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If you own a 2025-2026 Heritage Classic, Street Bob, Low Rider S, or Low Rider ST, this recall affects you, so call your dealer ASAP.View the full article

The Sunbeam 1000, which made 1,000 horsepower thanks to twin Sunbeam Metabele engines, set the World Speed Record in 1927 at 203.79 mph. These engines feature dual overhead camshafts, 4 magnetos, an air starter, and are 22.5 liters in displacement, or 1373 cubic inches. They spin at 2,200 rpm flat out and made 435 horsepower before they got some love from the racing team behind the Sunbeam 1,000. These are big giant engines and they are fun to watch for sure. With the Sunbeam 1000 being restored, with plans to bring it back to Daytona in 2027 for the 100th anniversary of the record, this was the first test firing of one of the two engines for the car. You can see the excitement on everyone’s face when it does fire, but the nerves are very apparent as well while working to get this thing ready. Check out the video below and let us know what you think. I can’t imagine sitting in front of one of these and behind the other, catapulting down the beach at over 200 mph. Nobody had done it before then, and this made the Sunbeam 1000 the first car to every exceed 200 mph. That’s something special. Video Description: As the National Motor Museum workshop team strips down the second engine of Sunbeam 1000hp, we celebrate their expertise which made the rebuild of the first engine possible. See our footage of a private gathering of the Sunbeam 1000hp Restoration Campaign team to test the first engine in preparation for its first public start-up in over 90 years at Beaulieu’s International Autojumble. It was a special moment of success for the engineering team who had spent years on a labour of love stripping, cleaning, restoring and rebuilding the rear engine before it could be put back into its snug position in Sunbeam’s chassis. Work is now underway to investigate issues with the second engine and we rely on help from our valued partners and supporters to complete the restoration, in time to take Sunbeam back to Daytona for the 100th anniversary of its World Land Speed Record in 2027. More information, and campaign donations can be made here: https://nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/su… The post Sunbeam 1000hp: Testing Firing The First Of Two Sunbeam Matabele Engines After 90 Years! This V12 Beast Is 1373 Cubic Inches! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Ducati's North American CEO just restored and upgraded a 1971 R/T Desmo and raced it at the Biltwell 100. If more CEOs of motorcycle brands were like this, the world would be a better place.View the full article

I’m a Camaro guy. I know people know me for wagons and mini trucks and whatever but I grew up in a Camaro family, my first car was a Camaro, and I love them. My favorites are first Gens like my ’69 Convertible, but I also love a 3rd Gen. 2nd Gens are cool too. Hell, there aren’t any years of Camaro I wouldn’t own at this point, but some are better than others. This 3rd Gen right here is something special with a 700 horsepower LS7 and great looks. Check it out. Video Description: This 1991 Camaro is a total rock & roll restomod! Featuring a 700HP dry sump LS7 paired toa manual transmission this thing absolutely rips so sit back and enjoy the ride! The post This 700HP, LS7 Powered 3rd Gen Camaro Restomod Is Something Special! What A Beast! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Del Holbrook has made the move to IHRA Bratz racing and has more tricks up his sleeve. His Mustang has been converted to a twin-turbo setup. View the full article

Street Car Takeover in Atlanta was a huge event and the racing action on pit lane of the Super Speedway was hot and heavy. We’ve been doing the same thing at LSFest Texas for the last few years, so I know what it takes to make that work right. And while the surface will take rubber over a weekend, this stuff is as raw as can be on day one so it takes a tune up to get down it fast. The 1320Video crew was on hand in Atlanta for Street Car Takeover and the video is below. Check it out, you’ll dig it. Video Description: We made our way back to Street Car Takeover ATL, where they turn the Atlanta Motor Speedway return road into a no-prep track, and it’s one of the better bare-surfaces we see throughout the year. In this video, we cover all the rounds from the Street Car and Small Tire classes, with some heavy hitters that showed up, including the KC MAXX Firebird, the “Squat King” Foxbody, a wild 1st gen Camaro known as “Real Stupid,” and even a smaller “mini KC MAXX” lookalike named “Ghetto Bird”. The post Street Car Takeover Atlanta: They Turned a NASCAR Speedway into a NO PREP Track And The Action Was Awesome! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

BMW Motorrad has marked 50 years of the RS badge, tracing the sport-touring line from the original 1976 R 100 RS through the K-series era and up to the current R 1300 RS. The post Tracing 50 years of the BMW RS story from R 100 RS to R 1300 RS appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

BRABUS has teamed with French electric specialist DAB Motors to unveil a new trio of premium urban EV motorcycles at Milan Design Week, marking a clear shift away from the brand’s recent KTM-based specials and into city-focused electric mobility. The post BRABUS enters the urban EV space with new DAB Motors collaboration appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

EK Chains’ Three-D range brings cold-forged plates, chamfered edges and CRH-treated pins to off-road and street applications. We take a closer look at how the technology works across the 520MXR, 520RV and 525/530 L-Series. The post EK Chains Three-D technology explained appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

World Supercross has revealed the first five locations for its 2026 season, with Canada, Great Britain, Argentina, Australia and South Africa all featuring on the provisional calendar. The post Gold Coast confirmed as World Supercross reveals first 2026 rounds appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The post Segway Powersports announces | Quad Deals Now On 🔥 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway bring high-stakes action. JFR drivers are ready to chase wins, momentum, and championship position.View the full article

The Iron Trap Garage crew are at it, getting some work done and prepping for the upcoming Carlisle swap meet. The big job in this one is doing a Cummins swap on a cool 1947 Ford Flatbed pickup. This thing looks completely restored, so the Cummins swap surprised me on this one, but it sure is cool and it will be a hell of a runner with the Cummins under the hood. It isn’t just a bolt in though, and the boys have to do some cutting and welding to make this thing work. Check it out. The post Iron Trap Garage Video: Cummins Swapping A 1947 Ford Flatbed, Checking Out A 1934 Phaeton & Carlisle Prep!! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Nitrous oxide as a power adder has existed in NHRA Pro Mod since the very beginning when “Tricky” Rickie Smith won the inaugural race in 2001 and Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins won the first series championship in 2002, but these days, it’s uncommon to find a single nitrous-assisted entry on the qualifying order. Smith, whose Musi-powered J&A Service/Parkway Ford Mustang is one of the two nitrous cars on the entry list for this weekend’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, says it doesn’t have to be this way. “They’ve got the nitrous cars so far behind over there [in NHRA Pro Mod]. That’s the reason I haven’t run any of them much lately,” Smith said. “I’m going to go to Charlotte and Rockingham at the end of the year because of my Parkway Ford deal, and I’d like to run more of them, but there’s no use going to a race when you know you can’t win. I’ve never done that from probably the second or third year of my career. At least when I roll in the gate, I think I’ve got a good chance to win. Even when you run good enough to win, it don’t mean you’re going to win, but you at least like to go into it with a chance.” Smith has appealed to NHRA rule makers on numerous occasions in an effort to get the nitrous combination in line with the boosted combos that currently dominate NHRA Pro Mod. He’s frequently labeled as a “crybaby” online and in the pits, but as Smith asserts, he believes his protests are warranted. “Like I’ve told [NHRA] all winter, I’m not asking you to slow those blower cars down anymore. That’s what we used to do back in the day. Oh, they’d get mad when NHRA put weight on them,” Smith said. “And this is the reason I feel like I have the right to complain and bitch about the rules: they’ve done it to me three out of the four years – put 50 pounds on me and slowed me down when I was winning. Right now, they don’t do anything for the nitrous car, but yet they won’t let me pick back up to run like I should run.” Smith opened the 2025 NHRA Pro Mod season with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Gatornationals and the Arizona Nationals. He qualified No. 12 and 15, respectively, at those first two races and No. 13 in his final appearance of the season at the Carolina Nationals in September. Through the rest of the season, he qualified no worse than sixth, ending up No. 2 twice. When he sat No. 2 behind J.R. Gray at the Four-Wides, he was nine thousandths off Gray’s 5.680. Two races later, at the Thunder Valley Nationals, Smith’s 5.825 put him No. 2 behind Mason Wright’s 5.803. “This is supposed to be a parity class, so you adjust rules for each combination,” Smith said. “Well, they keep adjusting the rules so the blower cars and the centrifugal cars can all stay within two hundredths of each other, but they will not do nothing to the nitrous car where I can run within two hundredths of the No. 1 qualifier. Like I’ve explained to them, I’m not asking to go over there and be No. 1 qualifier. I’m just asking to be somewhere within a hundredth and a half to two hundredths of the No. 1 qualifier. Forget me, forget my name – it should be where a nitrous car could go over there and run within one and a half to two hundredths of the No. 1 qualifier if you’re going to do the parity right and they won’t do it.” Understandably so, Smith believes his statements should carry some weight. He’s flown the flag for the nitrous combo since the beginning, even when other nitrous racers fell away or switched power adders. When there was a second nitrous car, it was often one campaigned by another driver out of Smith’s camp. He’s even dabbled with other power adders himself, but he remains a firm believer in nitrous and wants to see it remain a competitive option in NHRA Pro Mod. “People think I bitch all the time about rules, but here’s the problem and the public needs to understand it: I am the only one that can bitch about a nitrous car over there because I am the only one that supported them with a nitrous car,” Smith said. “I am the only one that can cry for a nitrous car. I don’t know what else to say when it comes to that part of the deal. I’m the only guy that can cry. So yeah, I’m the one that stands out like a sore thumb, but that’s what the public needs to realize. I’m the only guy that can cry about it because I’m the only guy that supported the NHRA. I won the very first Pro Modified race that NHRA ever had. To this day, I’m still the winningest driver there, but yet they won’t even let me come and be competitive no more.” Smith is obviously well aware of his reputation for voicing his opinion on the matter. It’s not something he’s especially proud of, but he’s also not likely to back down anytime soon. “I ain’t no damn crybaby,” Smith said. “I’ve raced when it’s straight up. I’ve won championships. I’ve done away with classes in IHRA because I dominated them. I worked for what I got, but when you’ve got all this parity stuff and different combinations, I mean, they’ve got three combinations over there now that can outrun me. Used to be it was just me and the [roots] blower car. Now they’ve got centrifugal cars and screw cars and roots cars. They just wrote me out of the deal – and not just me. They just wrote a nitrous car out of the program. And it’s wrong because the nitrous car is what started Pro Modified in IHRA, period. Not a blower car, not nothing. Pro Modified was originated from a nitrous car.” Despite his frustration with the current state of the class, Smith will carry on. He’s threatened to retire on multiple occasions, but the sport keeps pulling him back, year after year. Coupled with support from backers like Jim and Annie Whiteley’s J&A Service and Junie Michaels’ Parkway Ford, it’s why Smith is pulling into zMAX Dragway this weekend to chase a diamond edition 75th anniversary NHRA Wally at the Four-Wide Nationals. “I’ve been doing this for 52 years this year. I’ve been racing going on 43 years for a living,” Smith said. “Before that, I was raised on driving bulldozers with my grandfather in construction. I got into racing in 1973. I got out of high school and started winning championships in 1976 in IHRA. It’s addictive. I done got too old – I don’t want to go back to driving a bulldozer. I’ve got myself in a position I could retire and just watch what I spend. But the problem is I just love what I do.” This story was originally published on April 22, 2026. The post Last of The Mohicans: ‘Tricky’ Rickie Smith on Nitrous Oxide in NHRA Pro Mod first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Chad and Hunter Green are ready for the 4-Wide Nationals. Here's what the father and son duo have planned for zMax Dragway. View the full article

In the world of custom motorcycles, there is a distinct difference between those who build for the gallery and those who build because they simply cannot help themselves. For Kyle Pereira and Suraj Thapa of Mumbai-based Garage Built Motorcycles, the latter is the only reality they know.Kyle’s educat... View the full article

Corteco UK has strengthened its commitment to UK grassroots motorsports by becoming the Headline Sponsor of the forthcoming Street Weekend event hosted by Santa Pod Raceway, 4th-7th June 2026. Launching from Santa Pod Raceway and travelling to multiple venues nationwide, Street Weekend challenges street-legal cars to deliver both drag strip performance and everyday reliability – values that closely mirror Corteco’s focus on durability, precision and OEM-quality engineering. 2026 sees a new four-day event format as drivers tackle several hundred road miles and three tracks, with checkpoints en route, across one epic weekend. It starts at Santa Pod Raceway on Day 1, before heading to Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire, for Day 2. Day 3 sees the action move to Melbourne Raceway, before the event returns to Santa Pod Raceway for the final showdown on Day 4. That equates to around 600 miles across four days, mixed conditions and zero excuses! Street Weekend attracted more than 200 participants in 2025. “We’re proud to back Street Weekend as the Headline Sponsor,” said Steve Jarnet, Commercial Director for Corteco UK. “This event brings together passionate drivers, unique vehicles, and motorsport culture that aligns with Corteco’s commitment to performance, quality, and innovation. We’re delighted to support competitors with our contribution to the prize fund and to be part of such an exciting motorsport weekend.” Corteco UK connects the UK aftermarket with world-class engineering, offering an extensive portfolio of replacement parts backed by decades of manufacturing expertise. “We’re delighted to welcome Corteco UK as the Headline Sponsor of Street Weekend,” says Caroline Holden, Commercial Manager for Santa Pod Raceway. “Their strong reputation for quality and performance within the automotive aftermarket makes them a natural partner for the event.” The partnership places Corteco at the centre of one of the UK’s most popular performance weekends, reinforcing the brand’s ongoing support for the automotive trade and motorsport communities alike. The post Corteco UK Becomes Headline Sponsor of Street Weekend at Santa Pod Raceway first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Ron Capps and Maddie Gordon each have an opportunity to have a big weekend at zMax. Both drivers are hunting for a 4-wide win.View the full article

Jordan Vandergriff has never participated in the four-wide format in the nitro categories at zMAX Dragway, but that doesn’t diminish the confidence he and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team has rolling into the April 24-26 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. “I raced at Charlotte in an alcohol dragster once, but this will be my first time in the four-wide concept so it’s going to be a new experience for me,” said Vandergriff. “I don’t really know what to expect yet but I think I’m going to have a lot of those experiences this year so I’m just going to go for it. I have the benefit of working on NHRA on FOX the last two years. Being at these races and watching the procedures, I’ve been told many things by many different people already, so I think I’m very prepared for it. I know Lanes 2 and 3 are more difficult so I know what I’m looking for already. It’s going to be a different feel, but I’ll be ready for it.” “Lanes 2 and 3 are difficult because you’re looking across the Christmas Tree,” Vandergriff added. “In Lane 2, your tree is to your left, and your stage bulb is the 2nd bulb on the left so you’re looking all the way across the tree. In Lane 3, your bulb would be the 3rd bulb on your right all the way to the right. So it’s kind of a longer view for Lanes 2 and 3. Lanes 1 and 4 are the easier ones because you’re just looking right at your bulb. I think I’m going to take a little more of my time because you never know when other people are going to go in and, with four of us, it’s going to be a little longer anyway, so I might as well take an extra second for myself, too.” The Atlanta-area resident has powerful reason for the confidence. He established a personal best speed record, 334.57 mph, in Round 1 of eliminations at the Winternationals and ran 330+ mph en route to his second-round victory. In the semifinal matchup against three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and eventual event runner-up Ron Capps, Vandergriff grabbed the holeshot (.069 to .077) and then made his career-best run 3.889 seconds but Capps took the win with a run of 3.863 seconds. Vandergriff and his John Force Racing team are currently fifth in the 2026 Funny Car standings after a semifinal finish in the season-opener at Gainesville, a second-round showing at Phoenix and semifinal finish at Pomona. “I feel great about how this year has gone so far,” said Vandergriff. “This Cornwell Quality Tools Funny Car has really been running well and that’s thanks to Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker, and all of my guys. We’re sitting fifth in the points, and I think we’re coming off our strongest race in Pomona. We qualified third, made it to the semis, and only got beat by the quickest ET (elapsed time) of the whole event. So, coming out of Pomona, I think Charlotte, with the four-wide format, gives us a chance to possibly be holding one of those diamond Wally’s at the end of the weekend.” Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools team qualified to compete in this weekend’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on the strength of their semifinals finish in Pomona. The event will take place as part of Saturday’s qualifying runs scheduled for 12:50 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. The post Jordan Vandergriff Ready for First NHRA 4-Wide Experience first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Josh Hart and his John Force Racing team hope to take the sting out of their second-round departure at the Winternationals two weeks ago by pulling the HendrickCars.com Top Fuel Dragster in the winner’s circle at the conclusion of the April 24-26 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway outside Charlotte, N.C. “It’s awesome. We, as drivers, just have to pay attention,” Hart said regarding the unique format of the 4-Wide Nationals. “A lot of people don’t understand when you’re in these cars and you’re turning into a lane, you can’t necessarily differentiate which lane you’re headed towards. So as long as you know what lane you’re in and you can focus on the bulb that you need to focus on, you should be able to do your job. I think that it’s a pretty cool spectacle for the fans. The difference for me is now I’ve got a dog in the fight that I’m confident with so that we can win this race.” The HendrickCars.com scheme at the 4-Wide Nationals will be the only event that Hart’s team will run a scheme other than Speedmaster for the balance of the 2026 season. “I cannot put into words how excited I am to be affiliated with such an amazing organization that is the largest name in automotive history in my book,” said Hart. “I’ve looked up to them. I’ve followed their racing. It’s absolutely epic as I’m also in cars for my occupation. What a great role model and what a great success story to follow. So, hopefully, we can make them proud. I support the colors and am prouder than I can put into words.” The 2026 Gatornationals titlist qualified second at Pomona and charged to victory in the first round of eliminations with a run of 3.698 seconds at 336.91 mph. Lined up next to Tony Stewart in Round 2, Hart left the starting line a mere seven-thousandths-of-a-second after Stewart and was running side-by-side at half-track before slowing as he neared the finish line, allowing the eventual event winner to take the win light. “We need to use it to focus, prepare, and execute,” Hart said of the second-round exit. “It’s definitely fuel for the fire and we will do exactly that: conquer and divide.” Hart is currently third in the 2026 Top Fuel standings after victory at the season-opener at Gainesville and second-round showings at Phoenix and Pomona. Hart and the HendrickCars.com team qualified to compete in this weekend’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on the strength of their quarterfinals finish in Pomona. The event will take place as part of Saturday’s qualifying runs scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. This story was originally published on April 22, 2026. The post Josh Hart to Run HendrickCars.com Scheme for NHRA 4-Wide Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

THE WES BUCK SHOW – EPISODE 422 “NITROUS, TWO-WHEELS, AND STREET HEAT” SOME WEEKS ARE ABOUT WINNERS. SOME WEEKS ARE ABOUT MOMENTUM. THIS WEEK? WE’VE GOT BOTH. This week on The Wes Buck Show, we’re bringing in a lineup that covers multiple lanes of the sport, and all of them are hot right now. First up, Tommy Franklin, PDRA owner and Pro Nitrous standout. Not only is he helping run one of the baddest series in the country, but he’s also out there competing at a high level himself. Fresh off a strong weekend, we’re gonna talk PDRA, Pro Nitrous, and what it takes to juggle promoter and racer at the same time. Then we bring in Richard Gadson, one of the top names in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle. Championship pedigree, elite talent, and a guy who has been right in the mix at the highest level. We’re gonna talk about last season, how this year is shaping up, and what it takes to compete in one of the most competitive classes in NHRA. And rounding it out, we’ve got Nate Prater, who by all accounts just threw an absolute banger with Street Car Bragging Rights. The buzz is real, the turnout was big, and people are still talking about it. We’re gonna break down what made it hit, what’s next, and why this brand is catching fire. Three guests. Three different corners of drag racing. One loaded show. LET’S GO. Each week on The Wes Buck Show, Wes Buck, JT “Murder T” Hudson, and Mike Carpenter bring their unique insights and analysis to the most electrifying moments and storylines from a packed weekend of drag racing. SUBSCRIBE for the latest in drag racing: @dragillustrated GRAB YOUR MERCH: dragillustrated.store STAY CONNECTED: @thewesbuckshow @dragillustrated RACERS CLUB MERCH: racers.club Wanna sponsor the show? Contact us: wes@dragillustrated.com dragracing #wesbuck #TommyFranklin #PDRA #ProNitrous #RichardGadson #ProStockMotorcycle #NatePrater #StreetCarBraggingRights #WBS #DI #RacersClub This story was originally published on April 22, 2026. The post The Wes Buck Show | Ep. 422 | Tommy Franklin, Richard Gadson, & Nate Prater! first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

As Keith Haney pulled his Jerry Bickel Race Cars-built, Pat Musi-powered “Black Widow” C7 Corvette into the waterbox alongside Tommy Franklin for the final round of Pro Nitrous at the Summit Racing Equipment PDRA East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech, he knew he wasn’t supposed to be here. Not just the final round – he wasn’t supposed to be at Darana Motorsports Park-Benson period. Haney’s own Midwest Drag Racing Series was scheduled to have their season-opener at Xtreme Raceway Park the same weekend, but inclement weather forced them to delay the event until Nov. 6-7. The rescheduled race will now be the Ronnie Hobbs World Finals. With his own racing plans taken away, Haney pivoted. After a quick call to his tuner Brandon Switzer, Haney told his team they were headed to North Carolina to compete against the best nitrous cars PDRA has to offer. “I don’t like sitting still,” Haney said with a chuckle. “I can’t go that long without racing.” In a battle between series owners, it initially appeared like Haney would come in and snatch the 660 Man. A huge starting line advantage gave Haney a car-length lead almost immediately, but around halfway down the track a huge burst of fire out of the hood slowed him down just enough for Franklin’s “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro to drive past for the victory. “I had him beat on the tree, .007 to his 089. He was nowhere to be found other than smelling the parachutes coming out the back of my car,” said Haney. “But we had her spicy. We didn’t come here to run a .66 in the finals. We came here to run a low .60. I come to win. I was ready. I did my job, he [Switzer] did his job – the motor just wasn’t happy with what we gave it. Everything’s still good. We got a hole in a piston, gotta replace a couple sleeves, but we gave it all we had.” As a two-time MWDRS points champion, Haney is no stranger to final rounds. But this one felt a bit different. To understand how special it was, you have to go back to the Drag Illustrated Winter Series. Haney debuted the “Black Widow” in Bradenton at the U.S. Street Nationals with zero testing. He admits it wasn’t the plan, but parts breakage on his “Black Mamba” Camaro forced his hand. “We made the decision to go to U.S. Street with the new car because we didn’t really have a choice,” Haney said. “The Mamba was broken pretty good – the whole back end –forcing us to bring the new car out. We normally go test for a week or two before the race with nobody even seeing us, but we didn’t have that opportunity for this one. The car didn’t get finished until the week of the race, and it just takes time to learn.” Still trying to figure everything out with the new car, Haney didn’t perform as well at the Winter Series as he knows he’s capable of. And with Switzer not available to attend the MWDRS season-opener (nor the PDRA East Coast Nationals as it turned out), the duo knew they needed to test extensively. After a full day preparing the car, the team headed to Tulsa Raceway Park for three days of non-stop testing. For the first two days, the car still didn’t want to act right. But on the third day, things changed. “A lot of people don’t know this, but I’ve owned Tulsa [Raceway Park] since 2011, and I have never tested a Pro Mod at that track,” said Haney. “Our last day, Brandon said, ‘We got to have everything right. I think I’ve got everything where I know it needs to be.’ That last day, we go 3.62 at 207 mph, and Brandon says, ‘We got a race car.’” Unfortunately, as the weather forecast continued to worsen for his own event, Haney made the tough decision to call XRP owner Clyde Scott and tell him the race needed to be postponed. As both a businessman and a family man, Haney didn’t want to force teams to spend their time and money for traveling just to sit in the rain. Yet there was an opportunity gained from the unfortunate situation. “I called Brandon and the guys and said, ‘I want to make some hits. I want to go race PDRA Pro Nitrous and see how I stand up with those guys.’ And immediately the guys said, ‘Yeah, whatever you want to do, boss.’ They want to race too. They enjoy success.” Almost immediately, the team – Haney, Steve Cooks, Bobby Savedra III, Jordan Savedra, and Adam Engnes – made plans to head out to Benson, N.C. Severe thunderstorms were rolling through the Midwest as Haney was leaving with the rig – he admits if they’d left just 20 minutes later, they likely would’ve been caught up in a tornado that tore through Muskogee, Oklahoma. By Thursday morning, it was time to see if all the hard work had paid off. Three test passes, three clean hits. The “Black Widow” was more consistent than it had ever been heading into Friday’s qualifying. Three qualifying sessions, and three more clean hits – including a 3.665 at 206.64 mph that landed Haney in the No. 6 spot out of 21 drivers. For the first time since debuting it at the Winter Series, Haney knew he had a hot rod. “It took us a bit to figure it out, but I love driving this car,” said Haney. “I can see every single bit of the racetrack. Every single light that’s on the tree. I can see out of this Corvette body better than anything I’ve ever seen out of in my life. The car drives better than anything I’ve ever driven. “And let’s talk about 21 nitrous cars,” Haney added. “The most they’ve had in a long time. Go pull up any sheet. I couldn’t tell you when they last had 21 nitrous cars. They outdid the Pro Boost category.” On race day, Haney lined up against Billy Albert in round one and won with a 3.714 at 206.35 to Albert’s 3.747. He then lined up against another Brandon Switzer-tuned driver, PDRA Darlington winner Mike Achenbach, in the second round. Achenbach went -.011 on the tree, while Haney rolled to a 3.755 at 195.19. “Once I let go of the button against Albert in that first round, I said, ‘This car can’t be beat,’” recalled Haney. “When I let go of the button and the front end come up and it did what it did, I said, ‘It can’t be beat. I think I can win this race.’” A timing system malfunction with the Christmas tree plagued the semifinal pairing between Haney and Buddy Perkinson, causing Perkinson to leave the line late. PDRA officials determined the race needed to be ran again; however, after losing with a 3.691 at 204.79 to Haney’s 3.664 at 206.48, Perkinson declined the opportunity to rerun the race. “I’ll admit it – I was mad that after I had won, basically crying on the top end like, I wasn’t supposed to do this,” Haney said. “And then all of a sudden, someone comes over and said something malfunctioned in the tree, we’re going to probably have to rerun. I said, ‘I am not re-running. I’ll go home.’ I was emotional. “Buddy, being the sportsman he is, and his team are, they’re good people,” added Haney. “We’re parked next to each other. We’ve talked all weekend. They played with my dog. We’ve had a great time. Let me tell you, that’s real sportsmanship right there.” While the final didn’t go Haney’s way – an especially tough loss considering it appeared to be all but won – it was a monumental step in his program with the new car. Nine consecutive passes with zero aborted runs throughout the weekend prior to the finals, reaction times that were on point in eliminations (.031, .033, .053, .007), and a car that will be a contender throughout the rest of 2026. “We went from the outhouse to the penthouse in just three days,” Haney said with a smile. “The PDRA really showed good camaraderie for the sport with me coming here. We made more noise in drag racing…if you look on the internet, it’s everywhere. It’s been really good for the sport because you’ve seen them talking good about Midwest, and we always talk good about PDRA. I came to support this race because I believe in it and I care about the sport, and I feel like the Franklins care about the sport. I think we proved this weekend we’re something.” The post “From the Outhouse to the Penthouse:” Keith Haney Discusses Impressive Showing at PDRA East Coast Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Four-time Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan has been part of some of NHRA’s most memorable moments. Near the top of that list is his historic 3.99-second run at zMAX Dragway in 2011 and at this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, Hagan returns to Charlotte with what he hopes is another thrilling weekend in his 12,000-horsepower Dodge//SRT Hellcat. “I remember making that 3.99-pass,” said Hagan. “It was at night. We had been saving some parts and pieces towards the end of the season and so I knew that we had some good stuff on the car. It was one of those things where it was night and it was cool, where you could see your breath. You always get those feelings when your crew chief kind of looks at you in there at you and before he turns the knob and walks away, like, ‘hold on, bud.’ “That’s what’s really cool because it has stuck with me. To break into the 3.99-range in 1,000-feet, that was really cool, especially to do it at Charlotte.” Hagan is a veteran within the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series ranks and is the only active Funny Car driver with four world titles. Hagan has 56 career wins to his impressive credit, with four coming at zMAX Dragway. After winning two weeks ago at the Winternationals in Pomona, Hagan is riding that momentum to the “Bellagio of Dragstrips” for this weekend’s 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. “Winning in Pomona was great. Then you come into Charlotte, it’s my home track. It’s just such a great place. The Smith tracks, they’re always just top-notch. I mean, and the facilities are great. The fans are great,” Hagan said. The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals is this season’s sole four-wide event. Fans will witness four nitro-burning machines racing simultaneously, showcasing nearly 50,000-horsepower at once while reaching speeds of more than 340 mph. This year’s visit to Charlotte will also continue the season-long celebration of NHRA’s 75th anniversary, where fans can expect multiple highlights at zMAX Dragway, including: An appearance from NHRA’s four-time Funny Car world champion Hagan, as well as NHRA legends Darryl Gwynn and Frank Manzo. On Sunday, a free, limited-edition NHRA schedule magnet will be given to the first 5,000 fans in attendance to take in eliminations. A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and much more. Last season, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed victories at the famed facility. This season’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 26. With the 75th anniversary season underway, NHRA added 25 additional drivers to the Top 75 Drivers list. Joining this year’s class of additions was Hagan. With his record-breaking passes, wins and four world titles, Hagan was a natural addition to the prestigious list of past and present NHRA legends, and he’s thrilled to celebrate that prestigious honor this weekend in Charlotte. “When you say ‘legend,’ I don’t even consider myself in that category. I just feel like how lucky am I? All these things came together, and right place, right time, and here we are,” Hagan said. “I never really dreamed of sitting out here doing this as a profession and it’s just something that kind of happened, and here we are now. But at the end of the day, what an honor. To win a couple of championships with different crew chiefs, and a handful of different guys along the way, and to still be able to be out here doing what we do is awesome.” Last season, Langdon added his name to the NHRA history books when he won NHRA’s 1,000th Top Fuel race. Langdon has already visited the winner’s circle in 2026 when he won in Phoenix. Others to look out for in Charlotte will be Gainesville winner Josh Hart, reigning world champion Doug Kalitta and seven-time Charlotte winner Antron Brown, as well as Leah Pruett as she returns to full-time racing. Dallas Glenn powered his way to his first Pro Stock world title in 2025 and won last season’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals when he defeated KB Titan Racing teammate and six-time champ Greg Anderson, 2026 Gainesville winner Matt Hartford and Eric Latino. Pro Stock Motorcycle returns in Charlotte after last racing at the season opener in Gainesville. Six-time world champ Matt Smith won at his home track last season when he defeated reigning world champ Richard Gadson, two-time champ Gaige Herrera and veteran Steve Johnson. Gadson opened 2026 with a win and will face off against the likes of Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo, John Hall and Chase Van Sant. The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals will also feature the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown. The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals will see the debut of the new Right Trailers Outlaw Street Series is an exciting new showcase for 2026 and will feature 10 drivers, with three rounds of qualifying over the course of Friday and Saturday in Charlotte, followed by semifinals and finals on Sunday at zMAX Dragway. Fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and much more. Race fans in Charlotte can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the event winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday. 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 cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 25 at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 26. Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday with eliminations action at 7 p.m. ET to follow. To purchase tickets to the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, please visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 800-455-3267. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com. The post Four-Time Funny Car Champion Matt Hagan Returns to zMAX Dragway to Add to His NHRA Legacy first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The Spring Fling at GALOT is LIVE right now with big money bracket racing going on through the weekend! If you want to see great drag racing action from one of the nicest dragstrips in the country, then you need to watch the free livestream below. Darana Motorsports Park, aka Galot, is home to the Spring Fling and this event promises some really hot action this weekend. That’s right, it is Spring Fling time and that means some of the hottest bracket racers in the country are going to be battling it out for big money at Galot where the Spring Fling is going on this weekend. Racing action starts Tuesday, right here and we’ll have all the action for you all the way through Saturday. The post FREE LIVE DRAG RACING: Big Money Bracket Racing From The 2026 Spring Fling at Galot – $15,000 Wednesday appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Even motorcyclists are having a hard time filling up at the pump these days, but this new gas price tracker tool might save you some cold, hard cash. View the full article