National Hot Rod Association announces South Georgia Motorsports Park to host Southern Nationals in May 2026

INDIANAPOLIS (August 28, 2025) — The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) today released their highly anticipated 2026 national event schedule, celebrating their 75th anniversary as the gold standard of drag racing sanctioning bodies. The 20-event schedule will include two new venues including South Georgia Motorsports Park, located just outside Valdosta, Georgia. The track owned and operated for the past two years by Raul and Jennifer Torres has a long history of successful and popular events. The NHRA Southern Nationals will be contested May 1-3, 2026.

“This is a dream come true,” said Raul Torres. “When my wife, Jennifer, and I bought the track two years ago we wanted to build a community for drag racers and fans to enjoy quality family entertainment. We have put in a lot of blood, sweat and some tears to get to this point. We are dedicated to hosting premiere events at every level and adding the NHRA Southern Nationals next season will be a great opportunity and challenge. We are up to the task, and we can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for thousands of fans from across the country.”

The track was slated to host an NHRA Showcase event in October but the opportunity to step up and host an NHRA national event in 2026 took precedent. The last time the NHRA hosted a Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national event in the state of Georgia was in 2021 for the NHRA Southern Nationals at the now defunct Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia. It also marks the first time since 2013 NHRA has introduced a new track to its national event schedule.

The prospect of bringing professional Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motocycle teams to South Georgia will have a major economic impact to the Georgia and Florida economies. One of Cook County’s biggest tourist attractions, South Georgia Motorsports Park has seen a resurgence in popularity over the past two seasons under the leadership of the Torres family.

“We have been working closely with all our elected officials to be good neighbors and also to be an economic catalyst for the South Georgia area,” said Torres. “Hosting an NHRA national event will raise awareness for the area and bring in new dollars to the surrounding community. We are excited about the opportunity to host this event.”

Information on ticket sales as well as sponsorship opportunities for the NHRA Southern Nationals will be announced at a future date. Fans can follow the schedule at https://www.goracesgmp.com/.

The track is currently hosting a capital improvement campaign with the Legacy Lane Wall promotion. Fans, racers and businesses can show their support for South Georgia Motorsports Park by purchasing a limited-edition Legacy Lane Wall brick and have their message displayed during NHRA Southern Nationals. Proceeds from the revenue generated will go towards capital improvements like new grandstands and improved suites. The Legacy Lane Wall will be adorned with personalized bricks and will be a focal point for specialty events and fan celebratory moments. Fans, racers and businesses have two options to support the track. They can purchase terracotta bricks for $200, or they can purchase black granite tiles for $250 here. Each brick is 8” x 8” and will be a tremendous addition to the atmosphere of South Georgia Motorsports Park.

“One of the biggest reasons we decided to take on South Georgia Motorsports Park is because of the wonderful community that was a part of it,” said Torres. “We’ve heard the calls of people and businesses who want to pitch in and help keep the dream of SGMP alive, but they only have a certain amount they can contribute. The Legacy Lane Wall is a way for all parts of our support system to play a role in our success.”

Over the next 50 days a limited number of Legacy Lane Wall bricks will be available for purchase. Throughout this time window select purchasers will be randomly selected to receive prizes or free tickets to future events. Over the past two years under Raul and Jennifer Torres’ leadership South Georgia Motorsports Park has seen a resurgence of activity with local bracket racing and specialty events. A full schedule can be found at https://www.goracesgmp.com/ and events continue to be added.

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