# NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nhra-countdown-to-the-championship-playoffs > Updated: 2026-10-01T17:52:33.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series has commenced its six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs during its 75th anniversary season. The postseason began at U. S. 131 Motorsports Park with the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals. In the Top Fuel class, Doug Kalitta entered the playoffs in the lead, facing competition from Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, and rookie Maddi Gordon. As the playoffs reached the halfway point at the 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, the competitive landscape shifted. In the Pro Stock category, Greg Stanfield maintained a 31-point lead following a victory in Rockingham. In the Funny Car division, Matt Hagan entered the event as the points leader after winning at Rockingham. Additionally, Leah Pruett debuted a new primary paint scheme for Tony Stewart Racing utilizing predictive modeling and algorithms to optimize performance. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-01: NHRA Midwest Nationals approaches halfway point of playoffs NHRA drivers Greg Stanfield and Matt Hagan head into the Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway with championship momentum during the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nhra-midwest-nationals-approaches-halfway-point-of-playoffs ### 2026-09-16: NHRA begins six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins its six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs, featuring key matchups in the Top Fuel class during its 75th anniversary season. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nhra-begins-six-race-countdown-to-the-championship-playoffs --- Cite as: NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nhra-countdown-to-the-championship-playoffs