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Three East Coast regional winners face three from the Midwest and West at the Speed Rack finals in New Orleans.
The 2026 Speed Rack National Finals field splits neatly: three East Coast regionals (Mid-Atlantic, New York, New England) versus one Midwest (Chicago) and two West-of-the-Mississippi regionals (Denver, Seattle). Season 13 was won by a New York-based bartender, and East Coast markets historically send strong contenders. The final bracket is decided in a single evening at Republic NOLA on Sunday, July 19.
Speed Rack alternates its national champion across regions year over year, but East Coast bartenders have taken the crown in several recent seasons thanks to deep New York and DC bar-programming talent pools. The 2026 Mid-Atlantic winner Rebekah Frazier of Bespoke came in as the odds-on favorite from her region after a rescheduled DC regional at Howard Theatre in March. The NYC regional at Melrose Ballroom on March 9 and Boston's Royale event on March 30 rounded out the East Coast bracket. Meanwhile, Becca Petersen of Bar Bambi took the Midwest at Thalia Hall in Chicago, and Jessie Klarson took Seattle's Northwest regional in April during Seattle Cocktail Week. The West regional in Denver on February 9 at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom is the field's wild card given Denver's recent Spirited Awards prominence.
Resolves YES if the Speed Rack Season 14 National Champion is the regional winner from the Mid-Atlantic (DC), New York (NYC), or New England (Boston) region. Resolves NO otherwise. Confirmed via Speed Rack official announcement, Tales of the Cocktail press coverage, or reporting from a named trade publication.
Any of the three East Coast regional winners: Mid-Atlantic (Rebekah Frazier, Bespoke), New York, or New England (Boston).
Sunday, July 19, 2026, following the finals at Republic NOLA during Tales of the Cocktail.
Tickets are available at speed-rack.com. Coverage typically appears on Speed Rack's Instagram (@speed_rack) and across trade press including PUNCH, Bartender Magazine, and Imbibe.
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