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We’ve said it multiple times, but it still makes me smile when I see heads up no-prep racers running an index class, and the awesome popularity of Lil’ Gangsta’s and other classes like them. There are similar classes being held all over the country now, some in No Time format and some with times showing. I don’t care which one you like or participate in as long as cars are coming out and racing. These classes are drawing big numbers of cars and real payouts, so it is no wonder that our friends at the 704 Outlaws series kicked off their 2026 season with some small tire gangsters style racing going on as well. Check out the action from the season opener below. Video Description: The 704 Outlaws returned to Mooresville Dragway to kick off their 2026 season!!! With 20 5.30 small tire drag radial cars in the house, they would battle for $3,000 and bragging rights as the Outlaw nights have officially kicked off! The post 5.30 OUTLAW SMALL TIRE GANGSTERS AT MOORESVILLE! 704 OUTLAWS SEASON OPENER APRIL 2026! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Fairfield, OH — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has officially announced the acquisition of Empire Dragway, marking a major step in our continued growth and investment in premier racing facilities across the United States. Located in Leicester, New York, Empire Dragway has long been a staple in the Northeast racing community, known for its rich history, passionate fan base, and competitive racing environment. Under IHRA ownership, the facility will undergo strategic enhancements focused on racer experience, fan engagement, and long-term operational sustainability. “This is exactly the kind of facility we want to invest in,” said Darryl Cuttell, Owner of IHRA. “Empire Dragway has a strong foundation and a loyal racing community. Our goal is to build on that momentum—bringing more opportunities for racers, bigger events for fans, and ensuring this track continues to thrive for years to come.” “Empire Dragway has meant so much to me and to this community over the years,” said Jerry Scaccia. “I’m proud of what we’ve built here, and I truly believe IHRA is the right group to take it to the next level. Their vision for the future of the sport and commitment to racers gives me full confidence that Empire is in great hands.” Already established as a stop on our national schedule, Empire Dragway will host the Outlaw Nitro Series and Small Tire BRATZ Series on July 23–25. Under IHRA ownership, that momentum will continue to build with expanded programming, enhanced amenities, and greater opportunities for racers and fans alike. Fans and racers can expect upgrades to infrastructure, enhanced safety measures, and a renewed focus on delivering a top-tier race day experience. We will work closely with local organizations, teams, and the racing community to ensure a seamless transition and continued success of the venue. About IHRA The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), founded in 1970, is a global motorsports sanctioning body based in the United States, supporting professional and grassroots racing programs across multiple disciplines. With a racer-first approach, IHRA is committed to safety, innovation, and building strong partnerships with racers, tracks, sponsors, and communities worldwide. The post IHRA ACQUIRES EMPIRE DRAGWAY, EXPANDING NATIONAL FOOTPRINT IN THE NORTHEAST appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Suzuki Australia has confirmed the MY26 Hayabusa range, with most Special Edition stock already pre-sold and only eight units to be offered online from midday AEST on May 8 The post 2026 Suzuki Hayabusa range lands with Special Edition almost sold out appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Aprilia, KTM, Yamaha, Ducati and Honda all left Jerez with different answers and fresh questions. Here’s what the riders and team managers said after MotoGP’s crucial Monday test. The post MotoGP riders and Team Managers reflect on Jerez Test appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Last weekend at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, in Jennings Oklahoma, the SCCA ran two days of Hoosier Super Tour races and we’ve got the livestream replay right here! These are some fun SCCA regional races and feature some cool cars that look like they would be a riot to drive near their limits. Check out the livestream replay below and let us know which ones you most want to drive. Video Description: The 2026 Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour heads to Rounds 7 & 8 hosted by motorsports’ best kept secret: Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. An old-school, club-style circuit in the heart of the Osage Hills in northeastern Oklahoma, this 1.8 layout is as technical as they come and encourages excellent racing year after year. Join Brian Bielanski, Tom O’Gorman, and the DriversEye Live team for two full days of live coverage from one of the most celebrated stops on the calendar. Streaming kicks off at 8:00am CT on Saturday April 25 for Qualifying 1 and Sprint Race sessions before resuming at 8:00am CT on Sunday April 26 for Qualifying 2 and Feature Races. Don’t miss a minute! Saturday Schedule Qualifying 1: 20 Minutes Race 1: 25 Minutes / 22 Laps Maximum 8:00am – Group 1 Qualifying 1 (SRF3) 8:30am – Group 2 Qualifying 1 (FF, FV, F6) 9:00am – Group 3 Qualifying 1 (SM, SMX) 9:30am – Group 4 Qualifying 1 (FA, FC, FE2, P, P2) 10:00am – Group 5 Qualifying 1 (EP, FP, HP, B-Spec) 10:30am – Group 6 Qualifying 1 (GT1, GT2, GTX, AS, T1, T2) 11:00am – Group 7 Qualifying 1 (STU, STL, T3, T4) LUNCH BREAK 12:20pm – Group 1 Race 1 (SRF3) 12:55pm – Group 2 Race 1 (FF, FV, F6) 1:30pm – Group 3 Race 1 (SM, SMX) 2:05pm – Group 4 Race 1 (FA, FC, FE2, P, P2) 2:40pm – Group 5 Race 1 (EP, FP, HP, B-Spec) 3:15pm – Group 6 Race 1 (GT1, GT2, GTX, AS, T1, T2) 3:50pm – Group 7 Race 1 (STU, STL, T3, T4) The post Free Livestreaming Road Racing Replay: The 2026 SCCA Hoosier Super Tour at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – FULL WEEKEND Coverage LIVE! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Aprilia doubled down on its Jerez weekend authority at Monday’s official MotoGP test, with Ai Ogura edging Raul Fernandez in a Trackhouse 1-2 and Marco Bezzecchi making it three RS-GPs in the top three before the championship moves on to Le Mans. The post Aprilia tightens grip at Jerez test as Ogura pips Fernandez in Trackhouse 1-2 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

IHRA acquires Empire Dragway. It has announced upgrades, expanded events, and a long-term investment in Northeast drag racing facilities.View the full article

After reaching the final quad at last year’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Alexis DeJoria entered Sunday’s eliminations looking to replicate that success at the season’s only four-wide event. Backed by a strong qualifying performance that secured the No. 5 seed, DeJoria and her Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team advanced out of the opening round before falling short of a return trip to the final elimination quad. DeJoria rebounded from early traction issues in Friday’s opening qualifying session with a standout 3.932-second pass at 331.20 mph under the lights, vaulting from 14th to fifth in the order. Crew chiefs Mike Neff and Jonnie Lindberg sent DeJoria on another good run during Saturday’s first session where she posted a 3.993 E.T. before traction problems followed in the final round. With the No. 5 qualifying position locked in, DeJoria matched up against No. 4 qualifier J.R. Todd, No. 12 qualifier Hunter Green, and No. 13 qualifier Jeff Arend in the opening quad where she delivered a clean and competitive 3.962-second pass at 324.36 mph to advance alongside Todd. In the quarterfinal round, she made a decent 3.980-second run, but it wasn’t enough to outpace Todd and Ron Capps, who posted quicker E.T.s to advance, ending her bid for a first 4-Wide Wally trophy. “Ran a little slower than we had planned,” said DeJoria, who reached the final round at the season-opening Gatornationals with her new John Force Racing team last month. “It didn’t drop a hole, but it was pushing me downtrack. I was getting pretty close to the centerline, but luckily it was towards the end. I was giving the wheel input, and it was just not reacting, so right before I thought I was going to cross the centerline, I lifted and fortunately, missed it, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway because we ran a 98. We’re doing well, we just need to touch up on some areas and get this thing going a little quicker. It’s consistent; we’re getting down the race track, we just need to get down there a little quicker.” DeJoria won’t have to wait long for another shot at the winner’s circle as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series heads to Adel, Ga. near Valdosta this week for the NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park, May 1-3. She will start the weekend ranked sixth in the Funny Car point standings, up one spot from the previous event. The post Alexis DeJoria Qualifies No. 5, Secures Quarterfinal Finish at NHRA 4-Wide Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Jasmine Salinas returned to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour this weekend for the 4-Wide Nationals near Charlotte, marking the second-generation driver’s first time back in the seat for an NHRA event since the season-opening Gatornationals in Florida last month. Salinas and the Scrappers Racing/Valley Services Top Fuel team looked strong in qualifying at zMAX Dragway, making three solid passes out of four, but a parts malfunction during the first round of eliminations on Sunday ended their race day early. With 19 cars vying for a spot in the 16-car field, competition was at an all-time high at the season’s only four-wide event. In the opening round of qualifying, Salinas’ machine lost traction early to place her on the bump heading into Friday night’s session under the lights, but the team rebounded quickly with crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Adem Cave sending Salinas on a 3.783-second at 331.77 mph ride to launch from 16th up to the No. 8 position. The team’s strong performance continued into Saturday with the third-year Top Fuel racer posting a run of 3.833 seconds in the heat of the day, which held up to be low E.T. of the round, before laying down another strong run of 3.864 seconds in the final session. With qualifying wrapped up, Salinas settled into the No. 9 spot, pitting her against No. 1 qualifier Shawn Langdon, No. 8 qualifier Spencer Massey, and No. 16 qualifier Dan Mercier in her first-round elimination quad. Salinas was looking to keep the momentum rolling Sunday morning, but a parts malfunction caused the engine to let go, ending the team’s hopes of advancing into round two. “It feels really good to be back running on the NHRA tour,” said Salinas, who spent her NHRA absence gaining seat time on the IHRA tour where she powered to a runner-up finish from the pole at the series’ season opener. “The four-wides have typically been pretty good for us. First round didn’t go our way, we ended up breaking a rear end, which then caused this whole chain reaction, and we hurt a bunch of parts. For a part-time team like ours, that really hurts our pockets. We really try hard not to do that. We have three weeks until we’re back on the track again for the IHRA Triple Crown, so we’re going to try and get some new parts between now and then. We haven’t been able to replenish any parts this year, so while that’s obviously not ideal, it does make us feel good that when you look at our competitors and what the top cars out here are running, we’re right there with them and we’re doing that on old parts. So, when we do get those new parts, we know we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with. “In qualifying, in Q3, we were low of the entire session and that was with the blower belt coming off at 800-feet, so that right there shows we’ve got a great car and a great program. I’m gaining a lot more confidence and a lot more seat time this year doing this hybrid schedule between the two series. The team that we’ve got is very seasoned and really badass, and to see that we’re a part-time team keeping up with a lot of these full-time cars with much bigger budgets, it’s giving us a lot of motivation and excitement. We’re going to keep working hard, and try and get the car together. I’m going to keep working to find sponsorship and get the money that we need to replenish our parts and hopefully, add more NHRA races to our schedule, but I’m really excited about our program this year.” Salinas will be back on track May 22 in Reading, Pa. for the IHRA Triple Crown. In Pro Stock Motorcycle competition, Salinas’ sister, Jianna Evaristo, advanced into round two after taking her bike straight down the groove in 6.788 seconds at 199.37 mph to win her quad. She then posted another good pass of 6.825 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to score a spot in the final round. The post Strong Qualifying Effort Highlights Jasmine Salinas’ NHRA Return at Charlotte 4-Wide Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Greg Anderson and his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro had a great weekend at zMAX Dragway, his home track that also happens to be in the backyard of Rick Hendrick and his HendrickCars.com group. On Saturday at the 16th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Anderson drove to the 143rd No. 1 qualifier award of his career and grabbed the coveted Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge title as well, locking in valuable points that will come into play when the Countdown to the Championship begins in the fall. Sunday’s performance made it nearly a sweep for the most winning driver in the history of the class as he reached the final round of the main event. The four-wide format is known to throw even the most seasoned drivers a curveball or two, but in the first round of eliminations, Anderson was unhindered. His .028-second reaction time in his powerful HendrickCars.com Chevrolet was coupled with a 6.531-second pass at 209.46. That sent him ahead to round two, where his quick and fast 6.527, 209.39 vaulted him right into the four-wide final. There in the last round of the day, it was an all KB Titan Racing showdown that saw Matt Hartford defeating Cody Coughlin, (.024) 6.526, 210.05 to (.048) 6.529, 210.14, while Anderson was third (.060) 6.529, 210.31 and Matt Latino finished fourth (.021) 11.390, 78.39. Drivers who finish first and second in the final-round quad count the results as a final round, and the drivers in the No. 3 and No. 4 position are recorded by NHRA as semifinalists, despite competing in the last round of the day. “It was a great end of the weekend for KB Titan Racing, but I’m a little disappointed to not have that 75th anniversary Diamond Wally to hand to Mr. H,” said Anderson, who shifts his focus to the NHRA Southern Nationals, which will take place just one week from now. “When you have a car like I have, you’re excited to get to the next one. It’s a little easier to pick up your chin when you know you can try again in just a few days.” The next event on the 2026 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is the NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga., May 1-3. This story was originally published on April 27, 2026. The post HendrickCars.com Campaigner Greg Anderson Comes One Win Light Shy of a Charlotte Sweep first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

While Triumph’s official "Scrambler" models have been a mainstay of the modern classic scene since 2006, the term "scramble" is, at its heart, a verb. It describes the act of taking a road-going machine and preparing it for battle against dirt, sand, and mud. In the 1960s, this meant stripping a Bon... View the full article

Ron Capps’ red-hot start to the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season rolled on at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals Sunday afternoon at zMAX Dragway as the three-time world champion secured his second win of the year in his third consecutive final round. Driving his NAPA Auto Care Funny Car at the fourth of 20 races this season, Capps qualified No. 1 and carried that momentum through eliminations. He defeated fellow past world champions Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan, and J.R. Todd in the final quad to score his 79th career victory, extending his points lead in the process. Capps posted a solid 3.988 E.T. at 321.65 mph on the board in Friday’s first qualifying session before throwing down a 3.883-second blast at 333.91 mph, one of just two 3.8-second passes in the second session, to finish Friday as the provisional No. 1 qualifier, earning three championship bonus points in the process. In the third qualifying session, which also counted as the first round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Capps recorded the quickest pass of the quad, a 3.957 E.T., to advance. He was the quickest of the quad again in the final with his 3.929 E.T., but came up just two-thousandths-of-a-second short to Jordan Vandergriff, who won on a holeshot. Capps was also the second-quickest and quickest driver overall in Saturday’s two qualifying sessions, respectively, earning another five total bonus points. Qualified No. 1, Capps and crew chief Dean “Guido” Antonelli continued their class-leading performance in Sunday’s opening round of eliminations as Capps fired off low E.T. of the round, a 3.865-second pass at 333.00 mph, to defeat Chad Green, Austin Prock, and Spencer Hyde. His 3.923 E.T. in the next round was the second-quickest of the semifinal quad, sending him into the final round. The finals were a showdown featuring four of the most accomplished drivers in the class. Capps moved first off the starting line and charged to a 3.905-second pass at 334.90 mph to finish first ahead of Beckman, Hagan, and Todd, and clinch his fifth zMAX Dragway victory. “The secret to this success is just surrounding yourself with great people,” said Capps, who will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Class of 2027, it was announced last week. “I’ve been that way my whole career. I can’t believe I have as many trophies as I have, and it’s with all great people. The great Roland Leong taught me a lot about racing, how to be a great racer overall and a great person while you’re doing it, and to really respect everybody. Guido and the NAPA Auto Care guys gave me a great car today and I just didn’t want to mess anything up.” Charlotte was the fourth race for Ron Capps Motorsports as a two-car operation after adding Maddi Gordon and the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel team to the roster over the offseason. What could’ve become a distraction has instead strengthened the fifth-year organization. Capps started the season as the No. 1 qualifier at the Gatornationals, won the Arizona Nationals, reached the final round at the Winternationals, and now won the 4-Wide Nationals. “This all happens in December. I said that in Phoenix,” explained Capps, one of the recent additions to NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers list. “It’s all the effort during the off-weeks. To add a team like we did with Maddi and to watch that all come together with the partners we have like NAPA Auto Parts and Carlyle Tools and then Monster Energy coming on board, it’s special. We had Casey (VanKeuren) from Monster Energy here. She brings good luck for us all the time. We also had NAPA Premium Brakes Booster with Motorcar Parts of America, and Okuma on board this weekend. Maddi and I get to go visit NAPA headquarters this week, and to take this 75th anniversary diamond Wally there is going to be pretty awesome.” Following the midweek trip to NAPA Auto Parts headquarters in Atlanta, Capps and the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car team will roll into South Georgia Motorsports Park for the first time as it hosts the NHRA Southern Nationals, May 1-3. This story was originally published on April 27, 2026. The post Ron Capps Extends Funny Car Points Lead with Second Win in Four Races at NHRA 4-Wide Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Bartone Bros. Racing driver Sean Bellemeur drove his way into the NHRA history books this weekend at the zMAX Dragway NHRA Nationals, securing his 50th career national event victory. With the milestone win, Bellemeur becomes just the 25th racer in NHRA history – and only the third in the Top Alcohol Funny Car category – to reach the magic number. Bellemeur, the five-time and reigning Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion, piloted Tony Bartone’s famed “Pirate Ship” to victory with a pass of 5.38 seconds at 269 mph, further cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant drivers in the professional ranks. Entering the 2026 season with 48 wins, Bellemeur’s pursuit of 50 was one of the central themes of the team’s “#DriveFor6in26” championship campaign. “This team!” Bellemeur said. “That is what the hardest working team in drag racing, let alone Top Alcohol Funny Car, will get you. Here, at the shop and beyond, everyone involved has a piece of this milestone win. They deserve this more than I do. I am just along for the ride. I am a very lucky guy. “The game plan coming into the weekend was the same: just focus on the next run. We had a little adversity in the first run; the car didn’t want to go down the racetrack. Steve (Boggs) looked at it, and in the semifinal it ran pretty good, but I drove like an idiot – my words, not his. Man, we lit up that scoreboard in the final with a run of 5.38!” With this victory, Bellemeur joins a pantheon of drag racing legends. According to NHRA records, he is the 25th driver overall to reach 50 wins and the first in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class since Bob Newberry. Bellemeur was also recognized as one of NHRA’s top 75 drivers in history. He joins the late Pat Austin (75 wins) and Hall of Famer Frank Manzo (105 wins) as the only drivers in the Alcohol Funny Car category to reach the 50-win plateau. The 50th win caps a remarkable run for Tony Bartone’s team. Known as the “Killer B’s,” the team won the Gatornationals and followed up with a Baby Gators regional win to start the season. They are now undefeated in the first three events of the season. “We have a great crew, a strong crew chief and a fast driver. I knew we would do it; I just didn’t know when,” said team owner Tony Bartone. “The team worked hard on the car all weekend, and it resulted in a fast run. Getting Sean his 50th win is just an added bonus in a very young season. I am proud of this team and the effort they bring every weekend.” “We have a great crew of guys and girls on this ‘Killer B’ team,” Bellemeur continued. “It starts with Tony Bartone. He is a competitor and a winner. His drive and support, and just knowing what it takes to win, powers this whole organization. Hall of Famer Steve Boggs, and team members Troy Green, Nick Stoms, Justin Taylor, Garret Bateman, Brian Gawlik, Lauren McMaster and Matt Krebs all work so hard that driving this ‘Pirate Ship’ is just an honor.” The team extended a heartfelt thank you to its sponsors: Red Line Synthetic Oil, Roger Dean Chevrolet, Talon Air LLC, NGK Spark Plugs and McLeod, along with product supporters Simpson Performance Products and Taylor Motorsports Products. This story was originally published on April 27, 2026. The post Sean Bellemeur Powers to 50th NHRA National Event Win at Charlotte first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Sean Bellemeur added another big line to his racing resume at zMax. Bellemeur recorded his 50th NHRA national event win. View the full article

Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place's "But Why?" gif is all I can think of when I saw that CFMoto has a cleaning polish designed specifically for your off-roading side-by-side.View the full article

Factory Stock made its return to the NHRA this weekend. Jonathan Allegrucci brought home the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals win.View the full article

The NHRA Pro Mod racers went four-wide racing at zMAx Dragway. Here's a recap of all the action from the NHRA 4-Wide NationalsView the full article

A 21-year-old motorcycle rider in Germany was arrested after the investigators found his motorcycle listed for sale eight months after fleeing and causing police to chase.View the full article

The NHRA visited zMax Dragway for the 4-Wide Nationals. Here's a recap of all the action for this weekend's NHRA national event.View the full article

Clearly, this is the height of machined, anodized aluminum bits you can utilize to tell the world (via your motorcycle) how much you love cats.View the full article

The 2026 Yamaha Cygnus X scooter gets traction control, a new chassis, and surprisingly premium tech that might just make it work in the US. View the full article

Now listed for sale on Collecting Cars is a striking, heavily customised modern power cruiser based on the Harley-Davidson Night Rod Custom, elevated with bold styling upgrades and a dramatic NLC 360mm rear wheel conversion. At its core is a liquid-cooled 1,246cc Revolution V-twin engine, delivering power to the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission, offering the signature blend of muscle and performance expected from this platform. Originally registered in the UK in October 2014, the bike was later imported […] The post FOR SALE: 2014 Harley-Davidson Night Rod Custom appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

The new GT1 Expedition is the carbon fiber modular helmet that took five years to develop.View the full article

In 2026, we're so surrounded by advertising that it can be hard to remember when ads could be fun, cute, and charming. But Vespa's totally were!View the full article

This Yamaha XV 750 is a charismatic mid-weight V-twin custom build that blends classic 1980s Yamaha engineering with tasteful café racer-inspired modifications, giving it a distinct retro-modern attitude. At its heart is a 749cc air-cooled V-twin engine, delivering its power to the rear wheel through a manual transmission. Known for its reliability and smooth character, the platform provides a solid foundation for custom work while retaining its original mechanical charm. Finished in a deep, timeless black, the bike is accented […] The post Bike of the Day: 1983 Yamaha XV 750 Custom appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article