INDIANAPOLIS — The biggest weekend on the NHRA calendar delivered plenty of speed, drama and history as the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals wrapped up Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
And no driver had a bigger weekend than Jack Beckman.
Beckman turned the Labor Day weekend classic into a personal showcase, winning the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout Sunday before returning Monday to capture the coveted Funny Car title at the U.S. Nationals.
The back-to-back victories highlighted a six-day event that served as the final race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season.
Known throughout drag racing as “The Big Go,” the U.S. Nationals once again brought together the sport’s top professional drivers and a huge field of Sportsman competitors, all chasing one of the most prestigious trophies in drag racing.
Beckman Leads Funny Car Charge
Driving the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro for John Force Racing, Beckman first conquered the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday.
The unique event featured head-to-head racing, with drivers selecting their opponents and battling for the opportunity to advance to the championship round.
Beckman worked his way through the field and eventually faced Matt Hagan in the final.
Beckman posted a 3.980-second pass at 323.19 mph to claim the Callout victory after Hagan slowed before reaching the finish line.
The win gave Beckman momentum heading into Monday’s U.S. Nationals eliminations.
He took full advantage.
Beckman defeated Jeff Arend, teammate Alexis DeJoria and Austin Prock on his way to the Funny Car final, where he met regular-season champion Matt Hagan.
Beckman delivered when it mattered most, recording a 3.965-second run at 327.35 mph to take the U.S. Nationals Funny Car Wally.
The two victories made Beckman’s weekend one of the most memorable performances of the 2026 season.
Langdon Takes Top Fuel
In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon added another U.S. Nationals victory to his impressive career.
Langdon defeated Tony Stewart in the final with a 3.804-second run at 333.99 mph, while Stewart recorded a 3.904-second pass at 315.27 mph.
The victory was Langdon’s fifth of the 2026 season and his third U.S. Nationals championship.
Langdon entered the eliminations as the No. 1 qualifier and continued his strong weekend through the final round.
While Langdon celebrated the event victory, Doug Kalitta secured the Top Fuel regular-season championship and the accompanying $150,000 bonus.
Glenn Wins Pro Stock
Dallas Glenn captured the Pro Stock title after defeating Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final.
Glenn’s winning pass was 6.599 seconds at 207.56 mph, adding another major victory to his season.
Pro Stock competitors entered Indianapolis with championship positioning on the line, making every qualifying run and elimination-round victory especially important.
Smith Family Final in Pro Stock Motorcycle
The Pro Stock Motorcycle final provided one of the weekend’s most memorable family moments.
Matt Smith defeated his wife, Angie Smith, in an all-Smith final to claim the U.S. Nationals title.
Matt Smith posted a 6.791-second run at 198.58 mph to secure the victory.
The family showdown provided a fitting reminder of the personal side of NHRA racing, where families frequently compete alongside — and sometimes directly against — one another.
Sportsman Racers Shine
While the professional categories draw much of the attention, the U.S. Nationals also remains one of the biggest events of the year for NHRA Sportsman competitors.
Drivers from across the country battled throughout the week for their own coveted Wally trophies.
Among the Sportsman winners were Richard Crampton in Top Alcohol Dragster, Sean Bellemeur in Top Alcohol Funny Car, Donald Thomas in Competition Eliminator, Peter D’Agnolo in Super Stock and Hunter Pierdolla in Stock Eliminator.
Other winners included Brian Harris in Super Comp, Robert Kropfeld in Super Gas, Brandon Baxter in Top Sportsman and Zachary Sackman in Top Dragster.
The Big Go Lives Up to Its Name
The 72nd running of the U.S. Nationals once again demonstrated why Indianapolis holds such a special place in NHRA history.
The event marked the end of the regular season and set the stage for the Countdown to the Championship, where drivers will battle for NHRA world championships.
For Beckman, however, the Indianapolis weekend will be remembered for something even more special.
He arrived at the Big Go looking for a victory and left with two major trophies.
First came the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout.
Then came the U.S. Nationals Funny Car championship.
At a race where history is made year after year, Jack Beckman made plenty of his own.
