Maddi Gordon is one of drag racing’s most promising young talents and will make her professional NHRA debut with Ron Capps Motorsports beginning with the 2026 NHRA Mission.Foods Drag Racing Series season. Backed by Carlyle Tools, Gordon joins three-time Funny Car world champion Ron Capps’ expanding operation as the driver of the team’s second car and first Top Fuel entry.
A third-generation drag racer and native of Paso Robles, Calif., Gordon grew up traveling the West Coast drag racing circuit, working on her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car and learning the sport from the ground up. Her father, Doug Gordon, is a three-time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion, while her sister Macie competes in the Super Comp and Top Dragster categories. Her grandfather, Mike Gordon, also enjoyed a successful Top Alcohol Funny Car career, making racing a lifelong family tradition.
Gordon earned her NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car license in 2023 at age 19 and spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons driving the family-owned entry. During that span, she captured three NHRA national event victories, four regional wins, and a regional championship. With her first national event win, Gordon became the 100th woman in NHRA history to claim a national event victory.
Before transitioning to Top Alcohol Funny Car, Gordon built a strong foundation in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League, winning two Division 7 championships, and later competed in Super Comp and Super Pro. Her accomplishments caught the attention of Drag Illustrated magazine, and she was named to their ‘30 Under 30’ list in 2021.
Away from the racetrack, Gordon is known for her hands-on mechanical background and entrepreneurial mindset. She began metal fabrication and welding at a young age and co-founded M&M Manufacturing with her sister Macie at just 15 years old. An accomplished student-athlete, Gordon played volleyball and varsity softball in high school and remains passionate about fitness and adrenaline-driven activities.
Gordon, who will make a run for NHRA’s coveted Rookie of the Year award in 2026, represents the next generation of drag racing talent — combining championship lineage, proven results, and a skill set well-suited for motorsports’ premier category.
