NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS: ELITE MOTORSPORTS RESULTS

Pro Stock Winner: Aaron Stanfield

Elite Motorsports Sweeps Three-Race Swing to Open NHRA Countdown to the Championship

By: Elite Motorsports (Photos Courtesy Elite Motorsports)

MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 04, 2026) – Elite Motorsports has dominated the opening of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. With his third win of the season Aaron Stanfield completed the Elite Motorsports sweep. Troy Coughlin Jr. started the trend with the midnight JEGS machine in Martin, Michigan and Greg Stanfield kept the streak alive in Rockingham, N.C. Carolina.

On a holeshot, Aaron defeated his father Greg in the final round. Aaron had a .018-second reaction time with a 6.556-second pass at 209.20 mph to beat his father’s .028 reaction time and 6.547 pass at 209.85 mph. Aaron is now 2-6 against his father in elimination competition.

“It’s hard to get to the final round alone, and to be able to share it with my dad is pretty special. He’s taught me absolutely everything I know in a race car. I told him I was fixing to show him what he taught me,” Aaron said. “There were a lot of questions about whether we were going to race fair, and questions about if I laid down in the first round last weekend when he won. I think there are a lot of people who need to tip their hat right there. That final round shows what my dad and I are all about. We’re going to race as hard as we can possibly race. A thousandth at the stripe — it doesn’t get any better than that.”

En route to the finals, Aaron battled through Deric Kramer, who red lit, before facing championship hopeful Matt Hartford who he took down on a holeshot (.046 RT, 6.528 at 209.65 def. .055 RT, 6.521 at 209.98). In the semis he faced Troy Jr. and the midnight JEGS team. They both ran into trouble with Aaron able to get across the finish line first (7.037 at 206.32 def. 9.099 at 113.64).

“Everybody in that crew chief lounge and our entire Elite Motorsports team has put their heads together and has been grinding really hard. We just need to keep moving in this same direction,” Aaron said. “I don’t know what kind of shot I have at winning a championship, but I sure would like to see my dad win won. He’s fought his whole career for this opportunity. I had to beg him to get back in a Pro Stock car, and obviously he’s still got a lot left in the tank.”

Greg maintained the points lead while Aaron shifted from 10th to seventh in the hunt. The final three races in the Countdown to the Championship start with the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex Oct. 16-18.

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AARON STANFIELD, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 4
6.481 seconds, 211.49 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 2

Unofficial Points Standing: 7th

Race Results:
E1: 6.500 at 210.57 def. Deric Kramer -.092 red
E2: .046 RT, 6.528 at 209.65 def. Matt Hartford .055 RT, 6.521 at 209.98
Semis: 7.037 at 206.32 def. Troy Coughlin Jr. 9.099 at 113.64
Finals: .018 RT, 6.556 at 209.20 def. Greg Stanfield .028 RT, 6.547 at 209.85

GREG STANFIELD, Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 2
6.474 seconds, 210.93 mph
Bonus Qualfying Points: 7
Race Results: Beat Mason McGaha, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Dallas Glenn
Unofficial Points Standing: 1st

TROY COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 9
6.493 seconds, 212.36 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 7
Race Results: Beat Chris Vang, Cody Anderson; Lost to Aaron Stanfield
Unofficial Points Standing: 5th

JEG COUGHLIN JR., JEGS.com Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 7
6.488 seconds, 210.08 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 1
Race Results: Beat Matt Latino, Lost to Greg Stanfield
Unofficial Points Standings: 8th

TONY STEWART, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster
Qualifying: No. 11
3.733 seconds, 337.50 mph
Race Results: Beat Josh Hart; Lost to Will Smith
Unofficial Points Standings: 3rd

ERICA ENDERS, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 9
6.491 seconds at 2101.63 mph
Race Results: Lost to Cody Anderson
Unofficial Points Standing: 10th

STEPHEN BELL, 1320 LLC Pro Stock Car
Qualifying: No. 12
6.510 seconds, 209.65 mph
Race Results: Lost to Matt Hartford
Unofficial Points Standing: 14th

-Elite-