Maddi Gordon Battles Into Second Career Final at NHRA Brainerd Nationals

Maddi Gordon reached her second career Top Fuel final at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals on Sunday, narrowly losing to reigning champion Doug Kalitta at Brainerd International Raceway.

The rookie’s run cements a top-five position as the Countdown approaches, with only Indianapolis remaining before the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series playoffs begin.

Gordon and the Carlyle Tools-backed Ron Capps Motorsports team show consistent pace and execution, combining sharp reaction times with a weekend of personal-best performance and valuable qualifying bonus points.

Crew chiefs Rob Flynn and Troy Fasching established a solid baseline early, opening with a 3.80-second pass at 327.98 mph to sit fourth in the opening qualifying session.

She then improved to 3.725 at 336.15 mph to move second in Q2, adding two bonus points that underlined the car’s repeatability and straight-line efficiency.

Saturday delivered a decisive step: 3.695 at 336.99 mph, her first 3.60s run, before a 3.731 at 330.80 secured No. 2 qualifier and six bonus points in total.

Race day execution matched qualifying speed. Gordon dispatched Scott Palmer in round one with a 3.752 at 336.32 mph, reinforcing confidence in both tune-up and turnaround discipline.

She then beat 2025 regular-season champion Tony Stewart with a 3.740 at 330.72, improving their head-to-head to 4–2, taking low E.T. of the round, and re-entering the championship top five.

Lane choice proved useful in the semifinal, edging Leah Pruett, 3.770 to 3.776, mirroring the intensity of the semifinal showdown with Leah Pruett that headlined the event.

Kalitta overturned Gordon’s launch advantage in the final, winning with a 3.743 against her 3.770. The margin underscored Gordon’s progress against the category’s benchmark performer.

Elsewhere, Brainerd produced standout wins across categories, as detailed in the event’s winners roundup.

Her season already includes a first career win, achieved while doubling up with team owner Ron Capps, and a Top Fuel shootout victory at Summit Motorsports Park’s Night Under Fire.

She also finished runner-up in the ‘King of Nitro’ final against Capps’ Funny Car, reinforcing her adaptability across event formats and conditions.

Operationally, the Carlyle Tools dragster displays a predictable launch and clutch window, enabling confident staging and frequent holeshot pressure. That execution aligns with the team’s disciplined preparation and quick turnarounds.

Attention now shifts to the NHRA U.S. Nationals on September 4–7 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, where seeding for the Countdown will crystallize and Gordon seeks to consolidate a top-five position.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.