NHRA LAS VEGAS NATIONALS EVENT PREVIEW

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2026) – As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series enters the homestretch of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship, Elite Motorsports rolls into The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for this weekend’s MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge, backed by a history of track dominance and tight championship battles.

With only two events remaining in the season, Elite Motorsports holds a formidable presence at the top of the Pro Stock standings. Leading the multi-car stable’s charge is veteran Greg Stanfield, who sits second in the championship standings—just 14 points out of first place—as the pressure intensifies heading into the desert.

“This Elite Motorsports team has been working hard. We are where we are because of hard work,” said Stanfield. “[Team owner] Richard Freeman got everybody together and on the same page. Everybody’s pulling together. So when you get a bunch of good, smart guys together, we’re all working together, good things happen. Everybody’s on the same page, and we’re trying to help each other.”

For Stanfield, the strategy during these crucial late-season rounds centers on execution and focus.

“For me, right now, it’s just about not making mistakes, and if it’s meant to be, it’s gonna happen. It’s just the right place, the right time. We’ll just see how it goes,” Stanfield added. “Every run I make, I just try to be the best I can and see what happens. Really there’s still a lot of racing left, a lot of points left to be captured, a long way to go with this weekend and points and a half in Pomona. We just need to keep our heads down, work hard, do what we’ve been doing all year and let’s see if we come out on top.”

Track Royalty & Proven Winners

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has long served as a stronghold for the Elite Motorsports driver lineup:

• Erica Enders: Six-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders stands as the undisputed ruler of the Las Vegas strip. Enders boasts 10 career wins at the facility—the most of any professional NHRA driver, past or present. Her record includes six victories in the fall Las Vegas event and four in the previously contested spring race.
• Jeg Coughlin Jr.: Future Hall of Famer Jeg Coughlin Jr. brings a stellar track record of his own, having captured six national event victories at The Strip, including two fall event titles.
• Aaron Stanfield: Rounding out the team’s recent success in the desert, Aaron Stanfield returns to Las Vegas looking to tally another win after taking victory at the 2024 fall event.
• Tony Stewart: Tony Stewart has celebrated key career milestones at LVMS, securing his first Top Alcohol Dragster win on April 16, 2023, and his first Top Fuel victory on April 13, 2025. Stewart boasts victories across every track format at LVMS, including the big oval.

Competition at the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 1 and 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations are slated for Sunday at 11 a.m. with Pro Stock first round at noon. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with a qualifying show Sunday at 3 p.m. ET and eliminations show to follow at 5 p.m. ET.