The championship picture in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series got a little clearer at the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, as six more drivers officially punched their tickets to the Countdown to the Championship.
In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, and Antron Brown are now locked into the six-race playoff chase, joining Shawn Langdon and Tony Stewart, who had already secured their spots. Over in Funny Car, Austin Prock clinched his place, while Pro Stock Motorcycle added Angie Smith and John Hall to the mix.
Only two races remain in the NHRA regular season – the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals (Aug. 15-17) in Brainerd, Minnesota, and the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals (Aug. 27–Sept. 1) in Indianapolis – before the final Countdown field is set. Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock will be contested at both events, while Pro Stock Motorcycle will skip Brainerd and return in Indy.
To qualify for the Countdown, drivers must either finish in the Top 10 in points by the conclusion of the U.S. Nationals or attend every race of the regular season while making the required number of qualifying attempts.
Current 2025 Countdown to the Championship qualifiers:
Top Fuel:
- Shawn Langdon
- Tony Stewart
- Justin Ashley
- Doug Kalitta
- Antron Brown
Funny Car:
- Austin Prock
Pro Stock:
- Dallas Glenn
- Greg Anderson
Pro Stock Motorcycle:
- Gaige Herrera
- Richard Gadson
- Matt Smith
- Angie Smith
- John Hall
The six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship will kick off September 12-14 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania.
This story was originally published on August 5, 2025. 
