BROWNSBURG, Ind. (June 24, 2026) – The pressures of being a fulltime NHRA Funny Car driver are exactly what Jordan Vandergriff thrives on and the added responsibility of doing so just an hour northwest from primary sponsor Cornwell Tools’ corporate headquarters merely fuels his competitive fire heading into the June 26-28 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
The 31-year-old Atlanta-based driver has quickly and successfully adapted in just nine races from his role the past two seasons as an on-camera reporter for the NHRA on FOX broadcasts and fill-in driver to a race-winning driver of an 11,000-horsepower nitromethane-burning Funny Car owned and operated by John Force, the winningest driver in National Hot Rod Association history.
There were big shoes for Vandergriff to fill at the start of the season and those shoes are feeling pretty comfortable as the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series nears the halfway point this weekend.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after nine of 20 races are: 1. Ron Capps, 691; 2. Matt Hagan, 667; 3. J.R. Todd, 634; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 619; 5. Jack Beckman, 589; 6. Chad Green, 561; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 524; 8. Spencer Hyde, 459; 9. Austin Prock, 437; 10. Daniel Wilkerson, 391.
Quotes
What’s your overall assessment of your team going into the halfway point of the year?
“It’s pretty crazy to be entering the halfway point of my rookie year in Funny Car with John Force Racing and Cornwell Quality Tools. It feels like it’s flown by and I think we’ve done really well. Being a brand new team, with a brand new crew chief duo of Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker, a whole new team, and me as a rookie driver to be fourth in the points within striking distance of first, is better than we all expected. If we can keep this up, we’re going to have a shot at the championship.”
“We find ourselves fourth in the points with a completely new team and we’re only behind J.R. Tood, Matt Hagan and Ron Capps. Those are three big names that have won championships and know what they’re doing. Being the new guy, it’s an honor to be mentioned that high up with them. We’re fourth in the points even with my rookie mistakes though I’ve tried to minimize them as much as possible. I think it speaks to how good this team is. The Cornwell Quality Tools team is carrying me and I’m doing all I can to support their efforts. To be fourth is exactly where we deserve to be right now and if these next few races go great, we’ll have our eyes on the regular season championship.”
Are you thinking about the importance of racing in the backyard of your Cornwell Tools, your team’s primary sponsor?
“Cornwell Quality Tools is based in Wadsworth, Ohio, only about an hour from Norwalk, so it’s like their home race. I’m going to spend the week there in meetings and visits with everybody at Cornwell. I know how much Cornwell Quality Tools, loves the Norwalk race and we will have a bunch of people from Cornwell at the track so you want to make them all happy. There’s a little added pressure but I love the pressure.”
Though this is your first race to compete in at Norwalk, you have been there on the TV side so is there anything that stands out from previous visits?
“Going to Norwalk, it’s such a huge deal for the Bader family. They put on a great show and the fans there love drag racing. In my mind, it’s one of the major races. You want to get the ice cream scoop for winning the big event in front of some great fans. You just know that going into Norwalk, it’s gonna be a great show.”
How did you spend the weekend off after three races in a row?
“After the three-race swing wrapped up in Bristol. I just didn’t have enough time on the road, I guess, so I drove up to the race shop in Indy for a couple days. I spent some time at the shop and we made some changes to the race car that I’m really excited about to debut in Norwalk. I got to spend a couple days with the guys at the shop. They were on the road for three weeks straight so the least I could do was head up there and spend some time with them and thank them for all their hard work. It was a good time. I spent a couple days up there and then drove back to Atlanta and relaxed for a few days. Now I’m in Cleveland to do some media and then a couple days with the Cornwell Quality Tools folks.”
Weekend Appearances
Vandergriff will be signing autographs Sat., June 27, from 10:30-11 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools display in the midway.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 6 and 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 26, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 27, at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 28.
TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying action on Sunday, June 28, from 12 – 2 p.m. ET on FS1, leading into eliminations from 5:30 9 ET on FOX.
2026 Results
VANDERGRIFF EAGER TO SUCCEED DESPITE PRESSURE
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (June 24, 2026) – The pressures of being a fulltime NHRA Funny Car driver are exactly what Jordan Vandergriff thrives on and the added responsibility of doing so just an hour northwest from primary sponsor Cornwell Tools’ corporate headquarters merely fuels his competitive fire heading into the June 26-28 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
The 31-year-old Atlanta-based driver has quickly and successfully adapted in just nine races from his role the past two seasons as an on-camera reporter for the NHRA on FOX broadcasts and fill-in driver to a race-winning driver of an 11,000-horsepower nitromethane-burning Funny Car owned and operated by John Force, the winningest driver in National Hot Rod Association history.
There were big shoes for Vandergriff to fill at the start of the season and those shoes are feeling pretty comfortable as the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series nears the halfway point this weekend.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after nine of 20 races are: 1. Ron Capps, 691; 2. Matt Hagan, 667; 3. J.R. Todd, 634; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 619; 5. Jack Beckman, 589; 6. Chad Green, 561; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 524; 8. Spencer Hyde, 459; 9. Austin Prock, 437; 10. Daniel Wilkerson, 391.
Quotes
What’s your overall assessment of your team going into the halfway point of the year?
“It’s pretty crazy to be entering the halfway point of my rookie year in Funny Car with John Force Racing and Cornwell Quality Tools. It feels like it’s flown by and I think we’ve done really well. Being a brand new team, with a brand new crew chief duo of Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker, a whole new team, and me as a rookie driver to be fourth in the points within striking distance of first, is better than we all expected. If we can keep this up, we’re going to have a shot at the championship.”
“We find ourselves fourth in the points with a completely new team and we’re only behind J.R. Tood, Matt Hagan and Ron Capps. Those are three big names that have won championships and know what they’re doing. Being the new guy, it’s an honor to be mentioned that high up with them. We’re fourth in the points even with my rookie mistakes though I’ve tried to minimize them as much as possible. I think it speaks to how good this team is. The Cornwell Quality Tools team is carrying me and I’m doing all I can to support their efforts. To be fourth is exactly where we deserve to be right now and if these next few races go great, we’ll have our eyes on the regular season championship.”
Are you thinking about the importance of racing in the backyard of your Cornwell Tools, your team’s primary sponsor?
“Cornwell Quality Tools is based in Wadsworth, Ohio, only about an hour from Norwalk, so it’s like their home race. I’m going to spend the week there in meetings and visits with everybody at Cornwell. I know how much Cornwell Quality Tools, loves the Norwalk race and we will have a bunch of people from Cornwell at the track so you want to make them all happy. There’s a little added pressure but I love the pressure.”
Though this is your first race to compete in at Norwalk, you have been there on the TV side so is there anything that stands out from previous visits?
“Going to Norwalk, it’s such a huge deal for the Bader family. They put on a great show and the fans there love drag racing. In my mind, it’s one of the major races. You want to get the ice cream scoop for winning the big event in front of some great fans. You just know that going into Norwalk, it’s gonna be a great show.”
How did you spend the weekend off after three races in a row?
“After the three-race swing wrapped up in Bristol. I just didn’t have enough time on the road, I guess, so I drove up to the race shop in Indy for a couple days. I spent some time at the shop and we made some changes to the race car that I’m really excited about to debut in Norwalk. I got to spend a couple days with the guys at the shop. They were on the road for three weeks straight so the least I could do was head up there and spend some time with them and thank them for all their hard work. It was a good time. I spent a couple days up there and then drove back to Atlanta and relaxed for a few days. Now I’m in Cleveland to do some media and then a couple days with the Cornwell Quality Tools folks.”
Weekend Appearances
Vandergriff will be signing autographs Sat., June 27, from 10:30-11 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools display in the midway.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 6 and 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 26, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 27, at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 28.
TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying action on Sunday, June 28, from 12 – 2 p.m. ET on FS1, leading into eliminations from 5:30 9 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 |
| Epping | 2 | Beat Jeff Arend, Chad Green, J.R. Todd; lost to Beckman | 15-7 | 4 |
| Bristol | 13 | Beat Alexis DeJoria; lost to Ron Capps | 16-8 | 4 |