MOPAR NHRA LAS VEGAS NATIONALS POWERED BY DODGE EVENT PREVIEW

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2026) — As the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series enters its final stretch, the stakes could not be higher heading into the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For Tony Stewart Racing (TSR), Sin City represents both a high-pressure pressure cooker and familiar, winning territory.

With just two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship, four-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion Matt Hagan leads the standings, while teammate Leah Pruett aims to cap off a remarkably consistent 2026 campaign with a trip to the winner’s circle.

For Matt Hagan, driver of the Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, Las Vegas is more than just another race track—it’s a venue where he has historically dominated. As the defending event winner, Hagan boasts 56 career round wins at LVMS (his most at any venue outside of Pomona) and seven final-round appearances in his last nine starts at the fall event.

A championship victory this season would mark Hagan’s fifth world title, elevating him to second on the all-time Funny Car championships list behind only legendary driver John Force. Yet, despite his personal milestones within reach, Hagan remains steadfastly focused on the collective effort of his crews, led by crew chief Mike Knudsen and Phil Shuler and car chief Alex Conaway.

“The whole week in Vegas is out of control. I don’t care whether or not we’re partying, it’s just Vegas—the time change, the media, the sponsors that come out, all the dinners, MOPAR and Dodge sponsoring the event, then SEMA. It’ll be a marathon being out there,” said Hagan, who has visited the winner’s circle four times in 2026.

“That being said, Vegas has been really kind to us and Pomona’s definitely been kind to us, so we’re closing out the season at tracks where we have great data to work off of. I just want to dig deep, work hard for this team, for Mike Knudsen. We’re trying to get him his first championship as a crew chief. It would be our fifth as a group together, but you just want it for the guy and for Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway and all these crew guys that have been working their butts off this whole season. I just need to do my job on the starting line, and keep the car in the groove. It’s not all about me, not all about winning number five, it’s about this team, about solidifying this team and its leadership as championship caliber.”

On the Top Fuel side, Leah Pruett arrives in Las Vegas carrying a distinct piece of LVMS history. She is one of a handful of drivers in NHRA history to reach the final round at The Strip across three or more separate categories: Top Fuel (2018 runner-up), Factory Stock Showdown (2021 runner-up), and Pro Modified (2011 winner).

Pruett and the Dodge Top Fuel team’s 2026 season has been defined by consistency, securing qualifying bonus points in 16 of the 18 events held this year—including every Countdown event so far — and going rounds on race day. The Dodge dragster has had only two first-round exits thus far. 

Heading into the weekend, Pruett feels the electric energy that surrounds this marquee event.

“This is one of those races that reminds us all that we are a part of something much bigger than only a race team,” Pruett explained. “All the main ingredients of what it takes to build a race organization — sponsors, the crew, the fans — come together and show out. I look forward to doing our part and finishing strong, and that starts with making some rippin’ runs in Vegas, and we’re ready for that.”

Her mindset for the weekend ahead remains simple and direct: “All we’re thinking, all we’re trying to do is just win, baby.”

MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge Schedule

Qualifying:
Friday at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m.
Saturday at Noon and 2:30 p.m.

Eliminations:
Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

Television Coverage:
FOX Sports 1 (FS1)
Qualifying Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET
Eliminations Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET