NHRA Funny Car title chase tightens after Vandergriff’s win at Las Vegas Nationals

The NHRA Funny Car championship battle got a lot closer after Sunday’s Las Vegas Nationals.

It started during the elimination round quarterfinals, when points leader Matt Hagan lost to J.R. Todd.

Then Jordan Vandergriff, who entered Las Vegas in second at 98 points behind Hagan, took advantage of Hagan opening the door for his competition.

Vandergriff won his fourth race of the season by defeating Ron Capps in the final with an elapsed time of 3.873 seconds and 331.36 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to make a significant dent in Hagan’s points lead.

The rookie Funny Car driver will head into the NHRA season finale at Pomona (Nov. 12-15) 39 points behind Hagan.

“This is the biggest (win of my career),” said Vandergriff, who added he felt “80 percent” on Sunday. “Today literally worked out like I envisioned this morning. How do we need to day to go? We need the second round to go a certain way, we need somebody else to lose, we needed this and that.

“It played itself out the way I imagined. I also imagined us winning. That worked out.”

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta (3.658 seconds, 338.60 mph) defeated Leah Pruett in the final. Kalitta defeated points leader Shawn Langdon in the semifinals and will enter Pomona 107 points behind Langdon to keep his slim shot at a second straight title alive.

“That was a definitely a sigh of relief to see that win light come on (after beating Langdon) and finally to beat those guys,” said Kalitta, who added there was “no question” that he felt like his shot at the title would be over if he had lost to Langdon in the semifinals. “That’s what I was hoping for to get a shot a Shawn in the third round and beat him.”

A maximum of 150 points is available for the winner at Pomona and additional bonus points are up for grabs for the fastest in each of the four qualifying sessions.

One year ago, Vandergriff was a TV reporter for Fox Sports’ coverage of the NHRA. He then took over the Cornwell Tools car for John Force Racing after Austin Prock, who won the 2024 and 2025 Funny Car titles, left at the end of last season and took most of the team with him.

The former “Bachelorette” contestant said he entered Sunday feeling like the title was a “long shot” with the lead Hagan had. As the rounds went on, which included a win over Todd in the semifinals, Vandergriff said he didn’t feel any pressure going into the final.

“I didn’t feel the pressure,” Vandergriff said. “I didn’t want to put the pressure on myself because I felt it would be unfair to myself to put that pressure on. Coming into (the season), I just wanted to prove to myself that I could drive the car.”

Aside from a pair of substitute appearances last year, Vandergriff’s only other NHRA national series was in a part-time Top Fuel run in 2019. Now, Vandergriff will go head-to-head with Hagan, a four-time Funny Car champion, in Pomona, where he said there might be a little bit more pressure.

“I guarantee I’m going to be a little bit tighter (at Pomona),” Vandergriff said. “You know what, let’s be tight then. The pressure’s on. Let’s go for it. Every driver out here dreams of being in a scenario like this.”

In the Pro Stock Car final, reigning world champion and series points leader Dallas Glenn (6.587 seconds, 206.26 mph) defeated Troy Coughlin Jr. It’s Glenn’s third straight win at LVMS. Glenn leads Matt Hartford by 87 points in the series standings.

The Pro Stock Motorcycle final between Gaige Herrera and Richard Gadson was postponed because of high winds and will be contested during the third qualifying session at the NHRA season finale at Pomona on Nov. 14.

Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Final eliminations

Top Fuel: Doug Kalitta (3.658 seconds, 338.60 mph) def. Leah Pruett

Funny Car: Jordan Vandergriff (3.873, 331.36) def. Ron Capps

Pro Stock Car: Dallas Glenn (6.587, 206.26) def. Troy Coughlin Jr.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gaige Herrera vs. Richard Gadson, postponed to Pomona Nov. 14 due to high winds