Spencer Hyde and the Head Racing team closed out the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge on a high note, advancing to the quarterfinals and recording some of their strongest performances of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. 

Driving the Waldeck Real Estate Group-backed Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car, Hyde qualified No. 6 in the quickest qualified field in NHRA history, marking it the first time every Funny Car in the Top 16 recorded a three-second elapsed time.

The Canadian driver opened qualifying with a 3.901 second pass at 328.46 mph, earning one bonus point for the third quickest run of the session. He followed that performance with an even quicker 3.887 second pass at 328.62 mph during Q3 — establishing his quickest elapsed time of the season.

“We finally got into the 3.80s – something we have been searching for that all year,” said Hyde. “We’ve been fighting clutch disk stuff literally all season. It was nice to finally make some good, fast runs. And we were just a run or two away from making some great runs.” 

Hyde carried that momentum into Sunday eliminations, where he faced Paul Lee in the opening round. After getting caught by the track conditions, Hyde successfully pedaled the Funny Car to regain traction and drove to the finish line for the round win. 

In the quarterfinals, Hyde lined up against eventual race winner Jordan Vandergriff and got off the starting line first. Despite the starting line advantage, Hyde came up short of advancing to the semifinals, with Vandergriff posting a 3.912 second run. 

“Jordan left the door open for us there,” said Hyde. “They only went 3.91, and I left on him. I’m a little disappointed to not get that round win. But all in all, the team is trending in the right direction, and I think that’s a positive note for 2027.” 

The quarterfinal appearance, combined with a strong qualifying effort, helped Hyde move up to ninth in the Countdown to the Championship standings. 

The Las Vegas weekend also featured a special partnership with Waldeck Real Estate Group, which served as the primary sponsor of Hyde’s Funny Car. The Halloween-themed paint scheme was a fan favorite throughout the weekend, and Waldeck Real Estate Group’s Joli Waldeck joined the NHRA broadcast team for an interview on the starting line following Hyde’s Q2 qualifying pass. Waldeck’s involvement came together after she reached out to Hyde about getting involved with the team, ultimately choosing to take primary sponsorship and embrace a festive Halloween look for the car and crew.

“It was great to have Joli Waldeck and the Waldeck Real Estate Group here in Vegas,” said Hyde. “It was cool how that came together. She reached out to me out of the blue and wanted to get involved, so I sent her the options, and she came back and said she wanted to be the primary on the car. She was all about wrapping the car to look cool and spooky for Halloween. And the crew shirts coordinated with the car, which is good exposure for her. She let us do the whole Smokin’ Joe’s/Camel crew uniform thing for Halloween, which was awesome. The guys really enjoyed it, and the best part was that it was Jim’s idea.” 

Adding another memorable element to the weekend, the Head Racing crew traded its usual team apparel for owner and crew chief Jim Head’s distinctive purple and yellow uniforms from his 1996 Smokin’ Joe’s/Camel sponsorship on Saturday. The throwback look complemented the Halloween festivities and gave fans a unique glimpse into Head’s racing history. 

Hyde also spent time connecting with fans and partners away from the racetrack, participating in a Q&A session and autograph signing in the Lux Lounge suite on Friday. With support from Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and The Caine Group, Head Racing continues to build momentum as the 2026 season approaches its conclusion. 

“It was at times a frustrating season. I’m glad we’re trending in the right direction at the end,” said Hyde. “I’m hoping everything goes smoothly at home this week with the birth of our daughter, and we can get out one more time and pick up a Diamond Wally before the end of the year.” 

Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car will be back in NHRA competition in two weeks at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on November 12-15 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Posted by Elon Werner
Photo by David Ostaszewski