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(Words by Jim McIlvaine, Photos by Kaleb Kelley) The 2026 season of OPTIMA’s Ultimate Street Car series officially kicked off at G2 Motorsports Park in Anna, Texas. When the grid lined up, the field included the defending OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) champion, Austin Barnes, five of the regular season class champions from 2025 and five of the top-10 OUSCI finishers from last season. What do they all know about G2 Motorsports, that compelled them all to make sure they started their season there? Twelve Ultimate Street Car seasons have shown early season events and those that are not sold out tend to offer more points to competitors, than the later season events that are run at the most popular tracks, like Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, Road America and this season, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Many of those top contenders will also find their way to those events, but only their best two events will count toward their season-long point totals. The very best cars in the series may be able to post point totals over 490 (500 is a perfect score), no matter where and when they run, but for the rest of the field, many find these “under the radar” events are the key to securing enough points to make it to Las Vegas for the SEMA Show and OUSCI, as well as locking up class points championships. Chris Smith’s ’70 Camaro followed that strategy last year and had two big weekends at the season opener at Sebring and the Pittsburgh International Race Complex event tucked in between Laguna Seca and Road America on the schedule. OUSCI champion, Austin Barnes also came out of the gates strong last season, posting huge numbers at the first two events at Sebring and NOLA and then spent the rest of the season watching everyone else pursue him in vain. The path was much tougher in 2025 for the Geaux Moto GTC Class Champion, Austin Keys, but illustrates the difference these tracks can make. Keys posted a 359 in his ’98 Miata at Laguna Seca, but did 72 points better (431) at Thunderhill, later in the season. Keys was not alone in that regard in the GTC Class. Three GTC cars competed at both Laguna Seca and Thunderhill. Thunderhill had eight fewer entries and those three GTC cars scored on average, 46.3 points better at Thunderhill. A similar trend developed in the GT Class. Four GT cars finished the events at Road America and Barber Motorsports Park. All four scored more points at Barber, which had five fewer entries than Road America and the average point difference between the two tracks, across all four cars was 22.5 points. Knowing these trends, which events in 2026 look to hold similar potential for those pursuing points for invitations and championships? From a numbers standpoint, NOLA Motorsports has the most potential, as it is the next event and has the smallest field as of this writing. Beyond that, Willow Springs and Barber would be in the next tier, followed by Road America and Laguna Seca. Which event will be the hardest to accumulate points (besides the OUSCI?). Without a doubt, the sold-out event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October, where 108 vehicles are currently signed up. See the top finishers from G2 Motorsports Park below, as well as a massive photo gallery and be sure to check out www.DriveOPTIMA.com for more information on the series and how you can compete in your street car! Top Ten Overall 1. Dave Schotz 2022 Chevrolet Camaro GT 496 points 2. Chris Smith 1970 Chevrolet Camaro GTV 487 points 3. Dayton de la Houssaye 2017 Mazda MX-5 GTC 474 points 4. Brandon Hurst 2022 Tesla Model S GTS 472 points 5. Tony Prutch 2021 Chevrolet Corvette GTS 468 points 6. Jason Smith 1987 Chevrolet Camaro GTV 467 points 7. David Carroll 1974 Chevrolet Blazer GTT 463 points 8. Stephen Lucas 2000 Chevrolet Corvette GTS 461 points 9. Sean Aldinger 1969 Chevrolet Camaro GTV 450 points 10. Troy de la Houssaye 2009 Mazda MX-5 GTC 449 points 2026 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Schedule March 13-15th G2 Motorsports Park April 10-12th NOLA Motorsports Park May 29-31st Willow Springs Raceway August 28-30th Road America September 25-27th Barber Motorsports Park October 2-4th Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca October 9-11th Indianapolis Motor Speedway (sold out) October 13-November 6th OUSCI Nevada First Timer Award- James Maertz 1984 Chevrolet Corvette Anderson Composites Competitor’s Choice Award- Kevin Kessler’s 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Operational Speed Supply Surgical Strike Award- Brandon Hurst 2022 Tesla Model S The post Drive Optima Coverage: Ultimate Street Car Season Begins With Racing In Texas! Here’s Why Running Early In The Season Matters! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Supersport under lights delivered again at Sydney Motorsport Park, with Jake Farnsworth holding off Tom Edwards and Hayden Nelson emerging from a fierce battle for third. The post Farnsworth fends off determined charge from Edwards to win second SS bout at SMP appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Josh Waters turned Friday-night pole into victory in the opening Australian Superbike race at Sydney Motorsport Park, fending off Cru Halliday and Jonathan Nahlous after a tense 13-lap battle under lights. The post Waters holds off Halliday and Nahlous in tense SMP Superbike opener appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Pro Modified veteran Randy Weatherford fired off a 3.543-second pass at 212.26 mph, the first leg of a new E.T. national record, Friday night at the KTR Drag Racing PDRA Carolina Nationals presented by Pee Dee Fleet at Darlington Dragway. The performance in the third and final qualifying session also gave Weatherford the No. 1 qualifier position in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive at the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series season opener. Tommy Franklin (Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars), Jerry Morgano (Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing), J.C. Beattie Jr. (PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises), and Matt Schalow (1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling) also earned No. 1 qualifier awards in the pro classes. In the sportsman ranks, No. 1 qualifier awards went to Jamie Fowler in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Josh Duggins in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Aaron Glaser in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and Taylor Davis in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes. The rising stars of the PDRA continued to show out in the Jr. Dragster classes, which completed two qualifying sessions with a third set for Saturday morning. Ten drivers in Pro Jr. Dragster hit the 7.90 index, with Adeline Porcho topping that list with a 7.901 in her Afton, Tennessee-based ’20 Halfscale dragster. Over in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster, where reaction times set the qualifying order, Bunker Hill, West Virginia’s Connor Boyd is the provisional No. 1 qualifier with a .010 reaction time. In addition to various No. 1 qualifier bonuses, all the No. 1 qualifiers were awarded custom baseball bats through a newly expanded program with Victus Sports and Kasper Performance Edge. PRO BOOST Though Carolina Nationals qualifying didn’t benefit from the cool conditions typical of the season opener, Randy Weatherford and team proved that the Pro Boost E.T. record isn’t safe this weekend. Under the lights at Darlington Dragway, Weatherford in his Harts Charger-boosted WS Construction ’69 Camaro dipped below the current record, 3.555, with his 3.543 at 212.26 to highlight the final qualifying session. “It’s very rewarding. Now, if I can come away with a victory here, it will really be rewarding,” Weatherford said. “The car’s been running pretty good. I’ve got that new 4.9 AJ motor in it from Pro Line. The car I’ve got right now has been flawless. It’s won and it should have won a couple more races, but we had some issues go wrong. But to come out here and do what we did, it just speaks highly of my team and the people behind me and my employees that work hard for me and give me the opportunity to come out here and play this big ball game here. This is what we come for – it’s the trophies, not the money.” Weatherford will need to run a 3.578 or quicker to back up the record during Saturday eliminations, but the Virginia native is more focused on chasing the race win. “I think the record will take care of itself,” Weatherford said. “I think the temp tomorrow is going to be 60 degrees. We run .54 all day when it was 75 degrees here. The record will follow.” Jason Harris, who boasts pairs of world championships in both Pro Boost and Pro Nitrous, ran just one thousandth off the record, a 3.556 at 211.27, in his Harts Charger-boosted “Party Time” ’69 Camaro to qualify second. Lyle Barnett in Tommy Youmans’ Harts Charger-equipped Wright Mowers “Clean Title” ’18 Camaro qualified third with a 3.561 at 212.46. PRO NITROUS Three-time Pro Nitrous world champion Tommy Franklin was the quickest of the 20 drivers who attempted to qualify for the 16-car field at the season opener. Driving his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro, Franklin was solidly in the field in fourth going into the final qualifying session. Franklin and tuner Jeff Pierce turned it up for Q3, where Franklin rolled to a 3.634 at 208.24. “There’s a great group of cars. We had 20 cars fighting for 16 spots in Pro Nitrous, which is just badass,” said Franklin, who thanked Pat Musi Racing Engines, Jerry Bickel Race Cars, and Red Line Oil. “Thank you to all those racers that came out and put on a heck of a show tonight. My team just put one together. We had some issues – just first-race issues – testing on Wednesday and we got through that, came out here and made a good lap. I say it all the time – these are the best racers in the world. I say that about every class here at the PDRA. So to come out here and go No. 1 qualifier, just to run up front, period, takes a lot.” “Mountain Man” Mike Achenbach qualified second in his Fulton-powered, Brandon Switzer-tuned ’20 Camaro when he fired off a 3.651 at 207.76. Reigning world champion Marcus Butner and tuner Jay Cox threw down a 3.661 at 207.66 to sit No. 3 in the Musi-powered Butner Motorsports “Heartbreaker” ’69 Camaro. PRO STREET For the first time since 2023, Outlaw 10.5 veteran Jerry Morgano charged to the No. 1 qualifying spot in Pro Street. After struggling to get down the track in the first qualifying session, Morgano posted a 3.960 in the second session to enter final qualifying as the provisional low qualifier. He finally locked in the position with a 3.949 at 203.90 behind the wheel of his turbocharged, small-block-powered “Copperhead” ’02 Mustang. “This is a big deal,” said Morgano, who thanked DiSomma Racing Engines, Bullseye Turbos, and Atomizer Racing Injectors. “We worked our tails off over the offseason, testing and then racing at the Snowbirds, U.S. Street, and World Series. We had a really good showing. We were either super high or super low there. Things went well, and they didn’t, but we just kept plugging away. I’ve got a lot of really good people behind me and it kind of catapulted us into the beginning of the year. My goal coming into this race, I wanted to do my damnedest to try and qualify No. 1. I knew it would be tough. There’s a lot of really fast guys in our class. When we get to run when the sun’s down, anybody can take the No. 1 spot. Luckily it was me today, but really the goal is just to keep plugging away, hit as many as we can, and hope for the best for the season.” Morgano’s future son-in-law, Joel Wensley Jr., qualified second on the strength of a 3.968 at 194.97 in his ProCharged ’14 Camaro. Ron Green, who led the pack after the first qualifying session, stepped up to a 3.972 at 200.53 in his screw-blown “Game Changer” ’00 Firebird but slid to third. PRO 632 Half of the drivers in Pro 632 dipped into the 4.10s, but J.C. Beattie Jr. separated himself from that pack with a 4.127 at 172.55 in his nitrous-assisted ATI Performance ’18 Camaro. That pass in the final qualifying session was enough to give Beattie his first career No. 1 qualifier award. “It’s been a long time coming for us,” Beattie said. “We’ve tried for three years now. We started with N/A [naturally aspirated]. We waited almost two years on a motor, which is well worth the wait now. We stuck it in the car for Bristol last year and came out swinging. Had very few passes on the car and really learned a lot. Made a bunch of mistakes, but Reher-Morrison and Brad [Morgan] put together a really good piece. I’ve got an awesome tuner and the car was a bracket car with a .14 to a .17 and then we turned it up for the final qualifier. It took it. I knew as soon as it got past 60 feet, I think I was already pretty excited, and I saw the .12 pop up. I was like, ‘All right, we got it.’” Jeff Pittman, now in his second season in the class, went to the No. 2 spot in his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle with a 4.159 at 171.23. Michigan’s Doug Nicholl returned from a one-year hiatus and picked up where he left off, as he qualified third with a 4.161 at 168.86 in his Musi-powered ’68 Camaro. SUPER STREET Last season, the young guns led the way all year in Super Street. That trend continued Friday as a trio of young wheelmen topped the qualifying order after three sessions. Virginia Beach’s Matt Schalow drove his nitrous-assisted, Knieriem-powered ’69 Camaro to a 4.608 at 158.34 to take the No. 1 qualifier spot for the first time in his career. Schalow, who’s been a part of the class since the beginning, brought out the car midway through last season after a crash at the second race of the season sidelined his previous car. “It’s almost like a relief more than anything,” Schalow said of qualifying No. 1. “We’ve been battling this car since we bought it. We’ve not even had this car a year, and with the struggles that we went through last year, to finally have that reward and a No. 1 qualifier, it’s big to us. Obviously, the job’s not done. We’ve still got a long day tomorrow and we want to pick up the victory. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, so we’re going to keep on working on it. We’ve still got some stuff we need to figure out, but for the most part it’s coming along real nicely now.” Defending world champion Connor McGee, based out of Pelion, South Carolina, qualified No. 2 in his Fulton-powered ’90 Mustang with a 4.621 at 155.49. Championship runner-up Austin Vincent, who converted his nitrous-fed Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang to EFI over the winter, went to the third spot with his 4.646 at 137.83. TOP SPORTSMAN South Carolina’s own Jamie Fowler, who earned his first career Elite Top Sportsman win at this event in 2023, scored the No. 1 qualifier award. He laid down a 3.740 at 199.29 in his nitrous-fed, Fulton-powered Pee Dee Fleet ’69 Camaro to hold off 2024 world champion Glenn Butcher, who delivered a 3.760 at 202.16 in his nitrous-fed, Albert-powered Butcher & Son Demolition ’69 Camaro to qualify second. Engine builder Scott Duggins ended up third in his ProCharged PAR Racing Engines ’63 Corvette with a 3.783 at 194.72. In Top Sportsman 32, Aaron Glaser held off two of the most recent world champions, Jeff Talvacchio and Joe Roubicek, to qualify No. 1 with a 4.185 at 172.74 in his nitrous-assisted ’69 Camaro. TOP DRAGSTER Inman, South Carolina-based Elite Top Dragster competitor Josh Duggins claimed the No. 1 qualifier position in his ProCharged PAR Racing Engines ’14 Maddox dragster when he posted a 3.725 at 202.61 in the final session. Two-time world champion Steve Furr led the way going into Q3 and ended up second in his ProCharged ’13 American dragster with a 3.731 at 200.09. Brian Anderson wasn’t far behind with a 3.734 at 196.51 in his ProCharged ’23 Race Tech dragster in third. A long list of Top Dragster drivers attempted to qualify, and the ones that weren’t quick enough for the 16-car Elite field will compete in Top Dragster 48. Taylor Davis of Staley, North Carolina, took the top spot there with a 4.063 at 179.00. The KTR Drag Racing PDRA Carolina Nationals presented by Pee Dee Fleet at Darlington Dragway will wrap up Saturday starting at 9 a.m. with Jr. Dragster final qualifying. Sportsman eliminations will follow. Pre-race ceremonies and pro eliminations will kick off at 12:15 p.m. 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 March 28, 2026. The post Weatherford, Franklin, Morgano, Beattie and Schalow Begin 2026 PDRA Season as Carolina Nationals No. 1 Qualifiers first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Jake Farnsworth turned pole position into a crushing ASBK Supersport Race 1 victory at Sydney Motorsport Park, clearing out early as late drama for Tom Toparis reshaped the podium fight behind him. The post Farnsworth in a class of his own in opening ASBK Supersport bout at SMSP appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Aprilia has revealed a 30-unit, track-only X 250TH at Austin, built around the RSV4 1100 Factory platform and headlined by MotoGP-style carbon-carbon brakes, 240 horsepower and a stars-and-stripes livery marking 250 years since the United States Declaration of Independence. The post Aprilia unveils X 250TH with MotoGP carbon brakes for US anniversary appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

MotoGP 2026 Round Three – COTA – Friday Across all three classes, Friday at COTA left a familiar impression: the circuit remains physically demanding, technically unforgiving and capable of producing sharp swings in form. Marquez overcame pain and an early crash to head MotoGP, Alonso laid down the clearest marker of the day in Moto2, […] The post Recapping the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 Friday action from COTA – Quotes/Images appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

ASBK Images 2026 Round Two – SMSP Image by RbMotoLens Superbike Combined Qualifying Pos Rider Bike Time 1 J Waters Duc 1m29.660 2 H Voight Duc 1m29.872 3 J Nahlous Yam 1m30.422 4 M Jones Yam 1m30.893 5 C Halliday Duc 1m31.017 6 C Dunker Yam 1m31.132 7 A West Duc 1m31.221 8 J Favelle […] The post Massive collection of images from opening day of ASBK at SMSP appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

ASBK 2026 Round Two – SMSP Superbike Combined Qualifying Pos Rider Bike Time 1 J Waters Duc 1m29.660 2 H Voight Duc 1m29.872 3 J Nahlous Yam 1m30.422 4 M Jones Yam 1m30.893 5 C Halliday Duc 1m31.017 6 C Dunker Yam 1m31.132 7 A West Duc 1m31.221 8 J Favelle Yam 1m31.252 9 G […] The post Friday results from ASBK Round Two at SMP appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Gary Pritchett’s Top Fuel dragster was literally on fire when he crossed the finish line last Saturday night at Darana Motorsports Park. He didn’t care. He thought the flames dancing off the body panels were his win light. Turns out, it was both. Pritchett, out of Elkton, Maryland, wheeled his United Garage Doors-backed Top Fuel dragster to a first-career Ironman trophy at the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series season opener, March 19-21, taking out Jasmine Salinas in a final round that was equal parts dramatic and dominant. Pritchett left first with a .063 reaction time and hammered down a 3.080-second pass at 274.00 mph while Salinas – who had been the class of the field all weekend with the low ET (3.004) and top speed (286.86 mph) – broke on the hit and limped to a 9.471. “This is my first one of my life,” Pritchett said during his top-end interview, fire retardant still coating the car like confetti. “There’s a lot of people watching this right now that made this happen. A lot of years of doing this as a crew guy.” That backstory matters. Pritchett didn’t parachute into a Top Fuel seat. He earned it the old-fashioned way – years of wrenching on other people’s cars, learning the craft from the ground up before ever strapping in. When he talks about every crew guy “from top to bottom” being the reason a win light comes on, he’s not performing gratitude. He’s lived it. Pritchett qualified second in the eight-car Top Fuel field and was consistent from the jump. He opened eliminations with a .071 light and a 3.069 at 283.61 to dispatch C. Loftin, then ran a 3.134 at 272.56 in the semifinals to take out L. Callaway, who went .105 on the tree and couldn’t recover despite a respectable 3.176. The final was supposed to be the marquee matchup – Pritchett vs. Salinas, the No. 2 qualifier against the weekend’s quickest and fastest car. But drag racing doesn’t care about scripts. Salinas’s machine gave up the ghost almost immediately, and Pritchett powered through his own mechanical drama to seal it. “I saw something going on by the walls,” Pritchett recalled. “I thought it was my win light, and apparently we were on fire. We got fire retardant all over the car – it looks kind of like champagne. I wish it was that.” It might as well have been. In a sport defined by sudden death every round, Pritchett’s path to his first Ironman was clean and decisive: three round wins, three solid reaction times, and a car that held together just long enough to matter. Pritchett made sure to thank the people behind the curtain – Doug Sr. and Shelagh Foley, United Garage Doors, Jim and Joe Clark, Coble Enterprises, Redline Oil, and Doug Foley Jr. among them. He gave a shoutout to his wife, Jessica. And he acknowledged a bet with his crew that he chose to keep private, grinning through it. “I’m just the guy in it that gets to hit the gas,” Pritchett said. “It takes every crew guy from top to bottom to make a win light come on.” They made three of them Saturday night. And the first one that really counted came wrapped in fire retardant and 20-plus years of paying dues. The IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series continues its 2026 season April 9-11 at Virginia Motorsports Park. For Pritchett and his team, the mission is simple: prove the first one wasn’t a fluke – and that the crew-guy-turned-driver belongs in the seat. This story was originally published on March 27, 2026. The post Gary Pritchett Scores First Career Top Fuel Win in Dramatic IHRA Season Opener first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

WorldSBK 2026 Round Two – Portimao – Friday The second round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship got underway at Portimao on Friday in warm, dry conditions, with clear skies and temperatures above 20 degrees giving the paddock a far more stable backdrop than the recent Algarve test. Across the four headline categories, Friday […] The post Recapping the WorldSBK/SSP/SPB/WCR action from Friday at Portimao appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Australian Grantley Schloss had a breakout season in 2025, capturing the Radial Outlaws Racing Series championship in Pro 275 with his stunning ProCharger-equipped ’67 Nova. His title defense this season has started off strong as well, with Schloss winning the season opener at the U.S. Street Nationals for the second year in a row. He followed that up by securing the first No. 1 qualifier of his career at Lights Out 17 with a 3.687-second pass en route to a semifinal finish. As the current Pro 275 points leaders – 21 points ahead of Lyle Barnett – nobody would blame Schloss if he didn’t change a thing on his setup. But when the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Red Line Oil rolled into Bradenton Motorsports Park Feb. 26-28, Schloss did exactly that, converting his car into Pro 10.5 trim. While the switch may have been a surprise to many, it wasn’t a last-second decision. “It was probably about six months ago,” Schloss said concerning when he entertained the idea of running Pro 10.5. “We came down here for the U.S. Street Nationals and raced in Pro 275. I seen the show that Drag Illustrated put on, and being part of such a great event, we went, ‘Hey, let’s be part of it again and tag on the back of this and do World Series of Pro Mod.’” While the car may look similar in Pro 10.5 trim to how it did on 275 radials, there’s a lot more that goes into the conversion than meets the eye, as Schloss quickly found out. He admits he initially thought it would be a fairly simple swap, and should’ve checked out the class rules a bit closer before diving in. “I just thought it was going to be tire and ratio, like another third member and some shocks,” said Schloss. “But then there’s a new converter, and we had to get a smaller blower as well because we were running the 140-1. It ended up adding up a bit more than I thought it would.” In his Pro 10.5 debut, Schloss qualified ninth with a 3.969 at 194.91 mph. Due to the unique format at the WSOPM, pairings were done by chip draw, where Schloss drew No. 6 qualifier Joel Wensley Jr. The drivers left almost simultaneously – Schloss had a .068 reaction time to Wensley’s .069 – but Schloss slowed just a bit to a 4.020, allowing Wensley to power ahead with a 3.960 for the win. Despite the loss, it was a successful learning experience for Schloss and his team. “It was a little bit stressful, changing everything over and not knowing how the car would react and that,” Schloss said. “To come straight out of the box and run 3.90’s, I suppose that settled our nerves a bit, because it’s a long way to come to not even qualify. Moving forward, I think we’ll be in good shape.” Racing on slicks isn’t a one-and-done thing for Schloss either. With radial events traditionally taking many of the summer months off, opportunities to compete again in 10.5 will be plentiful. “We’re definitely going to have to do a bit more (10.5) racing now,” said Schloss. “We’d always planned on doing a bit of PDRA Pro Street as well while we’re over here. Obviously, there’s a fair bit of radial racing, but there’s also a few long breaks in between. We thought, what better way to fill up our time than go racing in something we’ve never done before.” Make no mistake, however – Schloss is still very much set on defending his Pro 275 crown, which goes back to the decision to change up what was such a proven combination. But while Schloss says there can be questions about getting the car back exactly the way it was, he’s got an elite team that will be up to the task.“Yeah, there’s still concerns about that,” Schloss admitted. “We’ll just have to wait and see. We have a lot of great people supporting us as well. I’ve got Ryan from RK Racecraft, he’s absolutely brilliant. He’s the mastermind at getting the four-link set up to basically do the opposite to what it’s supposed to do on a radial. And then Brandon Stroud is my tuner. He knows exactly what’s going on and how to get us down the track. Between Ryan and Brandon, it’s absolutely fantastic.” This story was originally published on March 27, 2026. The post Pro 275 Champion Grantley Schloss Discusses Conversion to Pro 10.5 at World Series of Pro Mod first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

As we crest the hill of another week and look toward the weekend's horizon, it’s time to raid the archives for our latest Flashback Friday. This week, we’re winding the clock back to March 2025, a month that saw Bike EXIF trade in high-concept futurism for a masterclass in 'Newstalgia.' From Austral... View the full article

As NHRA continues to celebrate its 75th anniversary season in 2026, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to zMAX Dragway for one of the most thrilling spectacles in all of motorsports with the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals on April 24-26. Dubbed the “Bellagio of Dragstrips,” zMAX Dragway provides the perfect stage for a massive sensory overload of nitro-fueled thrills. 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 can’t-miss experience is a highlight for racing enthusiasts – and the only four-wide event of the year – delivering thrilling racing and one of the most unique experiences in the sport. The jam-packed schedule at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals will keep fans busy all weekend, starting with two rounds of qualifying, including a must-see night session with pyrotechnics, on Friday. Saturday showcases the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge before eliminations on Sunday, while fans in Charlotte also get to see the debut of the Right Trailers Outlaw Street Series, which features some of the major names from the famous Street Outlaws franchise, including Shawn Ellington, Ryan Martin, Scott Taylor and Jeff Lutz. This year’s annual visit to Charlotte will continue the season-long celebration of NHRA’s 75th anniversary. As part of the celebration, fans can expect multiple highlights at zMAX Dragway, including: An appearance from NHRA’s four-time Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan, as well as NHRA legends Darryl Gwynn and Frank Manzo. Hagan’s historic run at zMAX Dragway in 2011, making the first 3-second run in Funny Car history, will be celebrated as the race’s historic moment, a theme that will take place at all races in 2026. Hagan will be featured on the unique commemorative ticket for the race. Fans can scan the onsite signs at the track to purchase the commemorative ticket, which will be distinctive to each event. 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 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley. 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. Langdon added his name to the history books last season when he won NHRA’s 1,000th Top Fuel race. He defeated a star-studded quad that included four-time world champion Antron Brown, standout Justin Ashley and motorsports legend Tony Stewart. Langdon is off to a solid start in 2026 after winning in Phoenix, while others to watch include Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett, Josh Hart and rookie sensation Maddi Gordon. Two-time reigning Funny Car champ Austin Prock has four Charlotte wins, including last season when he defeated a quad featuring multi-time world champions Ron Capps and Hagan, along with standout Alexis DeJoria. Prock finished with nine wins, but the two-time champ is still looking to get his footing after moving from John Force Racing to Tasca Racing in the off-season. He’ll take on the likes of Gainesville winner Chad Green, 2025 Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde and Jordan Vandergriff. Glenn powered his way to his first Pro Stock world championship 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. Their Elite Motorsports rivals include six-time world champ Erica Enders, along with five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield. Pro Stock Motorcycle returns in Charlotte after last racing at the season opener in Gainesville. Six-time world champ 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 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 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals Roars into Charlotte During NHRA’s Thrilling 75th Anniversary Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The Mid-West Drag Racing Series, R&M Race Trailers, and Sandlian Auto Salvage have joined forces, making Fueltech Pro 4.20 better for racers in the pits and fans in the stands. The partnership features Sandlian Auto Salvage hopping on not just for the five races Pro 4.20 will be contested at, but adding money to the racers as well. The Best E.T. and Best Reaction during eliminations will be awarded a $250 prize each. There will also be two “Long Haul Awards” for a $250 prize, awarded to the team that made the longest trip to be at each Pro 4.20 race in the MWDRS 10th anniversary season. R&M Race Trailers of Cushing, OK is hopping on board too, supplying a $250 bonus to the #1 qualifier at every event, bringing each race to over $1,250 in bonuses on top of the purse for each race. “We’re paying $2,000 to the winners, and paying all the way down to the first round of eliminations. Fueltech, M&M Transmission, R&M Race Trailers, Sandlian Auto Salvage, and Champion Auto Lifts. We couldn’t do it without them. We are giving away more money this year than ever before, for just a $275 entry fee! I’m really excited about 2026,” said reigning Pro 4.20 champion and class founder Dave Pierce. The Mid-West Drag Racing Series is ready for an old-school shootout at Xtreme Raceway Park April 17-18th. The post MWDRS, Sandlian Auto Salvage, and R&M Race Trailers Announce Partnership for Pro 4.20 first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

NHRA officials announced today that its historic event at Beech Bend Raceway will head back to its roots, returning to the National Hot Rod Reunion name for its race on June 18-20 and further celebrating the rich history and heritage of the event during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. Along with the name change, NHRA also announced that Broc Porter will spearhead running the event for the first time, expanding the relationship between the NHRA Motorsports Museum and Porter’s Beech Bend Raceway. Porter and his wife, Rebecca, operate the track that has been in the family since 1984. “This is an opportunity to build this race back to what it was when it first arrived in the early 2000s,” Porter said. “This race helped put Beech Bend on the national map and has been a great event for us for many years. We want to see it continue and grow back into a prominent event that honors the legacy of both Beech Bend and NHRA drag racing.” The National Hot Rod Reunion marks the sixth event of the season in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series, which celebrates the thrilling action of nostalgia drag racing in a variety of classes. Proceeds from the event will benefit the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona. Porter is receiving guidance from Blake Bowser, who has spearheaded a resurgence at the NHRA’s California Hot Rod Reunion featuring Nitro Revival while continuing to grow the legendary Good Vibrations March Meet. The annual trip to Beech Bend Raceway has long been a popular stop for fans and race teams, and this year will be especially memorable, returning to the National Hot Rod Reunion name during NHRA’s milestone year. The National Hot Rod Reunion features three spectacular days of nostalgia racing, hot rods, show cars and a swap meet at a historic facility steeped in drag racing history. The event also includes a show and shine car show and popular cacklefests throughout the weekend, plus much more. On the track, fans will be thrilled by some of the best nostalgia racing in the country, with nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters offering a memorable dose of nitro-burning action at more than 240 mph. Drivers will be competing for event wins, with eliminations on Sunday culminating a weekend that will feature a full lineup of nostalgia competitions, exhibitions, fan experiences, tributes and a festival-like atmosphere that pays tribute to the legends and pioneers of NHRA drag racing. “This is great for the long-term outlook of this event,” said Jason Galvin, NHRA Sportsman Manager. “Broc and Rebecca operate a world-class facility. It’s located in the hot-rodding hotbed of America and, obviously, the 75th anniversary tie-in sets this up to be a booming resurgence for the Hot Rod Reunion brand and a great weekend for the NHRA Museum as well.” For more information on NHRA, including the full 2026 schedule, visit www.nhra.com. The post NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion Name to Return to Annual Hot Rod Heritage Series Event at Beech Bend Raceway first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Cue the eye roll, as Jonthan Rea is back on a World Superbike, with Honda, again after supposedly retiring.View the full article

Desert off-road racing is some of my favorite off-road action, and having been to Ensenada for the BAJA 1000, the King Shocks San Felipe 250 is near and dear to my heart as well. If you dig desert off-road racing as much as we do, then you’ll dig this livestream from qualifying, contingency, and race day. There are several classes of competition that SCORE incorporates into all their races, and you’ll see several of them in the streams below. If you missed any of the action from this event so far, check it all out in the videos below. The post Desert Off-Road Racing Livestream: The 2026 King Shocks 39th SCORE San Felipe 250 – Qualifying, Contingency, And Racing! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Chad Neuenschwander turned many heads while hauling down the quarter-mile in his Mustang while competing in NMCA Dart NA 10.5. When the series ceased operations at the end of 2024, the Indiana-based driver shifted his focus to working side-by-side with his son, Dylan, to campaign Stephen Bell’s NHRA 1320 LLC Pro Stock Camaro. Chad takes care of the car’s back-half, while Dylan takes care of the car’s clutch, and both are proud to be part of the Elite Motorsports team. While the NHRA schedule keeps them busy, they want to join their fellow former NMCA Dart NA 10.5 racers and race teams in Small Tire Pro Stock competition for the first time at the race set for May 22-23 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois, as part of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League Route 66 Rockabilly Reunion. Chad’s Mustang will be packing his tried-and-true 415 cubic-inch small-block Ford which Dylan built at Stanfield Racing Engines. It features a Dart steel block, SC1 heads, HRE sheetmetal intake and two carburetors by Dale Cubic at CFM Performance Carburetors. It is also equipped with a ladder bar set-up by PA Racing and a GF2000 by G-Force Transmissions, and Chad and Dylan use an MSD Grid and RacePak to tie the combination together. “The car has gone 7.86 and 174 mph with this combination, and we think we can improve upon that,” said Chad. “We will work on the chassis a little more and see where it takes us.” Chad’s Mustang, which scoots on Mickey Thompson tires and wheels 29.5X10.5 3062S ET Drag tires, is ready to be loaded into the trailer for the trip to the Small Tire Pro Stock race in Illinois. “World Wide Technology Raceway is a nice track,” said Chad, who, in addition to Dylan, receives steady support from his wife, Joy. “I think this race will be fun, and we are looking forward to it. We also want to run as many Small Tire Pro Stock races as we can, in between helping Stephen Bell on his Pro Stock car.” The post Chad Neuenschwander Taking his Naturally Aspirated 7-Second Mustang to Small Tire Pro Stock first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Ski-Doo’s 2027 snowmobiles get a major upgrade thanks to the new 600RR E-TEC engine and lighter platform. View the full article

When I see this 428 Cobra Jet Torino, I think about the ones that raced in Stock Eliminator as I was growing up and still do today. This is a rare example of the muscle that Ford flexed when it came to Cobra Jet vehicles, and this one that Steve Magnante has found in the junkyard got me a little excited. It’s an R-Code, Ram Air car, with a 4-speed, and that makes this one worth some coin. This one is a project, for sure, but it is saveable. Check out Steve’s walk around and let us know what you think. Like I said, this one could be something special. Would you restore a ride like this? The post Steve Magnante’s Daily Junkyard Crawl: This 428 Cobra Jet Torino Is Ford Big Block Greatness! Someone Save This Thing! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

We’ve shared a few galleries of photos from David Whealon already but now we’re getting into some of the photos from Richard Pasley too. Check them all out below by using the link to all the galleries we’ve posted so far! (Photos by Richard Pasley and David Whealon) – NHRA Drag Racing at the Gatornationals was off the hook yet again in 2026! The week started with new drivers, crew chiefs, and teams, plus record breaking performances in testing, and ended with big wins and happy fans. This is the start of a whole new year of NHRA Drag Racing and we know this season is going to be something special. We’ve got great action photos from Gainesville thanks to longtime contributor David Whealon and Richard Pasley. David was in Florida shooting all kinds of fun stuff at the Gatornationals and sent us a whole bunch of his favorites. Richard was there too and shared some of his! I’ve raced and announced a fair amount in the state of Florida and can tell you that the fans there are awesome, and they came out in force this past weekend. We’re talking about a completely sold out crowd and packed house. That’s awesome news for drag racing fans. And boy did they get a great show at the 2026 Gators. Everyone that goes always comments on how fun the crowd is there and they aren’t kidding. We hope you enjoy the photos as much as they loved the live action. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THE GATORNATIONALS The post 2026 NHRA GatorNationals Action Photos: Side By Side Funny Cars, Top Fuel, Sportsman Door Cars, Pro Mods, Pro Stock Bikes And More! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Free live drag racing starts here and continues all weekend long from the NHRA Regional at No Problem Raceway In Louisiana. We’re talking all kinds of Sportsman Drag racing which means wheels up Stock and Super Stock Eliminator, plus Competition Eliminator and all your favorite Super categories. This is points racing and while it isn’t for big money, it is still a big deal as these points might end up being what gives someone the Divisional or National Championship in 2026. Watch all the racing action below! The post FREE LIVE NHRA Regional Racing Action: Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing At No Problem Raceway – Friday appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

The silly folks over at Grind Hard Plumbing Co. decided what a race-ready side-by-side needed was a set of Formula 1 rain tires. And, honestly, they may not be wrong. View the full article

Most of us only have a 1/2 inch impact in our toolbox. Whether it is air operated or cordless, that’s still about all we need for most hot rod and racing jobs. And even those things are overkill sometimes in the impact wrench battles that we see nowadays between all these manufacturers. But what about those for big jobs like big trucks and heavy equipment? I watch some YouTube channels that use 3/4 impacts all the time and when needed will pull out the big guns with a 1 incher. On only one occasion have I used a 1 inch impact and it was to remove lug nuts off of big dump trucks where I worked. It weighed what felt like the same as me, and had an attachment on the end that would hold onto the lug nut next to the one you were loosening so that when it hit it wouldn’t spin the impact, AND YOU, around like a rag doll. It was nuts, and it doesn’t even compare to what is out there now. But look at these beasts! One of these weighs 25lbs! WTF over. Holy crap these things are nuts and we love it. So if you need thousands of pounds of torque to tighten and remove bolts and nuts, get you one of these. Or if your hobby is breaking normal size fasteners, here you go. Wow, just wow. Video Description: LIFETIME OF RANKINGS: https://torquetestchannel.etsy.com/li… Harbor Freight has a new Earthquake 1″ Pistol impact and so we took this as an opportunity to test the largest pistol impacts we’ve seen as well as their current much cheaper 1″ Central Pneumatic. We do not accept any tools shown on the channel from any brand, nor do we take any sponsorships, partnerships, discounts, product placement deals, pre-market brand samples, money, items or compensation of any kind from brands, tool makers or otherwise in the planning or creation of these videos. The post Testing The Largest Pistol Impact Guns On The Market: So How Much Power Do These Beasts Really Make? appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article