CHANDLER, Ariz. — Making simply her second profession Prime Gasoline begin on Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park, rookie sensation Maddi Gordon took the provisional No. 1 spot to kick off this weekend’s forty first annual FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals introduced by NGK Spark Plugs.
Spencer Hyde (Humorous Automobile) and Greg Anderson (Professional Inventory) are additionally the provisional No. 1 qualifiers on the second of 20 races in the course of the 2026 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season.
Gordon went 3.844 seconds at 329.42 mph in her 12,000-horsepower Carlyle Instruments dragster, placing her on monitor to earn her first profession No. 1 qualifier if it holds.
Racing in heat circumstances, Gordon made the one 3-second run within the Prime Gasoline ranks in the course of the first session on Friday, doing so a race after advancing to the semifinals in her skilled debut at NHRA’s season-opener in Gainesville.
“I used to be actually, actually stoked to go down that first cross,” Gordon mentioned. “That was simply so thrilling after you hear all these automobiles smoking the tires forward of us. However you already know what? I received a lot religion in Rob [Flynn] and Troy [Fasching]. They’ve executed a stellar job of getting down these scorching racetracks and I couldn’t be extra proud to drive for them.
“Earlier than Gainesville, a month and a half in the past, I had by no means even warmed up a dragster with a blower on it, so there’s so many firsts up to now month and a half. I study one thing new each single cross I get on the racetrack. The extra I do know, I really feel like I could be a higher driver as a result of I simply have a lot to study.”
Defending occasion winner Shawn Langdon rebounded with a stable 3-second run to shut out the day and is at the moment second with a run of three.925 at 307.30. Antron Brown is third after going 3.985 at 297.09.
A 12 months in the past in Phoenix, Humorous Automobile’s Spencer Hyde didn’t make the sphere, however that received’t be a difficulty this 12 months, because the reigning Rookie of the Yr bolted to the provisional No. 1 spot on Friday due to a run of three.979 at 317.64 in his 12,000-horsepower Head, Inc. Ford Mustang.
It places Hyde on monitor for his second profession prime spot and already makes his weekend higher than a 12 months in the past at Firebird Motorsports Park. That was his second profession begin within the Humorous Automobile ranks – he additionally didn’t qualify in Gainesville to open 2025 – however Hyde shortly received on monitor, placing collectively a stable season as NHRA’s prime rookie.
After final 12 months’s struggles, he was lots happy with Friday’s outcomes.
“We had a troublesome begin final 12 months, and I discovered that driving a Humorous Automobile will not be simple. It’s probably the most humbling factor I’ve ever pushed,” Hyde mentioned. “These items are laborious to drive on a regular basis. You simply by no means know what they’re going to throw at you. Driving them is difficult when it’s scorching and greasy; they’re transferring round on the market and so they take a bit bit to settle in.
“On our [3.97] it by no means actually settled in, however we slipped it via there and made run, adequate to be No. 1. Second run I used to be pointing a bit bit too far proper, and made a reasonably large correction early, and it truly dropped the [cylinder] and was attempting to push me over the lane, however I stored it off the wall, made full run, and was second low the session, so we’re fairly comfortable.”
Jack Beckman took the second spot with a 3.982 at 323.97 and Matt Hagan delivered a 3.998 at 321.04 to sit down third.
In Professional Inventory, defending occasion winner Greg Anderson impressed within the warmth, making the quickest run in each classes, together with a run of 6.552 at 206.99 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to open the day. If that holds up, Anderson would gather his first prime qualifier of the season and the 141st in his standout profession.
It’s additionally a stark distinction to Gainesville, the place the six-time world champion struggled all through qualifying and simply slipped into the sphere. He turned issues round in eliminations, advancing to the ultimate spherical, however Anderson was thrilled with the qualifying turnaround on Friday.
“Definitely that morning run, due to the monitor being cooler, goes to be the very best qualifying run of the weekend,” Anderson mentioned. “You higher get proper on that first one, so numerous stress. You simply can’t go up there, you already know, and shoot for the moon, as a result of in case you don’t make it down, chances are you’ll not qualify.
“Simply from the primary session to the afternoon session, we misplaced about 4 or five-hundredths of ET, and that’s going to be most likely 30-40 horsepower, similar to that. It’s important to do different issues to make the engine suppose it has energy – gear ratio and issues like that. It’s important to get the entire spherical pegs within the spherical holes, however it’s laborious to do.”
Greg Stanfield is second after going 6.558 at 209.10 and Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s 6.562 at 209.10 places him third via two classes.
Qualifying Outcomes
Prime Gasoline — 1. Maddi Gordon, 3.844 seconds, 329.42 mph; 2. Shawn Langdon, 3.925, 307.30; 3. Antron Brown, 3.985, 297.09; 4. Leah Pruett, 3.997, 297.22; 5. Josh Hart, 4.053, 296.44; 6. Billy Torrence, 4.104, 277.60; 7. Doug Kalitta, 4.119, 257.78; 8. Tony Stewart, 4.191, 213.23; 9. Jaren Mott, 4.193, 211.03; 10. Will Smith, 4.196, 260.36; 11. Justin Ashley, 4.251, 225.33; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.282, 209.72; 13. Shawn Reed, 4.523, 182.28; 14. Clay Millican, 4.556, 179.28; 15. Cameron Ferre, 8.305, 71.58.
Humorous Automobile — 1. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.979, 317.64; 2. Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.982, 323.97; 3. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.998, 321.04; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 4.011, 288.21; 5. Chad Inexperienced, Mustang, 4.017, 313.44; 6. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.021, 311.49; 7. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.044, 306.05; 8. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.049, 324.12; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 4.081, 298.47; 10. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.088, 278.23; 11. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.103, 286.80; 12. Dylan Winefsky, Charger, 4.216, 272.89; 13. Todd Lesenko, Charger, 4.255, 256.70; 14. Austin Prock, Mustang, 4.427, 295.46; 15. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.504, 205.88; 16. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.602, 194.72. Not Certified: 17. Ron Capps, 5.239, 142.67.
Professional Inventory — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.552, 208.42; 2. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.558, 209.10; 3. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.562, 209.10; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.568, 208.91; 5. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.572, 208.26; 6. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.573, 208.46; 7. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.575, 209.23; 8. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.580, 208.39; 9. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.581, 209.04; 10. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.583, 208.84; 11. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.592, 208.55; 12. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.593, 208.59; 13. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.596, 208.55; 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.598, 209.62; 15. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.599, 208.14; 16. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.618, 206.48. Not Certified: 17. Stephen Bell, 6.624, 207.11; 18. Mason McGaha, 6.625, 208.14; 19. Joey Grose, 6.631, 207.62; 20. Shane Tucker, 6.639, 207.05.
