MARTIN, Mich. (September 17, 2026) – SCAG Racing will begin the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship this weekend at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan. The September 18-20 event marks the first of six races in the Countdown.
SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley enters the Countdown focused on carrying the team’s recent momentum into the championship portion of the season. With crew chiefs Tommy DeLago and Jason McCulloch continuing to develop a strong combination, Ashley is looking forward to starting with a clean slate in Michigan.
“We’re all really excited for Martin,” Ashley said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to start fresh and begin the Countdown with a renewed focus and energy. The weather should be stout, so we’re expecting very fast runs across the board from both nitro categories. Tommy and Jason have done an excellent job locking in a winning combination over the last few races. Now it’s time for our SCAG Power Equipment team to take care of the rest. Once we do that, the points will take care of themselves. Looking forward to seeing all of our dealers, distributors, partners, and fans at the track.”
Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Funny Car team will enter the Countdown with continued focus on the progress they have made throughout the season. With Tim Wilkerson leading the team, the group has continued to work together and make improvements as they prepare for the championship stretch.
“This team has not shown who we are all season long when you look at our performance,” Wilkerson said. “But if you could come inside and look at our attitude, you would find a group of men and women that have never faltered or whined about losing. We have kept our heads down to try to figure out our problem, and with Tim at the helm we have made incremental progress. I cannot think of a better time for us to show the field what we know our potential is and try to be in contention at Pomona for the whole enchilada.”
For Will Smith, the Great Lakes Nationals will be another opportunity to build on his first full-time NHRA Top Fuel season with the Bluebird Turf team. Smith is also looking forward to competing at a new venue while beginning his first Top Fuel Countdown experience.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on track with our Bluebird Turf team at the Great Lakes Nationals,” Smith said. “This is a special event with it being the inaugural NHRA race at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, but it’s also a big weekend for us because it kicks off the Countdown to the Championship. We’ve worked hard all season to continue building this team, and now it’s time to take everything we’ve learned and put it to work when it matters most. We’re going to stay focused, keep pushing and give it everything we have as we start this championship stretch. I’m also really looking forward to spending the weekend with our SCAG dealers and customers. Their support means everything to our team, and we’re excited to put on a great show for SCAG nation.”
Dave Richards and the Bluebird Turf Funny Car team will also begin the Countdown focused on putting the work they have done throughout the season into results on the racetrack. With Aaron Brooks leading the team, Richards is looking forward to getting the championship stretch underway in Michigan.
“We’ve been working hard all season to continue improving this Bluebird Turf team, and now we get a new opportunity with the Countdown starting in Michigan,” Richards said. “There’s a lot of racing left, and we know how important it is to start this stretch on the right foot. We’ve learned a lot throughout the season, and the goal is to put all of that together when we get to the track this weekend. It’s also pretty cool to be part of the first NHRA race at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, and we’re excited to put on a good show for everyone who comes out to support us and the SCAG Racing teams.”
The Great Lakes Nationals will feature four qualifying sessions as the Countdown to the Championship gets underway, with the first two sessions scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET, followed by two more Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET. Qualifying coverage will air Sunday from 12-2 p.m. ET on FS1, with eliminations following from 2-5 p.m. ET on FS1.
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