JOLIET, Ill. — For the first time in his career, Jordan Vandergriff is entering race week as the most recent NHRA Funny Car winner on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour.
With momentum on his side following the major moment in his career, Vandergriff is hoping to follow up his win at South Georgia Motorsports Park in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS with a victory at this weekend’s fan-favorite Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK, which takes place at historic Route 66 Raceway.
Vandergriff scooped up his first career NHRA win two weeks ago at the NHRA Southern Nationals at the debut event at SGMP. After a part-time season in Top Fuel in 2019 and a stint as a pit reporter for the FOX broadcast team, Vandergriff became a full-time driver for John Force Racing in 2026.
His win made Vandergriff the 97th different Funny Car winner and leading that list, of course, is NHRA legend, and Vandergriff’s team owner, John Force, who has 157 wins. Vandergriff’s win gave John Force Racing its second win of the 2026 season following Josh Hart’s Top Fuel triumph in Gainesville.
“That moment is something I have thought of for a very long time,” said Vandergriff. “Since my last final in 2019 (in Top Fuel), when I lost to Billy Torrance in Dallas. It was just awesome. I think back to all these years that I’ve been out of the seat and everything I’ve done to try to get back to this point. Getting that win made all of it worth it.”
Last season, Tony Stewart (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed wins in Chicago. This year’s race will again feature the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, offering competitive racing for fans during qualifying.
Vandergriff enters the Chicago race fourth in points. With two semifinal finishes as well as a Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge win under his belt in his first season in Funny Car, he is confident in the team’s performance on track so far, even while taking on a loaded class that includes points leader J.R. Todd, Ron Capps, who has two wins in 2026, Matt Hagan, Beckman, Spencer Hyde and Gainesville winner Chad Green.
“At pre-season testing, I knew that we had something special,” Vandergriff said. “I knew (crew chief) Chris Cunningham was the right guy to take this car over and we knew we had a good group of guys that could put the car together the right way. It’s just surreal.
“My teammate Jack (Beckman) joked when I got my Funny Car license on what’s the over/under on five races until he’s holding a trophy and here, we are, five races in with a win. It’s unbelievable. I did not expect it this soon, but at the same time, I did because my team is so good and we’re really ready to go on a good run.”
