BROWNSBURG, Ind. (APRIL 29, 2026) – Jordan Vandergriff was born and raised in Southern California but, living in Atlanta the past few years, he’s accepted Georgia as his adopted home state and is looking for a little Southern “home cooking” to put the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team into the winner’s circle at the inaugural NHRA Southern Nationals, May 1-3 at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Ga.
The 31-year -old Funny Car rookie continues to build on the list of positives achieved in just the first four races of 2026. Vandergriff earned semifinal finishes at Gainesville and Pomona, a second-round finish at last week’s three-round 4-Wide Nationals, a Friday No. 1 Qualifier at Pomona, and his first Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win at Charlotte.
Vandergriff maintained his fifth-place position in 2026 Funny Car point standings after the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. He’s just 14 points behind Chad Green in fourth place and 40 behind J.R. Todd in third.
In one previous NHRA Southern Nationals start (2019 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.), Vandergriff qualified fifth in Top Fuel, then defeated Pat Dakin and Leah Pruett in the first two rounds before losing his semifinal matchup against Brittany Force. He has a 2-1 overall event round record.
John Force Racing Southern Nationals statistics
- Atlanta was the site of the first all-JFR final round (April 21, 1996), in which Tony Pedregon dealt John Force one of the six losses he suffered over the course of a 19-race season.
- On April 27, 2008, Ashley Force Hood became the first woman to win a Funny Car race in the NHRA series when she beat her dad in the Atlanta final.
- Overall, five different JFR drivers won 14 times in the Atlanta version of the Southern Nationals, the last win in 2018 when Courtney beat Matt Hagan.
- John Force raced in the final round of the final race at Atlanta in 2021, losing to Bob Tasca III.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after four of 20 races are: 1. Ron Capps, 369; 2. Matt Hagan, 327; 3. J.R. Todd, 299; 4. Chad Green, 276; 5. Jordan Vandergriff, 262; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 235; 7. Spencer Hyde, 221; 8. Jack Beckman, 213; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 170; 10. Dave Richards, 138.
Quotes
Is there any extra motivation in trying to win an inaugural event?
“The motivation for me is that it’s technically my home state race since I live up the road from Adel in Atlanta. It’s close to home and it’s close to my heart. It’s a new track so our Cornwall Quality Tools team will have to figure it out just like everybody else.”
Is there any adjustment you have to make from four wide back to two, or is it just muscle memory?
“I don’t think so. I think the transition is going to be fine. The four-wide race is such an anomaly, especially this year, with it being the only one. You really only have to focus for one race and then we go back regular two-wide racing in Georgia and the rest of the season so I think I’ll just catch it in stride.”
How do you prep for an inaugural NHRA national event with minimal or possibly zero information about the track to work with?
“With every track, especially South Georgia this year, I do a couple of things. I always go up and look at the starting line. I get views down both lanes, kind of crouch down and see where my eye line’s going to be. A big thing, too, is going down to the top end of the racetrack, seeing where the turnoffs are, and what the shutdown area looks like if there’s anything tricky or different down there, how big the gap is to get off the track. It’s the shutdown area, too. Everything, not just the racing surface, comes into account.”
What are your thoughts on the Southern Nationals being part of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series again?
“I ran Top Fuel in the Southern Nationals in 2019 with my family’s team and sponsorship from my family’s company, Hedman Hedders. My whole family was there, my parents, my grandfather, my uncle Bob so it means a lot. Georgia means a lot to the Vandergriff family so, racing again in Georgia means the world to me and my family. And like I said, I want to get it done there for everybody.”
Track & TV Schedules
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3 and 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 1, with the final two rounds Saturday, May 2, at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 3.
Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 from 9:30 – 11 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 2, a second qualifying show Sunday, May 3, from 1 – 2 p.m. ET and eliminations from 7 – 10 p.m. ET.
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