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The Mid-West Drag Racing Series is collapsing two of its 2026 Flying H Drag Strip dates into a single weekend, turning what had been the June and October Smack Down stops into a four-day double-header September 24-27 – two complete, separately scored races run back-to-back with their own purses, their own qualifying, and their own eliminations. Series founder Keith Haney announced the move alongside Flying H Drag Strip owner Scott Higgs, citing a stack of scheduling and economic pressure points that made consolidating the dates the right play. The FIFA World Cup, competing series stepping on MWDRS race dates, and a regional hotel market running north of $300 a night – when rooms can be found at all – all factored in. “We looked hard at what racers are actually spending to make one of these weekends, and the math doesn’t look the way it used to,” says Haney. “Fuel is up, hotels are up, food is up, payroll is up. Instead of asking our people to make two separate trips and pay two separate sets of bills, we’re giving them two complete races in one trip. More racing, more purse, one hotel bill.” The format was Higgs’s idea. “Scott laid it out and it made too much sense to ignore,” says Haney. “He knows what our racers are dealing with. He knows what this track can deliver. We figured if we’re going to do it, let’s do it big, and that’s exactly what this weekend is.” The format runs Thursday through Sunday. Race 1 qualifies Thursday and runs eliminations Friday. Race 2 qualifies Saturday and runs eliminations Sunday, a departure from MWDRS’s standard no-Sunday policy. Wednesday is open for paid testing and track rental, with reservations going through Blake Housley directly. Every class will race for two complete purses across the weekend. Pro Mod tops the card at a combined $82,000. Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will race for $12,500 in total purse money, Pro 4.20 for $11,300, and the junior dragster categories – PJD and SJD – for $900 across the two events. Racers are free to enter multiple classes, and class entries carry across both events, meaning a driver doubled up in Pro Mod and Top Sportsman is looking at four shots at money in four days. The structure comes with a clear caveat: this is two races, not one stretched into four days. That means two entry fees and two crew fees. A single registration link will cover both events, but racers will need to buy in for each race individually, and the on-site schedule will look different from the standard MWDRS template to fit two complete races into the window. Local class lineups are still to be announced, and Haney hinted at the possibility of a brand-new class added specifically for the weekend. “Our marketing partners deserve two big shows, and that’s what we’re going to deliver,” says Haney. “We’ve got more news coming on local classes, and there’s a real chance we add something brand new just for this weekend. Stay tuned, because we’re not done announcing yet.” A registration link and final schedule are expected in the coming days. This story was originally published on May 19, 2026. The post Mid-West Drag Racing Series Combines June and October Flying H Events Into One Double-Race Weekend first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Dustin Farthing as the new President of the organization, marking a major step forward in the company’s continued expansion across multiple motorsports disciplines. Farthing brings decades of experience as both a world champion racer and successful business leader. Widely recognized as one of the most accomplished personal watercraft racers in the world, Farthing has earned more than 30 professional world championships throughout his career while also competing across multiple forms of motorsports including offshore racing, snowcross, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo competition. Beyond racing, he has built and operated multiple successful businesses nationwide, including powersports dealerships, motorsports operations, sponsorship programs, and large-scale construction companies. As President, Farthing will oversee the continued growth and strategic direction of the IHRA across all divisions including drag racing, offshore powerboat racing, personal watercraft, stock car racing, pulling, snowmobile competition, concerts, and future motorsports expansions. “IHRA has an incredible foundation, an iconic brand, and some of the most passionate racers and fans in motorsports,” said Farthing. “This organization has the opportunity to become one of the most powerful motorsports platforms in the world by uniting multiple disciplines under one vision. Our focus moving forward will be growing the sport, supporting racers and tracks, building stronger sponsor partnerships, and creating world-class experiences for fans, competitors, and communities across the country.” Founded in 1970, the International Hot Rod Association has long been recognized as one of the premier sanctioning bodies in North American motorsports. Originally built around drag racing, the organization has rapidly expanded in recent years into offshore powerboat racing, stock car racing, pulling, and personal watercraft competition. Under the ownership of Darryl Cuttell, the IHRA has entered an aggressive growth phase with expanded national schedules, acquisitions of additional racing properties, and the continued development of new motorsports divisions designed to bring racers and fans together under one unified championship platform. “Dustin is exactly the type of leader this organization needs as we continue building the future of the IHRA,” said Cuttell. “He understands racers, sponsors, promotion, operations, and the business side of motorsports at the highest level. More importantly, he brings energy, vision, and a racer-first mentality that aligns perfectly with where we are taking this company. We believe Dustin will play a major role in helping elevate IHRA into one of the most recognized motorsports organizations in the world.” Farthing has already played a major role in helping expand the IHRA’s presence in powerboat and personal watercraft racing, where the organization has experienced rapid growth through new national events, major sponsor partnerships, increased racer participation, and expanded media exposure. The IHRA continues its 2026 season with events across the United States spanning multiple disciplines and championship series. Additional announcements regarding future expansions, sponsorship initiatives, and upcoming event properties are expected throughout the year. This story was originally published on May 19, 2026. The post IHRA Names Dustin Farthing President of the International Hot Rod Association first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The new Norton Manx R combines a 206 hp 1,200 cc V4, Marzocchi semi-active suspension, Brembo Hypure brakes and serious TVS backing. We ride it on road and track in Spain to see whether Norton’s latest rebirth has real substance. The post 2026 Norton Manx R Review | Reborn British V4 delivers appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

IHRA Names Dustin Farthing President of the International Hot Rod Association FAIRFIELD, OHIO — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Dustin Farthing as the new President of the organization, marking a major step forward in the company’s continued expansion across multiple motorsports disciplines. Farthing brings decades of experience as both a world champion racer and successful business leader. Widely recognized as one of the most accomplished personal watercraft racers in the world, Farthing has earned more than 30 professional world championships throughout his career while also competing across multiple forms of motorsports including offshore racing, snowcross, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo competition. Beyond racing, he has built and operated multiple successful businesses nationwide, including powersports dealerships, motorsports operations, sponsorship programs, and large-scale construction companies. As President, Farthing will oversee the continued growth and strategic direction of the IHRA across all divisions including drag racing, offshore powerboat racing, personal watercraft, stock car racing, pulling, snowmobile competition, concerts, and future motorsports expansions. “IHRA has an incredible foundation, an iconic brand, and some of the most passionate racers and fans in motorsports,” said Dustin Farthing. “This organization has the opportunity to become one of the most powerful motorsports platforms in the world by uniting multiple disciplines under one vision. Our focus moving forward will be growing the sport, supporting racers and tracks, building stronger sponsor partnerships, and creating world-class experiences for fans, competitors, and communities across the country.” Founded in 1970, the International Hot Rod Association has long been recognized as one of the premier sanctioning bodies in North American motorsports. Originally built around drag racing, the organization has rapidly expanded in recent years into offshore powerboat racing, stock car racing, pulling, and personal watercraft competition. Under the ownership of Darryl Cuttell, the IHRA has entered an aggressive growth phase with expanded national schedules, acquisitions of additional racing properties, and the continued development of new motorsports divisions designed to bring racers and fans together under one unified championship platform. “Dustin is exactly the type of leader this organization needs as we continue building the future of the IHRA,” said Darryl Cuttell. “He understands racers, sponsors, promotion, operations, and the business side of motorsports at the highest level. More importantly, he brings energy, vision, and a racer-first mentality that aligns perfectly with where we are taking this company. We believe Dustin will play a major role in helping elevate IHRA into one of the most recognized motorsports organizations in the world.” Farthing has already played a major role in helping expand the IHRA’s presence in powerboat and personal watercraft racing, where the organization has experienced rapid growth through new national events, major sponsor partnerships, increased racer participation, and expanded media exposure. The IHRA continues its 2026 season with events across the United States spanning multiple disciplines and championship series. Additional announcements regarding future expansions, sponsorship initiatives, and upcoming event properties are expected throughout the year. The post IHRA Names Dustin Farthing New President Of The International Hot Rod Association appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Norton Executive Director Richard Arnold discusses the TVS-backed brand’s rebirth, why the Manx R leads the new era, how Norton plans to support customers globally, and what needs to happen before Australians are asked to take the plunge. The post Norton’s next chapter | Richard Arnold on TVS backing, trust and global ambition appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Norton CTO Brian Gillen explains the engineering thinking behind the new Manx R, including its 72-degree V4, road-focused superbike brief, Marzocchi semi-active suspension and the decision to avoid the winglet-heavy direction taken by many modern superbikes. The post Norton Manx R engineering deep dive | Brian Gillen on technical development appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Norton Head of Design Simon Skinner talks through the thinking behind the new Manx R, the challenge of balancing heritage with modernity, and how the TVS-backed brand is trying to define a new design language. The post Simon Skinner interview | Designing Norton’s future without being trapped by its past appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Big money was on the line at Byron Dragway. Here are the winners that brought home the cash from the Autoland Door Car Challenge. View the full article

Moscow is a city of superlatives, a sprawling, historic metropolis where architectural grandeur meets the relentless pace of modern Russian life. It’s a place that demands a certain level of intensity to survive, let alone create. In this high-pressure environment, Alexey Sorokin operates Copper Cho... View the full article

This weekend marked the 9th Annual running of the revived Doorslammers event, powered by Fueltech, at Santa Pod Raceway. Being an outlaw event, there is always a huge variety of cars and combinations that don’t fit the standard FIA rulebook, and some of the cars running in FIA competition will change their combos for this event only. With Andy Robinson and the Anger Management team being one of the few remaining Pro Mod cars using a clutch, they decided to take full advantage of the Outlaw format, installing an EZ Motorsports lock up clutch. Qualifying was cut short due to some inclement weather conditions, but the Anger Management team qualified in a strong No. 4 position, with worldwide Pro Mod racer and superstar DJ Carl Cox holding the No. 1 spot. Qualifying position isn’t as important on race day, however, as pairings are drawn at random in a chip draw for each round, adding to the outlaw style drama of this event. Robinson drew FIA Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren in the first round, the same driver who defeated Andy last year. This time the Anger Management team flipped the script, defeating Malmgren, David Vegter and Lars Sjoholm on the way to the final. Perhaps more impressive was the team’s improvement in performance, from an opening 5.90 on Friday to a near personal best 5.821 at 247.82 mph as the team dialed the new clutch system in. Unfortunately, Robinson couldn’t quite overcome the mighty turbo power that Andres Arnover and the Fast Ford Racing team from Estonia utilised in the final, with Robinson’s 5.82 coming up short against Arnover’s 5.73 at an impressive 259.65 mph. However, the team is thrilled with an excellent second-place finish after a weekend of relentless competition. The result marks another major achievement for Robinson and the Anger Management operation, adding further momentum to their 2026 campaign ahead of the upcoming FIA European Championship season. The Anger Management/Robinson Race Cars team would like to thank their sponsors and performance partners: Star Racer belts, Mike Janis Superchargers, NGK Spark Plugs UK, Nimbus Motorsport, PAC Racing Springs, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Noonan Race Engineering, EZ Motorsports, PRS and Manton Rocker Arms, as well as a huge thanks to the dedicated and hard working ‘Anger Management’ crew. The post Andy Robinson Delivers Final-Round Performance at The Doorslammers 2026 first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Now two races into the seven-race 2026 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series season, serious contenders are emerging as the series returns to Virginia Motorsports Park this weekend for the Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Classic Graphix, May 21-23. It’s still early in the world championship battles, but racers across the PDRA’s professional, sportsman, and Jr. Dragster categories are fighting for all the points they can get to contend for a season title. VMP, located in the history-rich area just outside Richmond, is the next battlefield in that fight. “Virginia Motorsports Park has been a part of the PDRA since the beginning,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “We called this track home for several years and it’s always great to come back. From the pro ranks to the Jr. Dragster classes, a lot of our racers call Virginia and the surrounding area home as well. They grew up racing here or they race here on a weekly basis. The local fans always know when we’re coming to town, too, so we’re excited to put on a show for them. We’re going to deal with some weather, no doubt, but our team is prepared to do what it takes to keep things rolling.” For the second consecutive race on the PDRA tour, FloRacing will offer a free livestream through its FloRacing 24/7 channel. For Friday qualifying only, fans can stream for free on FloRacing 24/7 through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Fubo, and other free video platforms. Saturday eliminations will also be available for FloRacing subscribers. Three-time world champion Tommy Franklin is back on top as the points leader in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars driving his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro. He qualified No. 1 at the season opener and raced to victory at the last stop on tour, the Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech at Darana Motorsports Park – Benson, NC. “Mountain Man” Mike Achenbach, who won the season opener in his return to Pro Nitrous, sits second in his Fulton-powered ’20 Camaro. Defending world champion Marcus Butner is third in his Musi-powered “Heartbreaker” ’69 Camaro with a semifinal finish at the season opener and a No. 1 qualifier award at the last race. There’s a new E.T. record holder in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive since the class last raced at Virginia, as Johnny Camp set a new record at the season opener and proceeded to win the event as well. With a semifinal finish in his ProCharger-boosted “Hells Bells” ’69 Camaro at Benson, he’s also the points leader going into Virginia. Two-time Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris, who won at Benson in his Harts Charger-boosted “Party Time” ’69 Camaro, is second in points. Melanie Salemi sits just a few points behind Harris in third with a No. 1 qualifier award and runner-up finish at the last race in her screw-blown Al-Lee Installations “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird. Blake Denton, the 2023 Super Street world champion, is pursuing a second PDRA title, this time in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing. Behind the wheel of the nitrous-fed “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro previously driven by the late Lizzy Musi, he won the most recent event and went to the semis at the season opener to enter Virginia as the points leader. Jerry Morgano, who qualified No. 1 and reached the final round at the season opener in his turbocharged, small-block “Copperhead” ’02 Mustang, is second in the standings. Virginia’s own Ron Green is third chasing his first win of the season in his screw-blown “Gamechanger” ’00 Firebird. J.C. Beattie Jr. is running away with the points lead in Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises, where he won both races, qualified No. 1 at the season opener, and qualified No. 2 at the second race in his Reher-Morrison-powered ATI Performance Products ’18 Camaro. Former Top Sportsman standout Jeff Pittman, now in his second year in the class, earned his first career No. 1 qualifier award at the last race driving his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle and was runner-up at the season opener to sit second in points. Newcomer David Cook Jr. is third in his Nelson-powered Copy&PrintWarehouse.com ’10 GTO with a runner-up finish at Benson. Defending 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling world champion Connor McGee picked up where he left off, as he’s the points leader once again two races into the season. The driver of the Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang won the season opener and qualified No. 1 and raced to the final round at Benson. His championship challenger last season, Austin Vincent, is chasing him again as the No. 2 driver in points. Vincent in his nitrous-fed Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang won the last race in Benson. Dan Whetstine, the 2024 world champion, is third in his ProCharged “Red Velvet” ’91 Mustang with a runner-up finish at the season opener. The points leaders in the sportsman classes going into Virginia are Scott Duggins in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Josh Duggins in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Joe Roubicek in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and Steven Boone in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes. Local bracket racers will also get the chance to race at the Mid-Atlantic Showdown in Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products. In the PDRA’s Jr. Dragster ranks, the points leaders are Katelyn Page in Pro Jr. Dragster and Carter Hayes in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster. Due to rain in the forecast, PDRA officials have adjusted the typical event schedule for the Mid-Atlantic Showdown. After a pair of test sessions on Thursday morning, qualifying for all classes will begin at 3 p.m. starting with Top Sportsman and Top Dragster, rolling into the pros, and ending with the Jr. Dragster classes. Two more qualifying sessions are set for Friday. Saturday eliminations are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with pros on-track around noon. The schedule is subject to change. For a detailed schedule and updates, visit www.Facebook.com/PDRARacing. Tickets are available for $20 on Thursday, $25 on Friday, and $30 on Saturday. Discounted Junior and Kids tickets are also available, while kids 5 and under get in free. Purchase tickets at www.PDRA660.com or at the gate. PDRA fans around the world can catch all the action live on the official event live stream through www.FloRacing.com. The post PDRA Season Carries On With Mid-Atlantic Showdown at Virginia Motorsports Park first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Chicago native TJ Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum-backed Zizzo Racing team turned in a memorable weekend performance at their home event, the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK, advancing into race day after qualifying No. 10 in a stacked Top Fuel field at Route 66 Raceway. Zizzo piloted the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster to a strong 3.774-second pass at 331.61 mph during Friday night qualifying, securing the team’s spot for race day and once again proving why Zizzo Racing is regarded as one of the toughest part-time operations in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. In Sunday’s opening round, Zizzo squared off against four-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown in one of the most competitive matchups of the first round. Zizzo lost the starting line advantage over Brown, but he stayed in contention throughout the run before Brown narrowly drove around him for the win. “We gave Antron [Brown] a run for his money,” said Zizzo. “The car performed, and the driver did okay. Most importantly, besides giving Antron a run for the money, my dad left here with a smile. That’s always a positive in our book here at Zizzo Racing. Look around, we had fun. This is probably the most fun I’ve had at Chicago in a long time.” For Zizzo, the weekend represented far more than just on-track performance. Racing in front of family, friends, sponsors and hometown fans made the Route 66 event one of the highlights of the season for the Chicago-based driver, who is competing in a limited schedule during the 2026 season. Throughout the weekend, Zizzo hosted his annual Nitro Cakes pancake breakfast for fans and welcomed approximately 250 guests through the team’s hospitality and suite experience at the track.“We had roughly 250 people here,” said Zizzo. “We had a suite, we had the Kittie’s Warriors charity on the midway, we had hospitality and we had MTT Master Truck & Trailer RVs out here. We had so much going on and it was a blast.” The weekend also served as another reminder of the consistency and professionalism the Zizzo Racing operation has become known for despite its part-time schedule. “It’s always so cool to pull this car out, and out-qualify people who do this for a living,” said Zizzo. “When I go to other race shops to get advice or pick up parts, they say to me, ‘you guys are the best part-time team out there.’ And that’s an incredible thing to hear.” Zizzo was quick to credit his experienced crew for the team’s continued success against the sport’s full-time powerhouses. “My crew guys are the best,” said Zizzo. “And what they love is the nods they get from other teams, after we go out there and rip a good session. Those little nods that other teams give our team members are what keeps bringing them back. We go up there, we look professional, we act professional, and things work out in our direction most of the time.” Zizzo Racing’s next race will be the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on September 2-7 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. To keep up to date on Zizzo Racing’s 2026 plans, follow TJ Zizzo on social media. And for tickets or more information on the NHRA U.S. Nationals visit www.nhra.com. This story was originally published on May 19, 2026. The post TJ Zizzo Keeps Busy and Positive During Hometown Race in Chicago first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

For full-time Chicago firefighter and Funny Car driver and team owner Chris King the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak was a solid start to his 2026 NHRA season. The independent team rolled into Rt. 66 Raceway looking to make four quality runs in qualifying, earn a spot in the 16-car field and represent their sponsors Howards Cams/Competition Products with strong runs on race day. King made the most of the three-day national event earning the No. 16 qualifier spot with a solid 4.142 second run at 266.79 mph pass. For his efforts he drew the No. 1 qualifier and defending event winner Jack Beckman. “We’re finally getting this car dialed in, and it’s only getting better,” said King. “This Howards Cam/Competition Products Funny Car is fast, but this chassis is older, the body is older, and those older technologies don’t like fast. Now we’re fighting old technology with power, and we’re trying to get that happy median going. (Crew chief) Bob’s (Peck) doing a great job at getting this thing caught up, we stretched out the clutch a little bit, and kind of reeled it in, and changed some weight and balance, and it responded. It still lifted the front end up, and it knocked a couple holes out, but it was trucking. It was a good run, and we’re very happy with it.” King and Beckman have a long history together and the first round had several interesting story lines. Beckman’s son Jason designed the livery on King’s 12,000-horsepower Nitro Funny Car. Beckman is a consistent supporter of King throughout the season, and the Funny Car drivers discuss the ins and outs of racing one of the toughest classes in motorsports on a regular basis. King was looking to make a strong showing in front of his Chicago friends and family while Beckman was looking to impress his hometown-based sponsor Peak with another national event win in their backyard. “I love racing Jack, because he’s a true professional, and he’s one of my best friends out here,” said King. “Jack’s one of my big supporters, and getting to race him, it’s all fun and joking and up front, but when the helmets are on, he wants to beat me, and I want to beat him. The minute we pull the cars off at the top end, we hop out of the cars and give each other big hugs and congratulations. We were talking about how fun that run was.” Both cars took off the starting line together with King grabbing a head start off the line. As they crossed the halfway mark Beckman began to pull away. At the finish line it was Beckman getting the win light with a quicker 3.945 second run in front of a respectable 4.233 second run.“I kept them honest, at least,” said King proudly. “I did everything I could do. We made a clean run that looked good. I left on him. He is with John Force Racing, and Jack is phenomenal driver. That car outperformed us, and I’m not mad about it. We ran a good lap, we looked good, the car felt good. We’re chasing some balance issues with the chassis. It still hiked the front end pretty good, so it probably made for a good video watching it, and it was fun to drive. I didn’t see him until the very, very end, which was kind of cool.” Prior to race day King spent Saturday morning with fellow Chicago-based driver TJ Zizzo serving Nitro Cake pancakes to fans. The fan interaction opportunity was part of a busy Saturday for King who was also a featured guest on the NHRA stage with Hannah Rickards talking about his racing journey and plans for the weekend to the fans in the NHRA pit area. Between qualifying runs King was on the rope line signing hero cards and Competition Products catalogues for fans. “It’s very cool being here, first, for the friends and family, but also for the fans,” said King. “The whole experience about being the hometown guy. When I was in the car, I heard them in Q4 saying, ‘Oh, Chris is probably gonna pull out of the lanes.’ I was like hell no we aren’t pulling out. We’re putting on a show. Our friends, our family, first responders, everybody’s here to see these Funny Cars go down the track. We’re going down the track. That almost bit me in the rear end, but it was a hell of a pass, a hell of a save, and I’m hoping it added to my street cred with my driving capabilities all weekend. This thing’s been hiking up the front, making exciting videos, and dancing around and hauling. I hope that people notice that just because we’re a small team, we belong here.” Overall, the weekend was a strong start for King, and he will head back to his shop with solid race data and a positive attitude for the rest of the season. King and the Howards Cam/Competition Products Funny Car plan to compete at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, June 26-28. This story was originally published on May 19, 2026. The post Chris King Makes Solid Start to 2026 Season in Chicago first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Spencer Hyde, the Canadian driver of the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car, continued to build consistency this weekend at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK. The reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year made his best pass of the season during qualifying, earning him a solid No. 5 qualifying position in a stacked Funny Car field. “Three out of our four qualifying runs were handedly in the 3.9-second range, and when you can consistently make those quick A-to-B runs, that gives both the driver and team a lot of confidence,” said Hyde. “Now that we’re seeing more consistency, I’m hoping more personal bests will also be around the corner.”Hyde’s best pass of the weekend came during the third round of qualifying, a 3.930 second, 329.26 mph pass that was the quickest of the session, earning him three valuable bonus points. This run was also both the quickest and fastest of his 2026 season thus far. “That run felt really good, from my perspective in the seat,” said Hyde. “I was confident even before I read the time slip that it was our best run of the year. It was great to see that I was right. That run also made me excited because I knew the conditions of that run would be like E1 on race day.” The Chicago area race is the sixth of the season and is the beginning of summer racing. It was obvious to all the race teams why Chicago is called The Windy City, as they all battled the windy conditions throughout the weekend. In the first round, Hyde was up against No. 12 qualifier Alexis DeJoria, a driver he had a 2-1 record against in previous eliminations. “I’ve faced Alexis now a few times, and I know what to expect when it comes to her routine,” said Hyde. “I knew it would be windy, but that was an obstacle everyone in the class was having to deal with. I was optimistic going into the run, but we unfortunately overpowered the track with the tune up, and Alexis was able to get the best of me, even though I left on her. Now that we have a tied record, I look forward to our next matchup.” DeJoria went on to runner-up, making this the sixth race of the season where the driver who eliminated Hyde went on to either win the race or runner-up in the finals. Despite the early race day exit, Hyde is thankful for the continued support of his sponsors, including Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and the Caine Group. “Our sponsors deserved better than what we were able to execute today,” said Hyde. “But we did make a lot of progress from a data perspective with the car this weekend, and I am looking forward to turning on more win lights for them when we head to another new track in Maryland in a few weeks.” Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car will be back in competition in two weeks at the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS on May 29-31 at Maryland International Raceway. For this new national event, there will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, May 29 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, May 30. For tickets or more information on the Potomac Nationals visit www.nhra.com. This story was originally published on May 19, 2026. The post Spencer Hyde Gains Consistency in Chicago first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

A rare modern classic with collector-grade provenance, this 2022 Royal Enfield INT650 120th Year Anniversary Edition is currently up for sale on Bring a Trailer. One of just 60 examples allocated to the North American market, the limited-production model was created to commemorate Royal Enfield’s 120th anniversary, celebrating the marque’s 1901 founding in England with a uniquely finished and highly detailed interpretation of the beloved INT650 platform. Showing only 337 miles from new, this Anniversary Edition was originally delivered to […] The post FOR SALE: 2022 Royal Enfield INT650 120th Year Anniversary Edition appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article