Vandergriff Aims to Claim Sonoma Nationals Title

Jordan Vandergriff targets a breakthrough at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 17-19, chasing his first Sonoma victory and critical points in NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

The Southern California driver enters Sonoma fifth in Funny Car after 10 races, 40 points behind Matt Hagan in second. Four events remain in the regular season, sharpening every session’s value.

Though he has not raced at Sonoma, Vandergriff knows the venue well. Family trips north and a 2018 crew role built familiarity with the track’s rhythm and demands.

That 2018 weekend proved formative. Working on his family’s Top Fuel team, he handled tire pressure and support duties as Blake Alexander beat Tony Schumacher for the Funny Car crown.

Now driving the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car, Vandergriff credits the year’s first half to consolidation. Crew chiefs Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker prioritize comfort, chemistry, and repeatable performance gains.

His trajectory mirrors other midseason climbs across drag racing, echoing the themes in Mark Pawuk’s midseason boost and underscoring the value of stable car-driver interaction.

Sonoma’s night conditions usually reward peak execution. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series runs two qualifying sessions Friday at 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. PT, then two more on Saturday.

Last year, Brittany Force reset expectations with a 3.645-second, 343.16 mph run in the night session. This event adopts recent qualifying format refinements that emphasize prime track windows.

FS1 airs qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Final eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. PT, with TV coverage starting at 10 p.m. ET on FS1.

Vandergriff’s affinity for Sonoma runs deeper than competition. Early family weekends around the circuit shape this return, adding a personal edge to his professional target.

Recent Northern California form guides include stories like Maddi Gordon’s Sonoma win and Dylan Winefsky’s Sonoma insights, underscoring how quickly momentum can swing here.

With a competitive car and growing composure, Vandergriff frames Sonoma as a launch point. A deep Sunday run would compress the standings and move him closer to championship contention.

He chases a first Sonoma title and another Diamond Wally, aiming to convert methodical progress into points-rich execution when it matters most.

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James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.