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Honda has expanded its Ride Red Demo Days program, and it has already kicked off. Here's everything you need to know.View the full article

It’s Million Dollar Friday!!!! It’s that time of year folks, when the countries big dollar bracket racers head to Vegas for one of the biggest big-money bracket races in the world, the Spring Fling Million. We love this event and are so excited to share this year’s live-streaming video. Tons of cameras, finish line instant replay, and the Fling Staff is making sure to provide other cool content as well! You are going to get Tech Segments, tips and tricks, racer interviews, and more throughout the week and into the weekend. This race starts off Tuesday with the 32 car Dragster Shootout, where someone is going to take home a $68,000 dragster, and then rolls into big money races Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with Friday’s guaranteed $200,000 Winner’s minimum payout. If they get 495 entries into Friday’s Million the winner will take home a check for $1,000,000. This is some legit big-money racing like none other and we love it! The post FREE DRAG RACING LIVESTREAM: The Spring Fling Million Dollar Main Event! Big Money Bracket Races From Las Vegas – Million Dollar Friday! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

When Cleetus first put up the challenge to pit the best two wheel drive no prep rides up against the best all wheel drive no prep rides, the world lost its mind. The arguing, smack talk, bragging, lies, and stories were unbelievable and led to an incredibly controversial list of cars and trucks that were going to battle it out at Bradenton Motorsports Park. And it was awesome. But the last one was much better than the first and this one promises to be just as good. Let’s see. If you aren’t familiar, the purse is based on buy in and money on top, PLUS the money from test hits. If you make a test hit, it costs you $500 and that goes into the total purse. This time we’re talking about $43,000 total going to the winner in cold hard CASH money. Video Description: We’re back, once again, at Bradenton Motorsports Park for Cleetus McFarland’s AWD vs RWD Shootout, again running it on the backside asphalt. Same format as before with 16 AWD vs 16 RWD no prep cars, led by the same captains Joey and Manuel, but this one gave us the best 1st round results we’ve seen yet. The post $43,000 to Win!!! Cleetus’ AWD vs RWD Shootout At Bradenton Motorsports Park was INTENSE, Fun, And Surprising! Who Took It All? appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Our friend Brad King, an amazing pinstriper and letterer, is back with another Stories N’ Steel episode where he is interviewing another legend of the hot rodding world. This time it’s Rick Lefever, a guy who’s accolades in hot rodding are well known, but who’s path to get there might not be. You’ll want to watch this to see what interesting stories and history these two have to tell. CLICK HERE TO SEE OTHER STORIES N’ STEEL HERE ON BANGSHIFT Video Description: Rick “Speed” Lefever is an enigma of sorts. From mastering lettering and pin striping, to building one of the fastest jet skis in the country and even taking his fabrication skills to a whole new level, Rick’s abilities will likely never be matched. On this episode, we sit down and try to understand what makes Rick strive for perfection in everything he does and what drives and pushes him to be the best he can possibly be? This is an amazing story… Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe… We appreciate and need your support to continue bringing you these unique stories and videos. Hosted by Brad King Directed by Brenda Chadwell Written by Brad King The post Stories N’ Steel: Rick Lefever – From a small town to becoming one of the countries most sought after fabricators. appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Spoiler: It's not just one thing, it's cumulative experiences over a career that have MotoGP racers hanging up their leathers for good.View the full article

Man these cars are something. Ugly? Kinda. Weird? Absolutely. 100% Mopar? You ain’t kidding. There is something about the 1950s to mid 1960s Mopars that makes them really stand out. Styling wise, they were out there on their own, and love them or hate them there was no way to see one and not know what it was. So when Freiburger, who is a semi closeted Moparsman, got the chance to pick up this 1961 Plymouth Belvedere and then drive it down through California, he had to take it. Our friend Dave Wallace is in this one and boy is he something special. Check it out and enjoy. Video Description: In the video, you’ll see the whole story on this 1961 Plymouth Belvedere from my friend, vaunted drag racing journalist Dave Wallace Jr., who has owned it 35 years. And it’s been in the family since 1962! This is a pure survivor. It’s so ugly that it’s cool, and it drives great! The post ROAD TRIP GOLD with David Freiburger and an AMAZING SURVIVOR 1961 Plymouth Belvedere appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India posts an impressive 29% March surge as FY2026 sales reach 6.37 million units. View the full article

Bajaj’s Pulsar NS400 naked motorcycle undercuts entry-level 125s in Europe while packing KTM-derived performance. View the full article

In a classic case of Honda doing what Honda does, all this newness won't cost a whole lot more than last year's bike, if you're looking.View the full article

ZXMOTO was founded in 2024, launched to the public in 2025, and won its first WSBK race in 2026, making history as the first Chinese brand to take a win in the championship.View the full article

Only in the 1960s did a track like Baileyton Goodtime Dragstrip have an in house wheelstander. I mean it wasn’t theirs, but was regularly seen at the track and there are tons of stories about its history. In the video below, from the Hot Rod Hoarder Tommy Lee Byrd, we’ll see some great images and get all the info on the history of this fun machine. Video Description: Before “Farm Truck” and “Ol Heavy” there was another pickup truck that served as an exhibition drag racer. The Ole Tater Hauler is a hand crafted wheelstander that was a fixture at Baileyton Goodtime Dragstrip, an awesome hometown drag strip north of Birmingham, Alabama. This old GMC pickup truck was converted to be a wheelstander back in 1967, and it has been thrilling fans ever since. #dragracing #wheelstand #farmtruck The post The Hot Rod Hoarder Shares The HISTORY of Alabama’s Favorite Wheelstanding Farm Truck! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

When Brett LaSala rolled into the Texas Motorplex for TX2K26, a four-peat wasn’t necessarily the plan. Neither was a five-second pass. But that’s the thing about LaSala and his infamous Snot Rocket Mustang – the plan has a way of evolving in real time, and usually in spectacular fashion. LaSala’s Coyote-powered S197 Mustang ripped off a 5.879-second pass at 242.76 mph on a competition single in the final round of the 2JZ vs. The World class, the quickest and fastest 275-tire pass in TX2K history. It was a run that capped off a weekend of escalating drama, phone calls, and cash being thrown on top of the purse – a moment that felt less like a scheduled race and more like something out of a movie script. He left Dallas with $34,000 and a fourth consecutive TX2K title. “We weren’t expecting that going into that weekend,” LaSala said on a recent episode of The Wes Buck Show. “We weren’t really even planning on trying to run fives.” The Bounty The story of that final-round single is one of those rare drag racing moments where everything aligned – stakes, performance, audience, and pure electricity. It started when promoter Peter Blach texted LaSala during qualifying with a proposition: run quicker than a 5.91 and collect a $10,000 bounty. LaSala and his tuner, Job Spetter Jr., hadn’t planned to make a full pull that session – they were gathering data, running to the eighth-mile only. But with the bounty on the table, they turned it loose. The result was a 6.004 – tantalizingly close but not enough to collect. That miss, though, set the stage for the weekend’s crescendo. By the time LaSala was set to face Mac Rosman and his GTR in the final, the team had loaded a conservative tune-up – something in the 6.15 range. Then word came that Rosman’s car was broken. He’d pulled to the line in case LaSala didn’t make it, but had no intention of staging. The final was going to be a single. “So then I called Peter and was like, hey, is the bounty still on the table?” LaSala said. “And he said, yeah. So then called Job, and he’s like, all right, let’s put the five-second tune-up back in it.” Then the phone calls started. More money piled onto the bounty. Fans and fellow racers were throwing cash at the moment, building the payout and the pressure simultaneously. Sitting strapped into the car, ready to make the run, LaSala got word from his tuner to hold on. “Someone had brought me my phone, and it was Job, and he’s like, get your laptop. We’re gonna make sure this thing goes 5.97 now,” LaSala recalled. “And we sent it a little bit harder than we planned on, and it went .87 at 242, which was incredible for how we were racing the car that weekend.” 5.879 at 242.76. On 275 radials. In the quarter-mile. History. The Coyote Platform What makes LaSala’s story resonate beyond the hardcore drag racing world is the car itself. The Snot Rocket isn’t running a purpose-built race engine with no production lineage. It’s a Ford Coyote 5.0-liter – the same engine family that comes in a Mustang GT off the showroom floor, albeit evolved to an almost unrecognizable degree with a Noonan billet block and the engineering firepower of Fast Forward Race Engines behind it. “I think the big allure with that race and my car is that the cars there are more relatable cars than the Pro Mod stuff to the everyday guy,” LaSala said. “This is a Ford Mustang with the engine that would have came in the car.” The trajectory of the Coyote program has been nothing short of staggering. With Joe Irwin of Fast Forward Race Engines building the power plants and Spetter tuning, LaSala went 3.88 in the eighth-mile at 197 mph on a factory-casting block with sleeves and stock cylinder heads. He won Sick Week on that same stock block, running bottom sixes all week. The team has since moved to a billet block – the same one they’ve been running since FL2K last year – and the numbers have continued to climb. At his most recent LDR race, the car went 3.80 at 201 mph. “We never thought it was going to get here,” LaSala admitted. “But we never really looked that far ahead, right? We’re looking at the next step.” From Mercedes-Benz to the Starting Line LaSala’s path to the front of a drag racing field didn’t follow the usual script. There’s no generational racing family. No trust fund. He was a Mercedes-Benz technician for 15 years, turning wrenches on German luxury cars while building hot rods on the side. It was that career in automotive diagnostics that shaped the way he approaches racing today, and it’s become one of the defining characteristics of the Snot Rocket program. “It really comes down to my heavy diagnostic background with being a technician and the training I got in Mercedes,” LaSala explained, “because the way we approach racing is more of a diagnostic standpoint than like, let’s just go as fast as we can every pass.” The car is outfitted with a full catalog of RIFE sensors through his role as development manager at Motion Raceworks, monitoring everything from transmission pressures to crankcase pressure to coolant pressure to shock speeds. But it’s not just about having the sensors – it’s about building a library of data over time that allows LaSala and Spetter to spot trends before they become problems. “The sensors aren’t doing you anything until you build that library,” LaSala said. “You need to get them on the car early in the car’s life and be able to monitor it through each race and know – talk to your engine guy, talk to your trans guy. Is one side faster than the other? Didn’t used to be.” He described a scenario where the car shakes the tires on a pass that should have stuck. Most racers might point to the track. LaSala goes to the data. And the margins he’s working within are almost incomprehensibly small. “I feel like I’m in the 0.2 pound, two tenths of a pound range because we want to run it as close as possible to the edge of wanting the tire,” he said. “Half a pound, depending on the run.” Two tenths of a pound of air pressure. That’s the difference between a clean pass and tire shake on a car running 242 mph in the quarter-mile. The LDR Championship Chase After years of making headlines in the street car and drag-and-drive world, LaSala has set his sights firmly on the FuelTech Radial Outlaw Racing Series championship in Limited Drag Radial for 2026. The shift from quarter-mile spectacle racing to eighth-mile competition required real changes – different weights, different turbos, a fundamentally different approach to running the car. But the results have come fast. LaSala won the LDR class at Lights Out 17 at South Georgia Motorsports Park in February, beating Tom “Jimmy Dale” Gunner in a close semifinal before taking the final. It was his first RORS victory and a statement that the Snot Rocket program is not just fast – it’s competitive in the deepest fields in small-tire racing. “We really wanted to race the Limited Drag Radial deal because we knew it was going to make us better,” LaSala said, referring to the 3-second eighth-mile door cars that populate LDR. “We were jumping in a pool of sharks. There’s no easy pass.” At Lights Out, he raced “Salty B” in the third round out of five – a car he described as the fastest he’d ever been lined up against. “You gotta treat every round like the final,” he said. “You gotta run it as hard as you can. Every aspect of the track beyond the tree.” The commitment to LDR has meant putting the drag-and-drive schedule on the back burner. The team is running 11 events this year, and the math is simple: there’s one car, one team, and not enough weekends to do it all. But LaSala will still make his marquee quarter-mile appearances – TX2K, FL2K, and World Cup Finals remain on the calendar. “The chance of winning this championship,” LaSala said when asked what has him fired up. “We set out in the beginning of the year – not just go LDR racing. We’re going in, we’re trying to win the championship over the nine races.” What’s Next The next stop for LaSala and the Snot Rocket is Steele, Alabama, for the next round of Radial Outlaws competition. “Jimmy Dale”, who fell to LaSala in the Lights Out semis, is already talking about revenge. The LDR field, as LaSala noted, has no easy outs – every round is a knife fight against three-second cars with championship-caliber teams behind them. But if you’re betting against a former Mercedes-Benz technician who approaches racing like he’s diagnosing a German electrical system, who’s working within two tenths of a pound of tire pressure at 242 mph, and who just made history with the quickest 275-tire pass TX2K has ever seen – well, good luck with that. “The more you stay up at night, worrying about things that you can’t necessarily control, like how fast the other guys are, what rules are in place, then you’re focusing on the wrong thing,” LaSala said. “All we focus on is ourselves and us. And I know if we’re doing a good job, we kept the car good and we don’t have any mechanical failures and we don’t make mistakes, then we can win the event.” Four straight TX2K titles say he’s not wrong. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post Brett LaSala Breaks Down Fourth-Straight TX2K Win, Racing Diagnostics & More first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

While attending a race in Orlando this past November, I happened to notice the difference between the average fan and the superfan. Most people come to a race and are pretty content to watch and interact with some teams if the opportunity arises. They walk around with friends and family, enjoying themselves for the most part. While at the race, I encountered several families taking in the day and activities for three to four hours, then they were pretty much done for the day. Editor’s Note: This column originally appeared in DI #198, the Photo Annual, in January/February 2026. Now, on the other hand, I was also able to connect with the superfans of drag racing. This is a completely different level of fan in every way possible. They set up camp, cook out, and are there for the duration of the entire event. While most fans come for a day, superfans come for the week. I myself have always been a regular fan; once I got a little worn out, I would leave and pretty much had enough for that race. So that’s what got me wanting to write this column about the non-average fan – the “Superfan.” I wanted to give huge shoutouts to them and their dedication to our sport of drag racing. Many of the Pro Modified teams will know these two superfans. Their names are Tim and Cole, and they are, in my book, the ultimate supporters of Pro Modified drag racing. I met them years ago. Known for their matching shirts and cowboy hats with the “Remove Before Flight” parachute flags attached to the hats they wear, these two – who are also father and son – have a very special place in my heart. They get to the track before most racers do and stay the entire day, every day! They not only come by to say hi, but will share stories of racing and know everything that is happening in the racing world. They know my race stats better than I do. Countless times traveling to races, enduring hot, cold, or wet conditions, they never fail to show up and bless me with a hug and a smile. They walk everywhere – no golf cart or scooter, just the shoes on their feet. When we lose, they are more disappointed than the team is, showing their heart and soul for us. You will never see them dejected because they know how to live and love life while encouraging others along the way. They know just about every Pro Modified team, and every team knows them. In an instant, they can become crew members and would do anything to help a team out. They appreciate every team’s hard work and root for all of them. They are, simply put, the best superfans ever of our sport. I can honestly say that these two have brightened my days at the track, and I feel so very blessed to call them friends. We text, and the kids also text each other, showing it’s not always about the race car, but rather the race car that has brought some very special people – Tim and Cole – into our lives. I am sure many of you know these two outstanding people as well, so when you see them, please tell them how much you appreciate them. These are the gifts that we seldom see at our races – the superfan who not only loves being there but also loves each and every aspect of what we do. Without them, I would dare say it wouldn’t be the same. I have been in many different race cars through the years, but one thing remains constant: Tim and Cole. And that’s a duo you cannot replace. So, here’s to my buddies Tim and Cole, the beloved superfans of Pro Modified. Keep blessing us with your presence, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for making a positive difference in our sport. And to everyone reading this, never forget how important all fans are. Show them your love and appreciation in any way you can. As always, the choice is yours to make. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post The Real Deal With Tommy D’Aprile: Celebrating Drag Racing’s Fans first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon has the unique distinction of winning NHRA’s 1,000th race (Las Vegas, 2021) as well as the 900th race in Funny Car history (Norwalk, 2021). The veteran has another rare opportunity next weekend at his home track, when In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip hosts the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on April 9-12. It is the third of 20 races during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season in 2026, but it also carries the distinction of being the 1,000th race in NHRA Funny Car history. A loaded Funny Car field will race for not only the special 75th anniversary diamond Wally, but also a special 1,000th Funny Car race trophy, with it all happening at the historic track in Pomona. For Pedregon, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in his 12,000-horsepower Snap-On Tools Dodge SRT Hellcat. “The 900th was special, no doubt, but winning the 1000th at Pomona, my home track, would be on another level! It would mean a lot to me, my family and our fans,” Pedregon said. Funny Car made its first-ever appearance at the 1966 World Finals in Tulsa, with Eddie Schartman picking up the victory. Sixty years of incredible history has followed, but only one driver will win the 1,000th Funny Car race. Heading into the 1,000th Funny Car race, here’s the list of milestone winners thus far: 1. Eddie Schartman, 1966 Tulsa Finals 100. Tripp Shumake, 1981 Atlanta 200. Bruce Larson, 1989 Winternationals 300. John Force, 1994 Topeka 400. Tim Wilkerson, 1999 Chicago 500. Wilkerson, 2003 U.S. Nationals in Indy 600. Jack Beckman, 2008 Phoenix 700. Johnny Gray, 2012 Englishtown 800. Force, 2016 Denver 900. Cruz Pedregon, 2021 Norwalk Beckman enters with plenty of Pomona momentum, winning last year’s Winternationals and the In-N-Out Burger Finals to close out 2024. He’s always performed well at his home track and, as a strong historian of the sport, Beckman knows how big this victory would be in his 12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS for John Force Racing. “Pomona happens to be my home track, just happens to be the 1,000th Funny Car race, and I happen to be the defending race champion. I’m hoping the planets are going to line up,” Beckman said. “It’s a nice feeling to be a part of this history. I’m a historian who’s also getting to put my thumbprint on some of the history. That’s pretty cool. “I just didn’t think I’d be a part of this. I mean, I’ve done 30 races for John Force Racing, so 31 races ago I wasn’t racing. The fact that I’m back in the cockpit to have a chance to win the 1,000th Funny Car race is the greatest news.” It’s part of a loaded weekend that includes two rounds of qualifying on Friday and Saturday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty bonus race on Saturday and 75th anniversary celebrations like: An appearance from NHRA legend and six-time champion Kenny Bernstein, in honor of his historic 310-mph pass at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in 1994. Other legends scheduled to appear include milestone Funny Car winners Larson, Gray, Wilkerson and Force, as well as legends like Don Prudhomme, Richard Tharp, Gary Beck, Jim Dunn and more. On Friday, the first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a special NHRA 75th anniversary Winternationals event poster. In 2025, Beckman (Funny Car), Clay Millican (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on Sunday, April 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Top Fuel’s Clay Millican took out Tony Stewart in the final round last year in Pomona. Josh Hart won in Gainesville to open 2026 in his first race with John Force Racing, while Shawn Langdon picked up the Phoenix win. Past Pomona winners include reigning champ Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley and Tony Schumacher. Greg Anderson won his 16th race at the famed track last season over KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. The duo battled all season, but it was Glenn who earned his first world title. Matt Hartford opened 2026 with a win, while Glenn won in Phoenix. Others to watch include Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield and Cody Coughlin. All weekend, fans also get to see racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The Nitro Alley Stage is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere. Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10, and the final two rounds on Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. Television coverage includes eliminations on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. To purchase tickets to the 2026 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post Huge Stakes For Funny Car Standouts at 1000th Funny Car Race at NHRA Winternationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The year was 1975, and the writing was on the wall for the Brits. Decades of industry dominance were coming to a close in the blink of an eye as multi-cylinder options from Japan proliferated. Honda had rewritten the book with the CB750, Suzuki had the 70 hp GT750 and the Kawasaki Z1 had solidified ... View the full article

Cory Costin won a brand new American Race Cars dragster with a Riggeal’s Performance Fiberglass carbon body on Advanced Product Design Tuesday at the Moser Engineering Spring Fling Million presented by RAD Torque Systems at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. APD Tuesday began with time trials for all drivers on property with eliminations of the 32-Car Shootout happening in the afternoon. Over the last four rounds, Cory Costin from Double Springs, Alabama was a combined .017 on the tree (.008, .004, .001, and .004) and laid down .014 total in the final over Nacho Rivera from Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico, who was .029 and ran dead-on zero for the runner-up finish. In the semifinals, Will Holloman and Nacho Rivera were separated by nine-thousandths on the tree with Rivera getting to the stripe first by .017 for the win. On the other side of the ladder, Costin was .001 and backed into Bug McCarty to advance to the final round. The quarterfinalists included Bug McCarty, James Lee, Will Holloman, David Wright, Cory Costin, Jeff Dobbins II, Dave Meziere, and Nacho Rivera. On Biondo Racing Products Wednesday, 401 entries will race for the first of three $30,000 big checks and the Fling Team will start rolling out over $60,000 in cash and product giveaways. Gate entries are welcome throughout the week and all of the racing action will be streamed live exclusively on the @RaceTheFlings YouTube courtesy of Hoosier Racing Tire and JEGS Performance. For more information visit www.BracketRaces.com, the Spring Fling Bracket Races Facebook page, or text VEGAS to (347) 974-7007. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post Cory Costin Wins New American Race Cars Dragster at Moser Spring Fling Million Presented by RAD first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

NHRA officials announced today that Safety-Kleen will continue as “Official Provider of Environmental Services for NHRA” and “Official Absorbent of NHRA” as part of a multi-year extension. The agreement continues a longtime partnership between NHRA and Safety-Kleen, which dates back nearly two decades. Safety-Kleen has also enjoyed lengthy partnerships with most of the professional NHRA teams. As an official sponsor, Safety-Kleen will provide environmental services for NHRA-owned facilities – Gainesville Raceway, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif., and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park – which includes coordinating waste management procedures and collections of all oil, solvents, fuels and absorbent materials from events. At all NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events, Safety-Kleen will staff a portable recycling center for the track and race teams to collect oil, solvents, absorbents, and filters. NHRA will also continue to use Safety-Kleen’s oil absorbent and other spill cleanup materials during each national event. “We are excited to extend our long relationship with the NHRA. Helping to bring the unmatched excitement of professional drag racing to fans across the country is an integral part of our overall Motorsports Marketing Plan,” said Drew Patey, Safety-Kleen Motorsports Manager. “Making sure that the drag strips all across the USA are handling the used fluids from Top Fuel competition and are ready for any type of clean up needed at events is the best way I can think of to actively show our customers and prospects in attendance the capabilities we have – and how we can and will assist them with any of their environmental service needs,” added Buddy Judy, Safety-Kleen Marketing Director. Celebrating NHRA’s 75th anniversary season this year, the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues April 9-12 with the historic Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, as part of the thrilling 20-race schedule during this milestone year. As part of the partnership, Safety-Kleen will receive in-venue marketing items, including trackside signage, a designated space for the recycle center and a Safety-Kleen branded safety drum at the starting line. Safety-Kleen will also have in-venue and television commercial spots during broadcasts and social media activation across NHRA’s channels. “I have been involved in racing my whole life and the NHRA could find no better product to ensure the shortest down times for oil clean up on track! Safety-Kleen’s Oil Absorbent is amazing,” said Warren White, lifelong Racer and Safety-Kleen at-track representative for IndyCar and NHRA events. “Safety-Kleen has been an outstanding partner with NHRA for many years, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to performance, sustainability and safety at our events and tracks,” NHRA Vice President of Racing Administration Josh Peterson said. “From their products that help maintain a great racing surface, to their ongoing work in waste management and environmental services, Safety-Kleen helps ensure our events operate at a high level. We’re proud to work together with them to deliver the cleanest and safest experience possible for our racers and teams.” For more information about Safety-Kleen, visit www.safety-kleen.com. For more information on NHRA, including the full 2026 75th anniversary schedule, visit www.nhra.com. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post Safety-Kleen Continues Official Partnership With NHRA first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

As NHRA continues its monumental 75th anniversary celebration throughout the 2026 season, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is set to make its thrilling debut at popular South Georgia Motorsports Park for the 41st annual NHRA Southern Nationals on May 1-3. For the first time, the biggest names in the NHRA will appear at South Georgia Motorsports, set to wow fans with unforgettable 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph nitro-powered action in Top Fuel and Funny Car, as the historic Southern Nationals returns at a can’t-miss new location during NHRA’s milestone campaign. Winners in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will be the first to win the highly coveted NHRA 75th anniversary diamond Wally at SGMP, making it a must-see event for every fan. From two rounds of qualifying on Friday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus race on Saturday – as well as two more rounds of qualifying – and eliminations on Sunday, it’s a jam-packed weekend at SGMP, bringing back the Southern Nationals name to the NHRA circuit. It’s the first of four visits to new facilities for NHRA in 2026 and this one will feature a host of 75th anniversary events, including: An appearance from NHRA legend and three-time Top Fuel world champion “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, as well as NHRA legend Darryl Gwynn. A celebration of Garlits’ historic career and his passion for innovation, engineering and advancing the sport of drag racing. On Friday, a free, limited-edition NHRA pennant will be given to the first 3,500 fans in attendance. A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley. The festivities kick off from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 30 with a “Rev & Rally” race weekend preparty and fanfest from Visit Valdosta at the Rainwater Conference Center. Fans can meet a host of their favorite NHRA drivers, enjoy live music, enter a free raffle with prizes including a pair of tickets to the NHRA Southern Nationals and much more. The 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals will see action from all four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series classes and coverage of the event will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 3. The Top Fuel class will bring its high speeds and impressive performance to South Georgia. The 2026 season is off to a great start with stars like Josh Hart of John Force Racing and former world champion Shawn Langdon of Kalitta Motorsports snagging early wins this season. Others to watch include reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown, Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett and rookie sensation Maddi Gordon. The Funny Car season kicked off with Chad Green winning for the second straight year in Gainesville, while three-time world champion Ron Capps won in Phoenix. Reigning two-time world champ Austin Prock has faced early challenges 2026, while past title winners include Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan, Cruz Pedregon and J.R. Todd, who will look to make their mark at the new facility. Reigning Pro Stock world champ Dallas Glenn earned his first race win of the season in Phoenix. He and KB Titan Racing teammate, six-time world champion Greg Anderson battled throughout 2025, but it was Glenn who won out for his first title. Matt Hartford won in Gainesville to open 2026, while Elite Motorsports, led by six-time champion Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin, will look to put on a show at SGMP. Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Richard Gadson won his first world title last season over Vance & Hines teammate and two-time champ Gaige Herrera. Six-time champ Matt Smith and his teammates, Angie Smith, John Hall and Jianna Evaristo, will look to challenge the Vance & Hines team, as will Steve Johnson, Chase Van Sant and Clayton Howey. The NHRA Southern 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 the Summit Racing Equipment Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout. All weekend, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and much more. Race fans at South Georgia Motorsports Park can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. They 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 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 1 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, May 2 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 3. Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday and 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, with eliminations action to follow at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets to the 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. This story was originally published on April 2, 2026. The post NHRA Set For Thrilling Debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park With NHRA Southern Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. 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When Johnny Tolisano surprised his father, John, with a 1966 Chevy II Nova, it was more than just a birthday gift. It represented a lasting memory of John’s late son, Joey Tolisano, who passed away in 1985 from a motorcycle accident. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #198, the Photo Annual, in January/February 2026. Johnny, a 2024 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 alum, had been searching for the Nova for quite some time. He eventually found the car on Facebook Marketplace in his dad’s hometown of Wyckoff, New Jersey, and asked a friend to help make a connection with the seller. As it turned out, that connection wasn’t even necessary. “The guy we bought the car from knew Dad because of his gas station. He knew of Joey and knew the whole past and everything,” Johnny says. “He actually turned everybody else down because he wanted to make sure we ended up with the car.” The Nova was soon loaded onto a transporter bound for Florida. During the week of John’s birthday, Johnny, his fiancée, Paige Coughlin, and their families orchestrated the surprise reveal, leaving John in disbelief. “It’s exactly the same,” John says. “It’s a really nice car; it looked like it just came out of the showroom. Our cars back then were fast, but they weren’t real showpieces. We weren’t into ‘show’ as much as we were into ‘go’ and setting records.” Before the surprise, John had already built a racing legacy that began decades earlier. He started racing at 17, evolving from late night street matchups into highly competitive NHRA national events throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. His son Joey, who shared the same love for the sport, was always by his side as they traveled to racetracks across the tri-state area. It didn’t take long for John to earn his first national record, driving his 1969 Corvette in Super Stock J Automatic. Although tech officials later revoked the record over a minor valve technicality, John took it in stride, as he always does. “I said, ‘I don’t give a shit, I’ll reset it’,” he recalls with a laugh. “I went to Maple Grove, and I reset the record. Then, I did it again in New Hampshire. It was originally 11.24, and I reset it to 11.02.” Over the years, John set 10 more national records across various categories, including Comp Eliminator and Super Stock. By 1977, he had won the SS/IA class at the NHRA Sportnationals. Standing proudly beside him in the winner’s circle was his son Joey, holding the Wally with a big smile. After years of traveling and learning from his dad, Joey finally got his own chance behind the wheel of the Nova on his 18th birthday. At his first points race in Englishtown, he managed to win five rounds in an impressive debut. “He would come home and hand Dad a stack of tickets when he won,” Johnny recalls. “He’d say ‘Look how fast I went’,” John adds. Joey often raced alongside his best friend, Scott Geoffrion, who started out in Super Gas with an engine John had built, while Joey pursued the Super Stock route. In 1984, Joey drove his SS/LA Chevy II Nova to the final round of the Molson Grandnationals at Sanair Raceway in Quebec, Canada. He runnered up against Larry Morgan after defeating heavy hitters Mark Osterbye and Charlie Graff along the way. That same day, John won Comp Eliminator, marking a historic father-son appearance in two classes at an NHRA national event. “He would have been a really good racer. He was addicted,” John says, reflecting on his son’s natural talent. Before Joey’s unexpected passing in 1985, the father-son team had planned to compete together in Comp Eliminator. Joey, just 20 years old at the time, had been in the process of obtaining his Comp license, and John was coming off his best year of racing. “When my son died, I sold my business and quit racing. My escape was not to work or race. I went to the golf course every day,” John explains. Losing Joey left a void that racing couldn’t fill, so John relocated to Lake Worth, Florida, in 1987. By 1992, he decided to continue the plan he had started with Joey by opening his own business: J&J Balancing. “That was going to be J&J originally. I sold my ’72 Corvette to buy the first crank grinder. I was balancing about 40 cranks a month and grinding about 40. It was a pretty good business,” John says. After another move to Jupiter, Florida, John began frequenting Moroso Motorsports Park, where he eventually returned to racing just before his second son, Johnny, was born. Over the years, John won dozens of races, mainly in Quick 16 Dragster, before stepping away to help Johnny with his own Jr. Dragster. It quickly became clear that the same raw racing talent Joey had also lived in Johnny. At just 29 years old, Johnny has already won five track championships and a world title in Jr. Dragsters, followed by five more track championships, including victories in three categories – Box, No Box, and Quick 16 Dragster – all within the same season. Over the years, Johnny has earned dozens of wins across multiple classes. “I spent my time helping him race the Jr., training him like an athlete,” John says. Now at 80 years old, John still builds a variety of motors and balances cranks while Johnny handles their shop’s CNC block machining services for LS motors, late model Hemis, big-block Chevys, and more. As they begin to plan for John to get back behind the wheel of the near-replica of his late son’s Nova, his goal is to extend his 40-year spread of national records at the next divisional race in Super Stock with the same combination Joey once ran. “It’d be nice to go to the first points race and set the record. I got 10 national records – I need more,” John says with a smirk. While drag racing has a way of keeping people connected, it also keeps the memories of loved ones alive. The Nova may have returned to John’s life as a birthday surprise, but it now stands as a symbol of the Tolisano family’s enduring legacy – linking Johnny, John, and Joey, who, in spirit, never stopped racing together. The post More Than Metal: How One Nova Bridges Decades of Racing, Loss & Legacy For The Tolisano Family first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

If you ever wanted to see a trio of heavily modified Power Wheels go rallying and rock crawling and get totally broken, welcome in.View the full article

It’s that time of year folks, when the countries big dollar bracket racers head to Vegas for one of the biggest big-money bracket races in the world, the Spring Fling Million. We love this event and are so excited to share this year’s live-streaming video. Tons of cameras, finish line instant replay, and the Fling Staff is making sure to provide other cool content as well! You are going to get Tech Segments, tips and tricks, racer interviews, and more throughout the week and into the weekend. This race starts off Tuesday with the 32 car Dragster Shootout, where someone is going to take home a $68,000 dragster, and then rolls into big money races Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with Friday’s guaranteed $200,000 Winner’s minimum payout. If they get 495 entries into Friday’s Million the winner will take home a check for $1,000,000. This is some legit big-money racing like none other and we love it! The post FREE DRAG RACING LIVESTREAM: The Spring Fling Million’s Big Money Bracket Races From Las Vegas – $30k Thursday appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Alpinestars just unveiled its Spring 2026 Sportswear collection, and it marks the first time I ever considered buying streetwear from a motorsport gear manufacturer.View the full article

Hydrogen storage challenges have got Kawasaki's engineers thinking, and could shape the future of powersports. View the full article

It might blow your mind to see what Suzuki and Yamaha were up to in the 1990s, because it's more advanced than you might expect.View the full article

(Photos by David Whealon) If you live under a rock and haven’t realized how huge of a splash the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series made in 2025, then are you in for a treat! With amazing events, huge purses, icons of the sport and new stars alike, this is a racing series that is really doing some awesome things in 2026 and beyond. We’re excited for the 2026 season already and hope you are too. Thanks to BANGshifter extraordinaire David Whealon, we’ve got great photos from Darana Motorsports Park GALOT. Check out the first gallery below, and we’ll have more coming as well! We’ve got Nitro Funny Cars, Top Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Altereds, Pro Mods, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Super Stock, Stock, and so much more. The post More IHRA Outlaw Nitro Professional And Pro Am Drag Racing Photos From The Darana Motorsports Park at GALOT. appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article