Paso Robles drag racer Maddi Gordon set for pro debut at Gatornationals
Third-generation driver will debut at Gainesville season opener
– Paso Robles local Maddi Gordon has earned her Top Fuel license and is set to make her professional motorsports debut in the National Hot Rod Association drag racing premier class at the National Hot Rod Association Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, next week.
Gordon is a third-generation racer. Her father, Doug Gordon, is a three-time National Hot Rod Association champion in the nonprofessional Top Alcohol Funny Car category, and her grandfather also competed in drag racing. The Gordon family has participated in West Coast racing for decades.
Gordon previously competed in the Top Alcohol Funny Car ranks. She will compete this season with the Ron Capps Motorsports team, where she will drive the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster as part of her Rookie of the Year campaign.
Gordon completed the licensing process last week during preseason testing at Gainesville Raceway, where she drove a 12,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster for the first time. On her final licensing pass, she ran 318 mph, her first time exceeding 300 mph in the category.
“Everything that everyone said was going to happen, happened,” Gordon said of her first Top Fuel runs. “It’s intense, but I feel really lucky to be surrounded by people who are helping me learn and get comfortable in the car.”
Preparing for the transition required months of work off the track. Gordon built a practice setup at home with throttle and clutch pedals to rehearse starting-line procedures and reviewed in-car footage to simulate full runs.
“I probably practiced the process hundreds of times,” she said. “It’s just about building confidence and getting more seat time.”
Gordon credited her new team, including team owner Ron Capps, a three-time National Hot Rod Association world champion originally from San Luis Obispo, for helping guide her through the process.
“I ask a lot of questions, and they’ve been incredibly patient and helpful,” Gordon said. “Having that support makes a huge difference.”
Gordon will make her professional debut at the AMALIE Motor Oil National Hot Rod Association Gatornationals, scheduled for March 6–8 at Gainesville Raceway, which opens the 2026 National Hot Rod Association Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. She is scheduled to complete additional testing in Gainesville prior to the event.
