I am so ready to hear the cackle of a nitro engine!
The season-opening event of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Series is scheduled for March 5-8 so it's time for the "official" 2026 NHRA "Pick 'Em" Game thread to get started. Let's get more players than last year and get this game going again!
Hard to believe that this is the sixteenth year we're doing this.
Pro qualifying for the 2026 NHRA season opening Gatornationals gets underway on Friday, March 6.
No changes to the rules from the last few years as the little change in 2018 proved to be pretty good. Here they are for any new players. Returning players should check them out also just as a reminder.
Rules for the 16th Annual FABO NHRA Pick 'Em for 2026:
Your picks must be posted to this thread before the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on the Friday of each event in order to be eligible for all bonus points awarded during the event. No exceptions. For the 2026 season-opening Gatornationals, this is Friday, March 6. nhra.com does not yet show the daily schedule but Pro Stock qualifying usually starts at 2:00pm EST (11:00am PST).
Classes:
* Top Fuel
* Funny Car
* Pro Stock
* Pro Stock Motorcycle
* Highest total point accumulation from all classes at the end of the season is the winner
* Pick one driver/car for each class for each National Event
You must post your picks to FABO no later than the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday of the event weekend. Picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will not be eligible for any bonus points awarded during the event; picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will only earn points for Sunday race elimination rounds.
You can also "lock" your picks in for the entire season if you wish. Just post that you want them "locked". You can always "unlock" them to make a change by posting your changes in this thread. Your revised picks will then be "locked" until you make future changes.
All of us get busy from time to time, our computers may break down, or we just forget to post our picks. So, in an effort to keep everyone in the game for the "regular season", if you don't get your picks posted before the first round of Pro Qualifying for any "regular season" race after the Gatornationals I will use your picks from the previous race event. That's the benefit - you will be guaranteed to have picks for elimination rounds. The penalty is, your picks will not be eligible for event bonus points.
As said before, you still have the option of "locking in" your picks for the entire season if you think you may have trouble getting your picks posted sometime during the season. Think of it as no-cost insurance.
Your picks will be eligible for event bonus points if you "lock" them in, but not if you just forget to post them or can't post event picks for whatever reason.
This "pick carry over" feature is only in effect for the "regular season". It will not be in effect for the six-event "Countdown to the Championship" at the end of the season.
You can review the event class entry list and the event schedule on www.nhra.com. Make sure you take into account the time difference between the event location and where you are so you get your picks posted on time.
* 10 points awarded for each round won during final eliminations (40 points max. per event)...there will be different point structures for the single 4-wide format race.
* Bonus Points:
Bonus points awarded each event based on your selected drivers final qualification position as determined by NHRA
# 1 Qualifier = 8 points
# 2 Qualifier = 7.5 points
# 3 Qualifier = 7 points
# 4 Qualifier = 6.5 points
# 5 Qualifier = 6 points
# 6 Qualifier = 5.5 points
# 7 Qualifier = 5 points
# 8 Qualifier = 4.5 points
# 9 Qualifier = 4 points
#10 Qualifier = 3.5 points
#11 Qualifier = 3 points
#12 Qualifier = 2.5 points
#13 Qualifier = 2 points
#14 Qualifier = 1.5 points
#15 Qualifier = 1 point
#16 Qualifier = 0.5 point
5 Bonus Points awarded per class to the driver posting the quickest elapsed time or fastest speed per event during either qualifying or eliminations
15 additional Bonus Points awarded per class to any driver establishing a new national record elapsed time or speed during an event (no longer must be backed up within 1% per revised NHRA rules)
Each professional class has an 88-point potential per event if your selected driver qualifies in the #1 position, wins the event, has the quickest elapsed time and fastest speed, and sets both ends of the national record for the class during the event. 352 points max. per event with all four professional classes; 264 points max. per event that do not include either Pro Stock or Pro Stock Motorcycle.
If your selected driver fails to qualify for an event, you receive 0 points for that class.
Like prior years, there will be special rules regarding round-win points for the single Four-Wide events. Yes, you read that right. There is only one Four-Wide event in 2026: the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals event at Z-Max Dragway in Charlotte, NC, (April 23-26). I will post up the special rules prior to this event.
Also like prior years, the points will be re-set following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, prior to the start of the 6-event "Countdown to the Championship".
And just like the past couple of years, we're going to follow what NHRA is doing with increased points for both the U.S. Nationals and the Finals. Round win points for both of those events will be 15 rather than 10. This should make for an exciting finish to the season just like last year.
So post up your picks on this thread. Here we go. Light 'em up and let's burn some more nitro!
The season-opening event of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Series is scheduled for March 5-8 so it's time for the "official" 2026 NHRA "Pick 'Em" Game thread to get started. Let's get more players than last year and get this game going again!
Hard to believe that this is the sixteenth year we're doing this.
Pro qualifying for the 2026 NHRA season opening Gatornationals gets underway on Friday, March 6.
No changes to the rules from the last few years as the little change in 2018 proved to be pretty good. Here they are for any new players. Returning players should check them out also just as a reminder.
Rules for the 16th Annual FABO NHRA Pick 'Em for 2026:
Your picks must be posted to this thread before the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on the Friday of each event in order to be eligible for all bonus points awarded during the event. No exceptions. For the 2026 season-opening Gatornationals, this is Friday, March 6. nhra.com does not yet show the daily schedule but Pro Stock qualifying usually starts at 2:00pm EST (11:00am PST).
Classes:
* Top Fuel
* Funny Car
* Pro Stock
* Pro Stock Motorcycle
* Highest total point accumulation from all classes at the end of the season is the winner
* Pick one driver/car for each class for each National Event
You must post your picks to FABO no later than the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday of the event weekend. Picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will not be eligible for any bonus points awarded during the event; picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will only earn points for Sunday race elimination rounds.
You can also "lock" your picks in for the entire season if you wish. Just post that you want them "locked". You can always "unlock" them to make a change by posting your changes in this thread. Your revised picks will then be "locked" until you make future changes.
All of us get busy from time to time, our computers may break down, or we just forget to post our picks. So, in an effort to keep everyone in the game for the "regular season", if you don't get your picks posted before the first round of Pro Qualifying for any "regular season" race after the Gatornationals I will use your picks from the previous race event. That's the benefit - you will be guaranteed to have picks for elimination rounds. The penalty is, your picks will not be eligible for event bonus points.
As said before, you still have the option of "locking in" your picks for the entire season if you think you may have trouble getting your picks posted sometime during the season. Think of it as no-cost insurance.
Your picks will be eligible for event bonus points if you "lock" them in, but not if you just forget to post them or can't post event picks for whatever reason.
This "pick carry over" feature is only in effect for the "regular season". It will not be in effect for the six-event "Countdown to the Championship" at the end of the season.
You can review the event class entry list and the event schedule on www.nhra.com. Make sure you take into account the time difference between the event location and where you are so you get your picks posted on time.
* 10 points awarded for each round won during final eliminations (40 points max. per event)...there will be different point structures for the single 4-wide format race.
* Bonus Points:
Bonus points awarded each event based on your selected drivers final qualification position as determined by NHRA
# 1 Qualifier = 8 points
# 2 Qualifier = 7.5 points
# 3 Qualifier = 7 points
# 4 Qualifier = 6.5 points
# 5 Qualifier = 6 points
# 6 Qualifier = 5.5 points
# 7 Qualifier = 5 points
# 8 Qualifier = 4.5 points
# 9 Qualifier = 4 points
#10 Qualifier = 3.5 points
#11 Qualifier = 3 points
#12 Qualifier = 2.5 points
#13 Qualifier = 2 points
#14 Qualifier = 1.5 points
#15 Qualifier = 1 point
#16 Qualifier = 0.5 point
5 Bonus Points awarded per class to the driver posting the quickest elapsed time or fastest speed per event during either qualifying or eliminations
15 additional Bonus Points awarded per class to any driver establishing a new national record elapsed time or speed during an event (no longer must be backed up within 1% per revised NHRA rules)
Each professional class has an 88-point potential per event if your selected driver qualifies in the #1 position, wins the event, has the quickest elapsed time and fastest speed, and sets both ends of the national record for the class during the event. 352 points max. per event with all four professional classes; 264 points max. per event that do not include either Pro Stock or Pro Stock Motorcycle.
If your selected driver fails to qualify for an event, you receive 0 points for that class.
Like prior years, there will be special rules regarding round-win points for the single Four-Wide events. Yes, you read that right. There is only one Four-Wide event in 2026: the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals event at Z-Max Dragway in Charlotte, NC, (April 23-26). I will post up the special rules prior to this event.
Also like prior years, the points will be re-set following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, prior to the start of the 6-event "Countdown to the Championship".
And just like the past couple of years, we're going to follow what NHRA is doing with increased points for both the U.S. Nationals and the Finals. Round win points for both of those events will be 15 rather than 10. This should make for an exciting finish to the season just like last year.
So post up your picks on this thread. Here we go. Light 'em up and let's burn some more nitro!
