NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS: ELITE MOTORSPORTS EVENT PREVIEW

SONOMA, Calif. (July 14, 2026) — Elite Motorsports kicks off the second half of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season this weekend at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, an event where Elite Motorsports has dominated in recent years.

The last four seasons Pro Stock was contested in Northern California Elite Motorsports has supplied the winner. Aaron Stanfield rallied to victory in 2021 to start the streak followed by Erica Enders in 2022. In 2024 it was Aaron who again took home the Wally and last season, Greg Stanfield defeated his son Aaron in the final to pick up his first win since joining Elite Motorsports.

The father-son duo of Aaron and Greg Stanfield possesses plenty of history—and momentum—at the picturesque California track. At last year’s Sonoma event, it was a memorable family showdown in the final round. The veteran Greg clocked a 6.552-second pass at 211.49 mph to narrowly defeat Aaron’s 6.568-second effort, capping off an emotional afternoon for the Elite Motorsports team.

This year, Aaron enters the weekend riding a wave of momentum, having secured his second Pro Stock victory of the season at the most recent event in Norwalk, Ohio. He also won the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago. The win pushed Aaron to fifth in the championship points standings.

For the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock car, the recent win underscores the relentless work ethic driving the entire Elite Motorsports organization.

“Heading into Sonoma with a win at Norwalk gives this entire Elite Motorsports team a ton of momentum,” Aaron said. “We’ve been working tirelessly to gain performance, and the potential is there for anyone on this team to get the job done. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the right combination of a badass car—thanks to these Elite Motorsports boys and girls—and waking up on the right side of the bed as a driver ready to race.

“Last year’s final round was special, even if I ended up on the wrong side of it. Racing my dad for a trophy is something we both dreamed about, but I’d love nothing more than to flip the script this weekend and get this JHG/Melling/Janac Brothers team into the winner’s circle. Doing it against my dad would just be the icing on the cake.”

While the younger Stanfield eyes redemption, defending event champion Greg Stanfield, pilot of the Janac Brothers Pro Stock machine, remains equally hungry. With six semifinal finishes and a No. 1 qualifying position to his name already in 2026, Greg is just ahead of Aaron in the points standings sitting fourth. Greg is focused on keeping those competitive fires burning.

“Sonoma was an incredible race for us last year. Standing in the winner’s circle after sharing the final round with Aaron is a memory I’ll keep forever,” Greg noted. “As a parent you always want to see your kids succeed, but as a racer, once the helmet goes on, you’re just trying to win.

“Aaron and that crew are rolling right now coming off their win in Norwalk. Hopefully that carries over; his two wins this season have brought a lot of confidence to Elite, and we’re moving in the right direction. I’m just looking forward to getting back out West and seeing if we can repeat history. We’ve been pretty consistent this year so far and I think we’re due—maybe it will be another Stanfield vs. Stanfield final.”

Aaron Stanfield will also compete in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge being contested during Saturday’s qualifying. He’ll have a rematch against semifinal opponent Kenny Delco as he tries to win valuable championship bonus points and a cash prize.

Competition at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals begins with four rounds so qualifying Friday at 4:55 and 8:10 p.m. and Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) Sunday with a qualifying show at 10 a.m. ET and eliminations at 10 p.m. ET.