Maddi Gordon shows measured progress at the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131, the opening round of the Countdown to the Championship.

The Carlyle Tools driver qualifies 13th to draw points leader Shawn Langdon. The first round is delayed by rain until Monday. She nails a .018-second light, then loses traction and exits early.

While the result disappoints, the Ron Capps Motorsports team harvests valuable data for the remaining six playoff events, focusing on repeatable baseline performance.

With no prior U.S. 131 notebook, crew chiefs Rob Flynn and Troy Fasching prioritise a Friday baseline. Gordon opens with 3.832 seconds at 318.70 mph to sit 10th early.

The second attempt produces immediate spin, dropping her to 14th as the track proves unforgiving.

Saturday brings a 3.746 at 336.57 mph for 11th, but late mechanical trouble in final qualifying nudges her back to 13th for eliminations.

Weather interruptions compress run plans and increase risk. Gordon leans on procedure discipline as her rookie season continues to accelerate the learning curve.

Against former champion Langdon, her launch stands out. The .018 light demonstrates progress, but early shake hands momentum to the favourite. A personal best likely proves necessary.

Gordon experiments with a different pedal technique to refine driveability. The crew’s data and her inputs now shape the car’s direction for the next outings.

Rockingham offers a reset and a chance to convert learning into consistency as the team sustains its championship pursuit.

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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.