In this photo provided by the NHRA, Funny Car driver Jack Beckman races during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. (Jerry Foss via AP)

NHRA adds new stops in Georgia and Maryland to its 2026 schedule amid 75th anniversary

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NHRA is adding two new tracks to its 2026 schedule, marking the drag-racing series’ first expansion in more than a dozen years.

While celebrating its 75th anniversary, the national series will visit Valdosta, Georgia, and Mechanicsville, Maryland, for the first time. The schedule released Thursday remains at 20 races for the second consecutive year, with events in Georgia and Maryland replacing one of two stops in Las Vegas and North Carolina.

“The 2026 season will be one of the most exciting years in NHRA history,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we’re embracing this milestone to evolve our NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, ensuring a vibrant future for our sport while honoring our legacy with new venues and fresh energy.”

The NHRA season will open at Gainesville Raceway in Florida for the fourth consecutive year, with the 57th annual Gatornationals set for March 5-8. It will end at Pomona Dragstrip in California, where champions will be crowned in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle division on Nov. 12-15.

In between, there will be most of the traditional stops as well as the two new ones. The NHRA will debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park just outside of Valdosta, Georgia, on May 1-3. Later that month, Maryland International Raceway, located near the nation’s capital, will for the first time welcome 12,000-horsepower dragsters that reach 340 mph in seconds.

A list of the planned celebrations for the anniversary campaign will be released in the coming weeks and months.

All races during the 2026 NHRA season will be aired exclusively on Fox Sports, with select events available on the national broadcast.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

In this photo provided by the NHRA, Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta wins his second consecutive race of the year at the NHRA Nationals drag races at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (Justin Daniels/NHRA via AP)
In this photo provided by the NHRA, reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock collectS his sixth win of the season after winning the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, at Brainerd International Raceway in Crow Wing County, Minn. (Justin Daniels/NHRA via AP)

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