HYDE PEDALS HIS WAY TO QUARTERFINALS AT MIDWEST NATIONALS
By: Head Racing
ST. LOUIS (October 4, 2026) — Nitro Funny Car driver Spencer Hyde came out ahead in one of the most thrilling pedal-fests in recent memory during eliminations today at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car backed by Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and the Caine Group entered race day at No. 11, after battling against a crowded field of 18 Funny Cars during qualifying.
Hyde’s best run of the weekend, a 3.945 second, 327.35 mph pass that he made during the second round of qualifying on Friday, was enough to earn him a first round matchup against Chad Green on Sunday. Hyde left on Green, before they were both up in smoke attempting to pedal their cars. He pedaled it seven times, getting off the throttle and re-engaging the gas, and was able to hook it up enough for the round win.
photo credit Innovation Creative Experts
“I think I whacked the throttle seven times,” said Hyde. “I just kept smacking the throttle. I couldn’t see Chad, and I could hear him pedaling too. I’m like, ‘well, as long as I don’t see him, I’m just going to keep doing this until Jim or Dave shuts me off.’ That’s not how we wanted to go. But that was some old school, Funny Car pedal-fest kind of stuff. And we’ll take the round when we needed that.”
In the quarterfinals in St. Louis, the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year then faced four-time world champion and current points leader Matt Hagan. Hyde was 2-1 against Hagan in previous matchups, so he knew he at least had a shot.
“Hagan is a tough competitor, but we have beaten him before, which gave me some confidence going into the second round,” said Hyde. “He unfortunately just had more car than us, so he was able to get the round win this time.”
The St. Louis race wraps up an intense three-race-in-a-row stretch as part of the Countdown to the Championship. Next up will be the Texas Fall Nationals, as part of the famous Stampede of Speed.
“Dallas has a special place in my heart because it’s the race that my wife, Courtney, considers her home race,” said Hyde. “I would really like to take some of this round win momentum we picked up here in St. Louis and take it to Texas, where I could win a cowboy hat just for her.”
Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car will be back in NHRA competition in two weeks at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals on October 16-18 at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, just outside of Dallas. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, October 16 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, October 17. The fourth race day of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship will be contested on Sunday. For tickets or more information on the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals visit nhra.com.
Qualifying Results – Funny Car
Q1: 7.096, 86.97 mph; Qual. 11
Q2: 3.945, 327.35 mph; Qual. 9
Q3: 4.533, 190.62 mph; Qual. 10
Q4: 8.626, 82.09 mph; Qual. 11
Bonus Points: 0
Race Results
First Round
Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car, (0.095), 6.985 sec, 159.64 mph def. Chad Green, Midland, Tex., Bond Coat Ford Mustang, (0.106), 7.353 sec, 133.98 mph
Second Round
Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., TSR Direct Connection Dodge/SRT Hellcat Funny Car, (0.077), 3.925 sec, 331.28 mph def. Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car, (0.096), 11.170 sec, 81.32 mph
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Point Standings – Funny Car
- Matt Hagan, 2402
- Jordan Vandergriff, 2330
- Jack Beckman, 2279
- Austin Prock, 2276
- J.R. Todd, 2270
- Ron Capps, 2240
- Alexis DeJoria, 2215
- Daniel Wilkerson, 2174
- Chad Green, 2123
- Spencer Hyde, 2117
