Langdon beats Stewart to Top Fuel's biggest trophy
Shawn Langdon won Top Fuel at the 72nd Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, holding off Tony Stewart in the final round with a 3.804-second run at 333.99 mph to Stewart's 3.904 at 315.27. Stewart, racing for Tony Stewart Racing in a technical alliance with Elite Motorsports, reached the U.S. Nationals final for the second straight year but couldn't run down Langdon, who posted a strong .048 reaction time and led wire-to-wire.
It's Langdon's third U.S. Nationals win, his 27th career victory, and his fifth of the 2026 season — a result that puts him second in points heading into the Countdown to the Championship. His Kalitta Motorsports teammate and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta clinched the Top Fuel regular-season championship and its $150,000 prize on the same day, entering the playoffs as the points leader.
Beckman's John Force tribute run doubles up for the win
Jack Beckman followed Sunday's PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout win with a Monday victory at the U.S. Nationals itself, beating regular-season champion Matt Hagan in the final with a 3.965 at 327.35 mph in a Peak Camaro run in tribute to John Force's 1996 championship season. Beckman dropped Austin Prock — who was chasing a first-ever three-peat at Indy — along the way, and called the weekend "the greatest I've ever had holding the steering wheel."
The win was Beckman's second of 2026 and the 39th of his career, along with his third at the U.S. Nationals specifically. Hagan's semifinal win over Ron Capps was enough on its own to lock up the Funny Car regular-season title and its own $150,000 prize, regardless of how the final went.
Glenn wins Indy and the regular-season Pro Stock title in one run
Dallas Glenn won his first U.S. Nationals title in Pro Stock, running 6.599 at 207.56 mph to beat Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final — a result that also clinched Glenn's second straight regular-season championship the moment Greg Anderson lost earlier in the day. It's Glenn's fourth win of 2026 and the 25th of his career, and it hands him the $55,000 regular-season prize along with the points lead heading into the Countdown.
Matt Smith beats his own wife for Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle's final round was a genuine family affair: six-time world champion Matt Smith beat his wife, Angie Smith, 6.791 at 198.58 mph to her 6.834 at 194.80. It's Matt's fourth career win at Indy, his third since 2022, and his third of the 2026 season. Reigning world champion Richard Gadson, who lost in the semifinal, still did enough to clinch the Pro Stock Motorcycle regular-season title and its $15,000 prize, setting up a bid for back-to-back world championships in the Countdown.
The regular-season championships are now set
Beyond the four U.S. Nationals winners, Monday's results locked in all four regular-season champions heading into the playoffs: Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) each collected their class's regular-season prize and enter the Countdown to the Championship as the points leader in their category — though, as with NASCAR's own playoff reset, a strong regular season only sets the starting position, not the final result.
What's next
The NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs open with the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals, presented by Mopar, September 18-20 at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan — the first of six playoff rounds that will decide all four 2026 world champions. See our NHRA Countdown format explainer for how the six-race playoff actually works.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Top Fuel at the 2026 U.S. Nationals?
Shawn Langdon, who beat Tony Stewart in the final round, 3.804 seconds at 333.99 mph to Stewart's 3.904 at 315.27. It was Langdon's third U.S. Nationals win and fifth win of the 2026 season.
Who won Funny Car at the 2026 U.S. Nationals?
Jack Beckman, who beat regular-season champion Matt Hagan in the final while running a Peak Camaro built as a tribute to John Force's 1996 championship livery.
Who clinched the 2026 NHRA regular-season championships?
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all clinched their class's regular-season title at the U.S. Nationals, each earning a cash prize and the points lead heading into the Countdown to the Championship.
When does the 2026 NHRA Countdown to the Championship start?
September 18-20, 2026, with the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan — the first of six playoff rounds.
Pippa has followed open-wheel racing for 12 years, from Formula 1's turbo-hybrid era to IndyCar's short ovals, and has watched competitive sim racing grow from a niche hobby into a genuine motorsport discipline in its own right. She covers circuit and open-wheel racing, touring cars and esports for CNMOTOS.
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