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McPhillips Racing Event Recap for the NHRA Brainerd Nationals – TROYER WINS!

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Brainerd Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster Winner Anthony Troyer
(Photo Courtesy McPhillips Racing)

Anthony Troyer

Fendt McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster
NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
NHRA Brainerd Nationals
Aug. 20-23 | Brainerd, Minnesota

Event Recap

Anthony Troyer, driver of the Fendt McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster:

  • No Time in Q1 on Friday (smoked the tires)
  • Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (5.295 ET at 273.00 mph)
  • Secured No. 4 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (5.198 ET at 277.26 mph)  
  • Advanced to the Finals on Sunday:
  • Round 1: 5.564 ET at 265.27 mph, defeated Mike Quayle (9.482 ET at 96.17 mph)
  • Round 2: 5.166 ET at 275.06 mph, defeated Mitch Kalitta (5.247 ET at 275.84)
  • Semifinals: 5.226 ET at 273.00 mph, defeated Joey Severance (No Time)
  • Finals: 5.220 ET at 276.63 mph, defeated Melanie Johnson (5.250 ET at 274.00 mph)
  • Currently sixth in the Top Alcohol championship standings with 456 points

Notes of Interest

  • The NHRA Brainerd Nationals marked Troyer’s first Top Alcohol Dragster victory this season. He earned a special “Diamond Wally” for NHRA’s 75th Anniversary season. Troyer earned back-to-back wins at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals.
  • The NHRA Brainerd Nationals marked Troyer’s third Top Alcohol Dragster victory. His first win came in 2025 at the 65th NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California and his second win came at the 2025 NHRA Brainerd Nationals.
  • The NHRA Brainerd Nationals marked McPhillips Racing’s fourth win at Brainerd (2021 – Rich McPhillips Jr., 2023 – Matt Cummings, 2025 – Anthony Troyer, and 2026 – Anthony Troyer).
  • Troyer represented Fendt on his Top Alcohol Dragster. AGCO (NYSE: AGCO), Fendt’s parent company, is based in Duluth, Georgia. AGCO is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers customer value through its differentiated brand portfolio including core brands like Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson®, Precision Planting® and Valtra®. Powered by Fuse® smart farming solutions, AGCO’s full line of equipment and services help farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990, AGCO had net sales of approximately $10.1 billion in 2025. For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com.

Anthony Troyer, Driver of the Fendt McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster

“Today’s win wasn’t easy. We’ve raced our teammate Melanie (Johnson) a few times this year in round one. We went out to Pomona, California at the start of the year and lost to her first round and that wasn’t cool. We worked hard and it has shown. To make it to the final with your teammate is the coolest thing we could do. I’m sure there’s many more to come. Thank you to Fendt, Ziegler, and the whole team that’s out here that helps. There are so many people behind-the-scenes that make these cars go and we couldn’t do it without them.”

Rich McPhillips Sr., Team Owner

“Our team had a great weekend in Brainerd with Anthony and Melanie both advancing to the final. The season hasn’t gone as planned, so it was good to finally have a good weekend and be able to bring home a Diamond Wally. Richie (McPhillips Jr) has a new baby at home, so he must have been our good luck charm. Thank you to Fendt, Speedmaster, Troyer Brothers Florida Inc., NGK Spark Plugs, Lucas Oil, ARP, Boninfante Friction, VP Racing Fuels, Goodyear, Alan Johnson Performance Engineering, the Kessler family, and all of our partners for their continued support. We’re looking forward to heading to Indianapolis for the U.S. Nationals.”

Next Up

Troyer will be back behind the wheel of the Fendt McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at the NHRA U.S. Nationals September 2-7 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.

-McPhillips Racing-