CHAD GREEN REACHES QUARTERFINALS AT INAUGURAL NHRA POTOMAC NATIONALS
MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — Chad Green and the CGM Bond-Coat/bproauto Ford Mustang team had a strong showing at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway Sunday, advancing to the quarterfinals before falling in a close battle with Jordan Vandergriff.
Green, a two-time winner in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with victories at the Gatornationals and Route 66 Nationals, qualified fifth with a 3.985-second pass at 320.36 mph. In the opening round, he dispatched veteran Paul Lee with a 3.975 at 323.27 mph to Lee’s 4.016. That set up a quarterfinal matchup between the two most recent Funny Car winners — Green from Route 66 and Vandergriff from the Georgia Nationals. Vandergriff edged Green at the stripe, 3.996 to 4.008, to advance to the semifinals.
“We are way too far from worrying about the points right now,” said Green. “We just want to go out and pick up win lights. I just wanted to get by that first round — you are nervous on how the track will be overnight, and Paul Lee is always tough. So that was a big one to start. I knew we had a tough matchup with Jordan and the Force car. We were close but just missed. I loved the fans here at MIR. They packed the place and it was a great atmosphere. We’ll be ready for the Epping race this coming weekend.”
Despite the loss, Green moved up to third in the Funny Car points standings, trailing series leader Ron Capps heading into the NHRA New England Nationals.
CGM teammate Blake Alexander also had a solid qualifying effort in his Pronto Auto Services Dodge/SRT Hellcat but drew a difficult first-round matchup against former world champion J.R. Todd. Alexander held the starting line advantage and battled Todd to mid-track before losing traction, allowing Todd to advance.
Both Green and Alexander return to action June 5-7 at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. Qualifying begins Friday at 5:30 and 8 p.m. EDT, with Saturday sessions at 12:30 and 3 p.m. EDT. Final eliminations are Sunday, June 7 at 11 a.m. EDT, with Fox Network television coverage at 3 p.m. EDT/noon PDT.
