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Phil Hutchison and Courtesy NHRA Communications

Images David Ostaszewski

Three-time Funny Car world champion Ron Capps recovered from a massive engine explosion to earn his 78th career win at the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the second of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Three-time Funny Car world champion Ron Capps recovered from a massive engine explosion in the second round at Firebird Motorsports Park, defeating Spencer Hyde in the final round to earn his 78th career win on Sunday at the 41st annual FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs.

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the second of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

FUNNY CAR

In the final round, Capps went 4.124 seconds at 303.24 mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra, holding off Hyde to pick up his first victory of the season and fourth overall in Phoenix.

This was an emotional one for the veteran after he suffered a huge engine explosion at the finish line in his second-round win against Daniel Wilkerson. Capps and the team bounced back in impressive fashion to knock off defending event winner Paul Lee with a strong run and advance to the final round.

He left first on Hyde and pulled away at the finish line, picking up one of the more memorable wins in Capps’ stellar career. A year ago, Capps also had a huge explosion and crash in Phoenix, but those two incidents are now a distant memory after Sunday’s incredible finish.

“We knew this was going to be a battle of attrition and dropped cylinders today,” Capps said. “A couple of those runs, there was no way I would imagine that would have got us lane choice, but it did. It was like a bracket car. This win reminded me a lot of first my win in St. Louis [1997] because it was hot and we had 150-degree track temps there and we dropped cylinders all day but still won the race. 

“We burned a lot of stuff up. At that time it happened, we weren’t sure the win light was going to be worth it, but it wouldn’t have been worth it had it been a runner up. I have to thank Paul Lee and his team for waiting for us. We went to warm it up [in the pits], and it wouldn’t even fire, so we literally went up there not knowing was going to start. To get that win in the semis and have a blast down the road when it did was pretty cool.”

Hyde, NHRA’s reigning Rookie of the Year and the No. 1 qualifier in Phoenix, reached his third career final round after taking down Blake Alexander, J.R. Todd and Matt Hagan. Gainesville winner Chad Green is the points leader after two races.

TOP FUEL

Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon stayed red-hot at Firebird Motorsports Park, winning for the third straight year in Phoenix and knocking off Leah Pruett in the final round with a run of 3.877 at 325.45 in his  Kalitta Air dragster. He’s now undefeated in his last 12 rounds at the fan-favorite facility and has found success in a variety of conditions over the years.

On Sunday and all weekend, he did it in extreme heat, as Langdon qualified No. 1 and was remarkably consistent in eliminations, making three runs in the 3.80s. He took down Tony Schumacher and then rookie sensation Maddi Gordon in the semifinals, setting up a marquee matchup with Pruett.

Langdon posted an .079 reaction time and delivered another impressive run, winning for the 23rd time in his career a day after getting his 23rd No. 1 qualifier. It gives the past world champion his first win of the year and plenty of early-season momentum as Langdon looks to stay near or at the top all season long.

“At the beginning of the year, we made some really good runs in testing under some really good conditions. One of the prime focuses for this year on is making good runs when it gets hot out, and being able to have a car that you can gain the small bonus points,” Langdon said. “So that’s been a big focus for the team and Brian [Husen, crew chief], and being able to come out here on some of the hottest conditions that we’ve really ever seen, for him to make the adjustments and the team to make the adjustments, that feels really good.

“That’s the cool thing about being a part of this team: even though you win a race, they’re still looking at the finer details. Brian leads the way, and he demands perfection, and the car’s not perfect. We’re going to make it perfect.”

In just her second race since returning to the sport, Pruett reached her 26th career final round with victories against Cam Ferre, Josh Hart, and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, who leaves Phoenix with the points lead.

PRO STOCK

In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn more than got redemption for last year’s final round in Phoenix, finishing off a magnificent weekend with a run of 6.627 at 206.39 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to hold off Cody Coughlin in the final round. It gives Glenn a clean sweep of the weekend after winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and also gives the reigning world champion his first victory of the season.

Last year, Glenn went red in a wild final round against KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson, but there were no issues this time on Sunday. Glenn went .027 on the starting line and led wire-to-wire against Coughlin, collecting his first career win at Firebird Motorsports Park. Glenn, who qualified third, defeated Stephen Bell, Matt Latino and Greg Stanfield to reach the final round.

Glenn, who also took over the points lead, was quickest in each of the final three rounds, rolling to his 22nd career victory and getting his first diamond Wally during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. He’s already reached 41 final rounds in his young career and even after winning a world title in 2025, Glenn has big plans for this season.

“It feels really good. Last year’s final was very ugly, and it was all caused by a mistake on my part and then a malfunction on Greg’s part. So to come here and do a much better job for the fans feels really great,” Glenn said.

When we were driving here, I know I definitely screwed up last year and I really want to win Phoenix. I’ve never won here before and I really want to get one of those cool 75th anniversary trophies, so this takes the pressure off for the rest of the season. I definitely feel like I have a lot less pressure on me this year. I feel more relaxed on race day. I’m kind of just going with the flow and definitely not putting as much pressure on myself. I know what I can do, and I just trying to go out there and have fun and click some rounds off.”

Coughlin, who qualified No. 1 in Gainesville, reached his second career final round after defeating Eric Latino, Chris McGaha and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

PRO MOD

Justin Bond outlasted an impressive field in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park, defeating Stevie “Fast” Jackson in the final round as part of this weekend’s FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs.

The event was the second of 11 races in the series and was powered by LAT Racing Oils.

In the final round, Bond won when Jackson went red, but he also put together a standout run in the championship round, going 5.736-seconds at 251.81 mph, which was his best performance on raceday. To reach the final round, Bond defeated Nick Januik, Stan Shelton and Gainesville winner Derek Menholt.

It gives Bond his first victory of the year and seventh in his year, finishing off a strong weekend that started with the veteran qualifying second.

“It’s just been a major marathon to be here,” Bond said. “I don’t deserve it, but I’m sure happy we did it. This one is for my guys. I’ve got so many people to thank and this is a big one for us. I just had a really awesome car, and it’s the guys. We weren’t always the low of the round this particular event, but we were just racing smart and racing our opponent, racing the racetrack.

“In the final, we tuned it up pretty good, and didn’t actually need it. My staging plan worked. I never go in first, and this time I went in first, tried to rush him and he was rushed.”

Jackson, a two-time NHRA world champion, reached the final round for the 23rd time in his career after round wins against reigning world champ J.R. Gray, defending event winner Mike Stavrinos and No. 1 qualifier Lyle Barnett.

Menholt remains in the points lead after two races.

OTHER WINNERS AT PHOENIX

SUPER STOCK

The FSS/E’16 Camaro of Tim Seymour from San Dimas CA. beat the ’08 FGT/C Cobalt of Even Kowalski in a close final. Both racers had nearly identical reaction times, but Seymour ran closer to his 9.20 dial with a near perfect 9.208 to the losing 9.229 on a 9.20 dial of Kowalski. The win by Seymour was the California driver’s second Lucas National win.

STOCK

Multi time NHRA champ and recent Pomona winner Justin Lamb from Henderson NV. Keeps winning taking the Stock win in his FS/C Camaro over the FS/D Camaro of Leo Glasbrenner who is calling Walling Tennesee home.

In the finals Glasbrenner left too soon by-0.004 giving Lamb his 35th Lucas Oil National event Wally.

SUPER COMP

Recent Pomona Lucas Division winner Tanner Theobald continues to go rounds but at Phoenix the Utah racer was racing fellow Utah racer Doug Johnson from Pleasant Grove. Reaction times were nearly identical, and it went down to who ran closer to the 8.90 index for the win. In a double breakout final, Johnson tripped the top end lights with a winning 8.888 to a close losing 8.880 of Theobald who left Phoenix in second place in the NHRA Lucas Oil National points chase. The win was Johnson’s second career NHRA national win.

SUPER GAS

California racer Val Torres Jr. from Chino Hills in his ’67 Camaro beat local racer Chris Gabbard from Mesa in a ’71 Plymouth Duster in the finals when Gabbard tripped the red light in the finals giving Torres Jr, his 11th Lucas National event Wally

TOP SPORTSMAN

San Diego CA. driver Rob Mendenhall had never won an NHRA event let alone been in the final in his ’15 Camaro. At Phoenix, that all changed as Mendenhall took his first NHRA win over the ’69 Camaro Canadian Will Yakimetz from Vegreville Alberta. Mendenhall got the better light and ran a winning 6.969 on his 6.93 dial as Yakimetz lost with a 6.864 on a 6.76 dial.

TOP DRAGSTER

In the finals of T/D, Canadian racer Cooper Chun from Vancover  beat a red lighting Dylan Hough from Junction City OR. Chun who was from a high of a Pomona CA Lucas win a week ago, continued his winning ways at Phoenix for his third career final round and his first NHRA national win. Chun left the Phoenix track #1 in the NHRA Lucas Oil World Champsionship point chase.

LEGACY FUNNY CAR

Nathan Sitko from Edmonton Alberta Canada, claimed the victory on a final-round bye after defending event champ Ray Horan’s team was unable to get their car started. Sitko powered the Bubble Up Firebird to a 4.79 winning lap.

Horan from Sylmar CA. qualified his ’69 Camaro in the #3 spot with a 4.793 and defeated Drew Austin and Jim Kelso in earlier rounds as Sitko sat on the pole with a 4.717 and defeated Todd Plate and Elly Stafford to get to the finals at Phoenix.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action April 9-12 with the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.