Rookie Jordan Vandergriff keeps Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS in Funny Car title contention, second entering the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, October 2-4.

After 16 races, the John Force Racing driver has three wins at Valdosta, Sonoma, and Martin, plus runner-up finishes in Epping and Brainerd.

He trails the leader by 84 points and holds a 22-point buffer over third, keeping the chase alive as the Countdown pressure intensifies.

Vandergriff treats his first full Funny Car campaign as a grind, citing the mental and physical load on driver and crew, yet says the group now feels settled.

That momentum shows with a win at the Countdown-opening Great Lakes Nationals, followed by a setback via a second-round exit at the recent Rockingham event.

Confidence remains high thanks to crew chiefs Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker, whose tuning has produced one of the paddock’s most consistent race cars.

The Cornwell Quality Tools team expects to contend at every remaining round, with execution on each pass now decisive for the championship picture.

Qualifying in St. Louis runs Friday and Saturday, with eliminations Sunday morning. Television coverage spans FS1 and FOX across qualifying and race day.

Vandergriff and Brittany Force will meet fans during the weekend, including autographs and a SpeedFreaks appearance at the Budweiser Pavilion.

With four events left, every point carries weight. Vandergriff’s title bid remains viable, provided the team converts consistency into race-day execution.

Visual Summary

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.