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Lone Star Roundup is one of the premier car show destinations every spring, especially for traditional hot rods and customs. It’s happening as we speak, in Austin Texas, and while the show is only Friday and Saturday, there are a ton of other parties and shows and cruises that happen for the couple of days prior to the show. Since I couldn’t head down to Austin, I’m glad that our friend John Jackson from Not Stock Photo has been there all week shooting cool cars and trucks while hanging out with fellow hot rodders. Check out the video below from Austin Speed Shop’s Lone Star Roundup pre-party and movie night, and make sure that the Roundup is on your list of must attend shows in 2027! Video Description: #LonestarRoundup #HotRod #AustinSpeedShop The best thing about Lonestar Roundup is the week full of parties, and just hanging out. No one is more iconic fr hosting great Lonestar Roundup Parties than Austin Speed Shop. This Year the hosted a Drive in Movie Night at the Shop with free Beer from PintHouse, Great Tacos, and a showing of Two Lane Blacktop. As always just a great hang, and special thanks to Thom from Saltworks Fab for rescuing me in Austin 5pm Traffic after my Fuel Pump Took a Dump haha. Just a quick video the event since my Roundup video will probably wind up being a Hour Long haha Thanks for watching ‪ @NotStockPhoto‬ #Austin #customcars #carculture #driveintheater The post Hot Rod Drive-In Video From Austin Speed Shop: Free Beer and Two Lane Blacktop Playing At The Pre-Lonestar Roundup 2026 Party appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

When I first started working with David Freiburger it seemed like every few days I was finding out about another car, truck, or Jeep that he owned and had stored somewhere. I’d tell you some stories, but you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway. I don’t know how many cars David has owned over the years, but I can tell you that at any given time it has been dozens of cars. And he doesn’t live on some big piece of property with lots of space for a bunch of cars. Quite the opposite in fact. So check out the video below and let us know which one of these cars you most want in your garage? The post Freiburger Has To Sell Some Cars! You Wouldn’t Believe How Many Cars He’s Got, Or How Many He’s Had, But Prices and Descriptions Are Right Here! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

I headed to Alicante, Spain, for the global launch of the 2026 Triumph Trident 660 and questioned if it had too much power for a first big bike or redefines the category.View the full article

Triumph’s Bonneville 350 has been spotted testing in India as GST rules push KTM and others toward smaller engines. View the full article

With the supercharger wars raging in the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series’ WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive category, Melanie Salemi scored a No. 1 qualifier award for Team Screw Blowers Friday night at the Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech. With a brand-new engine between the frame rails in Eddie Whelan’s Al-Lee Installations “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird, Salemi powered to a 3.580-second pass at 208.68 mph in the final qualifying session at Darana Motorsports Park – Benson, NC to lead Pro Boost into Saturday eliminations. Marcus Butner (Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars), Andy Mac (Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing), Jeff Pittman (PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises), and Connor McGee (1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling) also collected No. 1 qualifier awards in the professional classes. Between Thursday and Friday, the PDRA’s sportsman categories also completed three qualifying sessions, with No. 1 qualifier awards going to Jamie Fowler in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Bruce Westfall in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Mike Alexander Jr. in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 32, and Taylor Holland in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster 48 presented by TBM Brakes. The PDRA Jr. Dragster ranks were as competitive as ever in Friday qualifying, with a pair of siblings using perfect efforts to qualify No. 1 in their respective divisions. In Pro Jr. Dragster, where a 7.90 index is used to set the field, 40 drivers turned up to fight for 32 spots on the ladder. McKenzee Hogan ran dead-on the index with a 7.900 to take the No. 1 spot in her Dudley, North Carolina-based ’23 Mike Bos dragster. Reaction time is the name of the game in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster qualifying, and Jayden Hogan’s perfect .000 reaction time set the bar high. PRO BOOST A long day of trials and tribulations for defending Pro Boost event winner Melanie Salemi ended with a rewarding No. 1 qualifying pass in Eddie Whelan’s screw-blown Al-Lee Installations “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird. She didn’t make it down the track in the first qualifying session, then she wounded an engine in dramatic fashion in the second session. Her family-based team swung a new motor in, but when something didn’t sound right on the warmup, they swapped in a different brand-new engine, fired it up, and headed to the lanes. The first pass it made was the 3.580 at 208.68 that put Salemi at the top of the qualifying order. “It was a sigh of relief, honestly, when I looked up at the scoreboard and saw the .58 come up,” Salemi said. “Of course, we get back to the pit and we’re expecting everybody’s gonna keep going faster. I had not done very well during the day so I was one of the first cars out there. It was really cool to be able to come back to the pit and we had our ears glued to the PA system and trying to just keep our morale. I think we had a bigger party in our pit after the last pair went down than we’ve had in a while. It was pretty cool.” Two-time Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris was just a tick behind Salemi with his 3.586 at 210.50 in the Harts Charger-boosted “Party Time” Harold Denton tribute ’69 Camaro. Johnny Camp, winner of the postponed Carolina Nationals on Thursday night, qualified third in his Brandon Stroud-tuned, ProCharger-boosted “Hells Bells” ’69 Camaro with a 3.594 at 211.10. PRO NITROUS Marcus Butner’s Pro Nitrous world championship defense season is off to a strong start, as the Tobaccoville, North Carolina-based driver raced to a semifinal finish at the season-opening Carolina Nationals and kicked off the East Coast Nationals with a No. 1 qualifying effort. He sat outside the 16-car field after the first session, but under the lights in the final session, Butner and tuner Jay Cox swung for the fence with a 3.636 at 208.20 in the Musi-powered Butner Construction “Heartbreaker” ’69 Camaro. “I try not to think about [defending the championship] because it is pressure,” said Butner, who thanked Red Line Oil, Pat Musi Racing Engines, Liberty’s Gears, Ty-Drive, PST, Racestar Wheels, and his wife and kids. “At the end of the day, I’d love nothing more than to win another championship, back-to-back. Several people have done it. What do they say – the first one may be a mistake, the second one ain’t? We’re just gonna take it one round at a time. Everybody out here can run just as good as anybody else, any time of the day. It’s gonna be so hot. We ran good today here in the heat, but it’s tricky. We won’t just play it safe, treat everybody the same because anybody can beat you any time.” Defending event winner Tim Paap saw his team’s offseason upgrades pay off with a No. 2 qualifying position as he posted a 3.642 at 206.32 in his Jeffrey Barker-tuned, Musi-powered Paap Auto Body Corvette. “Mountain Man” Mike Achenbach, who won Thursday night’s postponed Carolina Nationals final round, qualified third in his Brandon Switzer-tuned, Fulton-powered ’20 Camaro with a 3.644 at 206.32. PRO STREET After retired Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox won the delayed Carolina Nationals Pro Street final round Thursday night, he handed the proverbial keys to longtime crew member and veteran grudge racer Andy Mac, who took the opportunity and ran with it. In the third and final qualifying session on Friday night, Mac wheeled Cox’s Phil Shuler-tuned, nitrous-fed “Training Day” ’69 Camaro to a 3.895 at 193.74 to secure his first No. 1 qualifier award and the car’s fourth. Cox, meanwhile, plans to make his Pro Boost debut at the next race. “It’s pretty special to carry on something that [Cox] started, that we started with him,” Mac said. “Just being in the right spot at the right time and taking the opportunity to carry on where he left off. I just want to thank Fletcher for trusting and allowing me to drive his car and being part of a winning team. It’s not just one person that does this. We all do it. There’s endless hours and nights that go into this stuff. Winning is not done at the racetrack. It’s won at the shop. We just bring what we do there to here and let everybody see us perform and try to win.” Class E.T. national record holder Richard Reagan charged to a 3.927 at 196.85 in his screw-blown ’91 Mustang to take the No. 2 spot. Another nitrous-assisted driver, Blake Denton, piloted the Musi-powered “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro previously driven by the late Lizzy Musi to a 3.959 at 201.19 to qualify third. PRO 632 Jeff Pittman has been steadily gaining ground in Pro 632 since he joined the class last season as a teammate to Alan O’Brien’s championship-winning Greenbrier Excavating & Paving operation. Pittman, who previously competed in Top Sportsman, raced to a runner-up finish in the postponed Carolina Nationals Thursday evening and followed that up with his first career No. 1 qualifier award on Friday night. With Patrick Barnhill tuning and Barry Allen providing the horsepower in his Hickory Enclosed Trailers ’68 Chevelle, Pittman ran a 4.147 at 171.29 to take the top spot. “It’s really a good thing,” said Pittman, who thanked the Greenbrier team, Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales, and RPM Racing Performance Motorcoaches. “We’ve come close several times and just got knocked out. This year we’ve really kind of tuned the program up. It seems to be going a lot smoother, things are working a little bit better, and I’m a whole lot more comfortable in the car. This whole deal is about little bitty bits and pieces of rewards here and there. I think we’ve got a good piece to go into race day with, and we came pretty close the other night in the finals for the Darlington race. So I hope we can one-up that position. That’s our goal.” JC Beattie Jr., who had a career-best weekend with a No. 1 qualifier award and win at the Carolina Nationals, qualified second with a 4.169 at 170.45 in his Reher-Morrison-powered ATI Performance ’18 Camaro. Young gun Carson Hoyle ran a 4.178 at 169.23 in his Musi-powered ATI Performance ’69 Camaro to sit third. SUPER STREET Connor McGee, both the defending world champion and defending event champion in Super Street, already has an event win, a No. 1 qualifier award, and the first leg of a new class E.T. national record racked up before East Coast Nationals eliminations begin. On Thursday night, McGee secured the first win of the season when he won the postponed Carolina Nationals from Darlington Dragway. McGee, in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang, kept it rolling in Friday qualifying, posting a dominant 4.467 at 160.29 to set the first end of a new record. He’ll need to run a 4.511 in eliminations to back up the record. “Really what it takes is what everybody doesn’t see,” McGee said of the effort that resulted in the No. 1 qualifying pass, going on to thank Fulton Competition Engines, Abby’s Performance Engines, Driving Racing Oil, Bucked Up Energy, and Tub O’ Towels. “We went into Darlington testing, made some good runs, tested some things out. But what people don’t see is the 10 times we’re going to the track in the offseason to get runs, make 330 hit after 330 hit and blow stuff up and try new things and change stuff. All the stuff that we do outside of the scheduled events is what really makes things happen. You can’t just show up and expect to be good. You have to go in, practice, and be ready.” Austin Vincent, who finished second in the Super Street championship battle last season, laid down a 4.548 at 152.80 in his Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang to qualify second. Ryan Altman ended up third with a 4.657 at 150.51 in the Greenbrier Excavating & Paving ’02 Camaro. TOP SPORTSMAN A trio of different power adder and engine combos led the way in Elite Top Sportsman, each posting 3.77-second passes. For the second consecutive race, Jamie Fowler secured the No. 1 position in his nitrous-fed, Fulton-powered Pee Dee Fleet ’69 Camaro with a 3.772 at 198.41. Another South Carolina-based driver, Scott Duggins, posted a 3.773 at 196.19 in his ProCharged PAR Racing Engines ’63 Corvette to take the No. 2 spot on speed. Reigning world champion Bryan LaFlam in his roots-blown Big Stuff TPM ’67 Mustang qualified third with a 3.773 at 195.68. Mike Alexander Jr. just missed out on the 16-car Elite Top Sportsman field with his 4.172 at 172.30, but that pass in his ProCharged ’63 Corvette put him No. 1 in the Top Sportsman 32 field. TOP DRAGSTER After qualifying just outside the top three at the season opener, Granville, Ohio’s Bruce Westfall picked up his first No. 1 qualifier award in Elite Top Dragster on the strength of a 3.719 at 196.53 in his supercharged ’25 Race Tech dragster. Josh Duggins, who qualified No. 1 at the season opener, ended up No. 2 in his ProCharged PAR Racing Engines ’14 Maddox dragster with a 3.725 at 200.62. Gray Kimble rounded out the top three with a 3.761 at 198.23 in his ProCharged Finney Builders ’18 Miller dragster. Taylor Holland was the quickest of the drivers who qualified outside the Elite Top Dragster field, running a 4.168 at 168.60 to qualify No. 1 in Top Dragster 48. Saturday’s schedule begins with Jr. Dragster final qualifying at 9 a.m. followed by Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products time trial, and the first round of sportsman eliminations. Pre-race ceremonies and first round of pro eliminations will begin at noon. Saturday general admission tickets are available for $30. Discounted Junior and Kids tickets are also available, while kids 5 and under get in free. Purchase tickets at www.PDRA660.com or at the gate. PDRA fans around the world can catch all the action live on the official event live stream through www.FloRacing.com. This story was originally published on April 17, 2026. The post Salemi, Butner, Mac, Pittman and McGee Qualify No. 1 at PDRA East Coast Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The IHRA has made the decision, in coordination with management at Montgomery International Dragway, to relocate the third race of the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series and IHRA Small Tire BRATZ Series from Montgomery, Alabama. The event, scheduled for May 7–9, will now take place at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio (National Trail Raceway). Testing will be held on Wednesday, May 6. This decision follows a recent shooting at the Montgomery facility. While the situation is unrelated to our operations, we agreed alongside track leadership that relocating the event is the most responsible course of action out of an abundance of caution. The safety of our racers, their families, crews, partners, fans, and staff remain our top priority. This decision reflects our commitment to providing a safe and professional environment for everyone involved. With this move, the May 7–9 event in Hebron will now be branded as the IHRA Spring Nationals.As the third race of the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series season, this event remains a key stop on our national schedule, and championship points will continue as planned. Due to the relocation, adjustments have been made to the existing event schedule at Darana Raceway to accommodate the IHRA national event weekend. “To support the IHRA National Series, we’ve adjusted our schedule by moving our points race weekend to June 12-14 and canceling the Darana Triple 5’s event,” said Derrick Beach, General Manager of Darana Raceway. IHRA will communicate additional details, including schedule updates and ticketing information, directly with racers, teams, and ticket holders. All current ticket holders will be contacted via email with options to receive a refund or transfer their tickets to another IHRA event. For any questions, please contact info@ihra.com. We’re looking forward to bringing the IHRA Spring Nationals to Hebron and delivering a strong weekend of IHRA competition. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of ourracers, teams, partners, and fans. This story was originally published on April 17, 2026. The post IHRA Relocates Montgomery Event to Hebron, Ohio; Race to be Branded as IHRA Spring Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

WorldSBK 2026 Round Three – Assen – Friday WorldSBK Bulega leads Friday at Assen as Ducati stays in front despite fresh fuel-flow hit Nicolo Bulega topped both Friday sessions at Assen to lead an all-Ducati top three, while Remy Gardner ended the opening day 16th and Ducati and Bimota began the Dutch round under new […] The post Bulega leads Assen Friday as Mahias, Veneman and Herrera take pole honours appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Ron Capps, one of the most accomplished and respected drivers in NHRA Drag Racing history, will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s (MSHFA) Class of 2027, it was announced today at a press conference held at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Capps is one of 10 individuals who will receive the prestigious honor recognizing those who have made a lasting impact on American motorsports. Fellow inductees into the MSHFA Class of 2027 include Gary Bettenhausen, Rob Dyson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Herb Fischel, Harry Hartz, Steve Hinton, Angelle Sampey, Lyn St. James, and Robert Yates. The esteemed group will take their place in history among some of the industry’s greatest names at an induction ceremony in Daytona Beach, Fla. next March. “This is truly one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Capps, who drives the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. “When you look at all the people who have been inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, it’s hard to put into words what it means to be included among them. And the coolest part about it is, both my former team owners, Don ‘the Snake’ Prudhomme (class of 1991), and Don Schumacher (class of 2019), have both been inducted. This feels like a full circle moment for me, now as an NHRA team owner, to join them on the list.” A three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion, Capps has built a Hall of Fame-worthy career spanning more than three decades at the sport’s highest level. Known for his quick thinking behind the wheel, affable personality, and dedication to his partners, the California native ranks among the winningest drivers in NHRA history with 78 overall career victories (one Top Fuel) placing him second all-time in Funny Car wins and among the leaders in overall round wins across the sport’s four professional categories. He was also named to NHRA’s prestigious Top 75 Drivers list in early 2026 and is the winningest pro driver at Bristol Dragway. After earning his first professional Wally trophy in Top Fuel in 1995, Capps was tapped by Prudhomme to drive a Funny Car full-time, where he went on to secure 13 victories. He later joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2005, where he became a cornerstone of the powerhouse organization and captured two world championships. Early in his tenure with Schumacher, Capps’ Funny Car carried backing from the iconic Brut cologne before beginning what would become one of the longest-running partnerships in motorsports. In 2008, NAPA Auto Parts joined forces with Capps, launching a partnership that is approaching 20 years. The 2026 season marks Capps’ 19th year representing the NAPA brand, during which he has become one of the most recognizable ambassadors in the sport. Following his 2021 championship season, Capps took the next step in his career, transitioning from driver to owner-driver with the formation of Ron Capps Motorsports. The team made an immediate impact, capturing five victories in its debut year, including the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, and securing Capps’ third world championship title in 2022. Continuing to grow his organization, Capps expanded to a two-car operation in 2026, adding a Top Fuel entry with rookie Maddi Gordon to the team’s lineup. “I’ve had the chance to work with legends, race against the best in the world, and be part of some incredible moments in this sport,” Capps added. “To now be recognized in this way is something I’ll never take for granted. I know when I get up there on the stage in Daytona Beach next March, it’ll all just feel so surreal; a pinch-me moment for sure. A huge thank you to my family and everyone who supported me along the way and of course, NAPA Auto Parts. It’s because of them that I have the coolest job in the world, driving 330 mph for a living.” “Ron’s induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is truly a well-deserved honor for one of the most accomplished and respected competitors in NHRA history,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “Ron’s success on the track certainly speaks for itself, but his contributions to the sport run much deeper. His passion for the sport and his connection with our fans has been incredible for more than three decades. “He has been a remarkable ambassador for NHRA Drag Racing his entire career, representing our sport with enthusiasm, integrity and as the ultimate professional, exemplified by his longtime partnership with NAPA and desire to push the sport forward by bringing in a rookie like Maddi Gordon to his team. We’re thrilled to see him get his recognition among the greats in motorsports and celebrate this special moment with him.” This story was originally published on April 17, 2026. The post Ron Capps to be Inducted Into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Class of 2027 first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

There’s a version of race day that looks clean on the highlights reel – a crisp burnout, perfect launch, a number on the board that moves you up the qualifying ladder. And then there’s the version Clay Millican lived through during this past weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona. This version included a grinding, sweaty, gear-oil-soaked Saturday that had his entire operation camped in the staging lanes, watching the clock, watching the track get torn apart, watching their own runs produce dropped cylinders and performance marks that fell below the team’s admittedly high expectations. The weekend started off with plenty of optimism. Millican’s crew rolled into the third round of qualifying sitting 10th, the sun already pushing harder than it had the day before with the cloud cover thinning. The goal was simple and achievable: get into the top half of the field, and more importantly, avoid the scenario of Millican and teammate Tony Schumacher drawing each other in the first round, a repeat of what happened at the previous race in Phoenix. Millican had his helmet on and was ready to “stomp that loud pedal.” Then everything fell apart two pairs ahead of him. Not long after Schumacher left the starting line, the rear end let go. It wasn’t a simple parts failure or a slow leak, but a catastrophic shredding that threw gear oil across the racing surface. When a Top Fuel rear end breaks at speed and the engine suddenly has nothing to drive, it doesn’t just stall – it over-revs violently and breaks just about everything connected to it in the process. The photos made the rounds fast. Nobody had seen anything quite like what was left of that housing. Within minutes, every hand from both sides of the Millican-Schumacher operation was over on Tony’s side of the trailer, working on the wreckage. An hour passed. Then another. The NHRA Safety Safari worked the lanes with oil dry while Millican stood around doing what racers do in these moments…he waited, talked to his guys, gave updates to anyone who’d listen, and tried to stay focused. “Really sorry, race fans,” he told the crowd over the PA system with the kind of genuine decency that makes Millican one of the most universally respected people in the nitro pits. “I promise you, Tony Schumacher did not come up here thinking to himself, ‘Uh, this is how we wanted the day to go.’” When the staging lanes finally reopened, Millican and crew rolled back up for what should have been a redemption run. The track was understandably questionable, and everyone knew it. The oil dry was piled deep in the corners of the lane where Schumacher’s car had laid its mechanical guts across the asphalt. Millican completed his burnout, staged, and then almost immediately put a hole out after launching. The cylinder dropped on them before the car could build any real momentum, and the run was over before it ever really started. Three runs into qualifying and they’d heard the same radio call three times. Hole out. Hole out. Hole out. There was a brief moment of confusion – one run turned out not to be a hole-out at all, but a broken fuel line near the injector hat that sprayed fuel and sent crew member Jesse Snyder grabbing for the kill switch. From there, the bad news never really stopped, with the fourth and final qualifying session adding a Christmas tree malfunction throwing another ten-to-fifteen minute delay into the mix. What makes this story worth telling isn’t the mechanical misery – equipment breaks in Top Fuel all the time. Nitromethane is inherently violent, and the machinery that survives it does so by the slimmest of margins. Every year, teams have to send a representative to NHRA’s mandatory nitro safety meeting, sign their name, and confirm they understand exactly what they’re handling, because what they’re handling is genuinely dangerous stuff. But the real story is how Millican handled the situation. Not once did he point fingers at the manufacturer, at the track crew, at the timing system, at the weather, at anyone. He stood there in the California heat, helmet under his arm, camera rolling, and talked straight to his audience. When crew chief Jon Oberhofer shrugged off the hole-out problem with a “dropping them holes, baby,” Millican didn’t dress it up. He reported it exactly like he heard it. “It ain’t just us,” Millican said. “It’s nitro. And it’s our fault. We’ll figure it out.” That’s the thing about a team like Millican’s – they’ve been here before. Millican said it himself at the end of an absolutely brutal day: the number on the qualifying sheet on Saturday doesn’t define what happens Sunday. Ladder position matters, but momentum is its own kind of currency, and a team that figures out their gremlins between sessions can come out of the trailer on race day a different animal entirely. Pomona has always had a way of humbling people. For Millican, his people are the ones who spent two hours cleaning up someone else’s catastrophe without being asked, the ones who kept the cameras rolling through every long delay, and the ones who smiled through it at the end and said, “at least we’re racing in Pomona.” And race he did. Starting from the No. 12 spot, Millican scored an upset victory over Shawn Reed in round one, running a solid 3.758 elapsed time at 318.47 mph. In the quarterfinals, he smoked the tires at the hit in a loss to reigning Top Fuel points champion Doug Kalitta. Although it wasn’t the result Millican and the Rick Ware Racing team wanted, their perseverance and first-round victory can help propel them moving forward. They’ll be ready to line up again next weekend in Charlotte for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals with something to prove, and that’s not the worst place to be. The post Clay Millican Perseveres Through Punishing Pomona Winternationals Weekend first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

So you want to join the ranks and buy yourself a cafe racer. I can hear it already: “What? You’re not building your own?” Building a cafe racer isn’t for everyone. It takes time, patience, and most importantly, skill in order to build a truly custom cafe racer motorcycle. Sometimes it’s easier to peruse another enthusiast’s properly built project and make it your own. You love the look, you’ve looked through listings, and it’s time to make a decision. However, […] The post What To Consider Before Buying A Cafe Racer Motorcycle appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

For this week’s Flashback Friday, we’re hopping into the time machine and heading back to the rainy, caffeine-fueled streets of Portland, Oregon. This article originally appeared on Bike EXIF in February 2020, documenting a pivotal moment when The One Motorcycle Show moved into the cavernous, mid-ce... View the full article

There are celebrities who show up to drag races, put on a helmet, and let someone else do the thinking. They’re good for a photo-op and a press release and not much else. Tony Stewart is not that kind of celebrity. What Stewart has done since committing to NHRA nitro competition – not just as a driver, but as a team owner building a program from the ground up – is something fundamentally different, and people inside the sport are starting to take notice. Matt Hagan, a man who doesn’t throw compliments around carelessly, framed it as clearly as anyone could. Hagan would know better than most. He drives the Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car for Tony Stewart Racing, Stewart’s own team. When your driver looks at the man who signs the checks and says that’s who this sport needs to attach itself to, it’s not flattery. It’s an honest assessment from someone who watches him work every day. “I really think that if I was a fan on the outside looking in, it’s like, that’s the next John Force,” Hagan said. “That’s who NHRA needs to attach themselves to and figure out how long Tony wants to do this and really rally behind that.” Stewart also owns the Top Fuel dragster that his wife, Leah Pruett, currently drives. He stepped into the car full-time last year while she sat out, then passed the seat back and took the opportunity to drive for Richard Freeman’s Elite Motorsports team this season. That means he’s now both a competitor on the track and a team owner running cars against himself. It’s a situation that has no real precedent in this sport, and speaks to how seriously Stewart has gone all-in on drag racing rather than treating it as a side project. The comparison to Force isn’t casual. It’s the highest bar that exists in the sport: a man whose name alone has carried the promotional weight of an entire professional class for decades. And Hagan’s point is clear – Stewart brings that same star power. He arrives at NHRA national events with a fanbase built across NASCAR, IndyCar, sprint car racing, and a Hall of Fame career that touches virtually every corner of American motorsports. That crossover appeal doesn’t transfer automatically, but Stewart has made it transfer because he does the work. Richard Freeman, who has spent years building championship teams and watching the business of drag racing up close, has seen what that name does in rooms where it previously couldn’t get a return call. He’s had those conversations with Stewart – late-night, off the record, honest assessments of what it means to be able to say his name to a Fortune 500 company and watch the room change. The late Don Schumacher put it simply when the subject of Stewart’s involvement first came up in a conversation with Hagan: “Not everybody knows who Don Schumacher is, but they know who Tony Stewart is.” But what strikes the people around him most isn’t the name recognition. It’s the consistency. Stewart treats each crew guy the same way he treats the CEO of a sponsor company. He shows up, digs in, and doesn’t look down on anyone in the building. “He’s just a normal guy,” Freeman said. “He’s a racer. He’s like Matt, he’s like Erica [Enders], he’s like all the rest of them.” Stewart doesn’t have a title that says ambassador or spokesman. He has something better – authenticity. And every time he describes what this sport actually feels like to someone who’s never experienced it, he does more recruiting for drag racing than any campaign NHRA has ever run. Stewart himself articulated the responsibility that comes with his platform, and the thing he genuinely wants fans who have never seen a nitro car to understand. The first time he stood close to a Top Fuel car on the track, he felt sick just standing there. “I literally felt my insides move,” Stewart said. “I’ve been in motorsports for 47 years. I’ve never been around anything that ever made my insides move and made me car sick – and I wasn’t moving.” That story, told to new fans at the rope, told to NASCAR audiences, told anywhere people will listen, is exactly the kind of authentic, unfiltered recruitment tool that no marketing budget can manufacture. It’s real. It happened to him. And it happens to every first-time attendee who gets close enough to feel what this sport truly entails. Stewart’s answer to what winning looks like a year from now was equally clear-eyed: get the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock program back to the front, keep building the Top Fuel program, and fight for a championship in both categories. But the larger mission is to continue proving that drag racing can grow, can attract new audiences, can sustain Fortune 500 partners. He’s racing. He’s building something bigger. And he’s doing both at the same time. The post Tony Stewart Is Drag Racing’s Most Powerful Recruiter, and He Doesn’t Even Realize It first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Motorcycle riders face unique risks on the road, from reduced visibility to limited physical protection in a collision. When accidents occur, injuries can be serious, and insurance disputes are often more complex than standard vehicle claims. For riders in Illinois, choosing the right attorney can make a significant difference in recovering compensation and navigating the legal process. Below are some of the top motorcycle accident attorneys in Illinois, along with guidance to help you find the right fit for your […] The post Best Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Illinois appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

Chicago’s busy streets present unique challenges for motorcycle riders. Heavy traffic, changing road conditions, and driver inattention all contribute to accident risks. When a crash occurs, riders often face serious injuries, complex insurance claims, and questions about liability. Choosing the right attorney can help protect your rights and improve your chances of recovering fair compensation. Below are some of the top motorcycle accident attorneys in Chicago, along with practical guidance for selecting the right legal support. Top Motorcycle Accident Attorneys […] The post Best Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Chicago appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

When working with motorcycles sourced from bank auction vehicles, completing repairs is only the first step. Before a salvage bike can be legally ridden or resold, it must pass a rebuilt title inspection — a process that verifies the motorcycle’s identity, parts, and documentation. In many regions, this inspection goes far beyond a basic safety check. It is a detailed evaluation where officials confirm VIN numbers, review repair records, and ensure that all replaced components are properly documented. Understanding this […] The post Navigating the Rebuilt Title Inspection: What Authorities Check in Your Motorcycle Restoration appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

A custom build always looks right in the garage. The lines are clean, the metal catches the light, and every part feels deliberate. It reflects the choices that shaped it. Out on the street, though, the same bike starts telling a different story. City riding changes your priorities fast. Traffic thickens, gaps close, and the pace turns uneven. What felt right during the build can feel very different after a few rides through busy streets. Visibility changes. Comfort shifts. Gear […] The post The Urban Pilot: Gear That Earns Its Place in Real Traffic appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

The PDRA finished up its Darlington event at Benson. Here's who brought home wins in all the PDRA professional categories. View the full article

We’ve got live drag racing coming to you from Division 7! It’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing at it’s finest and every pair that goes down the race track is right here live. If you like Sportsman Drag Racing, where wheels-up action is the norm, then this is the racing for you. We’re talking Stock, Super Stock, Comp, Alcohol classes, and more right here from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Check it out and let us know what you think! Video Description: Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 From Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday on YouTube. https://www.nhra.com/schedule/2026 The post FREE LIVE DRAG RACING: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 Regional From The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Friday appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Here’s the 4th, and final, gallery of photos from the PDRA Carolina Nationals at Darlington. Check them out below and if you missed the previous photos we’ve got a link for that too! (Photos by David Whealon) – The PDRA Carolina Nationals from Darlington were cold and challenging, but we’ve got a bunch of photos from David Whealon showing just how cool the cars and racing action were. While they were not able to finish the event, because of weather and cold track temps, the final two rounds of eliminations will be contested at this weekend’s East Coast Nationals at Darana Motorsports Park GALOT. That means fans and racers are in for three big days of racing with Thursday’s action finishing up the Carolina Nationals eliminations, followed by qualifying and eliminations for the East Coast Nationals themselves. With Pro Nitrous, Pro Boost, Pro Stock, Outlaw 632 and more on hand, you know that some awesome racing was happening. The car counts were strong and the competition was unrelenting throughout eliminations in all categories. CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE PREVIOUS PDRA PHOTOS The post Drag Racing Photos: Our Final Gallery Of Photos From The PDRA Carolina Nationals 2026 At Darlington Dragway! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

There’s nothing quite like the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway and the massive sensory overload is coming quick, with the spectacular spectacle set to take place on April 23-26 at the “Bellagio of Dragstrips.” An event as wild and unique as this one always makes for a memorable experience for every fan, especially this season during NHRA’s special 75th anniversary season. But just in case you needed a reminder, here are 4 reasons you can’t miss this year’s 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway: The only 4-wide of the year: It’s the wildest spectacle in motorsports and words don’t do it justice when four nitro-burning machines blast down the dragstrip, showcasing nearly 50,000-horsepower at once while reaching speeds of more than 340 mph. This year, though, April 24-26 is the only chance to see the most unique event in drag racing – and at the birthplace of four-wide racing, zMAX Dragway. It’s the only Charlotte stop during NHRA’s 75th anniversary tour, giving you one opportunity to watch the incredible four-wide experience. Plus, it’s the only chance to see the biggest names of the sport, including racing legend Tony Stewart, who just won in Pomona, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Erica Enders, Austin Prock, Leah Pruett, local racers Greg Anderson, Dallas Glenn, Matt Hagan, and Matt and Angie Smith, as well as rookie sensation Maddi Gordon and Funny Car newcomer Jordan Vandergriff, and many more. With qualifying on Friday and Saturday, and eliminations on Sunday – all at the only four-wide race of the year – it’s an experience that everyone should enjoy. “It’s my home track and it’s such a great place,” Hagan said. “This place, it’s always just top-notch. The facilities are great, the fans are great, so we’re really looking forward to it.” NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration: The milestone year means plenty of celebrating, honoring drivers and memorable moments. There’s the impressive diamond Wally on the line for all competitors, while fans will get to meet legends like Hagan, Darrell Gwynn and Frank Manzo in Charlotte. Plus, Hagan’s historic run from 2011 at zMAX Dragway, will be celebrated, marking the 15th anniversary of Funny Car’s first 3-second run. To add to the celebration, on Sunday, a free, limited-edition NHRA schedule magnet will be given to the first 5,000 fans in attendance. Access galore: Of course, every ticket to the 4-Wide Nationals is a pit pass, putting fans right in the thick of the action as they watch teams work on their cars between rounds, meet drivers and experience all off-the-track thrills in store. In Charlotte, that also includes the Dodge Thrill Rides near the pit area, as race fans can experience SIXPACK-powered Charger Scat Pack Dodge Thrill Rides, hopping in for a front-row seat as professional drivers unleash burnouts, donuts and the full power of the new twin-turbo 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack. It’s a heart-pounding experience that sets the mood perfectly for four-wide racing. There’s also the special RevZilla display in Charlotte, which will feature the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and allow fans to learn how to ride a motorcycle from licensed instructors, emphasizing a true hands-on experience. Right Trailers Outlaw Street debut: Fans will get an amzing opportunity to see the debut of the Right Trailers Outlaw Street Series, which features the biggest names from the famous Street Outlaws franchise, including Shawn Ellington, Ryan Martin, Scott Taylor, Paige Coughlin and Jeff Lutz. The new showcase in 2026 will feature 10 drivers, with three rounds of qualifying and eliminations over the course of the weekend. For fans of the series, it gives them a chance to see their favorite drivers in action, with nearly 50,000-horsepower of nitro coming later as a bonus. Last season, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Prock (Funny Car), Glenn (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won at the famed facility. This season’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 26. It is the fourth of 20 events in 2026, with two rounds of qualifying set for Friday, two rounds on Saturday – as well as the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – and eliminations on Sunday. 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. 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 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 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 Reasons You Can’t Miss the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Shannon and Jess are moving right along on the FJ40 and things just keep getting better. If you like a Landcruiser, you’ll dig this one. But if restored to factory is your jam, this one might not be quite up your alley. We dig them all, so we are in. Check it out as they put together some new crossmembers, rear 4-link, and front suspension. This beast is about to become a roller in this episode of the build! If you missed this FJ40 project that Shannon Campbell is working on, we’ve got a link below, but if you are back for the next installment in this build series you are in luck as well. I think this is going to be a fun project, because I love FJ40s, but if you have any ideas of building a custom chassis for your FJ or Jeep, you should check this one out. CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THE UPDATES ON THIS FJ40 PROJECT SO FAR The post FJ40 Land Cruiser Custom Fabrication: From Chassis to Rolling! 4 Link, Axles, Crossmembers & More! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Working with the UK's Liam Doran, Travis Pastrana just took possession of a Suzuki Hayabusa-powered mini truck and it does drift wheelies, which are awesome. View the full article

The Austrian manufacturer added an ‘R’ to the latest Super Duke 1390 R, but what’s that even mean?View the full article

Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, and Can-Am parent company BRP just totally suspended its 2027 financial guidance thanks to new US tariffs, and yes it's 2026.View the full article

Our friend NC Promoder was on hand for testing at the PDRA East Coast Nationals yesterday and caught all the semi final and final round racing action from the postponed Carolina Nationals eliminations held during Thursday’s test session for PDRA. Because of wheather, they had to delay the final two rounds of competition, but the weather at Darana Motorsports Park was clear and warm compared to Darlington just one week before. This year has already been something when it comes to weather, so were’ glad they got this one in even if it took a few extra days to get it done. Here’s all the racing action if you missed the livestream. The post Semi-Final and Final Round Racing From The Postponed PDRA Carolina Nationals 2026 At Darlington Dragway! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article