Four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Drivers Currently Eligible for 2026 Rookie of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – October 9, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – NHRA officials announced the four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors currently eligible for the 2026 NHRA Rookie of the Year award.

The competitors eligible for this year’s award include Pro Stock’s Cody Anderson, Top Fuel driver Maddi Gordon, Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Clay Howey and Top Fuel standout Will Smith. Funny Car’s Dylan Winefsky has competed in four races so far in 2026 and will become the fifth driver eligible with his scheduled appearance in Las Vegas.

Anderson, son of six-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, has a runner-up finish this year at Rockingham Dragway. He earned the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win in Indianapolis and clinched a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, advancing to his first career final round in Rockingham. Anderson is currently sixth in points.

Gordon, driver of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster, debuted in the nitro ranks this year for NHRA Funny Car veteran Ron Capps. After back-to-back semifinal appearances to open her career, Gordon won the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk when she defeated four-time world champion Antron Brown in the final round.

She was the runner-up to reigning world champion Doug Kalitta in Brainerd and is currently eighth in points after clinching a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Gordon also set a career-best speed last weekend in St. Louis with a blast of 340.65 mph.

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Howey kicked off his rookie campaign with a semifinal finish in Gainesville. He also advanced to the semifinals in Charlotte and Maryland, qualifying for all eight events he has competed in, including a career-best fifth in Maryland. Howey sits ninth in points with three races remaining.

Smith drives the Bluebird Turf Top Fuel dragster for Scag Racing and has come on strong in his first appearance in the Countdown to the Championship. Smith powered to his first career runner-up finish in St. Louis, moving up to fifth in points. He also advanced to the semifinals in Rockingham and Smith has already established himself as one of the best leavers in the category.

Funny Car rookie Winefsky will lock in his Rookie of the Year eligibility at the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge, the penultimate event of the season in Las Vegas. He has attended four races so far in 2026, qualifying in Phoenix and Pomona.

Last season, Spencer Hyde was named the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year following his first season in Funny Car. Other recent winners include motorsports legend Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, Chase Vant Sant and past world champions Dallas Glenn and Austin Prock.

The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor who also represents the future of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions and relationships with fans, sponsors and media.

The winner will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16 as part of the NHRA Awards Ceremony at Pechanga Resort Casino.

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About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: Notional Hot Rod Association

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