SONOMA, Calif. (July 18, 2026) – Jordan Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team earned their second No. 1 Qualifier spot of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season by capturing the top spot for Sunday’s elimination rounds of the NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
Jack Beckman wheeled his PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car to the No. 2 spot and also finished runner-up in Saturday’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge special events race. Alexis DeJoria qualified the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car seventh while Josh Hart and the Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster qualified eighth.
Vandergriff’s Q2 pass Friday night of 3.849 seconds at 332.43 mph was the quickest of his Funny Car career and the overall quickest run of the year in the category. He’ll face No. 16 qualifier Jason Rupert (4.048 seconds) in Sunday’s first round of eliminations. His previous top spot came at the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.
Beckman used his Friday Q2 run of 3.873 seconds at 333.16 mph to capture the No. 2 spot and will face No. 15 qualifier Jeff Arend (4.019 seconds) in Round 1.
The 2012 NHRA Funny Car World Champion lined up against Austin Prock in their Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty semifinal matchup. Prock got away first and looked headed for victory before losing traction nearing the finish line, allowing the PEAK Chevy to flash by for the win. Beckman’s run of 3.951 seconds at 318.92 mph was the third-quickest run of Q3 and set him up for the final round against Ron Capps. In the final, the two left almost dead even (Beckman’s .083 to Capps’ .085) and stayed the same to halftrack before both cars spun the tires and got out of shape. Capps took the win with a run of 4.429 seconds to Beckman’s 4.856 seconds.
DeJoria used her Friday Q1 pass of 3.917 seconds at 329.26 mph to qualify seventh and will face No. 10 qualifier Cruz Pedregon (3.952 seconds) in the first round.
In Saturday’s Q3, Dejoria faced Capps in the #2Fast2Tasty other semifinal but the Bandero Café Chevy lost traction just past halftrack, slowing to a run of 4.860 seconds at 161.34 mph, while Capps took the win with his run of 3.941 seconds at 329.26 mph.
Hart used his Friday Q1 run of 3.763 seconds at 336.82 mph to earn the No. 8 qualifying position. Due to only 14 entries, No. 7 qualifier Jasmine Salinas (3.751 seconds) will have lane choice for Sunday’s first round matchup.
Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“We made some wholesale changes to the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevy after Norwalk and they seem to be working out. We can push it a little bit and we’ve been really good these last three sessions, I think we’ve got a hot rod this weekend and it’s been a great weekend for us thus far. I love racing here. Each time I come here, I’m reminded of the memories of the last two years, and what I was doing then, and what I’m doing now. I’m just super grateful to have this opportunity.”
Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“We’ve qualified first, first, second, third, fourth, and second in the last six races. That’s six races where we’re averaging just over No. 2 qualifier. This PEAK Chevy’s not just been quick, we’re consistently quick and we got bonus points in two of this week’s four qualifying sessions. In the last session, the car was actually running quicker than we had tuned it for. Sometimes those little miscues point out something that helps you be more consistent later so I’m not concerned that we overpowered the track. I’m thinking it will be something that will help Tim and Dan (crew chiefs Fabrisi and Hood) out as soon as tomorrow because we’re going to be in similar conditions tomorrow. I seem to do really well coming off runner-up finishes, which we just did in Norwalk, and here we are back as the No. 2 qualifier, ready to go back into race day.”
Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“Before I even started to pack my suitcases for this race, I was determined. We’ve come so close. We have such a good Bandero Café Chevy and I have so much faith in our capabilities of being successful at every one of these races. I just feel it in my bones that we’re going to win soon and we’ll be gunning for it tomorrow.”
Quote from Josh Hart, Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster:
“We’re not where we want to be, for sure. I had been looking forward to the night run here for a year so I’m really bummed that we missed that opportunity when last night’s session was cancelled. My confidence in this Speedmaster team is not shaken. We’re learning each other, learning the race car, and getting this thing on track.”
TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying action on Sunday, June 28, from 11 – 1 p.m. ET on FS1, leading into eliminations from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET on FS1.
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