Leah Pruett secured her first Top Fuel victory since 2023 on Friday, June 12, 2026, defeating points leader Shawn Langdon in the rescheduled final round of the NHRA New England Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
Pruett, who stepped away from the driver’s seat after the 2023 season to start a family with her husband, Tony Stewart, returned to Top Fuel competition this year and clocked a title-winning 3.794-second pass at 332.43 mph.
Jack Beckman also claimed victory in the Funny Car final, while Matt Hagan, Greg Anderson, and Gaige Herrera emerged as provisional No. 1 qualifiers for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
The final rounds of the New England Nationals were moved to Tennessee after persistent rain forced a postponement at New England Dragway on Sunday, June 7. Pruett’s triumph over Langdon’s 3.852-second effort marks her 13th career win in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
It serves as a major milestone for Tony Stewart Racing, confirming Pruett has successfully regained her competitive form in her 2026 comeback season.
Pruett reflected on the win with obvious emotion, noting that the victory was anything but a fluke. “I’m happier than I thought I would be,” she said. “This race didn’t come by accident. We earned this.” Her winning run also placed her as the provisional No. 1 qualifier for the concurrent Thunder Valley Nationals event.
Much like how Piastri leads rain-hit second practice at Suzuka, drag racing teams have had to quickly adapt their setups to handle changing track schedules and atmospheric conditions.
Jack Beckman secures first Funny Car win of 2026
In the Funny Car final, Jack Beckman earned his 38th career victory by outrunning his John Force Racing teammate Jordan Vandergriff. Beckman posted a winning 4.017-second run at 318.55 mph in his PEAK Chevrolet SS. Vandergriff lost traction early in the run, finishing with a 6.291-second time.
This victory marks Beckman’s first win of the 2026 season and his fifth total since joining the John Force Racing organization.
Beckman highlighted the team’s improved consistency as the key factor in their success. He noted that the car has successfully reached the finish line on 14 of its last 17 competitive runs. “Before you can be quick, you have to be consistent and to be consistent, you have to be predictable,” Beckman explained.
Winning a postponed final at a different venue was a first for the veteran, who described the Friday victory in Bristol as a unique experience.
The Funny Car category remains highly competitive, with Beckman becoming the sixth different winner in just nine races this year. Similar to how Price overcomes Littler in high-stakes Berlin showdown, Beckman relied on deep technical experience to perform under the pressure of a double-header weekend. He currently sits second in the provisional qualifying order for the weekend’s primary event.
Matt Hagan and Greg Anderson lead Bristol qualifying
Friday’s action also served as the opening qualifying sessions for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. Matt Hagan took the provisional top spot in Funny Car with a 4.009-second pass at 319.60 mph.
Driving for Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, the four-time champion credited a newly improved track surface at Bristol Dragway for the fast times. Hagan is seeking his 55th career No. 1 qualifier this weekend.
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson continued his strong form by securing the provisional No. 1 position with a 6.673-second run at 204.11 mph. Anderson, a six-time world champion, is in line for his sixth No. 1 qualifying spot out of nine races this season.
Bristol has long been a successful venue for him, as it hosted his first career win in 2001 and his 1,000th round win last year.
The leaderboard in Pro Stock remains incredibly tight, with Matt Latino trailing Anderson by just 0.003 seconds. Points leader Dallas Glenn currently occupies the third spot. Anderson praised the venue’s recent renovations, stating that the racing surface is now significantly smoother than in previous years. This allows crew chiefs to be more aggressive with their engine tuning and power application during evening sessions.
Gaige Herrera takes provisional pole in Pro Stock Motorcycle
Two-time world champion Gaige Herrera rebounded from a recent slump to take the provisional No. 1 spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle. After suffering a first-round loss in Maryland that dropped him to fourth in the points standings, Herrera clocked a 6.667 at 196.59 mph on his Vance & Hines Suzuki. Despite his previous success, this marks his first No. 1 qualifier of the 2026 season.
Herrera admitted that the current season has been a “rough go” due to various parts failures and mechanical mishaps. He noted that his first qualifying session was nearly “picture perfect,” though he had to physically fight the bike during the second session after over-adjusting the setup. Ryan Oehler sits second in the qualifying order, followed by recent Maryland winner Angie Smith in third.
Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will continue at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Bristol Dragway. Fans are closely monitoring the latest sport news updates to see if Pruett and Beckman can turn their Friday victories into a full-event sweep. With the track surface improving each session, faster times are expected during Saturday’s final qualifying rounds before Sunday’s eliminations begin.
