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WorldSBK 2026 Phillip Island Test Quotes Nicolò Bulega – P1 “I’m happy because, during this second day, we had the chance to try many different solutions. I liked some of them; others less so, but this helped us understand which path to take. We need to improve further in some areas, but the base is […] The post WorldSBK riders reflect on P.I. Test and look towards season opener appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Steve Magnante is back at it, at Backyard Auto in New Hampshire to check out another great muscle car project or two. Today is a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Convertible, of which only 2,553 were made! These were the cars that gave birth to the insane Super Stock Hemi Barracuda’s and Darts we all know and love. These were fun little cars, and I think one with a Gen 3 Hemi would be a riot with a TKX or 8HP behind it as well. Check this out, as Steve will give all the info you expect. The post Junkyard Crawl With Steve Magnante: Steve Found A 1 of 2,553 Barracuda Formula S Convertible At Backyard Auto In New Hampshire! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

POMONA, Calif. – In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip will again make history this spring during NHRA’s milestone 75th season, as the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals will play host to the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history on April 9-12 on the hallowed grounds at Pomona. Funny Car made its first-ever appearance at the 1966 World Finals in Tulsa, with Eddie Schartman picking up the victory. NHRA’s milestone year in 2026 will begin with the 998th Funny Car race at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, with the historic moment coming two races later in Pomona. The 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph Funny Cars have made history for 60 years, but only one driver will lay claim to being the winner of the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. Last year, Shawn Langdon took the honors at the 1,000th Top Fuel race, while a host of standouts will have their shot in Pomona to etch their own place in history. To get here, this list showcases the first and then every 100th Funny Car winner heading into the historic Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona: 1. Eddie Schartman, 1966 Tulsa, World Finals 100. Tripp Shumake, 1981 Atlanta 200. Bruce Larson, 1989 Winternationals 300. John Force, 1994 Topeka 400. Tim Wilkerson, 1999 Chicago 500. Wilkerson, 2003 U.S. Nationals in Indy 600. Jack Beckman, 2008 Phoenix 700. Johnny Gray, 2012 Englishtown 800. Force, 2016 Denver 900. Cruz Pedregon, 2021 Norwalk So who will win the 75th anniversary Diamond Wally at the 1,000th race in Funny Car history? Will it be back-to-back world champion Austin Prock, who has dominated the past two seasons? Others, including John Force Racing standouts Beckman, who won the Winternationals last year, and his new teammate, Jordan Vandergriff, while Top 75 drivers like Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Pedregon would love to win the magical 1,000th race. One thing is for certain: it will be one of the highlights of NHRA’s milestone 2026 campaign. Legends from those landmark races will all be on hand in Pomona to add to the celebration, while the winner of the 1,000th Funny Car race in Pomona will also receive a special trophy to go along with the diamond Wally. NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein will also be on hand in Pomona to help celebrate this monumental moment and NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. His historic run at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in 1994 – becoming the first to break the 310-mph barrier – will be the commemorative ticket and moment for the weekend, with the first 4,000 fans in attendance on Friday set to receive a special NHRA 75th anniversary Winternationals event poster. In 2025, Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Beckman (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on Sunday April 12 beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Millican, a Top Fuel fan-favorite, claimed his eighth career win last season – and first in Pomona – when he took out motorsports legend Tony Stewart in the final round. Millican advanced to two more finals in 2025, while Stewart won NHRA’s first regular season title. However, it was Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta who claimed his second world title at Pomona at the conclusion of the season. Others to look for will be multi-time Pomona winners Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown and Justin Ashley. Greg Anderson, the winningest active NHRA driver, won his 16th race at the famed facility over KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. The duo battled all season for the championship, but it was Glenn who earned his first title. Anderson, Glenn and the rest of KB Titan Racing will again be up against their longtime rivals at Elite Motorsports, led by six-time world champ Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield. Along with racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, fans will also be treated to action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, Total Seal Tech Talk, the NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun. Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10, and the final two rounds on Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. To purchase tickets to the 2026 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Fans can get closer to the action with a Top Eliminator Club experience, offering the best seats in the house and a premium experience, as well as a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverage, driver appearances, a premium view and more. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com. The post 1,000th Funny Car Race Coming to Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

I’m a big fan of trailers, and I own a few different sizes. With that said, I am one of those people that is always contemplating another size to add to the fleet because they are just so handy. Don’t want to lift heavy stuff into the way too tall bed of your new truck? A small utility trailer will make your life much easier. But there is nothing worse than having a good functional trailer and then having to rig up for every trip. Instead, make sure the trailer is ready to go at a moments notice, and you’ll have a much more pleasurable, safe, and effective trip with your trailer. That means not having to strap down the spare, or having to stash it in the pickup bed. That means having places to tie the load down to, and then having straps that will do the job. And how about storing those straps? How about the electrical connections on your trailer? New or old, every trailer needs a little bit of love to be just right for you when you start using it. So when we saw the TrailerSmith put together a video of some of his favorite trailer mods, I knew we should share it. I’ve got a trailer we are planning to do some big upgrades to this year, as well as a from scratch drag and drive/utility trailer project coming up, so make sure you keep coming back if you dig trailer content because we’ll have plenty to share. Until then, check out the TrailerSmith’s top trailer upgrades. Video Description: Thanks to etrailer for sponsoring this video. Check out their trailer products at https://www.etrailer.com/?etam=a0068 Are your trailer upgrades or accessories actually working for you? In this video, we show you The TrailerSmith’s top 5 essential trailer upgrades or accessories that will save you time and money in the long run. These are practical solutions to common problems that come up when towing a trailer. From D-rings to spare tire mounts to toolboxes, don’t skip the trailer upgrades that actually save you time and money. The post Trailer Tech: Here Are Some Simple, But Effective, Trailer Upgrades That Save You Time, Money, and Aggravation When Hauling A Load appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

If you were to draw a Venn diagram of "legendary reliability" and "unapologetic 90s plastic," the Honda NX650 Dominator would sit right in the center. Launched in 1988, the Dominator was Honda’s answer to the growing demand for "soft" dual-sports—bikes that could handle a gravel fire road on Saturda... View the full article

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – For as long as they have been brothers, Jim and Jon Oberhofer have been involved in drag racing. Since attending races with their father, Dave, the Oberhofer Brothers have been nearly inseparable, working with their dad on the Top Fuel dragsters he was a part of and eventually carving their own drag racing paths, most prominently with Kalitta Motorsports. In 2026, Jim and Jon Oberhofer are together again, this time at Rick Ware Racing (RWR) where the duo will serve as the crew chiefs for Top Fuel drivers Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican, respectively, in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Joining them as co-crew chief for both entries will be another NHRA veteran, Nicky Boninfante. “When you look at what Jim and Jon have accomplished in this sport, it’s remarkable. Championships, U.S. Nationals wins, decades of experience at the highest level, but what really stands out to me is that they’ve grown up in this business together. There’s built-in trust and understanding that isn’t manufactured. Pair that with Nicky’s experience and success, and you’ve got three guys who have seen every scenario drag racing can throw at you,” said team owner Rick Ware. “In NHRA, performance comes down to thousandths of a second, and chemistry matters just as much as horsepower. We feel like we’ve assembled a leadership group that gives both Tony and Clay the tools to compete for wins and contend for championships.” Jim Oberhofer had been Millican’s crew chief since 2022 and when RWR acquired the team in 2023, Jim remained in the role and an integral part of the operation, which has gone on to win five Top Fuel event victories, including the 2024 U.S. Nationals. With the addition of eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher to RWR for the final seven races of 2025, Jim was moved to crew chief of Schumacher’s No. 15 American Communications Construction dragster. The best person to lead Millican’s No. 51 Parts Plus Top Fuel program and maintain its winning ways was, of course, another Oberhofer. Jon Oberhofer comes to RWR from Kalitta where he rose from cylinder head specialist on the double championship-winning Top Fuel dragster of Scott Kalitta in 1994-1995 to co-crew chief for Top Fuel drivers Dave Grubnic (2004-2007) and Doug Kalitta (2007-2008), and Funny Car drivers Jeff Arend (2009-2013), Del Worsham (2014-2016) and J.R. Todd (2017-2025). In addition to the two Top Fuel titles Jim was a part of in 1994-1995, he won two Funny Car championships via Worsham in 2015 and Todd in 2018. And, like his brother, Jon has tasted victory at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, winning back-to-back with Todd in 2017-2018. “Jim and I have worked together a lot over the years, so there’s already an understanding before you even open the trailer in the morning,” Jon said. “We don’t have to explain much because we already know what each other is thinking. Coming into Rick Ware Racing with Tony and Clay and having Nicky there too, it just felt comfortable right away. It’s competitive, but it’s also fun, and that’s usually when you do your best work.” Jim Oberhofer began his time at Kalitta as a parts washer in 1983. After working with Frank Cook and Chuck Landers on their Alcohol Funny Car in 1984-1986 and Jay Meyer’s Top Alcohol dragster in 1987, Jim retuned to Kalitta in 1988 as a crew member for Scott Kalitta and his Top Fuel dragster. He soon took on many roles, from cylinder head specialist for Scott Kalitta to co-crew chief for Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta (2000-2003) to crew chief for Scott Kalitta (2004-2005), Hillary Will (2006-2008) and Doug Kalitta (2009-2018), all while serving as the team’s general manager for 18 years (2000-2017). “Jon and I have spent our whole lives around these cars, so getting the chance to do this together again is pretty special,” Jim said. “We’ve both worked different paths over the years, but the approach never really changes. You pay attention to the details and take care of the people around you. Tony and Clay give great feedback, Nicky brings a steady hand across both teams, and that makes our job easier. It feels like a group that knows how to work together before the season even starts.” Like the Oberhofers, Nicky Boninfante began his drag racing career attending races in the early 1970s with his father, Nick Boninfante Sr. Nicky has also curated an impressive resume that includes previous crossovers with the Oberhofers, as he spent two stints at Kalitta – Top Fuel in 1994-1995 as clutch specialist for Scott Kalitta before returning in 2008 as crew chief for Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel and then co-crew chief in Funny Car from 2009 through 2019 with drivers Arend (2009-2013), Worsham (2014-2016), Alexis DeJoria (2017) and Shawn Langdon (2018-2019). In 2015, Boninfante pulled double duty by also serving as crew chief for Worsham, where they won the 2015 NHRA Funny Car championship. “After being around this sport as long as I have, you recognize when a group fits. There’s respect here. Nobody guards information and nobody panics when things don’t go perfectly. That lets you make smarter decisions, and over a long season that usually shows up on the scoreboard,” said Boninfante, who has been with RWR since 2024. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off its milestone 75th season with the NHRA Gatornationals March 5-8 at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway. Livestreaming of every round can be seen on NHRA.TV with FS1 providing tape-delayed coverage. The post Oberhofer Brothers Together Again at Rick Ware Racing first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Pro 10.5 racers will have more on the line than ever when the class returns to the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Red Line Oil, Feb. 26–28 at Bradenton Motorsports Park, where a lucrative $25,000 winner’s purse headlines the Pro 10.5 Challenge. In addition to racing for one of the richest payouts in class history, competitors will also decide the inaugural DI Winter Series presented by J&A Service Pro 10.5 champion, with the champion earning a $5,000 bonus and a massive custom baseball bat from Victus Sports as a one-of-a-kind trophy. “This is a big moment for Pro 10.5,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated founder and Winter Series promoter. “We’ve watched the class bring incredible energy and car counts to the World Series of Pro Mod the last two years, so bringing them into the full three-race Winter Series for the 2025/2026 season felt like the natural next step. Rewarding the drivers who’ve supported the series by adding a championship element takes it to the next level. Big thanks to Tom Kasper, Kasper Performance Edge, and everyone at Victus Sports for helping to make it all possible.” Ohio’s Bill Lutz raced to the $10,000 Pro 10.5 victory at the Winter Series opener, the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, when he defeated Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox in the final round. Outlaw 10.5 veterans Jerry Morgano and Nick Agostino faced off in the Pro 10.5 final round at the second race, the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission, with Morgano edging out Agostino for the $10,000 prize. Heading into WSOPM, Agostino is the points leader in his turbocharged, small-block-powered “Cannoli Express” ’69 Camaro. Morgano and his “Copperhead” ’02 Mustang Cobra, also powered by a turbocharged small block, aren’t far behind in second. Cox is third with his nitrous-fed “Training Day” ’69 Camaro, while Lutz and Joel Wensley Jr. round out the top five in points. The Winter Series Pro 10.5 will collect a $5,000 bonus along with a custom, five-foot-long baseball bat produced by Victus Sports. Victus designs and handcrafts pro-quality wood bats for players of all ages, from Little League beginners to dozens of MLB superstars. Victus has also provided custom, regulation-sized bats for the No. 1 qualifiers in Pro Mod and Pro 10.5 at the Snowbirds, the U.S. Street Nationals, and WSOPM. “Victus sponsored my son, Ty, when he played baseball in school and they’ve continued their support when he decided to focus on racing,” said Tom Kasper, Pro 10.5 class liaison and car owner. “The baseball bats make for a really memorable trophy that stands out when you hang it on the wall or put it in your trophy case. I’m looking forward to presenting this massive bat to the first-ever Winter Series Pro 10.5 champion.” The World Series of Pro Mod will also crown a $150,000 Pro Mod winner, as well as the 2025/2026 Winter Series Pro Mod champion. The event lineup also includes True 10.5, Lil Gangstas, and much more. Tickets for the World Series of Pro Mod are on sale now. Visit www.TheWinterSeries.com/tickets to purchase tickets. This story was originally published on February 17, 2026. The post $25,000, Inaugural Championship On The Line For Pro 10.5 at WSOPM first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

When the hit television shows Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings stopped filming after 15 seasons, many fans wondered what would be next for their beloved drivers. Two of its most popular stars – Ryan Martin and Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington – didn’t waste much time getting back to doing what they’ve always done: Race. Martin quickly jumped into the Small Tire ring, hosting his own events across the south last winter, competing at large no-prep events such as Outlaw Armageddon, and is currently running the True 10.5 class at the Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service. While testing in Bradenton, he recently became the first driver to record a 3-second pass on 28×10.5 slicks, running a 3.949 at 198.73 mph. Ellington, meanwhile, has jumped headfirst into the Pro Mod waters, competing in the Midwest Drag Racing Series for most of 2026 in “Blue,” the twin-turbo ‘69 Camaro owned by Keith Haney. He won in just his third career start in the class, and is now racing in his second Winter Series. If all that wasn’t enough, the two drivers announced the Right Trailers Outlaw Street Series presented by XPEL at PRI, which will take place at select NHRA national events this year. Now they’re stepping into what is their biggest project to date: the Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series, an eight-race series paying $20k to win at each event, with a points champion crowned at the end of the year. In addition to the headlining Small Tire class, Outlaw Syndicate will feature Lil Gangstas, 6.50 Index, Daily Driver, and Jr. Dragsters. Prior to the season starting, both Martin and Ellington sat down with Drag Illustrated to share how the Outlaw Syndicate Series came about, and what fans can expect. Since filming stopped for Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings, you guys have been venturing out and trying different things. What made you decide to start your own series? Shawn Ellington: It all started when Ryan did his own thing last winter to try to stay busy. We’d worked so much, embraced so much for so many years with the Street Outlaws and NPK stuff, that you take that away from us for a month and we get bored very easily. So last winter, when I was doing the Winter Series stuff, Ryan was putting on small-tire races. How many did you have? Ryan Martin: I think we ended up with five during the winter time. SE: It worked out really well. I ended up doing one of them with him in the OG car and it was an amazing time. I’m gonna be honest with you – it was laid back, it was simple, it was small-tire stuff with my favorite car of my fleet, and it felt like I was just racing with my buddies again. It wasn’t my way of living. It wasn’t my livelihood. When Ryan asked if we wanted to think about doing our own small tire series, I said I think that would be amazing. It’s a good way to make some money, it’s a good way to meet the fans, it’s a good way to just go out and spend some time with fans and racers and family. RM: I think also, just to be truthful, there’s a few different sides of racing. One of them that we all know is the super awesome, enjoyable side that’s everybody’s pastime, and you go do something fun and hang out with the family and go race one of my favorite cars. But for us, it was also like, on the business side of this, we stepped out of something that we were able to make a living doing, and I think me and Shawn kind of sat back and said, how do we continue to make a living with what we’re good at? So we said let’s see if we can make some money on the promotional side of it. We know how to drag race, we know how to do well, we know how to win championships. Let’s see if we can be promoters. We’re hoping that with our popularity and following, which showed during our test run of those five races we did last year, helps springboard this series. So while Shawn’s correct – we love it, it’s enjoyable, we love the small-tire deal – we wanted to get into the business side of drag racing, and here we are. You mentioned the laid-back atmosphere at these races. Talk a little bit about what went into putting this schedule together – there seems to be some different and/or smaller tracks that give new fans an opportunity to see you. SE: So it’s not just me and Ryan. We have a third guy, Carson Baker, who drives the orange car that looks a lot like the Fireball Camaro. Him and Ryan became buddies, and he wanted to be involved in this with us. He’s the type of guy who wants to pull his own weight, so we continuously hear from him and he told us, ‘I can’t bring things to the table like you guys can, but what I can do is work hard, reach out to tracks, and put this stuff together.’ We told him what we were looking for…not huge venues. We don’t need to get a place that houses 30,000 people and 5,000 people show up. We need smaller venues, places we haven’t been to the last 10 seasons with NPK, closer to people that haven’t gotten to get out and see us race. Carson talked with all the tracks, got us set up, and made the schedule. It’s tough trying to not schedule things on top of other races, and we also have things that could interfere with what Ryan and myself already have going on, which is Midwest Pro Mod and the four NHRA races that we’re planning on doing this season. It took a lot of work, and I feel like where me and Ryan lack, Carson makes up for it. RM: One thing Shawn’s kind of forgetting is whenever Covid hit, him and I were both used to making money on this TV show, so what are we gonna do now? Covid was an uncertainty – we could go two years or five years without work. We just didn’t know, so we did something pretty close to this same thing and we hit some ridiculous amount…it was like 12 tracks in four weeks. It was all small venues, and we knocked it out of park on every one of them. So when I did my series last year, I went to smaller races that are not too far away from me. We ended up at a lot of tracks in Mississippi and Texas here in the south where people hadn’t seen us 405 guys before, and it was a big hit. We took the list from Covid and we took a list that I did, listed every single track we could think of, and I turned Carson loose with it. I gave him about 25 tracks and we came up with eight that are a good fit for us. There have been a couple changes to the class line-up recently. What can fans expect to see at your events? SE: We did change a couple of things recently. We’re going to add a 6.50 Index class and a Jr. Dragster class for the kids. A lot of these tracks that we’re going to cater to Jr. Dragsters. They’re the future of racing, so we wanted a place for them also. So we’re not going to do the All Steel-All Glass because honestly, anybody who could run ASAG can jump in the 5.30 Lil’ Gangstas class. RM: Yeah, we basically decided to merge those two classes after putting some thought into it. We had a long conversation between the three of us, and we wanted to add the 6.50 Index because it seemed like the most popular index class. We wanted to do Jr. Dragsters for the kids, but we felt like we were possibly shortchanging one of the classes by having those two. We kept 5.30 because it’s obviously the next big thing going right now. I think it’s hot. You could have 40, 50, 60 cars if you’re really trying. And like Shawn said, most all of the ASAG cars can run in 5.30 if they want. We’ll still have Daily Driver. The 28’s class is still gonna pay 20 grand. We think that Lil’ Gangstas is gonna pay $10,000. We’re currently talking with a few sponsors that have asked for that to be their class, so we’re trying to get it up around 10 grand. SE: We’re gonna have a good time, and we’re gonna run the 5.30 Lil’ Gangstas class with a couple of cars, like our ‘55 Chevy and Ryan’s champagne ‘69 Camaro. It’ll also give Phantom a place to race his truck, and if Aiden’s car is done, he’ll have his Chevelle in it. The Lil’ Gangstas class is just a fun class, and it doesn’t matter who you are, what your car runs. It’s pretty amazing. There’s been a lot of discussion recently in small-tire racing about whether the clocks should be on or off. Which way will they be at your races? (Long pause…) RM: I was waiting to see what Shawn said. SE: I was doing the same thing. RM: You know, we haven’t really talked about that a lot. We’re trying to figure it out, watching to see how everything else is going to pan out. We wanted to see how everybody accepted the Winter Series with the clocks being on, and I honestly don’t know how they accept it yet. I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I truthfully don’t know what to do, whether we should have them off or not. We’re gonna have to make a decision here pretty soon, but we haven’t pulled the trigger on that yet. SE: And let’s be honest, we realize that we were racers way before we were promoters, so things may change as we go. We may say this is the way it’s gonna be and then figure out at the first race it can’t be like that. We’re new to this and we are open to change. We’re just gonna throw our hats in the ring and see what happens. RM: I think it’s gonna be great, and if we learn to adapt to what is popular and what people like…sometimes the general public doesn’t agree with that. I think our goal here is to make people happy, give them somewhere they want to go, somewhere they want to race. If we have to make adjustments along the way to figure that out, then that’s what we’re going to do. SE: And so far, we’ve got some amazing sponsors on board. We haven’t even really written everything down yet. Well, I’m sure Carson has, but if you saw the list of things that the championship is gonna be worth, it’s gonna be huge. RM: You know, the prize pack…we got Polaris on board for a Razor… SE: Kicker’s gonna outfit that Razor with a stereo system. There are people like Mark Micke who’s going to throw in a shifter to the winner, all kinds of sponsors who are talking about giving products to the series champion. It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to give somebody a reason to chase this series. Not only for that, but the $20,000 to win is pretty good for these smaller tracks. There was also talk about the two of you grudge racing throughout eliminations. Is that still on the table? SE: I don’t know. That’s definitely a possibility and I do believe we’re going to have the cars there. RM: It depends. I don’t know if it’s feasible for us to bring everything. We’re trying to figure that out. If we focus our efforts on running Lil’ Gangstas, we’re not going to compete with these guys with small-tire cars. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to bring five or six cars to come race 5.30 so that we and our crew guys can enjoy it. We’ve also talked about me or Shawn racing the Small Tire champ at the end of the night for an additional $5,000 at a few races. Looking ahead – now that you’re both officially jumping into the promotional side of things, where would you like to see this series head moving forward? RM: One thing we learned from NPK is you can oversaturate things. You can oversaturate yourself for one series – there were a couple times where we raced 16 or 18 times in one season for the NPK series. When you’re chasing a points championship, it’s super grueling to do that to anybody. We’re not gonna do that. I think 10 is the sweet spot for me. In my opinion, if we could stay somewhere between 8-10, that is a fair amount of races for a points champion to try to follow and not get overwhelmed. With NPK, a lot of guys couldn’t keep up with that series because they had to work regular jobs. Guys like me and Shawn, that was what we did for a living. We were fortunate enough that we could go test during the week to stay on top and it showed – we both won championships. But we don’t want to do that to these people. This year we’re at eight; if next year is nine and the following year is 10, that’s probably going to be where we’ll cap it. And honestly, we’re gonna have such a busy year with this series, our NHRA stuff, and Midwest Pro Mod, you’re talking about 30 weekends booked for the year. SE: Not to mention, we haven’t really discussed going to Canada yet, but the three places we’ve been going to in Canada are likely going to be added at some point also. But 8-10 races is, in my opinion, the perfect number. A lot of these guys coming to these races, especially the locals, I feel that we’ll be fortunate enough to have some people that are chasing the championship. But those same people chasing the championship have regular 9-5 jobs. I think especially right now, it’s gonna take a lot of our attention to try to keep the racers happy, keep the fans happy. That’s one of my biggest things is to be there for the fans. A lot of times in NPK, I heard so many times throughout the years, ‘I couldn’t get to Shawn. His line was too long.’ We want to make ourselves readily available. That’s the reason we went ahead and did the VIP tickets where me and Ryan will have personal time, Q&A’s, things like that. Martin and Ellington are quick to thank their long list of growing sponsors for helping make the Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series possible: ProLine, VP Fuels, Quick Performance, XPEL, M&M Transmission, Isky Racing Cams, Hoosier, ProCharger, OC Raw, Larry Jeffers Race Cars, Nitrous Express, Baker American Cycles, Central Power Systems & Services, Polaris Off Road, Billet Specialties, Motion Raceworks, Forced Inductions, Kicker, MidWest Diesel, and ATI Performance Products. 2026 Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series schedule March 27-28: North Florida Motorplex – Fountain, FL April 10-11: Brainerd Motorsports Park – Ringgold, GA May 1-3: Darlington Dragway – Darlington, SC May 15-16: 710 Dragway – Rowland, NC June 5-6: Southside Dragway – Mason County, WV June 12-13: Jackson Dragway – Jackson, TN August 7-8: Holiday Raceway – Woodstock, AL August 21-22: US 60 Dragway – Hardinsburg, KY The post Ryan Martin and Murder Nova Discuss New Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series first appeared on Drag Illustrated. 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Virginia Motorsports Park, one of the East Coast’s premier drag racing destinations, is set to enter a new era. Cuttell Motorsports and the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) have reached an agreement to acquire the Dinwiddie, Virginia, facility from Tommy and Judy Franklin, who’ve owned and operated the track since 2017. Located on more than 500 acres at 8018 Boydton Plank Road, VMP has spent the last eight years under the stewardship of the Franklins, who oversaw significant upgrades and helped elevate the track’s national profile. The quarter-mile surface, converted to all concrete in 2018, has hosted major national and regional events while producing multiple national records, further cementing its reputation as a championship-caliber venue. With the transition, VMP becomes the latest addition to Cuttell’s growing portfolio of drag racing properties operating under the IHRA banner, joining facilities in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and beyond. The multi-purpose complex features a wide array of motorsports activities, from drag racing, autocross, and drifting to the Dirtplex’s motocross, BMX, mud bogs, and more. Despite the ownership change, the Franklins will remain deeply involved in the sport. The couple will continue to own and operate the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series, which is scheduled to compete at Virginia Motorsports Park twice this season. Additionally, longtime track executive Tyler Crossnoe recently stepped down from his role as Vice President of VMP but will remain at the helm of PDRA competition as Series Director, ensuring continuity for racers and teams. “We have truly enjoyed the tenure of time that we have had at this facility,” Tommy Franklin said in a statement. “The gratitude and support that we received was a great motivator for continuing to improve a facility that is near to our heart. We are passing off the baton in hopes that this is just the beginning of even more exciting times in the history of Virginia Motorsports Park.” Franklin also expressed confidence in the track’s future under its new ownership, noting Cuttell’s investment in the drag racing community and the expectation that the venue will continue to grow while hosting memorable events for racers and fans alike. Read the full statement below. This story was originally published on February 17, 2026. The post Virginia Motorsports Park Joins IHRA Collection of Tracks first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The IHRA has officially purchased Virginia Motorsports Park. The track is set to host an Outlaw Nitro Series event in 2026.View the full article

This Honda Nighthawk S is a cool slice of the past that showcased the power of thinking smarter, not harder when it was new. View the full article

Royal Enfield’s parent Eicher Motors plans a major capacity expansion as growth in India’s mid-size segment accelerates.View the full article

Initial Ascent's IAK series backpacks recently wowed us at the Western Hunt Expo, as with 150 pounds on our backs, it felt like nothing. Could it be the perfect backpack for adventure motorcyclists and hunters alike?View the full article

Germany's largest motorcycle expo, Intermot, is changing its schedule, putting it head-to-head with another large, German, two-wheeled event.View the full article

Jorge Martin won a MotoGP Championship. He's succeeded where few others have. But constant injuries, lackluster performance, and him calling out his own team should be the end of his MotoGP road. View the full article

The SBX backpack system from Safeback is designed to help you breathe for longer when buried under snow. But the system's testing has received critical feedback.View the full article

Ah the 1990’s, a time that changed the world of hot rodding, custom trucks, muscle cars, and so much more. There are too many big things that happened in the 1980s and 1990s that were impactful to the culture of hot rods and custom cars, but arguably one of the biggest things to come out of the 1990’s for automotive enthusiasts was the HUGE truck scene that exploded during this time period. Mini trucks, sport trucks, custom trucks of all kinds just went nuts. For the first time ever, you could buy a lowered custom truck, with billet wheels and accessories, from the dealership! There was a ton going on and in this episode of Influence and Impact you’ll get all you can handle. Video Description: Auto Revolution’s Influence & Impact traces the automotive history of custom car and truck builders. The Boston Boys join Marcel to not only share the stories of Pat Coppinger’s iconic Boyd ZR-1 truck, Joe Gibbs truck and Dan Coppinger’s cat eye RST Silverado; but the history of sport trucks from the 1990s that you may not have seen before. The post Auto Revolution’s Influence and Impact Podcast: 1990s Truck Scene, Retro Sport Trucks, Lowered Tahoes, Rare Billet Parts And More! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

WorldSBK 2026 Phillip Island Test February 16-17, 2026 The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team completed its final pre-season outing on 16–17 February at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, with Remy Gardner continuing his build-up to the 2026 Superbike World Championship opener at the same venue this weekend. For the 27-year-old, the two-day test was less […] The post Remy Gardner hampered by injury during P.I. WorldSBK Testing appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Moto News Weekly Wrap February 18, 2026 What’s New: Aussie MXGP wildcard entries are open! East Coast Hard Enduro Series confirmed for 2026 WA State MX & ATV Championship schedule confirmed Rally-Raid Portugal returns Draper and McDonald return with AmPro Yamaha in 2026 Honda HRC PETRONAS launch 2026 MXGP line-up Quad Lock Honda – Military […] The post Moto News | Baja | SX | MXGP | Rally | Big Buck GNCC appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Ron Rhodes is one of the best radial tire racers ever. Here's the story behind his comeback after a crash at the Christmas Tree Drags.View the full article

P.I. WorldSBK/SSP Testing Images Gallery B Images by RbMotoLens and TH The post Phillip Island WorldSBK/SSP Testing Images – Gallery B appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

WorldSBK 2026 Phillip Island Test – Day Two February 17, 2026 Jake Dixon Out Honda HRC rider Jake Dixon’s WorldSBK campaign has been dealt an immediate setback after the Brit crashed at Turn 11 on his opening lap of Day Two at the official test at Phillip Island this morning. Dixon was transported to the […] The post Dixon out for season opener after turn 11 crash this morning appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Dunlop Geomax AT82 Tyres No matter what the track has in store for you, you’ll be prepared with the Geomax AT82. Compared to the AT81, the AT82 provides a more well-rounded performance with its redesigned construction improving handling, impact absorption, and braking support, offering greater predictability during acceleration. Dunlop has created a Bi-Directional rear pattern […] The post The new reversible hard-soft Dunlop Geomax AT82 rear tyre appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

2026 FIM MotoMini World Series News The FIM MotoMini World Series expands for 2026, with two new series joining the fray: the FIM MotoMini Latin America Series and the FIM MotoMini Thailand Series adding new nations to the mix. Both Series are set to host races in the 160 cc category, with Latin America making […] The post FIM MotoMini expands to include Latin America and Thailand appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

YPSILANTI, Mich. – One of the longest-running partnerships in sports marketing history is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026 as Mac Tools continues its decades-long Kalitta Motorsports partnership. The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing season begins March 6-8 at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. Doug Kalitta will once again pilot the red and white Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, but the 2026 livery features a 25th anniversary logo along with additional, more subtle recognition of the silver anniversary. Team Kalitta’s Mac Tools primary partnership spans more than two decades in a relationship that feels and functions more like a friendship. Mac Tools is a significant part of the long-term success Kalitta Motorsports enjoys in NHRA Drag Racing. “Our partnership with Kalitta Motorsports continues to strengthen the Mac Tools brand while also advancing the sport of drag racing and inspiring future generations of automotive professionals,” said Phil Cox, president of Mac Tools. “For over 25 years, Kalitta Motorsports has represented Mac Tools with distinction, and we are thrilled to continue this legacy, especially following Doug’s second NHRA Top Fuel championship win last year. We look forward to what lies ahead for the entire Kalitta Motorsports organization. “As a premier provider of professional-grade tools and equipment, Mac Tools remains dedicated to supporting the automotive sector and the skilled individuals who drive its success. We are honored to stand with Doug Kalitta and his team, whose expertise, precision and commitment mirror the standards we uphold in our own products and services.”“It was great to be able to thank Mac Tools for all they’ve done for our race team over the years by winning another championship last season,” Kalitta said. “They stuck with us through some lean seasons, so it feels really good to celebrate another title with them. We’re really proud to continue representing Mac Tools and all their distributors; Mac Tools is so much more than a corporate partner – after more than a quarter century together, they’re family.” This story was originally published on February 16, 2026. The post Kalitta Motorsports, Mac Tools Celebrate 25th Anniversary Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article