AARON STANFIELD AND JHG / MELLING / JANAC BROTHERS LAND ELITE MOTORSPORTS A SEMIFINAL FINISH AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 23, 2025) – Aaron Stanfield and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers racing team powered their way to Elite Motorsports second consecutive semifinal appearance of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season Sunday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.

Stanfield, who was a semifinalist last year at the Arizona Nationals, entered the day as the No. 11 qualifier with a first-round matchup against teammate Cristian Cuadra in the Corral Tequila / Corral Belts / Cuadra hotrod. Cristian, the No. 6 qualifier, was too eager on the starting line going red by -.009 seconds. Stanfield would cross the finish line at 6.596 seconds and 209.33 mph.

In the second round, Stanfield matched up with up-and-comer Cory Reed. Stanfield outran Reed’s 6.603 second run at 209.10 mph with a 6.589 pass at 208.49 mph setting him up with a semifinal against Elite Motorsports rival Greg Anderson.

Stanfield’s JHG / Melling machine would have tire shake forcing Stanfield to push the clutch in early coasting to 16.603 seconds at just 50.14 mph. Anderson would lay down a 6.586 at 209.79 for the win. Despite the round loss, Stanfield still has a 15-7 win record against the six-time reigning world champion.

“Not a bad weekend for this JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers team, nut not the way we wanted it to go either. I felt like it was close to making it through low gear. We’ve got some things to work out, things we need to fine tune,” Stanfield said. “We’ll be out here testing tomorrow looking to do just that. Hopefully we come out in Pomona geared up and ready to go.”

Greg Stanfield, Aaron’s father and a drag racing veteran, picked up his first-round win of the 2025 season when he and the Janac Brothers Racing machine defeated teammate Troy Coughlin Jr. in the JEGs.com black and yellow Pro Stock car. In a tight side-by-side matchup, Stanfield would leave first and never trail for a 6.582-second pass at 208.75 mph defeating Troy Jr.’s 6.587 at 209.79.

Elite Motorsports will take on race three of 18 on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series tour next weekend, March 28-30, with the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California.

ERICA ENDERS, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment
Qualifying: No. 10
6.557 at 209.23
Race Results: Lost to Eric Latino

AARON STANFIELD, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers Racing
Qualifying: No. 11
6.561 seconds at 209.62 mph
Race Results: Beat Cristian Cuadra, Cory Reed; Lost to Greg Anderson

JEG COUGHLIN JR., SCAG Power Equipment/Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer
Qualifying: No. 14
6.573 seconds at 209.04 mph
Race Results: Lost to Cory Reed 

TROY COUGHLIN JR., JEGS.com
Qualifying: No. 05
6.538 seconds at 208.68 mph
Race Results: Lost to Greg Stanfield

GREG STANFIELD, Janac Brothers Racing/The Rod Shop
Qualifying: No. 12
6.564 seconds at 208.30 mph
Race Results: Beat Troy Coughlin Jr.; Lost to Dallas Glenn

CRISTIAN CUADRA, Corral Tequila / Corral Belts / Cuadra
Qualifying: No. 06
6.540 seconds at 207.85 mph
Race Results: Lost to Aaron Stanfield

FERNANDO CUADRA JR., Corral Tequila / Corral Belts / Cuadra
Qualifying: No. 15
6.583 seconds at 206.95 mph
Race Results: Lost to Greg Anderson

DAVID CUADRA, Corral Tequila / Corral Belts / Cuadra
Qualifying: No. 13
6.570 seconds at 207.75 mph
Race Results: Lost to Dallas Glenn

STEPHEN BELL, 1320 LLC
Qualifying: No. 19
6.613 seconds at 206.61 mph
Race Results: DNQ