Maddi Gordon Steps Into the Big Leagues With Ron Capps Motorsports
If you follow drag racing, you know the feeling of watching a kid grow up at the track. One day, they are wiping down tires in the pits, and the next, they are strapping into a machine capable of outrunning a bullet train. That’s the story unfolding right now with Maddi Gordon. At just 21 years old, she is about to make the leap that every young racer dreams of but few actually achieve.
Come the 2026 NHRA season, Gordon won’t just be watching from the sidelines or running in the sportsman ranks. She will be piloting the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster for Ron Capps Motorsports. This isn’t just a promotion; it’s a changing of the guard, a moment where hard work meets opportunity, and it’s arguably one of the most exciting developments we’ve seen in the sport in years.
From Family Roots To Top Fuel Dreams
To understand why this is such a big deal, you have to look at where Maddi Gordon comes from. She didn’t just stumble into a cockpit. She was practically raised on the asphalt of the West Coast drag racing circuit. For the Gordon family, racing isn’t a hobby; it’s a way of life.
Maddi spent years getting her hands dirty working on her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car team. She was wrenching alongside her sister, Macie, learning the mechanical heartbeat of these beasts before she ever tried to tame one. That kind of background gives a driver a different level of respect for the machine.
When she finally got behind the wheel, the results spoke for themselves. She became a multiple-time Top Alcohol Funny Car winner and etched her name in history as the 100th woman to win an NHRA national event.
After earning her license in 2023 and spending the last two seasons sharpening her skills with her family’s team, she caught the eye of a legend. And when Ron Capps calls, you answer.
Ron Capps Takes a Chance On the Future
Ron Capps is a three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion. The guy knows talent when he sees it. Last April, he decided to hand the keys of his team’s very first Top Fuel dragster to Maddi. It’s a massive vote of confidence.
You can hear the genuine disbelief and gratitude in Gordon’s voice when she talks about it. “It is so surreal,” she said. “There are no words to truly talk about how big an honor it is.” It’s that mix of humility and hunger that makes her so easy to root for. She knows the weight of the opportunity in front of her, and she’s ready to carry it.
The deal got even sweeter this past October at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. That’s when it was announced that Carlyle Tools would be backing her for the entire 20-race season in 2026. Securing a full-season sponsor right out of the gate is huge in motorsports, and Gordon knows it. “Just to have somebody like that recognized,” she said.
Preparing For Life At 330 MPH
So, how do you prepare to strap yourself to a rocket that goes 330 mph? It’s not like you can take it for a spin around the block to get comfortable. Without a simulator to rely on, Gordon is doing the homework the old-fashioned way. She’s been glued to in-car camera footage, studying the nuances of the run, and picking the brains of veteran drivers and crew members.
She’s trying to mentally slow down a process that happens in less than four seconds. It’s a mental game as much as a physical one, visualizing the launch, the g-forces, and the split-second decisions that keep the car in the groove.
Keeping Family At the Core
Despite moving to a big-time professional team based in Brownsburg, Indiana, Gordon hasn’t lost sight of what got her here. “My whole life has been a family affair as far as racing goes,” she noted.
One of the best things about landing at Ron Capps Motorsports is the culture. According to Gordon, the team has welcomed her with open arms, treating her like one of their own. But her original support system, her dad, mom, and sister, isn’t going anywhere. They’ve been the backbone of her career, and you can bet they’ll be right there in the staging lanes as she starts this new chapter.
The Rookie Of the Year Chase Begins
The clock is ticking. Testing is set to begin in about five weeks, and the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off in March. The pressure will be on, but so will the adrenaline.
Maddi Gordon is entering the season with her eyes on Rookie of the Year honors, but more than that, she’s racing to prove that she belongs. It’s going to be a steep learning curve, but if her history is anything to go by, she’s more than up for the challenge. We’ll be watching closely when the lights go down on the tree in March. It feels like the start of something special.
