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Greg Stanfield Wins Father-Son Final at Sonoma, Earns First Pro Stock Victory Since 2011

In a storybook ending to a standout weekend at the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Greg Stanfield scored his first Pro Stock win in 14 years — and did it by defeating his son Aaron Stanfield in a historic father-son final round matchup.

Behind the wheel of his Janac Brothers Racing / The Rod Shop Pro Stocker, Greg powered to a 6.552-second run at 211.49 mph to outrun Aaron’s 6.568 at 209.39 in the final. The win marked Greg’s sixth career Pro Stock victory, his first since the 2011 NHRA World Finals, and delivered Elite Motorsports its first national event win of the 2025 season.

“I’m in shock right now. I can’t believe that just happened,” said Greg. “Obviously, this is something we’ve both dreamed about — to race each other in a final — and then to win… I’m just trying to soak it in. I’m blessed and honored to even have this opportunity.”

It was a full-circle moment for the Stanfield family and the Elite Motorsports camp. The last time Greg was in a final round, Aaron wasn’t even competing in Pro Stock. Now, he’s one of the category’s top drivers — and the tuner behind his dad’s winning powerplant.

“A lot of credit goes to him,” Greg added. “Aaron tunes my engine. The Elite guys, the Janac Brothers, The Rod Shop — they’ve supported me from the beginning. To have them back on the side of my car means the world.”

Greg’s march to the final began from the No. 3 qualifying spot. He opened eliminations with a 6.502-second win over rookie teammate Stephen Bell, then survived a wild pedal-fest against Matt Latino to reach the semis. There, he faced off with six-time champ Greg Anderson in a clash of legends. Both drivers shook the tires, but Greg got to the stripe with a 7.236 to Anderson’s 14-second effort.

Aaron, the No. 4 qualifier, also had a tough road to the final. He won round one on a holeshot over Cory Reed, advanced on a red-light from Cody Coughlin in round two, and then defeated 2025 four-time winner Dallas Glenn in the semis after Glenn shook the tires.

“They asked me if I cut my dad any slack in the final — heck no,” said Aaron. “He wouldn’t do that for me, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I grew up watching him race Pro Stock. He’s my hero. Everything I know I learned from him, so this is pretty dang cool.”

The all-Stanfield final was also a breakthrough moment for Elite Motorsports. It marked the team’s first win since the fall 2024 NHRA Nevada Nationals and a return to form after months of R&D behind the scenes.

“Elite has been working double overtime to get these cars faster,” Greg said. “We’ve shown it in qualifying — we just needed to finish the job on Sunday. I still can’t believe I’m sitting here with this trophy, but they picked me to win this one.”

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns August 15–17 with the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota.

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This story was originally published on July 27, 2025. Drag Illustrated

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