SGMP, MIR Added to NHRA National Event Schedule
Two fan-favorite tracks have been added to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule for 2026 — South Georgia Motorsports Park and Maryland International Raceway.
Both venues have a long-standing reputation within the sport, SGMP for its famed No Mercy and Lights Out radial events (not to mention an annual stop for Sick Week Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive), and MIR as the host of the World Cup Finals.
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The event at SGMP will be known as the NHRA Southern Nationals and will take place on May 1-3, 2026. That same month, MIR will have the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals on May 29-31.
While MIR has big stands well suited for the crowds the NHRA brings, we are interested to see what SGMP has in store to handle what will likely be the biggest event in its 21-year history.
“Immediately after purchasing SGMP, we had a vision to host an NHRA national event at our facility,” SGMP owner Raul Torres said. “Today, that vision is coming to fruition by signing a multiyear agreement to bring back the Southern Nationals to Georgia. Our fans, city, county, and state will reap the benefits for many years to come. This is a true testament that dreams do come true with hard work, and our family cannot be more grateful for the opportunity."
MIR shared the excitement,
“We are thrilled to be hosting an NHRA national event for the first time here at Maryland International Raceway,” MIR owner Royce Miller said. “After 36 years at the helm of MIR, I am excited to showcase the stars of our sport and incredible nitro racing to our dedicated and loyal MIR fans. I am also looking forward to the NHRA touring racers and crews experiencing Southern Maryland's culture. With its location between the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, it features great seafood restaurants, a large Amish community, a very rural lifestyle, and many historic places to see and visit.”
The full NHRA schedule for 2026 is below:
March 5-8: 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
March 20-22: 41st annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, Firebird Motorsports Park, Phoenix
April 9-12: 66th annual NHRA Winternationals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.
April 24-26: 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte
May 1-May 3: NHRA Southern Nationals, South Georgia Motorsports Park, Adel, Ga.
May 14-17: 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago
May 29-May 31: Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals, Maryland International Raceway, Mechanicsville, Md.
June 5-June 7: 13th annual NHRA New England Nationals, New England Dragway, Epping, N.H.
June 12-14: 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.
June 25-28: 20th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
July 17-19: 38th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
July 24-26: 37th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals, Pacific Raceways, Seattle
Aug. 20-23: 44th annual NHRA Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn.
Sept. 2-7: 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis
NHRA COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sept. 17-20: 41st annual NHRA Reading Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.
Sept. 25-27: TBD
Oct. 2-4: 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis
Oct. 14-18: 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas
Oct. 29-Nov. 1: 26th annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
Nov. 12-15: 61st annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.
