ADEL, Ga. (May 3, 2026) – It took just five events behind the wheel of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for Jordan Vandergriff to make the final round of eliminations and he made the best of it in capturing his first NHRA event win at the NHRA Southern Nationals in his adopted state of Georgia.
Vandergriff streaked across the finish line in 4.007 seconds at 314.17 mph as J.R. Todd, the 2018 NHRA Funny Car World Champion and winner of last week’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, lost traction early and clicked it off. The win made the third generation drag racer the 13th different driver to win a Top Fuel or Funny Car event in NHRA competition for John Force Racing.
Immediately after winning, Vandergriff popped out of his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car and sprinted back up the race track, much like his uncle, Bob Vandergriff Jr., did after his victories in Top Fuel.
“I’m still kind of taking in just how special this is. This moment is something I thought of for a very long time, since my last final in 2019, when I lost to Billy Torrence in Dallas,” Vandergriff said. “You know, running up the track was something I always thought about doing because my uncle did it out of pure joy when he won his first, and I just had to do it. I was contemplating it in the car before the run, and I was like, I’m doing it, no matter what. Hopefully, this is just the first of many, and it’s a good one to start.”
Vandergriff dedicated the victory to Adria Force Hight, team owner John Force’s eldest daughter, who passed away April 28.
“Adria got this one for me, and I truly believe that,” said Vandergriff. “I had a feeling since this morning when I thought about that her and Autumn (Adria’s daughter Autumn Hight), and the Force family and everything they’ve been through this week. I was just thinking about everything Adria did for John Force Racing. She was a pivotal part of this organization and I thank her for all the hard work she put in in helping John build this amazing race team that is giving me the chance to live my dreams and represent them.”
Vandergriff defeated Hunter Green in his semifinal round, making a solid 3.964-second run at 331.36 mph to Green’s 4.151-second effort. He defeated Spencer Hyde in Rd. 2, running 3.956 seconds at 332.34 mph to a tire-smoking Hyde. In Rd. 1, Vandergriff ran 3.950 seconds at 330.63 mph to Jeff Arend’s 4.154 seconds at 309.77 mph.
The Atlanta resident’s only other final-round appearance was Oct. 20, 2019, in the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals while competing in the Top Fuel category for his family-owned team. He was ahead of Billy Torrence at halftrack before hazing the tires and allowing Torrence to take the win.
DeJoria lined up the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car in the left lane against last week’s race winner J.R. Todd for her semifinal matchup, with Todd having lane choice. Both cars smoked the tires almost immediately and it became a pedal-fest from there. The Bandero Café Chevy swapped back and forth, eventually making contact with timing cones at halftrack, while Todd was able to cross the center line first, posting a 6.188-second run to DeJoria’s 7.878-second effort.
The six-time NHRA Funny Car winner defeated Matt Hagan in Rd. 2, running 4.016 seconds at 314.68 mph while Hagan smoked the tires right at the start. In Rd. 1, she ran 3.946 seconds at 325.61 mph to defeat Cruz Pedregon’s run of 4.135 seconds at 237.80 mph.
“Man, it’s been a crazy weekend, just a crap shoot,” said DeJoria. “The semifinals wasn’t a pretty run at all. We both smoked the tires right at the hit. It’s a blessing and a curse that I’ve been in so many unsettling runs to know what to do and what not to do, to keep myself on the good side of getting in a wreck. So, that being said, we came out unscathed, the Bandero Café Chevy SS body is fine.
“But again, we had another long Sunday. It’s just our fifth race out, we’re building, and I have so much confidence in these guys. Our hearts are with our boss, John Force, and, uh, gaining those points, man. And, you know, and keeping our position in the 6th spot means a lot going into that Chicago race in a couple weeks.
Hart beat Leah Pruett off the starting line by nearly two hundredths of a second (.077 to .094) but the Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster smoked the tires shortly thereafter, coasting to a run of 7.296 seconds at 77.48 mph to Pruett’s 3.996 seconds at 287.78 mph.
“I fought hard for this ride with John Force Racing and Speedmaster and prayed for it even harder,” said Hart. “Now, I have the seat and our confidence is strong despite today’s unfortunate results. I love this JFR team and we will make up ground and improve together.”
Beckman’s PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car also spun the tires shortly off the starting line to run 4.598 seconds at 183.24 mph to Matt Hagan’s 3.988-second run at 328.06 mph.
“I hate to use the expression ‘throwaway weekend,’ because you try to find a silver lining,” said Beckman. “We’re going to keep digging until we find that silver lining. You want to be retrospective and say, ‘Okay, if we had to do all over again, what would we have done differently?’ I’m not sure I have a good answer for that, and those are the frustrating weekends for this PEAK Chevy team. This is a forgettable weekend and we’ll be over it soon.”
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. Shawn Langdon, 481; 2. Doug Kalitta, 477; 3. Leah Pruett, 352; 4. Tony Stewart, 332; 5. Josh Hart, 298; 6. Maddi Gordon, 296; 7. Justin Ashley, 280; 8. Billy Torrence, 244; 9. Clay Millican, 220; 10. Antron Brown, 218.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. J.R. Todd, 411; 2. Ron Capps, 408; 3. Matt Hagan, 386; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 383; 5. Chad Green, 340; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 297; 7. Spencer Hyde, 275; 8. Jack Beckman, 245; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 201; 10. Dave Richards, 171.
NEXT RACE
The sixth of 20 races of the 2026 NHRA MIssion Foods Drag Racingt Series is the May 15-17 Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Speedway in Joliet, Ill.
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Vandergriff streaked across the finish line in 4.007 seconds at 314.17 mph as J.R. Todd, the 2018 NHRA Funny Car World Champion and winner of last week’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, lost traction early and clicked it off. The win made the third generation drag racer the 13th different driver to win a Top Fuel or Funny Car event in NHRA competition for John Force Racing.
Immediately after winning, Vandergriff popped out of his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car and sprinted back up the race track, much like his uncle, Bob Vandergriff Jr., did after his victories in Top Fuel.
“I’m still kind of taking in just how special this is. This moment is something I thought of for a very long time, since my last final in 2019, when I lost to Billy Torrence in Dallas,” Vandergriff said. “You know, running up the track was something I always thought about doing because my uncle did it out of pure joy when he won his first, and I just had to do it. I was contemplating it in the car before the run, and I was like, I’m doing it, no matter what. Hopefully, this is just the first of many, and it’s a good one to start.”
Vandergriff dedicated the victory to Adria Force Hight, team owner John Force’s eldest daughter, who passed away April 28.
“Adria got this one for me, and I truly believe that,” said Vandergriff. “I had a feeling since this morning when I thought about that her and Autumn (Adria’s daughter Autumn Hight), and the Force family and everything they’ve been through this week. I was just thinking about everything Adria did for John Force Racing. She was a pivotal part of this organization and I thank her for all the hard work she put in in helping John build this amazing race team that is giving me the chance to live my dreams and represent them.”
Vandergriff defeated Hunter Green in his semifinal round, making a solid 3.964-second run at 331.36 mph to Green’s 4.151-second effort. He defeated Spencer Hyde in Rd. 2, running 3.956 seconds at 332.34 mph to a tire-smoking Hyde. In Rd. 1, Vandergriff ran 3.950 seconds at 330.63 mph to Jeff Arend’s 4.154 seconds at 309.77 mph.
The Atlanta resident’s only other final-round appearance was Oct. 20, 2019, in the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals while competing in the Top Fuel category for his family-owned team. He was ahead of Billy Torrence at halftrack before hazing the tires and allowing Torrence to take the win.
DeJoria lined up the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car in the left lane against last week’s race winner J.R. Todd for her semifinal matchup, with Todd having lane choice. Both cars smoked the tires almost immediately and it became a pedal-fest from there. The Bandero Café Chevy swapped back and forth, eventually making contact with timing cones at halftrack, while Todd was able to cross the center line first, posting a 6.188-second run to DeJoria’s 7.878-second effort.
The six-time NHRA Funny Car winner defeated Matt Hagan in Rd. 2, running 4.016 seconds at 314.68 mph while Hagan smoked the tires right at the start. In Rd. 1, she ran 3.946 seconds at 325.61 mph to defeat Cruz Pedregon’s run of 4.135 seconds at 237.80 mph.
“Man, it’s been a crazy weekend, just a crap shoot,” said DeJoria. “The semifinals wasn’t a pretty run at all. We both smoked the tires right at the hit. It’s a blessing and a curse that I’ve been in so many unsettling runs to know what to do and what not to do, to keep myself on the good side of getting in a wreck. So, that being said, we came out unscathed, the Bandero Café Chevy SS body is fine.
“But again, we had another long Sunday. It’s just our fifth race out, we’re building, and I have so much confidence in these guys. Our hearts are with our boss, John Force, and, uh, gaining those points, man. And, you know, and keeping our position in the 6th spot means a lot going into that Chicago race in a couple weeks.
Hart beat Leah Pruett off the starting line by nearly two hundredths of a second (.077 to .094) but the Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster smoked the tires shortly thereafter, coasting to a run of 7.296 seconds at 77.48 mph to Pruett’s 3.996 seconds at 287.78 mph.
“I fought hard for this ride with John Force Racing and Speedmaster and prayed for it even harder,” said Hart. “Now, I have the seat and our confidence is strong despite today’s unfortunate results. I love this JFR team and we will make up ground and improve together.”
Beckman’s PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car also spun the tires shortly off the starting line to run 4.598 seconds at 183.24 mph to Matt Hagan’s 3.988-second run at 328.06 mph.
“I hate to use the expression ‘throwaway weekend,’ because you try to find a silver lining,” said Beckman. “We’re going to keep digging until we find that silver lining. You want to be retrospective and say, ‘Okay, if we had to do all over again, what would we have done differently?’ I’m not sure I have a good answer for that, and those are the frustrating weekends for this PEAK Chevy team. This is a forgettable weekend and we’ll be over it soon.”
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. Shawn Langdon, 481; 2. Doug Kalitta, 477; 3. Leah Pruett, 352; 4. Tony Stewart, 332; 5. Josh Hart, 298; 6. Maddi Gordon, 296; 7. Justin Ashley, 280; 8. Billy Torrence, 244; 9. Clay Millican, 220; 10. Antron Brown, 218.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. J.R. Todd, 411; 2. Ron Capps, 408; 3. Matt Hagan, 386; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 383; 5. Chad Green, 340; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 297; 7. Spencer Hyde, 275; 8. Jack Beckman, 245; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 201; 10. Dave Richards, 171.
NEXT RACE
The sixth of 20 races of the 2026 NHRA MIssion Foods Drag Racingt Series is the May 15-17 Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Speedway in Joliet, Ill.
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