BROWNSBURG, Ind. (June 3, 2026) – First-year Funny Car driver Jordan Vandegriff has certainly learned the ups and downs of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition the past three events and he’s definitely on the up side as he and the John Force Racing Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team prepare for the June 5-7 NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping N.H.
Vandergriff earned his first NHRA Funny Car event win May 3 in the inaugural race at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Ga., but the team was eliminated in the first round just two weeks later.
The Cornwell Tools team jumped right back to the positive side last Sunday at the inaugural event at Maryland International Raceway where Vandergriff earned a semifinal finish, losing to John Force Racing teammate and eventual event runner-up Jack Beckman who set low elapsed time and top speed in the semifinal race.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after seven of 20 races are: 1. Ron Capps, 540; 2. J.R. Todd, 524; 3. Chad Green, 500; 4. Matt Hagan, 493; 5. Jordan Vandergriff, 485; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 427; 7. Jack Beckman, 412; 8. Spencer Hyde, 370; 9. Austin Prock, 323; 10. Daniel Wilkerson, 264.
Quotes
You’ve never raced at New Hampshire Dragway so do you consider this another “new” track like South Georgia, Maryland, etc.?
“We have four new tracks on the schedule this year. We had success in Georgia and Maryland, and the other two races aren’t until the Countdown, but there are more new tracks for me. I haven’t driven at every racetrack on the schedule yet so going to Epping is new for me as well. It’s different because the crew chiefs have the data and the teams have worked with these racetracks before but, for me, it’s another new experience and I’m definitely looking forward to it. I did the TV stuff for the past two years and Epping is Brian Lohnes’ (NHRA on FOX host) home track. He always talked it up a lot and then when you go up there, you realize how much the fans there love NHRA drag racing. It’s such a big event. The ‘Number 1 Clawifier Award’ last year was amazing and they’re doing that again this year. The love from the fans and the Epping staff is apparent and I can’t wait to race there.”
Maryland was a nice rebound for the Cornwell Tools team. What did you and your relatively still new team learned together in the past three races?
“Coming out of the first-round loss at Chicago after winning in South Georgia, I was talking about the highs and lows of drag racing and now we’re coming off another high with the solid finish at Maryland. I think it proves this Cornwell Quality Tools Funny Car team can put things behind us very quickly. We come into each day knowing that the day before has already happened. It doesn’t matter anymore. We have to focus on today. We went into Maryland with that mindset and it really worked out for us. We were consistent all weekend. We had six runs in a row until the semifinals against Jack (teammate Jack Beckman, who ran the quickest and fastest run of the event in the semifinals) so we feel really good about this race car going into Epping.”
Making laps is still a very important part of your learning curve this early in the season what are the benefits you’re finding in this three week stretch?
“Another ‘first’ for me will be this three-weekend-in-a-row stretch, with Maryland last week, Epping this week and Bristol next week. I’m so fortunate to have a lot of people within the John Force Racing organization that have experience. Mike Neff (crew chief of the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team) and I had a conversation after the race last Sunday, and he said ‘Hey, man, you’re going to feel like you’re in a groove here over these next three races and you’re going to feel more comfortable. You’re going to feel like you’re in rhythm and it’s going to be really good for you.’ I’m so glad we have so much experience on this team and everybody’s willing to help everybody else.”
Weekend Appearances
Vandergriff will participate in autographs sessions in the NHRA Midway on Sat., June 6: from 9:30-10 a.m. ET at the Mission Foods display; and 10-10:30 a.m. ET at the Cornwell Tools display.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5:30 and 8 p.m. ET on Fri., June 5, with the final two rounds Sat., June 6, at 12:30 and 3 p.m. ET. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, June 7, at 11 a.m. ET.
TV Schedule
Television coverage on FS1 includes a qualifying show Fri., June 5, from 8 – 9:30 p.m. ET, a second qualifying show Sat., June 6, from 10 – 11 p.m. ET, and the eliminations broadcast Sunday, June 7, from 3 – 6 p.m. ET on FOX.
2026 Results
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Vandergriff earned his first NHRA Funny Car event win May 3 in the inaugural race at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Ga., but the team was eliminated in the first round just two weeks later.
The Cornwell Tools team jumped right back to the positive side last Sunday at the inaugural event at Maryland International Raceway where Vandergriff earned a semifinal finish, losing to John Force Racing teammate and eventual event runner-up Jack Beckman who set low elapsed time and top speed in the semifinal race.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after seven of 20 races are: 1. Ron Capps, 540; 2. J.R. Todd, 524; 3. Chad Green, 500; 4. Matt Hagan, 493; 5. Jordan Vandergriff, 485; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 427; 7. Jack Beckman, 412; 8. Spencer Hyde, 370; 9. Austin Prock, 323; 10. Daniel Wilkerson, 264.
Quotes
You’ve never raced at New Hampshire Dragway so do you consider this another “new” track like South Georgia, Maryland, etc.?
“We have four new tracks on the schedule this year. We had success in Georgia and Maryland, and the other two races aren’t until the Countdown, but there are more new tracks for me. I haven’t driven at every racetrack on the schedule yet so going to Epping is new for me as well. It’s different because the crew chiefs have the data and the teams have worked with these racetracks before but, for me, it’s another new experience and I’m definitely looking forward to it. I did the TV stuff for the past two years and Epping is Brian Lohnes’ (NHRA on FOX host) home track. He always talked it up a lot and then when you go up there, you realize how much the fans there love NHRA drag racing. It’s such a big event. The ‘Number 1 Clawifier Award’ last year was amazing and they’re doing that again this year. The love from the fans and the Epping staff is apparent and I can’t wait to race there.”
Maryland was a nice rebound for the Cornwell Tools team. What did you and your relatively still new team learned together in the past three races?
“Coming out of the first-round loss at Chicago after winning in South Georgia, I was talking about the highs and lows of drag racing and now we’re coming off another high with the solid finish at Maryland. I think it proves this Cornwell Quality Tools Funny Car team can put things behind us very quickly. We come into each day knowing that the day before has already happened. It doesn’t matter anymore. We have to focus on today. We went into Maryland with that mindset and it really worked out for us. We were consistent all weekend. We had six runs in a row until the semifinals against Jack (teammate Jack Beckman, who ran the quickest and fastest run of the event in the semifinals) so we feel really good about this race car going into Epping.”
Making laps is still a very important part of your learning curve this early in the season what are the benefits you’re finding in this three week stretch?
“Another ‘first’ for me will be this three-weekend-in-a-row stretch, with Maryland last week, Epping this week and Bristol next week. I’m so fortunate to have a lot of people within the John Force Racing organization that have experience. Mike Neff (crew chief of the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team) and I had a conversation after the race last Sunday, and he said ‘Hey, man, you’re going to feel like you’re in a groove here over these next three races and you’re going to feel more comfortable. You’re going to feel like you’re in rhythm and it’s going to be really good for you.’ I’m so glad we have so much experience on this team and everybody’s willing to help everybody else.”
Weekend Appearances
Vandergriff will participate in autographs sessions in the NHRA Midway on Sat., June 6: from 9:30-10 a.m. ET at the Mission Foods display; and 10-10:30 a.m. ET at the Cornwell Tools display.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5:30 and 8 p.m. ET on Fri., June 5, with the final two rounds Sat., June 6, at 12:30 and 3 p.m. ET. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, June 7, at 11 a.m. ET.
TV Schedule
Television coverage on FS1 includes a qualifying show Fri., June 5, from 8 – 9:30 p.m. ET, a second qualifying show Sat., June 6, from 10 – 11 p.m. ET, and the eliminations broadcast Sunday, June 7, from 3 – 6 p.m. ET on FOX.
2026 Results
| Event | Qualify | Round by Round | Round Record | Points Position |
| Gainesville | 8 | Beat Jack Beckman, John Smith; lost to Chad Green | 2-1 | 4 |
| Phoenix | 5 | Beat Alexis DeJoria, lost to Matt Hagan | 3-2 | 7 |
| Pomona1 | 3 | Beat Daniel Wilkerson, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps | 5-3 | 5 |
| Charlotte | 2 | Won 1st quad; lost in 2nd quad | 6-4 | 5 |
| Valdosta | 3 | Beat Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde, Hunter Green, Ron Capps | 10-4 | 4 |
| Chicago | 10 | Lost to Chad Green | 10-5 | 5 |
| Maryland | 4 | Beat Dave Richards, Chad Green; lost to Jack Beckman | 12-6 | 5 |
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