Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown sets Nine-Race Schedule for 2026 Season

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – November 5, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – NHRA officials announced that Flexjet, a global leader in private aviation, will continue as the title sponsor of the exciting NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, which will make nine appearances at NHRA national events during the upcoming 2026 season.

The ultra-competitive Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown class crowned Mark Pawuk the world champion this season, as the veteran won his second straight championship.

The factory hot rod class added an extra race for 2026 and will begin its season at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville on March 5-8 before heading to Charlotte for the four-wide race on April 24-26.

From there, the class will race at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago on May 14-17, followed by races at picturesque Bristol Dragway on June 12-14 and then fan-favorite Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio on June 25-28.

The category will take a summer break following the race, returning to action as part of the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on Labor Day Weekend in Indianapolis.

Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown will stay busy to close out the season, racing at Maple Grove Raceway on Sept. 17-20 and then at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis on Oct. 2-4.

The added ninth race will also serve as the finale, as Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown will close out the 2026 season at Texas Motorplex on Oct. 14-18 as part of the track’s massive Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA FallNationals.

The Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category has provided thrilling action for several years, with some of drag racing’s top drivers competing for the prestigious Wally behind the wheel of Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets, and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks. In 2025, Pawuk clinched his second straight championship on the strength of event wins in Norwalk and Bristol. He was also the runner-up in Charlotte, holding off a strong charge from Jason and Taylor Dietsch, who won a combined four races.

The popular Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Bounty Program will also return in 2026. Established during the 2021 season, the program puts a “bounty” on the winner of the previous event.

For more information about Flexjet, please visit www.flexjet.com. For more information about the NHRA, including the 2026 schedule, please visit www.NHRA.com.

2026 FLEXJET NHRA FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE

• March 5-8: 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
• April 24-26: 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte
• May 14-17: 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago
• 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
• Sept. 2-7: 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis
• Sept. 17-20: 41st annual NHRA Reading Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.
• 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

About Flexjet

If maintaining performance vehicles is your passion – translate those skills into becoming a Flexjet aircraft maintenance technician (AMT). Explore a career with the world-class Flexjet Maintenance group today.

Flexjet, Inc., a global leader in subscription-based private aviation, first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing and is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 24 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. Red Label by Flexjet, a market differentiator, which features the most modern fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 40 different interior designs across its fleet of nearly 270 aircraft, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350, the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet’s FAA helicopter division sells fractional, lease, and on-demand charter access to its fleet of owned and operated Sikorsky S-76 helicopters serving locations throughout the northeastern United States, United Kingdom and Florida. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Instagram @FlexjetInc.

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association 

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