Kalitta, Anderson, and Hagan battle their way to wins at NHRA Brainerd Nationals
Matt Hagan, a four-time Funny Car world champion, took the lead in points by defeating Jordan Vandergriff in the final round before a large crowd on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, winning the 44th annual NHRA Brainerd Nationals.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also claimed victories in the 13th of 20 races in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Hagan achieved a time of 3.946 seconds at 320.13 mph in his American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, surpassing Vandergriff to secure his third victory of the season for Tony Stewart Racing. This marks Hagan's 58th career win and his second at Brainerd, propelling him to the top of the competitive Funny Car category.
Hagan demonstrated remarkable consistency on race day, reaching the finals by defeating Jim Campbell, Chad Green, and Austin Prock. He maintained a 3.94-second performance in the final three rounds, including the finals where he swiftly overcame Vandergriff, who decelerated to a 4.038.
Starting the weekend in fifth place, Hagan concluded as the points leader in the highly competitive Funny Car class. As the competition moves to Indy, Hagan holds a seven-point advantage over Vandergriff, with Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and Jack Beckman trailing closely. Capps is 12 points behind, while Todd and Beckman are 22 and 74 points back, respectively.
“It’s very humbling because you never know what you’re going to get in a Funny Car. If you think you’re going to go out there and pound on your chest, these things will kick you in the (butt),” Hagan stated. “I’m just very grateful that we have such a good group of guys putting a great race car underneath me.
“We definitely could have bracket-raced this car this weekend. It just shows what our team is capable of. Everybody is just working hard and doing what they’re supposed to do. As I was doing the burnout and backing up, it gave me chills, man. The fans were packed in here. NHRA is doing a great job promoting our sport, and our sport is growing every day.”
Vandergriff, who qualified No. 1, reached the finals for the third time this season with victories over Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd.
Top Fuel reigning world champion Doug Kalitta concluded an exceptional and flawless weekend in Brainerd, securing his third consecutive victory by defeating rookie Maddi Gordon in the championship round with an impressive run of 3.743 at 333.74 in his Mac Tools dragster.
This victory also marks Kalitta's second consecutive win at Brainerd, solidifying his lead in the regular season championship. After qualifying No. 1—achieving the quickest run in all four sessions—and winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, Kalitta was unbeatable on Sunday, advancing past Cam Ferre, Antron Brown, and Justin Ashley to reach the final round.
Gordon left first and posted a commendable 3.770 at 328.78, but Kalitta quickly overtook her to claim his fourth win this season and the 63rd of his career.
Much like last year, Kalitta has a dominant car at the ideal time as he aims to win the world championship for the third time in the past four years. Kalitta will next attempt to secure the regular season title in Indy, holding an impressive 67-point lead over teammate Shawn Langdon heading into the world's largest drag race.
“It was definitely an interesting day,” Kalitta remarked. “My team performed excellently throughout the weekend, through qualifying, the Mission Foods event, and then advancing through rounds on Sunday to reach the final and defeat Maddi. She’s doing a great job, and they’re formidable competitors.
“Alan (Johnson, crew chief) and the team had my car running 3.74 seconds consistently. That was sufficient, even with a slight margin. It was what we needed to accomplish today. The momentum is very positive. We’re all very eager.
“When you approach those final six races, every round becomes crucial. Today felt that way as well. Advancing past those initial rounds was a relief because you don’t want to be eliminated early.”
Gordon reached her second final round in her debut season by defeating Scott Palmer, Tony Stewart, and Leah Pruett.
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson, a six-time world champion, continued his success at the track where he began racing, winning for the second consecutive year in Brainerd. He achieved a time of 6.584 at 208.17 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, overtaking first-time finalist Chris Vang.
It was a significant points day for Anderson after KB Titan Racing teammate and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn was eliminated in the first round after qualifying No. 1. Anderson capitalized on this by defeating Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr., and Greg Stanfield to reach the finals.
Vang left the line first, but Anderson overtook him to secure his fourth win this season and the 116th of his illustrious career. Anderson also established an 85-point lead over Glenn with one race remaining in the regular season, providing him a substantial advantage as he aims to win the regular season championship in Indy. This victory also marks Anderson's fifth career win at Brainerd, the most in Pro Stock history at this distinguished facility.
“The world knows this is where it all began for me. I wouldn’t be a Pro Stock racer today if it weren’t for this place and all the people here,” Anderson said. “My father and John Hagen gave me my start in Pro Stock. It’s been a special place to me since I first set foot here.
“Winning here and apparently holding the record for most wins is quite special. This venue has everything. It’s a fantastic event. The prestige of this one never diminishes. It’s certainly at the top of my list, and I believe it should be at the top of many others’ lists. To emerge victorious is an incredible feeling. It never gets old, and I hope it never does. I treat each victory as if it’s the first because you never know when the last one will be. They’re all special. I hope this wasn’t the last, but I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this one tonight.”
Vang reached the final round for the first time in his young career with wins over Matt Latino, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and rookie Cody Anderson.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will return to action from September 2-7 with the prestigious 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
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