Will Smith reaches his first Top Fuel final at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, finishing runner-up to Shawn Langdon at World Wide Technology Raceway after a composed, efficient Sunday.

The result lifts Smith to fifth in the standings with 2,209 points, three events remaining, tightening SCAG Racing’s multi-car push into the business end of the season.

SCAG Racing debuts pink ‘Warrior’ liveries for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with survivors and fighters signing the bodies, creating a unifying theme that carries through every round.

Smith qualifies 14th on 3.742 seconds at 332.75 mph, a modest grid slot that belies race-day performance after measured progress through the tune-up window.

Round one sets the tone. Smith leaves first on a .056 light against No. 3 qualifier Maddi Gordon’s .061, converting with 3.722 at 333 mph as Gordon falters.

Against Tony Stewart in round two, Smith cedes the start, .076 to .054, but executes the quicker lap, 3.721 at 331.69 mph, covering Stewart’s 3.762 at 333.82 mph.

The semifinal versus Shawn Reed turns on Smith’s sharp .040 reaction. He leads throughout, posting 3.994 at 275.17 mph as Reed slows to 4.164 at 255.10 mph.

The final emphasizes execution margins. Smith again launches first, .044 to Langdon’s .059, but traction loss drags the run to 4.024 at 269.03 mph.

Langdon delivers 3.732 at 335.90 mph, sealing a fourth straight victory and underlining why his team leads the class on consistency and lane-to-lane adaptability.

Beyond the final result, the run-plan reflects a car broadening its operating window. The team repeatedly converts mid-pack starts into round wins under changing track density and temperature.

Justin Ashley similarly advances, reaching the semifinals to move 10th in points on 2,154. His day showcases sharp lights and measured turnarounds after a rare timing rerun.

Ashley qualifies 12th on 3.737 at 331.36 mph, then edges Billy Torrence despite Torrence’s quicker 3.708, courtesy of a .035 light and 3.766 at 332.02 mph margin.

He beats Jasmine Salinas in the rerun, .040 and 3.764 at 332.75 mph, before Langdon’s 3.733 at 336.65 mph stops the run despite Ashley’s crisp .037 reaction.

In Funny Car, SCAG teammates Daniel Wilkerson and Dave Richards meet in round one. Wilkerson advances with .045 and 4.006 at 315.93 mph as Richards’ Pink Warrior slows to 4.753.

Wilkerson then hits early trouble against No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman, coasting to 10.720 at 81.43 mph while Beckman lays down 3.870 at 331.28 mph.

Wilkerson holds eighth in the standings on 2,174, while Richards sits 11th. Both emphasise recent progress with the Pink Warrior program and target momentum into the closing stretch.

Operationally, SCAG’s multi-car configuration shows value. Data crossover supports sharper launch maps, but each crew adapts to lane-specific grip evolution as the surface tightens through eliminations.

Strategically, Smith’s path underscores launch precision. Reaction-time edges against Gordon, Reed, and Langdon offset modest qualifying, but the final exposes a narrower tune-up window under peak track load.

With three events remaining, execution around Q3–Q4 gains and first-60-foot repeatability likely decides whether Smith converts this breakthrough into late-season podium persistence.

Attention now turns to the next stop at Texas. SCAG prepares for the NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, a venue that rewards stable clutch application and clean step-into-power.

For broader event context and parallel storylines, explore our Midwest Nationals coverage across the Funny Car ranks.

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.