading into Bristol is whether Langdon can close out the Top Fuel final that weather denied him at Epping. Doug Kalitta, Leah Pruett and Josh Hart are all within striking distance in the points. How much does an NHRA Top Fuel engine cost? The answer will surprise you.