PEAK Motorsports Update- March 23, 2026

NHRA: FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals (presented by NGK Spark Plugs) - Chandler, AZ

Monday, March 23, 2026: 

After the teams fought record temperatures over 106 degrees this weekend in Phoenix, Firebird Motorsports Park proved to be an unfortunate Achilles’ heel for John Force Racing as none of its four teams advanced further than the second round of eliminations Sunday in the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Top Fuel driver Josh Hart and Funny Car driver Jordan Vandergriff were eliminated in the second round of competition while the Funny Car teams of Jack Beckman and Alexis DeJoria bowed out in the opening round.

In Top Fuel, Josh Hart defeated Justin Ashley in the opening round to set up a second-round matchup with Leah Pruett. Hart left first over Pruett but hazed the tires midway through the run, slowing to 4.081 seconds at 275.62 mph to Pruett’s 4.887 at 319.52.

As was the case at Gainesville two weeks prior when Jordan Vandergriff and Jack Beckman faced each other in the first round, the all-John Force Racing matchup at Firebird meant that one car would again not advance to the second round of eliminations. This time Jordan Vandergriff got the automatic win after Alexis DeJoria had a red-light start, then he went on to run the second-quickest pass of the session, giving him lane choice in round two against Matt Hagan.

In the second round, both cars were even, until halfway through the run, they each smoked the tires and both drivers’ engines clicked off. As they coasted across the finish line, Hagan edged out Vandergriff with a 4.621 to Vandergriff’s 4.650 second run.

PEAK’s Jack Beckman started race day in Funny Car from the number two position, after posting solid qualifying runs including the quickest run of the final Qualifying session Saturday afternoon on the hottest track conditions the NHRA tour drivers have ever seen. 

Beckman had lane choice in his opening round matchup against Daniel Wilkerson. The two drivers left right together, then Beckman took the lead running the quickest incremental pass of the session, until a hurt piston at 700 feet allowed Wilkerson to sneak past for the win. Beckman’s 4.021 second run slowing to 273.88 mph with the wounded engine wasn’t enough to hold on against Wilkerson’s 4.001 seconds at 322.06 mph.

The third of 20 events on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is the April 10-12 NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, California.