NHRA Potomac Nationals Friday preview

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off a mini Eastern Swing this weekend with its debut appearance at Maryland International Raceway for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS followed the next two weekends with events in Epping, N.H., and Bristol, Tenn.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off a mini Eastern Swing this weekend with its debut appearance at Maryland International Raceway for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS followed the next two weekends with events in Epping, N.H., and Bristol, Tenn.

The event is the second new race on the 20-event schedule this year, following the NHRA Southern Nationals in Adel, Ga., in early May, and although the racing surface will be new to many of the crew chiefs, that didn’t stop them from breaking records in Georgia.

The three-race swing could have a huge impact on the points battles, which are still tight six races into the season, with no driver owning more than a three-round lead.

Shawn Langdon’s lead in Top Fuel is the largest, but it’s just 54 points on Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta. Langdon has won the last two events in the schedule, including the Southern Nationals, where he set a new national speed record of 345 mph, and at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak two weeks ago in Chicago. The teammates are in a mini-runaway as Leah Pruett sits third, 165 points behind Langdon and 111 back of Kalitta.

The Funny Car class continues to be ultracompetitive, with Ron Capps earning two wins in 2026. He’s tied for the points lead with past world champ J.R. Todd, with four-time champion Matt Hagan in third. Other standouts include Chicago winner Chad Green, Southern Nationals champ Jordan Vandergriff, Alexis DeJoria, Jack Beckman, and 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde.

Reigning Pro Stock champ Dallas Glenn currently leads the points with two wins in 2026. Matt Hartford also has two victories this year, while six-time world champ Greg Anderson picked up the win in Pomona. Six-time champion Erica Enders has shown some recent strength, and along with Elite Motorsports teammates Aaron Stanfield (the Chicago winner), Jeg Coughlin Jr., and T.J. Coughlin, they’re ready for battle.

Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Richard Gadson is the current points leader, and although six-time champ Matt Smith was riding a two-race hot streak like Langdon, he will sit out the event due to medical reasons; Chip Ellis will ride Smith's bike and earn points for him. Others to watch include two-time world champ Gaige Herrera, Angie Smith, John Hall, Jianna Evaristo, and Maryland native Kelly Clontz.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, May 29
NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series qualifying at 10:00 a.m.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, May 30
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series qualifying and eliminations at 10:00 a.m. and eliminations 5:00 p.m.
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, May 31
Pre-race ceremony at 10:00 a.m.
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at 11:00 p.m.

TELEVISION

Friday, May 29: FOX Sports 1 (FS1) will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 30: FOX Sports 1 (FS1) will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 9:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 31: FOX will televise three hours of finals coverage at 3:00 p.m. ET

NATIONAL RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading, Pa.; 345.00 mph by Shawn Langdon, May ’26, Adel, Ga.
Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd, Minn.; 341.68 mph by Austin Prock, Nov. ’24, Pomona, Calif.
Pro Stock – 6.443 sec. by Greg Anderson, March ‘25, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14, Englishtown, N.J.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.627 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Oct. ‘23, Dallas; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, July ’21, Sonoma, Calif.