Reed, Creasy Jr., Harris, DeFlorian, and Dietsch Claim Top IHRA Triple Crown Spots

The 2026 IHRA Triple Crown opens Friday at Darana Raceway, Hebron, Ohio, with two-run qualifying intensifying jeopardy for a potential $1 million prize across five classes.

Limited track time forces aggressive decision-making on power, clutch, and tyre approach. Teams trade absolute performance for bracket security under rising evening temperatures, as outlined in the IHRA Triple Crown Darana coverage.

Top Fuel swings on Shawn Reed’s 3.767 seconds at 332.35 mph, an IHRA record. Tripp Tatum and Jasmine Salinas post 3.797s, with Tatum second on speed.

Reed navigates a volatile session, admitting nerves as positions shuffled. “I was nervous as heck,” he says, after briefly dropping to eighth before delivering.

A compelling sub-plot arrives early: Jasmine draws her father, Mike Salinas, in round one. Family pride and shared data complicate race-day tactics.

Dale Creasy Jr. leads Funny Car with a class-record 3.962 at 319.15 mph. Bobby Bode is the only other driver under four seconds at 3.976.

Creasy prioritises repeatability over hero runs, insisting, “We just need to do what we do.” Consistency becomes currency with limited attempts.

Jason Harris extends a strong 2026 in Pro Mod, topping with 3.595 at 209.69 in the Harts Charger “Party Time” ’69 Camaro.

Jacob McNeal clocks 3.615 in his orange Cuda, with Melanie Salemi close on 3.618 in “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird. The margin rewards track management.

Harris reports tyre scuffing in testing, then credits adjustments for stability on a hot, greasy surface. Crew calls on clutch and boost prove decisive.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock is stacked. Twenty-six entries chase 16 berths, with John DeFlorian first on 4.078 at 176.54 in the Total Seal Camaro.

The pack compresses within five hundredths. Eight drivers cluster around 4.10, sharpening lane-choice leverage for eliminations.

Pro Stock delivers another family storyline. Taylor Dietsch takes pole on 4.908 at 147.54, edging father Jason Dietsch’s 4.927.

Outlaw Pro Mod’s Bubba Stanton leads on 3.534 at 213.17 but skips a second shot after a mechanical issue. Deferred maintenance underlines reliability risk.

Friday’s remaining No.1s: Jody Austin (Fuel Altered), Jeff Chatterson (Top Alcohol Dragster), Phil Esz (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Larry “Spiderman” McBride (Top Fuel Motorcycle), Bob Malloy (Nitro Harley), and Anthony Rhodes (Hemi Shootout).

Eliminations begin Saturday at 10 a.m. Eastern. Track evolution and lane choice will likely outweigh outright peaks as crews chase survivable windows.

For cross-series perspective on triple crown narratives, recent coverage of Lando Norris and the Triple Crown adds context, alongside analysis of Racing Bulls FIA claims.

Visual Summary

Miles Carter

Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.