Former ‘Bachelorette’ contestant Jordan Vanddergriff takes to the track

Published 3:45 pm Thursday, July 23, 2026

From the camera flash to the 10-foot tall flames, Jordan Vandergriff looks to continue his hot streak on the track July 24-26 at Pacific Raceways in Kent as the 2026 Muckleshoot Casino Northwest Nationals.

Vandergriff is coming off his second win this season during the previous race weekend in Sonoma, California. It’s his second career win in just his first full season, his first coming at the Southern Nationals in Georgia. Vandergriff had previously raced in 2019 in Top Fuel, but never reached the top of the podium. With similar track conditions expected during this weekend, Vandergriff hopes to keep that momentum going.

“It feels great, coming off our second win in Sonoma it feels good for my Cornwell Quality Tools team,” Vandergriff said in a July 23 phone interview. “Winning in Sonoma proves we are here to play, we are going to be a contender at the end of the season. We know how to win now.”

Pacific Raceways has a tendency of being a racer favorite as records have been toppled the last couple years at the Kent track. Vandergriff feels his team is starting to push the right buttons heading to the Northwest Nationals.

“I think we have a good chance of rolling it in to this Pacific Raceways racetrack and going back-to-back,” Vandergriff said.

His name might be one of the more recognizable of all the drivers on the circuit, for a non-race reason. Vandergriff was notably a contestant on the 2022 season of “The Bachelorette” and the following season of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

“I got there because I was looking for love,” Vandergriff said.

But he said the nerves between going on a network television show and lining up to drive 300 mph in under 7 seconds are comparable.

“The anxiety and adrenaline you feel doing both its very similar,” he said. “Driving a Funny Car is a little more fun. I think expressing your emotions on television is a little less fun.”

Following his time on television, Vandegriff got back in the racing media scene as the pit reporter that traveled on the NHRA circuit. He said that experience helped him really see how other teams functioned, what worked and what didn’t.

“I used that time wisely, I would watch drivers and their habits and how they went about it,” Vandergriff said. “I would watch crew chiefs analyze the track and talk about track temperature and grip numbers. I pieced that together and saw how each individual team worked and I would pick up the things I thought that could help me if I ever got the opportunity again. Fortunately, I did and I get to use all that knowledge.”

Now that he is back in the cockpit, he’s got one objective on his mind, winning races.

Vangergriff occupies the seat that was one of the greatest drag racers in the history of the sport, John Force. A self proclaimed race fan, Vandegriff has a unique opportunity to learn and work with a racing legend, an opportunity he could not pass up.

“I grew up watching John Force be John Force, driving these Funny Cars and being the personality that everyone loved. I never, ever pictured in my entire life to get the opportunity to know John Force let alone drive for him,” Vandergriff said. “The fact that John Force believes in me is an unbelievable feeling to have him give me advice and be in my corner.”

Coming from Top Fuel to Funny Car there was a bit of a learning curve. Vandergriff likened a Top Fuel dragster to a rocket ship with the way the engine is behind the driver. But in a Funny Car, that engine is right between the drivers legs.

“The best way I can describe it (Funny Car) is it feels like an angry lawn mower that doesn’t want to cut the grass,” Vandergriff said. “It doesn’t want to go straight, the last thing it wants to do is go straight. Driving a Funny Car takes finesse and takes strength.”

Winning two races in his first season behind the wheel of a Funny Car means Vandergriff has overcome challenges in the cockpit and overcome them quickly.

“The biggest challenge is how big of movements you need to make with the steering wheel and how quick they need to happen,” Vandergriff said. “Driving the Funny Car you have to be aggressive with your movements.”

Vandergriff is a +700 underdog to be the Funny Car event winner, which is tied for third best odds behind Ron Capps (+500) and Matt Hagan (+600), according to the Caesars Sportsbook Muckleshoot.

The key to success for Vandergriff is relying on his team.

“It’s gonna take my guys, Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker and my Cornwell Quality Tools boys. It is going to take them, they put together a great race car for me in Sonoma last weekend,” Vandergriff said. “I think coming to Seattle off the back of Sonoma, where we came out the number one qualifier and win the race. I think there is a really good chance for us to do that here.”

Racing begins with the preliminary rounds at 12:30 p.m. July 24 at Pacific Raceways. The finals are at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 26.

Local driver Dallas Glenn is the Pro Stock Event favorite at +260 and Shawn Langdon is the Top Fuel favorite at +350, according to the Caesars Sportsbook at Muckleshoot. Both Langdon and Glenn won last year’s races at Pacific Raceways.