Jordan Vandergriff made his first final-round appearance at the 2019 FallNationals in Top Fuel, and the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car has been waiting seven years to take his success one step further at the October 16-18 Texas NHRA FallNationals.
Vandergriff qualified sixth and eliminated Clay Millican, Lee Callaway and Austin Prock to reach the final round against Billy Torrence. Vandergriff grabbed the holeshot but hazed the tires soon after, with Torrence getting past him before the 1/8-mile mark to take the win.
“I am so happy to have the chance to race at Dallas again because the 2019 final round has stuck in my mind ever since,” Vandergriff said. “I’ve watched the final over and over and over again. It was the best day of my life up until now even though we lost. It was something that I never even thought was going to be possible. It didn’t go the way I planned so I need to take revenge on this racetrack. It’s not even the other competitors. It’s the Texas Motorplex that has held a cloud over my head for the last seven years and I want that damn cowboy hat.”
The Atlanta-area resident is currently second in the 2026 NHRA Funny Car point standings after 17 of 20 races. The Cornwell Tools team kicked off the Countdown to the Championship with a win at Michigan from the No. 16 qualifying position and finished runner-up two weeks ago at St. Louis. They have earned three victories so far this season (South Georgia, Sonoma, Michigan) and three runner-up finishes (Epping, Brainerd, St. Louis).
“The Cornwell Quality Tools team is right where we should be and where we deserve to be,” said Vandergriff. “The point standings show we’re the second-best car in the world but our mindset is that we’re the best and it’s been that way ever since our first win in Georgia. We know we can win any race, so going into the Dallas and Las Vegas races before the points-and-a-half at Pomona, we just have to control what we can and that is winning rounds. I realized in St. Louis that as long as we won rounds, we handled our own destiny. We made the final and stayed where we should. So, the focus is just to win every single round possible.”
The FallNationals is the second of three races in October where Cornwell Tools will participate in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month fundraising. From October 1-31, every purchase of any Cornwell Quality Tools Pink product item will result in an annual minimum donation of $15,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
The popular “Battle for the Saddle” will again be on the line at the FallNationals, with a $15,000 bonus to be awarded to the low qualifier of Friday’s night qualifying session in Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Vandergriff will participate in the 2nd annual Tony Stewart Bowling Tournament Benefiting Speedway Children’s Charities on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 7-10 p.m. CT at Lucky Strike in Euless, Texas (1901 W. Airport Freeway). He will be signing autographs as part of the Texas Motorplex Fan Fest on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Railyard Park (455 S. College Street) in Waxahachie, Texas. Vandergriff will also be signing autographs Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9:30-10 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools display on the NHRA midway.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 16, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 17 at noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, Oct. 18. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET.
