Last Updated on May 4, 2026 2:45 pm
Sunday Recap
The Inaugural South Georgia Motorsports Park Southern Nationals put on an incredible show in front of a packed house in Valdosta, GA. Pro Mod thrilled the fans with side-by-side racing, upsets and pedal fests all day long. The Final Round saw Jason Collins, the substitute Driver for Ken Quartuccio in Scott Tidwell Racing’s Screw-Blown 69 Camaro take the victory with a clean 5.73/252MPH lap over Cinderella story Mike Thielen in the Mike Janis Racing ’67 Mustang. Thielen struggled in Qualifying, but pulled it together in Eliminations with consistent laps to take out major contenders every round in the Roots-Blown entry. The Lucas Oil Sportsman categories featured incredible racing across the board. Sportsman series legend Dan Fletcher lead the Winners as he took the Super Stock victory over Casey Smith after coming up just short in his Double attempt in the Stock Eliminator Final. Michael Brand used the starting line advantage to defeat Fletcher in the Stock Eliminator double-breakout decision. Meanwhile, Lauren Freer was on a double mission of her own trying to win back-to-back weekends in Super Comp after the Charlotte win. But many time Super Class Champion & Event Winner Sherman Adcock would stop Lauren’s Double hopes in a double breakout 8.888 to 8.880 (8.90 Index) final round. Tracy Barnes scored his first National Event Wally in an all-Georgia Super Gas Final Round over Chris Lewis. James Brown took the Top Dragster Wally in another Double Breakout over Chris Roe. The NHRA National Event tour heads to Joliet, IL in a couple weeks for the Route 66 Nationals.
NHRA Southern Nationals
May 1-3, 2026
South Georgia Motorsports Park – Valdosta, GA
Pro Mod
Winner – Jason Collins
RU – Mike Thielen
Semis – Derek Menholt
Semis – Lyle Barnett
Final Round: Collins .009, 5.731/252 def. Thielen .029, 9.682/93
#1 Qualifier – Derek Menholt 5.623
Top Dragster
Winner – James Brown
RU – Chris Roe
Semis – Robert Cool
Final Round: Brown .059, 6.631 (6.65) def. Roe .025, 6.901 (6.93)
#1 Qualifier – Robert May 6.122
Super Stock
Winner – Dan Fletcher
RU – Casey Smith
Semis – Austin Alvey
Final Round: Fletcher .027, 9.518 (9.49) def. Smith .055, 8.902 (8.86)
#1 Qualifier – Chelsea Tindle (GT/IA) 9.535 (-1.115)
Stock
Winner – Michael Brand
RU – Dan Fletcher
Semis – Daniel Young
Final Round: Brand .028, 8.767 (8.77) def. Fletcher .048, 10.974 (10.98)
#1 Qualifier – Thomas Mace (G/SA) 10.873 (-1.127)
Super Comp
Winner – Sherman Adcock
RU – Lauren Freer
Semis – Nick Furr
Semis – Dan Foley
Final Round: Adcock .022, 8.888 (8.90) def. Freer .046, 8.880 (8.90)
Super Gas
Winner – Tracy Barnes
RU – Chris Lewis
Semis – David Polichena
Semis – Jock Lisenby
Final Round: Barnes .011, 9.920 (9.90) def. Lewis .016, 9.890 (9.90)
Sunday NHRA Results – Race Day Updates
Lucas Oil Sportsman Winners
Top Dragster – James Brown
Super Stock – Dan Fletcher
Stock – Michael Brand
Super Comp – Sherman Adcock
Super Gas – Tracy Barnes
NHRA Sportsman Legends Dan Fletcher & Sherman Adcock add Wally’s to their large Trophy Cases from the Inaugural South Georgia National Event.
Pro Mod Final Round
Jason Collins scores his First NHRA Pro Mod win in Scott Tidwell Racing’s Screw-Blown ’69 Camaro with a 5.731 ET defeating Mike Thielen in the Mike Janis Racing Mustang.
Final Round: Collins .009, 5.731/252 def. Thielen .029, 9.682/93
#LODRS Final Round Pairings
Big stories. Dan Fletcher going for the Double in Super Stock & Stock Final Rounds. Lauren Freer trying to repeat her Super Comp win from last week at Charlotte.
Top Dragster – James Brown vs. Chris Roe
Super Stock – Dan Fletcher vs. Casey Smith
Stock – Michael Brand vs. Dan Fletcher
Super Comp – Sherman Adcock vs. Lauren Freer
Super Gas – Tracy Barnes vs. Chris Lewis
Pro Mod E3 Recap
The Cinderella Story continues as Mike Thielen defeats #1 Qualifier Derek Menholt 5.759 to 5.768 (068 to 059 RT’s – .0005 MOV). Thielen will have lane choice over Jason Collins in the Final Round, who defeated Lyle Barnett in a pedal fest.
– Final Pairing
12. Thielen LC vs. 2. Collins
Southern Nationals #LODRS Semi-Final Pairings
Top Dragster – Robert Cool vs. James Brown & Chris Roe – Bye
Super Stock – Austin Alvey vs. Casey Smith & Dan Fletcher – Bye
Stock – Daniel Young vs. Michael Brand & Dan Fletcher – Bye
Super Comp – Sherman Adcock vs. Nick Furr & Dan Foley vs. Lauren Freer
Super Gas – David Polichena vs. Tracy Barnes & Jock Lisenby vs. Chris Lewis
Pro Mod E2 Recap
Jason Collins again Low ET, 5.685 in E2. Big upset Mike Thielen with another 5.74 to defeat Mike Stavrinos who lifted early. Collins vs. Lyle Barnett, Big E3 matchup.
– E3 Pairings
1. Menholt LC vs. 12. Thielen
2. Collins LC vs. 3. Barnett
Pro Mod E1 Recap
Jason Collins Low ET for E1 5.701. Big upsets. Points leader Justin Bond shakes & can’t catch Sidnei Frigo. Defending Champ JR Gray had to pedal, and Mike Thielen drove away with a 5.744. Big Matchup E2 Menholt vs. Jackson.
— E2 Pairings
1. Menholt LC vs. 9. Jackson
4. Stavrinos LC vs. 12. Thielen
2. Collins LC vs. 7. Frigo
3. Barnett vs. 11. Balooshi LC
Saturday NHRA Results Recap
The NHRA Tour faced a challenging Day of Weather during the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, GA. Overnight rain and storms turned into a persistent mist throughout the afternoon, but the Safety Safari would keep after it and the track would be race ready late afternoon. Only Q3 was able to be completed for all Mission Foods series classes as well as NHRA Pro Mod. The Pro Mod session was breathtaking as Derek Menholt lowered the boom in the Final Pair as he went 5.623, just two-thousandths of a second off the National Record to secure the top spot for Scott Tidwell Racing. Menholt’s Tidwell teammate Jason Collins ended up #2 with Lyle Barnett, Mike Stavrinos and Defending Champion JR Gray rounding out the Top 5. Lucas Oil Series classes did not see any track time due to the rain on Saturday; their Eliminations are scheduled to start at 8AM Sunday morning. Live Streaming of this event is available on NHRA.tv at https://www.nhra.tv/ for the entire weekend or NHRA on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@nhra (Youtube only available for short segments).
NHRA Results – Pro Mod Q3 Final Top Qualifiers
1. Derek Menholt 5.623
2. Jason Collins 5.652
3. Lyle Barnett 5.661
4. Mike Stavrinos 5.668
5. JR Gray 5.686
Bump – Nick Januik 5.786
Q3 Best Run – Menholt 5.623
— E1 Pairings
1. Menholt vs. 16. Januik
8. Banaka vs. 9. Jackson
4. Stavrinos vs. 13. Castellana
5. Gray vs. 12. Thielen
2. Collins vs. 15. Wright
7. Frigo vs. 10. Bond
3. Barnett vs. 14. Hyde
6. King vs. 11. Balooshi
Friday Recap
The NHRA National Event Tour continued on to its Inaugural visit to South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, GA for this weekend’s Southern Nationals. The Pro Mod class headlines the Non-Mission Foods Series classes, and Scott Tidwell Racing leads the pack after Two Qualifying sessions. Tidwell’s Procharger-equipped ’69 Camaro leads the pack with Derek Menholt recording a 5.657. Menholt’s teammate Jason Collins in the Tidwell team’s screw-blown 69 Camaro sits 2nd with a 5.672. There are two more Qualifying Sessions ahead on Saturday for Pro Mod. Robert May leads the Top Dragster field into Eliminations with a 6.122 on the 6.10 class cap. Chelsea Tindle scored yet another #1 Qualifier in Super Stock with a 1.11-Under lap in her GT/IA Cavalier while Thomas Mace topped the Stock Eliminator class with a 1.12-Under blast in his G/SA ’90 Corvette. Lucas Oil Series classes had E1 cut short by Rain later in the afternoon, so they are slated to kick off Eliminations on Saturday morning. Live Streaming of this event is available on NHRA.tv at https://www.nhra.tv/ for the entire weekend or NHRA on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@nhra (Youtube only available for short segments).
NHRA Results – Friday Early Qualifying Update
Pro Mod Q2 Recap
1. Derek Menholt 5.657
2. Jason Collins 5.672
3. Chip King 5.694
4. Billy Banaka 5.695
5. Steve Jackson 5.702
Bump – Rashid Balooshi 5.949
Q2 Best Run – Menholt 5.657
#NHRA #SouthernNats
Pro Mod Q1 Recap
1. Billy Banaka 5.696
2. Steve Jackson 5.707
3. Justin Bond 5.711
4. Chip King 5.713
5. Derek Menholt 5.723
Bump – Nick Januik 6.626
