BRISTOL, Tenn. — Leah Pruett picked up her first victory since 2023, defeating factors chief Shawn Langdon within the last spherical of the NHRA New England Nationals introduced by bproauto, which have been accomplished Friday at Bristol Dragway.
Jack Beckman additionally received on Friday within the Epping Humorous Automobile last spherical, whereas Pruett, Matt Hagan (Humorous Automobile), Greg Anderson (Professional Inventory) and Gaige Herrera (Professional Inventory Bike) are the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in Bristol for the Tremendous Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on the ninth of 20 races throughout the 2026 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season.
Pruett went 3.794 seconds at 332.43 mph in her 12,000-horsepower Dodge//SRT dragster, slipping previous Langdon’s 3.852 at 328.54. It’s Pruett’s thirteenth profession victory and first since returning to the game this season. Pruett stepped out of the seat after the 2023 season to start out a household along with her husband, Tony Stewart, coming again to the Prime Gas ranks in 2026.
She had carried out properly via the primary seven races, advancing to the ultimate spherical in Phoenix, however the one factor lacking was a victory. That modified on Friday, as Pruett delivered an exhilarating run in what may very well be a large weekend for the star driver.
The run additionally places Pruett because the provisional No. 1 qualifier for this weekend’s Tremendous Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol.
“I’m happier than I believed I might be,” Pruett stated. “Now I lastly get to take a breath and luxuriate in it. This race didn’t come accidentally. It didn’t come by someone falling quick or smoking the tires. We earned this.
“To see the grins on my crew and my crew chiefs’ faces — that’s all-time. The Diamond Wally is tremendous cool, however seeing what this implies to my crew means much more. We’re chipping away at it and that’s what gave us confidence coming into this last spherical. I believe I’m in a greater spot than I’ve ever been as a driver.”
Humorous Automobile’s Jack Beckman needed to wait an additional week, too, nevertheless it was price it as he cashed in together with his first victory of the 2026 season, beating John Drive Racing teammate Jordan Vandergriff within the last spherical of the NHRA New England Nationals introduced by brpoauto with a run of 4.017 at 318.55 in his 12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS.
Beckman had been working as much as this second over the previous handful of races, advancing to his second straight last spherical. He fell within the Maryland finals to Austin Prock, however has continued to run properly, making a clear run on Friday within the Bristol warmth. It provides the previous world champion his thirty eighth profession victory and he turns into the sixth totally different winner this 12 months within the loaded Humorous Automobile class.
“Earlier than you will be fast, it’s a must to be constant and to be constant, it’s a must to be predictable. I believe we’re again in that window proper now,” Beckman stated. “To get a win like this, it was very gratifying.
“I wouldn’t have cared if we ran this last spherical Friday night time or subsequent Tuesday. Our PEAK crew left with the trophy and that’s all that issues. We hadn’t received in over a 12 months. We had some struggles, however now we’ve made it down the observe on 14 of our final 17 runs. That’s the type of consistency that wins races. I’ve by no means raced a last spherical at a very totally different venue every week later. I’ve raced late Sundays and Mondays, however by no means this. It was undoubtedly distinctive.”
Hagan took the highest spot on Friday with a run of 4.009 at 319.60 in his 12,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Storage Dodge Humorous Automobile. The four-time champion is after his first high qualifier of the season and the fifty fifth in his profession. Beckman is presently second, whereas Spencer Hyde is third after going 4.030 at 319.07.
