POMONA, Calif. — Matt Hagan takes the points lead into the season-ending In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals with a 39-point advantage over Jordan Vandergriff, who won in Las Vegas. J.R. Todd remains in contention 104 points back.
Hagan, driving for Tony Stewart Racing, can become just the second Funny Car driver in NHRA history to win a fifth world championship. Only John Force has done it. Hagan has four wins and seven final-round appearances in 2026, and Pomona has been one of his best tracks. He has eight wins at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, and a sweep of both races there this season is within reach.
“You know, everybody’s asking, ‘How are your nerves? How are you feeling?’ and all that kind of stuff. Honestly, I’m pretty good. I think the biggest thing you have to realize is that you can’t control everything. You can leave on time, keep it in the groove, but you just have to hope to see that win light come on,” Hagan said.
Vandergriff, in his debut Funny Car season, gave himself a puncher’s chance with his fourth win of 2026, in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS for John Force Racing. If he can get the gap under 30 points during qualifying, it would set up a winner-take-all scenario.
“That fourth win was huge because we’re 39 points back now, behind Hagan. Going into Vegas, it was a really, really long shot and it felt like we were far away. Now we can go to Pomona with a chance. All I wanted was a chance to drive these race cars. I’ve got that chance and now I have this chance for a championship,” Vandergriff said.
In other championship races, Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon holds a 107-point lead over teammate Doug Kalitta and can clinch his second career world title. In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn sits 87 points ahead of Matt Hartford, and Greg Stanfield is 99 points back in third. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson leads Gaige Herrera by 55 points.
Qualifying runs Friday, Nov. 13, with the final two qualifying sessions Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT Sunday, Nov. 15. FS1 will air qualifying at 11 a.m. ET Sunday and eliminations starting at 5 p.m. ET.
