reporter

You're used to hearing about computer hacking, and maybe even robot vacuum hacking, but no one wants to hear about motorcycle hacking. But that's what is occurring with Zero and Yadea right now.View the full article

The Norton Commando 961 Classic ‘Final Edition’ serves as a fitting swansong for one of Britain’s most evocative modern classics, blending heritage design with contemporary engineering in a strictly limited run of just 40 examples. As a ‘last of the line’ variant, it carries both historical weight and collector appeal, marking the end of the 961 platform’s production lifecycle. At its core lies a fuel-injected 961cc air-cooled parallel-twin, delivering approximately 77bhp through a five-speed transmission. The powertrain retains the characterful […] The post Bike of the Day: 2022 Norton Commando 961 Classic ‘Final Edition’ appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

The Oben Rorr Evo delivers real motorcycle performance at just north of $1,000, making it one of the most accessible EV bikes yet. View the full article

For 2027, KTM doubled down on orange across its entire SX dirt bike lineup. Here's what to expect for next year's models.View the full article

In the United States, we often refer to them as the Pace Car, but in most of the rest of the world they are referred to as the Safety Car. Same thing, different name, as they are the car that goes out during cautions to slow the field down and control the speed, or pace, that the cars are traveling at under caution laps. Teams strategize how to manage cautions so that they can try to stay ahead of the Safety Car in certain conditions and circumstances. At races like this month’s Indy 500, the Pace Car has been driven by lots of different famous people over the years, but it’s not just a publicity opportunity. The Safety Car isn’t just there to look good leading the pack. In the video below you’ll see what it is like to be the safety car driver and what a race weekend can throw at them. This is during the FIA World Endurance Championship race at SPA and is a 6 hour race. But there are practice and qualifying sessions as well, so the safety car is busier than you might think. Let’s see whether it seems like a fun job or a stressful one, or maybe both. Video Description: Join Pedro Couceiro, the FIA WEC Safety Car driver, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his race weekend duties during the 2025 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps! The post A Race Weekend In The Life of The Safety Car Driver: Behind The Scenes At The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa FIA World Endurance Championships appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

We’re back with more Impact testing to find out how Snap-On compares to the Milwaukee M18, along with offerings from Bosch and Hopeful. It’s 3/4″ impact testing, but the results will be telling even if you aren’t in the market for a big boy impact like this. We love the Torque Test Channel as they do some great testing, have a live lifetime rankings spreadsheet that is available, and more. They put real tools to the test and aren’t afraid to get creative when the need arises either. So let’s see how the ultra expensive Snap-On compares to the rest! Video Description: LIFETIME OF RANKINGS: https://torquetestchannel.etsy.com/li… How does Snap-On top dog in impact wrenches compare to a more middle of the road Bosch 3/4″? What about a $130 example off Amazon no one has ever heard of? The reality is maybe a bit more flipped on its head than you might expect. We do not accept any tools shown on the channel from any brand, nor do we take any sponsorships, partnerships, discounts, product placement deals, pre-market brand samples, money, items or compensation of any kind from brands, tool makers or otherwise in the planning or creation of these videos. The post The Latest Snap-On Impact vs Milwaukee M18, Bosch & $130 Hopeful Get Put To The Test! Which 3/4 inch Impact Will Reign Supreme? appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

When you think traditional hot rods, you think of a few geographic areas of the States and a few specific shows that cater to them. I’ve seen plenty of rides like Andrew’s 1932 Ford Roadster driving around SoCal, at specific east coast shows, and at events like the Roundup in Austin Texas. Where I don’t expect to see a ride like this going down the road is in New Zealand. But that’s exactly where Andrew is at and where he’s driving the wheels off this awesome machine. Check out the feature video and interview and let us know what you think about this clean, cool, and low hot rod 1932 Ford. I know I’d drive the hell out of this thing and love every minute of it. Video Description: Our May episode features HRR repeat offender Andrew. This time it’s his low and less-is-more 32 Roadster in the lime light, a style not often seen on NZ roads. The post Lowlife! Andrew’s Traditional Low And Lean 1932 Ford Roadster Is Traditional Greatness, In A Not So Traditional Place appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Corvette. The plastic fantastic. The most mass produced fiberglass car in American history. One of the best things about them is you don’t have to worry about dents or rust. Or at least not normally. But rust never sleeps in the furthest northern reaches of the United States where Mortske is at. Well technically he’s pretty far south in North Dakota, but it’s still North Dakota. They do cold and stuff at a whole other level up there. No gracias. But I digress. So if you want to have to do rust repair on a Corvette, you need to go find one that has lived in the snow long enough to catch a case of the frame rot, because otherwise you are out of luck. In this video here you’ll see Mortske taking on a 1972 Corvette that has seen better days and is in need of some love. Let’s watch. Video Description: I recently had to scratch my itch for a steel bumper C3 Corvette so of course I bought the most affordable option which also unfortunately included a very rusty frame! But we can fix that! I hope… Join along as we get this Vette back on the road once again! If you’d like to own it, it is available for $11,000. As always, thanks for watching! The post Rust Repair On A Classic Corvette? But They Are Fiberglass! Mortske is Refreshing a 1972 Corvette on a Budget! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Here we go with more awesome vintage F1 action from the streets of Monaco! The Monaco Historic Grand Prix is one hell of an event, and it’s back after a few years off! If you dig old race cars, you are going to love this. And the way that it is organized at Monaco is something special. They organize the F1 races based on years, and they livestream the entire weekend. We shared the livestream already, and if you missed it then use the link below. But if you just want to see the independent races, we’re going to share those as well, and the first one is down below. This is the 1977-1980 Formula 1 race and just look at how sexy these race cars are! CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE MONACO HISTORIC LIVESTREAM The post Watch Real 1977-1980 Formula One Cars Race At Monaco! Late 1970s F1 Magic at the 2026 Monaco Historic Grand Prix! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Jonas Folger will return to MotoGP with Red Bull KTM Tech3 at Le Mans, replacing Maverick Viñales as the Spaniard continues his recovery from shoulder surgery. The post Folger to sub for Viñales at French MotoGP as KTM injury shuffle continues appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Long-time BMW Group development specialist Josef Honeder will take over as Head of Development at BMW Motorrad from June 1, 2026. The post Josef Honeder returns to BMW Motorrad in senior development role appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Complete coverage of the 2026 NHRA Mission #2Fast2Tasty Southern Nationals from South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Georgia – May 1-3, 2026. The first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national event ever held at SGMP, in front of a sellout crowd. Winners, qualifying, eliminations, and full Drag Illustrated coverage all in one place. Jump to: Winners · Storylines · Qualifying · Eliminations · Schedule · Full Coverage 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals Winners ClassWinnerFinal ET / MPHRunner-upTop FuelShawn Langdon3.808s @ 333.16 mphDoug Kalitta (3.954 @ 314.61)Funny CarJordan Vandergriff4.007s @ 314.17 mphJ.R. ToddPro StockDallas Glenn6.642s @ 211.39 mphTroy Coughlin Jr.Pro Stock MotorcycleMatt Smith6.724s @ 202.06 mphRichard GadsonJBS Equipment Pro ModJason Collins5.731s @ 252.99 mphMike Thielen Full winner’s recap: Sellout Crowd Sees Langdon, Vandergriff, Glenn, and M. Smith Win NHRA Southern Nationals Pro Mod winner’s story: Jason Collins Earns First JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Wally in Second Career Start The Stories That Defined the Weekend Watch the finals: Vandergriff (FC) · Langdon (TF) · Glenn (PS) · Smith (PSM) Langdon’s 345-mph blast and points-lead win Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon made the fastest run in NHRA history Friday at 345.00 mph, then closed the weekend out Sunday by defeating teammate Doug Kalitta in the final to take his 24th career win and the points lead. Langdon’s path to the final included round wins over Cam Ferre, Antron Brown, and Clay Millican. Kalitta enters the next race four points back of his Kalitta Motorsports teammate. A first career Wally for Jordan Vandergriff – and a sprint up the track in his uncle’s honor Funny Car’s Jordan Vandergriff picked up his first career NHRA national event win in just his fifth event for John Force Racing, defeating No. 1 qualifier J.R. Todd in the final with a 4.007 at 314.17 mph in his Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS. Coming on the heels of his Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win in Charlotte, Vandergriff was the only Funny Car driver to make four consistent runs all day, working through Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde, and Hunter Green to reach the final. After the win, the Atlanta-area resident jumped out of his car and sprinted back up the lane – a tribute to his uncle Bob Vandergriff, who did the same after his Top Fuel wins. Dallas Glenn survives a Pro Stock pedalfest day to win the trophy Pro Stock’s elimination day at SGMP was, as Dallas Glenn put it, “probably the weirdest” he can remember – round after round of pedaling and uneven runs. Glenn made just two clean passes all day but came up with the right one when it counted, going 6.642 at 211.39 mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to leave first on Troy Coughlin Jr. and lead wire-to-wire. The reigning world champion took home his second win of the season and 23rd career Wally. Matt Smith caps a complete weekend in Pro Stock Motorcycle Matt Smith capped his first victory of 2026 with a 6.724 at 202.06 mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell to defeat Richard Gadson in the final. Smith had qualified No. 1 at each of the first three races of the season but hadn’t closed on Sunday – until SGMP, where he ran a 6.685 at 203.06 in the second round to set the tone. The 43rd win of his career; he’s now chasing a class-record seventh world championship. Jason Collins steals the Pro Mod story in his second-ever start In just his second career JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod start, Jason Collins qualified second, then went wire-to-wire on Sunday – including a .009 reaction time in the final round – to defeat Mike Thielen 5.731 to 252.99 mph and pick up his first career Wally. Pro Mod’s official debut at SGMP, race powered by Dixie Trucking. Final Qualifying – No. 1 Spots ClassNo. 1 QualifierTop ET / MPHTop FuelDoug Kalitta3.657s @ 342.37 mphFunny CarJ.R. Todd3.887s @ 339.28 mphPro StockGreg Anderson6.498s @ 210.60 mphPro Stock MotorcycleMatt Smith6.669s @ 203.03 mphJBS Equipment Pro ModDerek Menholt5.623s @ 254.09 mph Saturday qualifying recap: Kalitta, Todd, Anderson, and M. Smith Roll to No. 1 Positions Friday opening session: Langdon Makes Fastest Run in NHRA History Eliminations Notes Top Fuel ladder: Langdon defeated Cam Ferre, Antron Brown, and Clay Millican on the way to the final. Kalitta defeated Leah Pruett and Justin Ashley. Funny Car ladder: Vandergriff worked through Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde, and Hunter Green. Todd took out Daniel Wilkerson and Alexis DeJoria. Pro Stock: No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson upset in round one by Matt Latino. Glenn won pedalfests against Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Greg Stanfield. Coughlin Jr. (qualified 15th) reached the final by defeating Eric Latino, Deric Kramer, and Erica Enders. Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gadson defeated Geno Scali, Clayton Howey, and two-time world champion Gaige Herrera. Smith got past his wife Angie en route to the final. Pro Mod final: Jason Collins (5.731 @ 252.99) defeated Mike Thielen – Collins led wire-to-wire from the second qualifying spot. Schedule DaySessionStatusFriday, May 1Pro Qualifying – Q1 & Q2CompleteSaturday, May 2Pro Qualifying – Q3 & Q4CompleteSunday, May 3Eliminations + Final RoundComplete Race Weekend at a Glance Event2026 NHRA Mission #2Fast2Tasty Southern NationalsTrackSouth Georgia Motorsports Park, Adel, GADatesMay 1-3, 2026Historic noteFirst NHRA Mission Foods national event ever held at SGMPCrowdSelloutRace in season5th of 20 races on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedulePro Mod race4th of 11 races on the 2026 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod schedule (Powered by Dixie Trucking)Next NHRA raceGerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK – Route 66 Raceway, Chicago – May 14-17 Full Drag Illustrated Coverage Sellout Crowd Sees Langdon, Vandergriff, Glenn, and M. Smith Win NHRA Southern Nationals (Sunday) Jason Collins Earns First JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Wally in Second Career Start (Sunday) Kalitta, Todd, Anderson, and M. Smith Roll to No. 1 Positions (Saturday) Peachy Start for Greg Anderson and HendrickCars.com with Provisional No. 1 (Friday) Langdon Makes Fastest Run in NHRA History (Friday) JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Series Thrilled for SGMP Debut (Pre-event) SGMP’s Raul Torres Talks Preparation Ahead of NHRA Southern Nationals (Pre-event) Jeg Coughlin Jr. Brings Prior Southern Nationals Success to SGMP (Pre-event) Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan Ready to Take On SGMP (Pre-event) Steve Johnson Racing Rolls Into Georgia for NHRA Southern Nationals (Pre-event) Funny Car’s J.R. Todd Looks to Win NHRA Debut at SGMP (Pre-event) Spencer Hyde Set for Rare Double-Duty Weekend at SGMP (Pre-event) Jack Beckman’s Season on the Way Up Heading Into NHRA Southern Nationals (Pre-event) Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett Closing in on Win Approaching NHRA Southern Nationals (Pre-event) Photo Gallery Photos from the 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park. All photos: NHRA/National Dragster. This story was originally published on May 4, 2026. The post 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals: Results, Winners & Coverage first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Making just his second career start in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Jason Collins drove to the victory, defeating Mike Thielen in the final round on Sunday at South Georgia Motorsports Park as part of this weekend’s NHRA Southern Nationals. It marked the fourth of 11 races during the 2026 season and this weekend’s event was powered by Dixie Trucking. After qualifying second, Collins enjoyed a banner Sunday in NHRA Pro Mod’s official debut at SGMP, going 5.731-seconds at 252.99 mph to roll past Thielen in an impressive wire-to-wire victory. Collins was a stout .009 on the starting line and left no doubt as he picked up his first career NHRA Pro Mod victory. Collins ran well last weekend in Charlotte in his debut and took it a step further on Sunday, winning in front of a sellout crowd. “It’s hard to believe,” Collins said. “I mean, I have to thank the Lord. I have to thank my dad and my mom. They spent a lot of money helping me learn how to drive a race car. I know it’s my second NHRA race, but I’ve done a lot of racing in my life. “I want to thank Scott Tidwell for putting me in this ride. I want to thank my crew and the guys who do the tuning. This is a bad racecar. It is very good. It has aborted one run in about 27 runs and that was the pedal fest that I won. So even though it didn’t make it down, it still won the race. I guess it’s something about Blue Camaras and Jason Collins. They win a lot of rounds.” Collins reached the final round with victories over Mason Wright, Sidnei Frigo and Lyle Barnett, going as quick as 5.685 on Sunday. Thielen reached the championship round after taking down J.R. Gray, Charlotte winner Mike Stavrinos and Derek Menholt, who now trails points leader Justin Bond by two points. The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports returns to action May 14-17 with the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago. The post Jason Collins Earns First JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Wally in Second Career Start first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon, who went a record-breaking 345.00-mph on Friday, finished off an incredible weekend and picked up his second win of the season in front of a sellout crowd on Sunday at South Georgia Motorsports Park, defeating teammate Doug Kalitta in the final round to close out the NHRA Southern Nationals. Jordan Vandergriff (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Langdon went 3.808-seconds at 333.16 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air dragster, holding off Kalitta’s 3.954 at 314.61 to pick up his 24th career win on what was an historic weekend for the standout driver. Two days after making the fastest pass in NHRA history with his 345.00-mph blast, Langdon finished the job in emphatic fashion, defeating Cam Ferre, Antron Brown and Clay Millican to reach the final round. There were no big speed numbers on Sunday, but Langdon and his team were remarkably consistent en route to the victory and After making national headlines with the record-breaking speed pass, Langdon said it was big to finish the weekend with a victory and move into the points lead. “This is very satisfying. I mean, it’s always a good weekend when you can wake up in the morning and feel like you can win,” Langdon said. “A lot of hard work went into the offseason of trying to improve a lot of things with their car and it’s paying big dividends right now. All three Kalitta cars are fantastic right now. “You get a little taste of 345 [mph] and then today, it was different. You had to check your ego a bit and understand that you have to make changes and take what the racetrack gives you. I didn’t exactly particularly like that scenario [ of racing Doug in the final] because I wasn’t really hitting the tree well today, but we got it done.” Kalitta, who is just four points back of Langdon, reached the finals for the third time in 2026, as the reigning world champion and No. 1 qualifier defeated Leah Pruett and Justin Ashley earlier on Sunday. A longtime dream came true for Funny Car star Jordan Vandergriff, as he rolled to his first career NHRA win, defeating No. 1 qualifier J.R. Todd in the final round with run of 4.007 at 314.17 in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS. Immediately after winning for the first time – and doing so not far from the home for the Atlanta-area resident – Vandergriff popped out of his Funny Car and sprinted back up his lane, much like uncle Bob Vandergriff did after his victories in Top Fuel. Vandergriff had been building to this, winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Charlotte, and then putting together a strong raceday, taking out Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde and Hunter Green to reach the final round. Vandergriff was the only driver to make four consistent runs on Sunday, going in the 3.90s in the first three rounds before another strong showing in the final round. Racing in just his fifth event as a Funny Car driver for John Force Racing, it’s been a rapid ascent for Vandergriff, who has big hopes for the season and was thrilled to celebrate this moment on Sunday. “I’m still kind of taking in just how special this is. This moment is something I thought of for a very long time, since my last final in 2019, when I lost to Billy Torrence in Dallas,” Vandergriff said. “You know, running up the track was something I always thought about doing because my uncle did it out of pure joy when he won his first, and I just had to do it. I was contemplating it in the car before the run, and I was like, I’m doing it, no matter what. Hopefully, this is just the first of many, and it’s a good one to start.” Todd continues to perform well in 2026, advancing to the finals for the first time this season and the 50th time in his career thanks to round wins against Daniel Wilkerson and Alexis DeJoria. He also moved into the points lead, three points ahead of Ron Capps. In Pro Stock, reigning world champion Dallas Glenn persevered on a challenging day in the class, getting a solid run in the championship round when he needed it, going 6.642 at 211.39 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to stop Troy Coughlin Jr.’s underdog run on Sunday. Glenn picked up his second win of the season and the 23rd in his career, but this one was anything but conventional as the champ only made two clean runs on Sunday. He won a pedalfest in the opening round against Jeg Coughlin Jr. and again in the semifinals against Greg Stanfield, sandwiching a 6.587 at 210.34 in a second-round win against Matt Latino, who upset No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson in the opening round. Glenn, the current points leader, and his KB Titan Racing team recovered from that to put together a quality run in the finals, leaving first on Coughlin and leading wire-to-wire to pick up the victory in front a capacity crowd. “Today was definitely pretty weird. This is probably the weirdest elimination day of Pro Stock car that I can remember,” Glenn said. “I’ve seen bad rounds before, but never continuously all through the day. It’s a combination of the track not quite being what we’re used to and the air being really good. The air is good enough where we should be able to go 6.45 out here. It was not a good day to be a crew chief. “I was shocked to win the way that I did, but as long as the planets aligned a little bit, with a little luck, that definitely played a role today. If anybody makes a clean run against me on either one of those two runs, first round, and semis, I’m dust.” Coughlin, who qualified 15th, reached the final round for the first time this season with round wins against Eric Latino, Deric Kramer and Erica Enders. Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith finished off a picture-perfect weekend on Sunday with his first victory of the 2026 season, defeating Richard Gadson in the final round with a run of 6.724 at 202.06 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. Smith and his team had qualified No. 1 at each of the first three races this season, but Sunday had been a different story until today, as Smith enjoyed a stellar day, including a run of 6.685 at 203.06 in a second-round victory against Chase Van Sant. He got past his wife, Angie, a round later to set up the matchup with the reigning world champion. Gadson left first, but Smith, who was named to NHRA’s Top 75 Driver list before the season, tracked him down, showcasing a motorcycle that has been a step ahead of everyone in NHRA’s debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park. It led to Smith’s 43rd career win as he seeks a class-record seventh world championship this season. “This is not only rewarding for me, but it’s just rewarding for our team, because we worked so hard this winter to find a little bit of power,” Smith said. “We found some power and we’re showing it. We’ve been No. 1 qualifier for three races in a row now. We just hadn’t shown up on Sunday and I’m glad we showed up today. “We got our lucky break in the first round. I had a bye and as soon as I brought the engine up, the toggle switch on the fuel pump went out so we lost lane choice. As soon as I saw this [75th anniversary NHRA Wally trophy] I knew I wanted one. I’m glad we didn’t have to wait long to get it.” Gadson, who remained in the points lead, advanced to his second final round this season after defeating Geno Scali, Clayton Howey and two-time world champion Gaige Herrera. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 14-17 with the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago. This story was originally published on May 3, 2026. The post Sellout Crowd Sees Langdon, Vandergriff, Glenn, and M. Smith Win NHRA Southern Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Manuel Lettenbichler completed a perfect Extreme XL Lagares weekend in Portugal, winning all three days to take the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship lead. Mitch Brightmore pushed him to within 7.9 seconds in Sunday’s main race, while Billy Bolt salvaged fifth despite carrying a hand injury. The post Mani perfect in Portugal as Bolt salvages points at Extreme XL Lagares appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Josep Garcia won the Friday Super Test and both EnduroGP days at Oliana, while Kyron Bacon and Will Dennett both produced strong Sunday results for the Aussies. The post Josep Garcia completes Spanish EnduroGP sweep at Oliana appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Nicolo Bulega completed a perfect Balaton Park weekend with Superpole Race and Race 2 victories, extending his 2026 WorldSBK record to 12 wins from 12. Albert Arenas won WorldSSP Race 2 to extend his championship lead, while Paola Ramos took a thrilling WorldWCR victory. The post Bulega called Balaton his worst track, then won everything… appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Boat racing is on! It might still be winter in a lot of places, but that isn’t stopping the International Hot Rod Association from running their F1 Boat Series in Port Neches Texas this weekend. If you aren’t familiar with F1 boat racing, you’re in for a treat. This is side by side racing, “door handle to door handle” so to speak, and these drivers are giving it their all. Check out the action LIVE below and let us know what you think. Video Description: Live coverage of Saturday action from the IHRA F1 Powerboat Series from Port Neches River Fest in Port Neches, TX The post IHRA F1 Powerboats Livestream – Round 2 of the 2026 Season is in Port Neches at Riverfest 2026 appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

KTM just dropped the specs for its 2027 450 Rally Replica and Luciano Benavides Factory Editions, and they're as juicy as ever. Although you might want to take out a loan if you want to buy either of the limited-edition bikes.View the full article

Tom Drane returned to winning form at the Silver Dollar Short Track, becoming the first repeat winner of the 2026 AFT Singles season and extending his championship lead. Briar Bauman completed the California SuperTwins double, while Adam Costan-Wood won a close AFT ProSport 450 contest. The post Tom Drane back on top as Silver Dollar shakes up AFT title race appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Hunter Lawrence dominated Denver to cut Ken Roczen’s 450SX championship lead to a single point ahead of Salt Lake City, while Haiden Deegan continued his 250SX West winning form and Kayden Minear claimed fifth. The post Hunter Lawrence wins Denver to take 450SX title fight to the wire appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Hayden Nelson won a chaotic Supersport / Next Gen Race Two at The Bend, beating Tom Edwards by 0.196 seconds as both title fights shifted again. The post Hayden Nelson wins after warm-up lap chaos at The Bend appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Josh Waters responded to his Race One struggles with victory in the second ASBK Superbike bout at The Bend, while Cam Dunker’s Sunday haul delivered the round win. The post Waters responds while Dunker banks breakthrough round win appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta made the quickest run of 2026 in front of a sellout crowd on Saturday at South Georgia Motorsports Park, powering to his first No. 1 qualifier of the season at the NHRA Southern Nationals. J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the fifth of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Kalitta, the current points leader, went 3.657-seconds at 342.37 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster in front of a capacity crowd, picking up his 67th career top spot in NHRA’s debut at the facility. The veteran is after back-to-back wins after getting the victory last weekend in Charlotte as he continues to roll early in the season. After Saturday’s spectacular run, he’ll get a bye run to open eliminations on Sunday and Kalitta was thrilled with how the team performed in front of a crowd that waited out a lengthy rain delay. “This is for the fans, they definitely held in there,” Kalitta said of the sellout crowd. “It’s been a long day, but it was just one of those deals, with a big storm coming through. I’m just glad that we ran and will have good weather for tomorrow. “That thing left and it started to square the tire, and then it just kind of cleared up and just ran. I could tell it was running strong and running hard. Alan (Johnson, crew chief), he’s the master, I can tell you that.” A day after his record-breaking run of 345.00 mph on Friday, Shawn Langdon followed it up with the second-fastest run in NHRA history on Saturday, going 344.91 and is qualified second with a 3.683. Billy Torrence took the third spot after going 3.710 at 338.00. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd stayed atop the field and earned his second No. 1 qualifier in the past three races thanks to Friday’s stellar run of 3.887 at 339.28 in his 12,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. Todd earned the 16th top spot of his career and said the team made an aggressive attempt during Saturday’s lone qualifying session. He didn’t make it down the track on that run, but the past champion still takes plenty of confidence into raceday, where he’ll open eliminations against Daniel Wilkerson. Todd has done just about everything but win a race during what has been a strong 2026 season, something he hopes to change on Sunday in NHRA’s debut at SGMP. “On that last run, Dickie [Venables, crew chief] and Todd Smith said, ‘We’re going to throw down’. We had nothing to lose because we were on the pole. I was a little unsure that 3.88 from yesterday would hold up, but once we saw Matt Hagen run in front of us and saw what they did, we felt good,” Todd said. “It was trying to run, but it just got loose. We were definitely trying to put a 340 [mph] on the board. That would be cool, but either way, I’ll take a win over 340 any day. We put ourselves in a good position. “These fans are dedicated. The fans were so appreciative and thanked us for being there. I was like, ‘No, thank you for having us here’. That’s how the fans are here.” Chad Green jumped to second in the final session with a 3.894 at 323.89 and Jordan Vandergriff took third with Friday’s 3.924 at 325.14. Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson picked up his fourth straight No. 1 qualifier, as nobody came close to topping his run of 6.498 at 210.60 from Friday in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson made the best run in Saturday’s qualifying session, giving the six-time champ his 144th career No. 1 qualifier. He’ll open eliminations against Troy Coughlin Jr., looking to win for the second time this season and possibly jump into the points lead with a big day. “It’s been a marathon day, but to get that extra run, we’re very appreciative. The air was good yesterday and better again today, and it should be even better tomorrow,” Anderson said. “We’re just struggling to match our cars up with the starting line and there’s no excuse for that. We’ll figure it out by tomorrow. 
 “We’ll make the right adjustments. They’ll be fine tomorrow. The crew chiefs are going to have to make a lot of decisions that they may not want to make. Drivers have to be ready for anything, not just cut a good light, but it just could be a pedal-fest out there. You never know. So you’ve got to find a way to get the finish line first.” Eric Latino took second thanks to Friday’s 6.508 at 209.75 and Aaron Stanfield qualified third with a run of 6.525 at 210.60. Matt Smith’s 6.669 at 203.03 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell held up from Friday, as the six-time world champion continues to be the only rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle to reach the 6.60s this season. He earned his second straight No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 61st in his career. Smith made a strong run to close out Saturday during the lone qualifying session, going 6.728 at 199.29 and takes plenty of momentum into Sunday, where he’ll attempt to pick up his first victory of the season. “I am looking forward to raceday tomorrow,” Smith said. “I like my chances in the first round (with a bye). You know, this is the South, and I’ve run so many races down here in Georgia and there’s a lot of motorcycle racing fans down here, and they stuck around to watch us today. We put on a good show. This is a great facility, a fast facility and hopefully there’ll be a good fanbase turnout tomorrow.” Charlotte winner Gaige Herrera qualified second with a run of 6.705 at 202.30 and reigning world champ Richard Gadson took third after going 6.730 at 201.37. Eliminations for the NHRA Southern Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at South Georgia Motorsports Park. This story was originally published on May 2, 2026. The post Kalitta, Todd, Anderson, and M. Smith Roll to No. 1 Positions in Front of Sellout Crowd at NHRA Southern Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Tom Toparis controlled the opening Supersport / Next Gen race at The Bend, while Valentino Knezovic moved into the traditional Supersport points lead and Hayden Nelson narrowed the Next Gen chase. The post Toparis wins Supersport opener as title fights tighten appeared first on MCNews. View the full article