Veteran JFR crew chief Chris Cunningham will call the shots
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Dec. 12, 2025) – Drag racing rising star Jordan
Vandergriff has been named as the driver of John Force Racing’s
Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods
Drag Racing Series season.
The announcement was made Friday at the NHRA booth during Day 2 of the
Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show at the Indiana Convention
Center in Indianapolis.
“This is a dream come true to have the opportunity not only with John
Force Racing, the premier team in NHRA Drag Racing, but to drive the
Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car for the greatest Funny Car driver of
all time,” said Vandergriff. “As a kid growing up in the sport, you
look at John and you see the greatness he’s portrayed, so the fact that
I get to drive a Funny Car for him is amazing.”
The California native had two NHRA starts in 2025, driving in relief of
injured Top Fuel driver Shawn Reed at Brainerd and Indianapolis. In the
11 Top Fuel races of his rookie season in 2019, Vandergriff earned a
runner-up finish at Dallas and two other semi-final showings. He has
served as an NHRA on FOX reporter the past two seasons.
“I think the transition to Funny Car is going to be fine. I’ve proven
that I can drive the Top Fuel car well and the Funny Car presents a new
fun challenge. It’s a shorter wheelbase and a lot more violent but I did
some test hits in 2024 in John’s car and, ever since, I’ve had to itch
to drive these cars.”
Cornwell Quality Tools began its partnership with John Force Racing in
2019 and has steadily expanded its presence. They have been the primary
sponsor of the Funny Car program the past two seasons and held the
primary position on Brittany Force’s Top Fuel dragster team at the
2025 U.S. Nationals when she set the national speed record of 343.51
mph. Cornwell Quality Tools is also the Official Professional Tools of
NHRA.
“We are incredibly excited about today’s announcement from John
Force Racing and to welcome Jordan Vandergriff to the Cornwell Tools
Funny Car program,” said Cornwell Quality Tools CEO Bob Studenic.
“Jordan is a dynamic talent with the skill, professionalism, and
competitive fire that align perfectly with Cornwell’s values and our
commitment to excellence.
“With more than 810 hardworking, USA-based Cornwell dealers
representing our brand coast to coast, this partnership is bigger than
racing—it’s a celebration of the drive, integrity, and craftsmanship
that define who we are. Our dealers, employees, and customers have
helped build Cornwell Tools into a championship-caliber organization,
and we look forward to standing beside Jordan and the entire JFR team as
we chase even greater success in the year ahead.
“This is an exciting moment for Cornwell Tools. We’re proud to
continue our longstanding relationship with John Force Racing, and we
can’t wait for our dealers to experience another season of world-class
competition with the Cornwell Tools Funny Car.”
“I have a great relationship with Cornwell Quality Tools and I’m super
happy they decided to pick me,” said Vandergriff. “They’re such a
quality brand and they’ve done so much in the world of NHRA Drag Racing.
I’m excited that I get to help their dealers sell tools and celebrate
race wins together!”
John Force Racing’s full 2026 lineup will include 2012 Funny Car
Champion Jack Beckman, Alexis DeJoria and Vandergriff in Funny Car and
Josh Hart in Top Fuel.
“We’re proud to announce Jordan Vandergriff as the driver of the
Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing,”
John Force said. “We worked closely with the folks at Cornwell Tools
to make sure we had the right fit for their program. Jordan did a great
job when he tested with us a couple of years ago but we didn’t have a
place for him at the time. Now that we have all of our drivers in place,
we can focus 100 percent on preparing our cars and teams for the 2026
season.”
Veteran crew chief Chris Cunningham will move to the Cornwell Tools team
from John Force Racing’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Funny Car with
2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman. Cunningham has been a key part of
John Force Racing in various positions since 2016.
“This is the opportunity I’ve been working towards. I’ve always wanted
to run a full season and compete for a championship,” said
Vandergriff. “I want the chance to run with the best and prove that I
can be one of the best. This car has won two championships in a row, and
Cunningham has so much experience. I have great respect for what he’s
done in the sport, and I’m honored that I get to work with him.”
Further announcements from John Force Racing will be made in the coming
weeks.
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