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There’s some exciting motorcycle news this week. Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, BMW, Honda, and CF Moto have all dropped fresh bike releases that are getting people buzzing. We’re also seeing some key updates about Moto2 racing and a handful of big shifts across the motorcycle industry. Plenty to chew on if you’re following the scene right now. Key Takeaways Several manufacturers revealed new models and concept bikes—think cafe racers and sport bikes. Triumph kicked off prize giveaways for Moto2 fans and […] The post New Harley Cafe Racer 2026 appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

March Mayhem is Officially ON at TeamMoto If you’ve been sitting on the fence about picking up a pre-owned motorbike, consider this your sign to get off it. TeamMoto’s March Mayhem Sale has officially kicked off, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest pre-owned bike events of the year. With over 220 […] The post March Mayhem is Officially ON at TeamMoto appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Moto News Weekly Wrap March 10, 2026 What’s New: Career-first 450SX triple-crown win for Hunter Lawrence Stark claim SuperEnduro Manufacturer’s Title Rally-Raid Portugal set for March 17-22 Team Australia TdN 2026 applications Team Australia ISDE applications open KTM back MX65 Futures Class in ProMX EZILIFT the MXW naming partner for ProMX 2026 2025-2026 Arenacross Champions […] The post Moto News Weekly | GNCC | MX | AX | Enduro | AFT | SX | SuperEnduro appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Pavement Pounder Events is back in 2026 in a HUGE way, with an incredibly exciting road trip event that will be starting in the Motor City and heading to Wheel Hub Live! That’s right, you get to road trip with all your hot rodding buddies from Detroit to Lincoln, Nebraska’s Museum of American Speed. The museum itself is a destination worth driving 1,000 miles for, but when you factor in all the fun of doing this road trip with friends, and fully curated stops, means this is a bucket list kind of trip that you want to sign up for now. And you can by using the links below. We are incredibly proud to be a part of the Pavement Pounder community as the Official Media Partner for Motor City to Wheel Hub Live, presented by Heatshield Products. I can’t tell you how excited we are about this trip, and you will be too. Check out all the details below, and use the link to register now and start planning for some fun! There are only 300 spots available, so if you want to get in on this unique opportunity you need to register now before they sell out! Detroit – Pavement Pounder Events announced details for its 2026 driving experience, Motor City to Wheel Hub Live presented by Heatshield Products, an eight-day, 1,000-mile automotive road tour taking place May 16–23, 2026. Designed for automotive enthusiasts, the event connects significant automotive locations with a curated driving route that prioritizes engagement, authenticity and enjoying the drive alignment over interstate travel. Motor City to Wheel Hub Live launches in Detroit, the epicenter of American automotive manufacturing and performance culture, and concludes in Lincoln, Nebraska, at Wheel Hub Live at the Museum of American Speed. The route intentionally links past, present and future automotive touchpoints. Key destinations include:  The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village  Cord-Auburn-Duesenberg Museum  Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum during Indy 500 week  Route 66 in Springfield, IL  Historic Hills Scenic Byway in Iowa  White Pole Road in Iowa Exclusive access to additional venues will be announced in the coming weeks. For 2026, vehicle count is capped at 300, reinforcing Pavement Pounder Events’ focus on participant experience. All registered participants receive full access to Wheel Hub Live, including museum entry, curated vehicle displays and the Wheel Hub Reliability Run, making the event both a destination and a content-rich activation opportunity for media and partners. For 2026, Pavement Pounder Events has introduced several refinements driven by participant and partner feedback, including pre-order-only event apparel to streamline fulfillment, a clearly defined registration window closing April 1, 2026, and multiple participation tiers to accommodate varying schedules and levels of involvement. The event is supported by leading industry partners, including TREMEC, which will award one registered participant a TKX 5-speed transmission through a random drawing—underscoring the event’s close ties to the performance aftermarket industry. Registration is open now. For more details and to sign up, visit: https://pavementpounderevents.com About Pavement Pounder Events Pavement Pounder Events was created to connect car enthusiasts through unforgettable driving experiences and authentic automotive adventures. With deep roots in the car culture and decades of industry expertise, Pavement Pounder Events is redefining what it means to hit the road. The Pavement Pounder Events mission is simple: Drive the cars we love. Each year, the company will choose an iconic dream destination for car enthusiasts and plot a course that invites as many people as possible to join the trip and enjoy the drive. The post Pavement Pounder Events Announces “Motor City to Wheel Hub Live” 2026 Road Trip And We’re Excited To Be Their Official Media Partner! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

We shared a video of the Great 8 finalists for the Ridler Award at Detroit Autorama a couple of days ago and now we’ve got a feature video on the one that took the title. If you missed the Great 8 video, use the link below. Ridler winners, regardless of style, are cars that are finished at a level that is second to none. This is why the Ridler is one of the biggest car show awards on the planet. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to judge cars that are finished at this level. They climb all around them in order to see all the details, and then they have to put their personal tastes aside and judge these cars just on their build quality. Can you believe that another Tri-Five Chevy has won the Ridler? Take a look at the video and let us know what you think, and again if you didn’t see all of the Great 8 contenders, use the link below. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GREAT 8 VIDEO The post 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air “Elegant Lady” Wins 2026 Ridler Award with 1,000-HP Supercharged LS7 appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

We’ve shared a couple of Joe’s great photo galleries so far, but we’ve got plenty more left! If you missed the previous galleries, use the link below to check them all out too. (Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) Here in the northeast section of the country we are in the deep freeze so most of the fun stuff moves indoors. We took a break from off season race car upgrades and maintenance, and made trip to Lebanon, Pennsylvania to check out the DragFest Indoor Drag Racing Showcase. It’s a great static gathering of drag cars, show cars and more. A few area dragstrips were in attendance handing out 2026 schedules along with a few of the cars that are regulars at their facilities. Numidia Raceway and South Mountain Dragway were set up loud and proud. A bunch of racing clubs displayed member cars and promoted their upcoming appearances. Back Seat Drivers a group of vintage style front engine dragsters and the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Drag Racing Association (MANDA) each dominated a few of the rooms at the Lebanon Convention Center. This year’s show had some amazing survivors and barn find type stuff. Check out the 1957 Ford with twin carbed Y-Block and Paxton Supercharger, the killer tunnel rammed big block chevy powered ’68 Camaro resplendent in B/MP trim, complete with a quarte window full of Atco Dragway kill stickers! Killer stuff. My favorite machine in show was the Survivor 1971 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler street machine; you can’t miss it in the gallery! A real deal time capsule from the early ‘70’s, this is one of only 353 Spoilers built in 1971, which is special enough, but the wild custom paint job and body work applied in ’73 is mind-blowing. The colors, design layout, and murals kept me coming back to it all day. And don’t sleep on the extra-stuffed diamond tufted custom interior with that crazy console! Dig into the photos for much more! CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE PREVIOUS DRAG FEST PHOTOS WE POSTED! The gang at Motorama Productions put this and other shows on throughout the year. I’ll be hitting a few more soon. The post I-24 Lebanon Dragfest 2026 Is Like No Other Indoor Car Show And We’ve Got The Photos! This Indoor Drag Racing Showcase Is Amazing! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Here’s our second to last gallery from LST 2026! Man all these cool truck make me want to get on my mini truck project so bad! If you missed our previous galleries, don’t worry because we’ve got a link below for you to check out. If you’ve been waiting for the next one, here it is. (Words and Photos by Chad Reynolds) I hit the Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe Texas this weekend and as usual was blown away by the turnout of great trucks. When I arrived at the just after it opened, I have to admit I was a bit worried. The place was not full. Not by a long shot. Now we normally get down here to the show an hour or so later, so I was trying to convince myself it was going to be okay, but I wasn’t doing a very good job of it. That was until about 10, when a definite increase in the hum around the places started happening and cruise traffic started really increasing. By the time I left the show a few hours later it was hopping as usual. And while the morning started off chilly and overcast, the grounds were in great shape with little or no wet spots from the showers that were expected Friday. And by 10 am I had to take my hoodie off because it was just too warm. It was great weather for a truck show friends. The food trucks were slinging snacks, although I didn’t see the hot chocolate ans s’mores folks from last year that made a killing. It really was a great day at the show. Lone Star Throwdown, or LST as it’s often referred to, is one of the premier custom truck shows in the country, and it happens rain or shine. This show is always one of my favorites. It draws folks from all over the country, along with Canada and Mexico. In 2027 you’ll find us on site with the OBS Suburban project you guys don’t know about yet. And maybe a merch stand, who knows. Here is our seventh gallery of photos, with more coming over the next several days. Check back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED ANY OF OUR PREVIOUS LONE STAR THROWDOWN PICS The post More Lone Star Throwdown 2026 Truck Show Pics: Tall, Short, Fat, Thin, You Name It, They Had It All At LST 2026 appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

– Hart gets win in JFR debut – Green goes back-to-back at Gators – First PS win for Hartford since ‘23 – Gadson gets first PSM Gators win GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 8, 2026) – Ocala’s Josh Hart won in his debut with John Force Racing on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway, taking down reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Chad Green (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won in front of a capacity crowd at the first of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It also marks the start of NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. Hart, who set the track speed record on Friday, went 3.733-seconds at 337.83 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Burnyzz/Speedmaster dragster to knock off Kalitta, who slowed to a 3.877 at 319.60. It marks the third career win for Hart and first in nearly five years. Since then, it had been a grind for Hart, who won in his Top Fuel debut in 2021 at Gainesville Raceway. Now with John Force Racing, Hart is off and running. He qualified No. 1 for the first time in his career on Saturday and then dispatched of Dan Mercier, Tripp Tatum and four-time champ Antron Brown to reach the final round. Hart quickly tracked down Kalitta and made a strong impression that he will be a championship threat in the loaded category in 2026. “I’m so grateful for everybody,” Hart said. “I got the crap kicked out of me for four years and I’m having a hard time believing this is happening. I have so many people to thank and there was so much energy from these fans today. John Force, thank you for picking me. “It was just awesome. It was a storybook. We crushed every record that I have had in my career, all in the first weekend with John Force Racing. Those guys are absolutely awesome. The most professional team I’ve ever been a part of and communication is second to none. I just want to say thank you to John Force and Brittany Force for even considering me, let alone picking me to take that seat, and I’ll get more comfortable, and we’ll win more races.” In Funny Car, Green continued his dominant performance at Gainesville Raceway, making it back-to-back victories at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals thanks to a run of 3.959 at 329.91 in his 12,000-horsepower Bond-Coat, Inc. Ford Mustang against Alexis DeJoria in the final round. Green has three career victories and remarkably two of them have come at Gainesville Raceway, as he’s now posted eight straight round wins at one of the biggest races on the NHRA tour. On Sunday, that included round wins against Terry Haddock, four-time world champ Matt Hagan and John Force Racing’s Jordan Vandergriff, who was making his first career start in the Funny Car ranks. That set up a matchup with another JFR driver, as DeJoria advanced to the final in her debut with her new team. But she ran into trouble early and Green put together another solid performance to claim the victory and take the points lead at the first race in NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. “Last year was actually so special to win the Gatornationals for the first time, and during the last couple of months here I’ve been thinking how awesome it’d be to win the race again,” Green said. “It’s so hard to win any race, especially for somebody like me. It all came together, and it’s so great to go back-to-back. I was also thinking, how nice it would be to win a Diamond Wally. To get it done on the first race, that’s just really awesome. “It makes it so much easier as a driver when you’re not thinking about what this car is going to do. We qualified well, but that first round is always so nerve-racking to me. After we got past that, I really felt very confident in the car all day, and as each run went by, the car just made it down the track and that definitely helps you as a driver.” DeJoria advanced to the final round for the first time in two years and 17th time in her career thanks to round wins against Cruz Pedregon, 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde and J.R. Todd. Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford had his own winless streak snapped on Sunday as well, picking up his first victory since 2023 by going 6.530 at 210.41 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro to hold off six-time world champion Greg Anderson. It’s the first win for Hartford in 40 races and after coming close multiple times in 2025, Hartford was more than ready to break through in Gainesville to open the 75th anniversary season. The victory is his first at the Gatornationals and the ninth in his career, getting past Kenny Delco, Aaron Stanfield and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn earlier in the day. Hartford took down an impressive lineup just to reach the final round and then finished the job against Anderson, showcasing what he hopes will be a banner 2026 campaign. “We were sitting having dinner the other night, and we were saying we need to get one of these Diamond Wallys and not one of them – we need to stack them up, and the best way to do that is to start with the first one,” Hartford said. “To get the first one in Pro Stock is incredible. “This is going to be the most grueling Pro Stock season that I think you guys in the media have ever seen. The caliber of the drivers who are out there right now are over the top. It’s just so competitive from all the camps right now. You make one mistake, you’re not qualifying.” Anderson reached the finals for the 192nd time in his career thanks to round wins against Deric Kramer, his son, Cody, who was making his Pro Stock debut, and longtime rival Erica Enders. Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Richard Gadson had a resounding start to his championship defense season, getting his first Gatornationals victory after taking down John Hall in the championship round with a 6.753 at 200.05 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki. That the win came on his birthday made it that much sweeter, as Gadson claimed his fifth career victory, displaying the kind of consistency that led to his breakout season a year ago. He was presented with his championship jacket and ring during pre-race introductions and it seemed to spur him along, taking down Geno Scali, Chase Van Sant and Clayton Howey. In the finals, Gadson led wire-to-wire thanks to an .018 reaction time, getting his first diamond Wally of the season. “I’d say this is a pretty resounding statement to open the season,” Gadson said. “You know, I like to say it was a long winter. I kind of still felt like I had something to prove. “Matt Hines [team member] told me before we left the shop. He said, ‘Don’t race like you’re the world champion. Race the same way that got you the championship. Don’t let up.’ So, that was what I did and it worked out for me this weekend.” Hall reached the finals for the eighth time in his career thanks to Brayden Davis, Gaige Herrera and Steve Johnson. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action March 20-22 with the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix. *** GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the first of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. TOP FUEL: 1. Josh Hart; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Antron Brown; 4. Maddi Gordon; 5. Tripp Tatum; 6. Tony Stewart; 7. Tony Schumacher; 8. Leah Pruett; 9. Shawn Langdon; 10. Justin Ashley; 11. Billy Torrence; 12. Shawn Reed; 13. Dan Mercier; 14. Gary Pritchett; 15. Clay Millican; 16. Jasmine Salinas. FUNNY CAR: 1. Chad Green; 2. Alexis DeJoria; 3. Jordan Vandergriff; 4. J.R. Todd; 5. Matt Hagan; 6. Spencer Hyde; 7. Daniel Wilkerson; 8. John Smith; 9. Jack Beckman; 10. Hunter Green; 11. Julie Nataas; 12. Ron Capps; 13. Dave Richards; 14. Terry Haddock; 15. Paul Lee; 16. Cruz Pedregon. PRO STOCK: 1. Matt Hartford; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Dallas Glenn; 5. Aaron Stanfield; 6. Cody Coughlin; 7. Matt Latino; 8. Cody Anderson; 9. Deric Kramer; 10. Troy Coughlin; 11. Chris McGaha; 12. Jeg Coughlin; 13. Stephen Bell; 14. Kenny Delco; 15. Eric Latino; 16. Greg Stanfield. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Richard Gadson; 2. John Hall; 3. Clayton Howey; 4. Steve Johnson; 5. Gaige Herrera; 6. Angie Smith; 7. Chase Van Sant; 8. Matt Smith; 9. Jianna Evaristo; 10. Brayden Davis; 11. Ryan Oehler; 12. Geno Scali; 13. Kelly Clontz; 14. Chris Bostick; 15. Marc Ingwersen; 16. Kimberly Morrell. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Sunday’s final results from the 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the first of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: Top Fuel — Josh Hart, 3.733 seconds, 337.83 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.877 seconds, 319.60 mph. Funny Car — Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.959, 329.91 def. Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 5.003, 167.59. Pro Stock — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.530, 210.41 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.562, 209.72. Pro Stock Motorcycle — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.753, 200.05 def. John Hall, Beull, 6.799, 198.38. Top Alcohol Dragster — Jamie Noonan, 5.249, 273.22 def. Anthony Troyer, 5.259, 276.92. Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.439, 268.28 def. Chris Foster, Camaro, 5.484, 267.06. Competition Eliminator — Peter D`Agnolo, Chevy Cobalt, 8.415, 158.86 def. Matthew Alvey, Cobalt, 8.581, 157.61. Super Stock — Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 9.558, 129.13 def. Kent Hanley, Chevy Cavalier, 9.274, 138.58. Stock Eliminator — Jeff Adkinson, Chevy Camaro, 9.138, 138.91 def. Jim Marshall, Chevy Malibu Wagon, 11.243, 113.72. Super Comp — Kelly Kundratic, Dragster, 8.879, 173.23 def. Tim Millwood, Dodge Daytona, Foul – Red Light. Super Gas — Jason Dewitt, Chevy Corvette, 9.875, 166.58 def. Steve Furr, Chevy Camaro, 9.872, 173.76. Top Sportsman — James Hinkle, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.301, 182.80 def. Bruce Thaxton, Ford Mustang, 7.393, 186.12. Top Dragster — Jackie Bennett, Dragster, 6.132, 223.80 def. Holden Laris, Dragster, 6.092, 229.08. Pro Modified — Derek Menholt, Chevy Camaro, 5.690, 251.02 def. Lyle Barnett, Camaro, Foul – Red Light. Factory Stock Showdown — Ricky Hord, Chevy Camaro, 7.735, 178.28 def. David Janac, Ford Mustang, 7.792, 180.69. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final round-by-round results from the 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE — Tony Stewart, 3.713, 338.68 def. Clay Millican, 7.811, 80.19; Leah Pruett, 3.713, 333.41 def. Jasmine Salinas, 8.765, 77.77; Maddi Gordon, 3.762, 334.48 def. Shawn Langdon, 4.494, 190.81; Josh Hart, 3.751, 335.65 def. Dan Mercier, 5.107, 143.08; Antron Brown, 3.764, 331.20 def. Gary Pritchett, 5.778, 111.73; Doug Kalitta, 4.338, 237.96 def. Justin Ashley, 4.586, 221.27; Tony Schumacher, 4.182, 260.86 def. Shawn Reed, 4.684, 158.99; Tripp Tatum, 4.563, 234.33 def. Billy Torrence, 4.603, 197.39; QUARTERFINALS — Gordon, 3.783, 331.53 def. Schumacher, 3.863, 298.87; Brown, 3.821, 327.82 def. Stewart, 3.813, 332.10; Kalitta, 3.764, 332.34 def. Pruett, 3.871, 318.47; Hart, 3.845, 334.57 def. Tatum, Foul – Red Light; SEMIFINALS — Hart, 4.488, 289.51 def. Brown, 4.552, 246.93; Kalitta, 3.754, 333.91 def. Gordon, 4.630, 165.07; FINAL — Hart, 3.733, 337.83 def. Kalitta, 3.877, 319.60. FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE — Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.022, 316.60 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 6.650, 110.15; Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 4.632, 281.54 def. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 6.956, 92.91; J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.509, 268.49 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 5.788, 133.24; John Smith, Charger, 4.511, 303.64 def. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 5.074, 158.82; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.976, 326.63 def. Julie Nataas, GR Supra, 5.059, 155.58; Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 4.545, 298.40 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, Foul – Centerline; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.027, 317.79 def. Hunter Green, Charger, 4.263, 294.95; Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 3.970, 327.35 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.987, 326.87; QUARTERFINALS — DeJoria, 4.040, 324.59 def. Hyde, 4.066, 314.39; Todd, 4.033, 326.95 def. Wilkerson, 4.154, 267.43; Vandergriff, 3.993, 327.82 def. Smith, 6.767, 100.41; C. Green, 3.975, 326.08 def. Hagan, 3.967, 328.14; SEMIFINALS — C. Green, 3.980, 324.83 def. Vandergriff, 4.068, 300.40; DeJoria, 4.040, 325.45 def. Todd, Foul – Red Light; FINAL — C. Green, 3.959, 329.91 def. DeJoria, 5.003, 167.59. PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.587, 208.94 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.633, 207.56; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.581, 208.01 def. Troy Coughlin, Camaro, 6.576, 208.75; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.583, 209.39 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.606, 208.26; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.564, 209.17 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.568, 209.43; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.574, 209.82 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.619, 208.42; Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.585, 209.33 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 11.128, 79.59; Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.566, 210.24 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.602, 209.85; Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.583, 209.98 def. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.611, 209.04; QUARTERFINALS — Glenn, 6.588, 208.55 def. M. Latino, 6.600, 208.52; Hartford, 6.567, 207.66 def. A. Stanfield, 6.581, 207.88; Enders, 6.563, 208.14 def. C. Coughlin, 6.585, 209.36; G. Anderson, 6.542, 209.23 def. C. Anderson, Foul – Red Light; SEMIFINALS — Hartford, 6.576, 208.84 def. Glenn, 17.832, 45.48; G. Anderson, 6.571, 209.17 def. Enders, 6.602, 208.33; FINAL — Hartford, 6.530, 210.41 def. G. Anderson, 6.562, 209.72. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: ROUND ONE — Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.830, 196.99 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.799, 199.52; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.826, 198.23 def. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.832, 197.28; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.747, 200.47 def. Kimberly Morrell, Suzuki, 18.402, 40.79; Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.786, 200.00 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.854, 198.90; John Hall, 6.796, 199.11 def. Brayden Davis, Buell, 6.800, 198.85; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.755, 201.46 def. Marc Ingwersen, Buell, 8.746, 102.14; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.769, 200.83 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.836, 198.44; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.739, 201.67 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.873, 195.28; QUARTERFINALS — Gadson, 6.757, 200.59 def. Van Sant, 6.808, 198.82; Johnson, 6.863, 196.36 def. A. Smith, 6.796, 198.52; Hall, 6.748, 200.68 def. Herrera, 6.758, 200.65; Howey, 6.822, 197.33 def. M. Smith, 6.836, 199.11; SEMIFINALS — Gadson, 7.118, 150.06 def. Howey, Foul – Red Light; Hall, 6.836, 199.46 def. Johnson, 6.862, 194.27; FINAL — Gadson, 6.753, 200.05 def. Hall, 6.799, 198.38. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Point standings (top 10) following the 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series – Top Fuel 1. Josh Hart, 122; 2. Doug Kalitta, 96; 3. Antron Brown, 76; 4. Maddi Gordon, 74; 5. Leah Pruett, 57; 6. Tony Stewart, 54; 7. Tripp Tatum, 53; 8. Tony Schumacher, 48; 9. Shawn Langdon, 44; 10. (tie) Justin Ashley, 32. Shawn Reed, 32. Funny Car 1. Chad Green, 115; 2. Alexis DeJoria, 93; 3. J.R. Todd, 82; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 71; 5. Matt Hagan, 59; 6. Daniel Wilkerson, 56; 7. (tie) Spencer Hyde, 51; John Smith, 51; 9. Ron Capps, 41; 10. Paul Lee, 37. Pro Stock 1. Matt Hartford, 125; 2. Greg Anderson, 92; 3. Dallas Glenn, 74; 4. Erica Enders, 72; 5. Cody Coughlin, 65; 6. Matt Latino, 57; 7. Aaron Stanfield, 54; 8. Cody Anderson, 52; 9. Greg Stanfield, 39; 10. Deric Kramer, 35. Pro Stock Motorcycle 1. Richard Gadson, 124; 2. John Hall, 94; 3. Clayton Howey, 74; 4. Steve Johnson, 73; 5. Matt Smith, 64; 6. Angie Smith, 63; 7. Gaige Herrera, 59; 8. Chase Van Sant, 53; 9. (tie) Kelly Clontz, 32; Brayden Davis, 32; Jianna Evaristo; 32. Ryan Oehler, 32. The post NHRA NEWS: HART, GREEN, HARTFORD & GADSON OPEN 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH WINS AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORATIONALS appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

If Harley-Davidson has a "holy grail" engine, the EL Knucklehead is undoubtedly it. Produced between 1936 and 1947, the Knucklehead— named for the distinct shape of its rocker boxes—represented a massive technological leap for the Milwaukee firm. It was Harley’s first production overhead-valve (OHV)... View the full article

I’ve customized too many tools to count in my life, but they usually involve wrenches or pliers of some kind that I’ve ground on, made shorter, or welding something else to. The most common mods are usually on end wrenches that need to be thinner to fit somewhere, or bent in some weird way to reach a fastener, etc. You never know when you are going to have to customize a wrench so I have a drawer of relatively cheap ones that I don’t feel bad modifying for my needs. But what about customizing ratchets and stuff. Do you guys do that in your garage? In the video below you’ll see the Last Best Tool channel on YouTube where a Harbor Freight Pittsburgh ratchet is getting some love so it has more joints and reach different places. Since I have a love hate relationship with ratchets that have a flex or bending handle, I question whether this one is handy or would just drive me nuts to use. Maybe both. Watch the video and let us know what you think. The post Smart Tool Mod, Or Overkill? Pittsburgh Double-Double Joint Ratchet! Harbor Freight Should Sell Parts! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Veteran drag racer Leah Pruett made her return to NHRA drag racing competition Sunday at the NHRA Gatornationals when she drove her Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge Top Fuel dragster to a quarterfinals finish at Gainesville Raceway, while TSR Dodge teammate Matt Hagan debuted his Dodge//SRT Funny Car with a quarterfinals placing. Pruett, who nearly won the NHRA Mission world championship two years ago in the 2023 final race at Pomona, came back from a two-year hiatus after starting a family with husband Tony Stewart and immediately made her presence felt with a superb 3.690 qualifying performance on Friday night in front of a big crowd. The 3.690 placed the Arizona racer third in the 16-car field for Sunday’s final eliminations. The 12-time NHRA Top Fuel race winner also recorded low elapsed time (E.T.) in the opening round of Top Fuel competition Sunday with a 3.713 in defeating Jasmine Salinas. In the quarterfinals, Pruett faced reigning Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta, who scored the round win at 3.764 to Leah’s 3.871 in hot, humid conditions. Pruett’s return to action, with son Dominic watching, was marked by the first wife-husband Top Fuel competition as Stewart, who drove Leah’s racecar the last two years, also drove in the Top Fuel category at the Gatornationals for Elite Motorsports. “There were a lot of elements to the weekend,” said Pruett. “Overall, I am really happy with where this team is at right now. Zero mistakes were made. We had a strategy for race day that started with qualifying well. We knew track conditions were going to become marginal, and we wanted to be at the front of the pack. We’re going to keep digging for where to improve upon certain areas, but Doug [Kalitta] had a hell of a run. Now that I’ve got a report card, I know how to move forward. And on a personal side of things, I’ve seen my son minutes at a time during a day. So that’s something to adjust to and that is fine. “We’re completing this event with a lot of momentum. The team has a lot of momentum. I’m in a better spot than I thought I was going to be starting the 2026 season and that I’m excited about. I had a plan coming into the season. When it came to reaction times, from a physical standpoint, I didn’t know that in two years off where I would be with the pedal. I’ve got a lot of work to do in the next two weeks, getting ready for Phoenix.” Pruett’s longtime Dodge drag racing teammate, four-time world champion Matt Hagan, put together a solid performance in his all-new TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car at the NHRA Gatornationals with the fifth spot in qualifying (3.931) and two excellent runs in eliminations. The Virginia driver defeated Julie Nataas in the first round of action with a strong 3.976 at 326.63 mph to advance to the quarterfinals against defending Gatornationals champion Chad Green. Green upset Hagan in the semifinals on his way to the 2025 event win. This time, Hagan had another sensational time of 3.967, but Green’s quick reaction time off the starting line gave him the win with a 3.975. After Green’s “holeshot” victory, he went on to capture his second consecutive NHRA Gatornationals title. “Obviously, that one (lost) fell on the driver,” said Hagan. “The team gave me a great racecar and the Dodge//SRT Hellcat has been running very well. Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler and Alex Conaway have been making some great calls with this new chassis. We ran 3.97 and 3.96 in eliminations. My 0.076 (second) light isn’t bad, but Chad (Green) ran a 0.060 against me. So, we got beat by eight inches at the finish line. That’s drag racing. I need to go home and work on my craft for Phoenix in a couple weeks. Everything felt good off the line, and I never saw Chad since we were so close at the lights. He was up for me more than I was for him. “So that is a tough one to swallow. That’s just one race and we have 19 more to go. The car drove well all three days, and the crowd here at the Gatornatonals was amazing, so big with drag racing fans. It’s not the outcome we wanted and that falls on my shoulders. But I’ve been doing this (Funny Car racing) a long time, and I can take it. I think I can make it up to the team with a few holeshots myself. I have a lot of confidence with this car and team after this race. We showed it at the end of last year with several wins. I think we had one of the most consistent cars here this weekend, and we see a lot of potential with the Dodge//SRT Hellcat.” In the Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) class, reigning two-time champion Mark Pawuk debuted the all-new purpose-built, race-only Dodge Charger Drag Pak by qualifying the HEMI engine-powered car in the 16-car field. However, Pawuk lost in the first round with a 7.964 as the Empaco team continued the development with the new Charger. The SIXPACK-powered Dodge Charger Scat Pack production muscle car was featured in the 75th anniversary NHRA “Legends” race with former champions Joe Amato, Kenny Bernstein, Warren Johnson and Bruce Larson competing on Friday and Saturday at the NHRA Gatornationals. Larson defeated Amato in Saturday’s final. Another highlight of the NHRA Gatornationals was the Dodge Thrill Rides, as racing fans experienced some sideways action in the twin-turbo charged, performance-loaded SIXPACK-powered Charger cars steered by professional drivers. The next NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series event is the upcoming Arizona Nationals set for March 20-22 at Firebird Motorsports Park. Nitro qualifying is scheduled for Friday, March 20, at 2:30 and 5 p.m. PDT, while Saturday’s action gets underway at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. PDT. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 22. The Fox telecast will be seen at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Fox Sports 1. For more information on NHRA, visit NHRA.com. The post Pruett Takes TSR Dodge Top Fuel Dragster to Quarterfinals in NHRA Return; Hagan Posts Impressive Runs first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Bartone Bros. Racing opened the 2026 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season in emphatic fashion Sunday, winning the Top Alcohol Funny Car class at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Driver Sean Bellemeur piloted Tony Bartone’s “Pirate Ship” to victory over Chris Foster in the final round, claiming the first 75th NHRA Anniversary Silver Wally trophy in the Top Alcohol Funny Car category. Bellemeur cut a .025-second reaction time and powered to a 5.43-second pass at 268 mph to secure the win. The victory carries added significance for Bellemeur, who was named one of the Top 75 drivers in NHRA history. The win (49 national) moves him within one of joining the prestigious 50-national-win club. The on-track success capped an unforgettable weekend for the team, which also celebrated the Thursday evening induction of team tuner Steve Boggs into the International Hot Rod Hall of Fame. “This weekend proves why Steve Boggs belongs in the Hall of Fame,” Bellemeur said. “When we unloaded the car, it wasn’t happy. The computer was giving us some goofy data and misled us for a couple of runs. Race Data came over and helped us out. Then Steve went to work. The car kept getting better and better, and last night we laid down low ET of the weekend. In the middle of that run, I knew we had our hot rod back. It was just a matter of managing the racetrack in the final today.” Bellemeur praised the resilience of the “Killer B’s” crew throughout a grueling race week. “It was a week of fatigue for these guys,” he said. “It’s proof of what this team that Tony Bartone has assembled is all about – they are a bunch of warriors. All of the hours day and night, no sleep and early mornings, they kept their focus.” Bellemeur extended gratitude to the team’s partners and crew. “I want to thank our partners Red Line Oil, Talon Air, McLeod, NGK Spark Plugs, and Roger Dean Chevrolet,” he said. “I appreciate the team of Tony Bartone, Steve Boggs, Troy Green, Nick Stoms, Justin Taylor, Garret Bateman, Brian Gawlik, Lauren McMaster, and Matt Krebs for the long hours and hard work this weekend. No one got discouraged, and we took our second Gatornationals win in a row and our first – of I hope many – 75th NHRA Silver Wally trophies of the season.” The team extended a heartfelt thank you to its sponsors: Red Line Synthetic Oil, Roger Dean Chevrolet, Talon Air, LLC, NGK Spark Plugs, and McLeod, along with product supporters Simpson Performance Products and Taylor Motorsports Products.For more information on Bartone Bros. Racing, including race recaps and photos, please visit the team site at www.BartoneBrosRacing.com. This story was originally published on March 9, 2026. The post Bartone Bros. Racing Wins Top Alcohol Funny Car at Gatornationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Greg Anderson and the KB Titan Racing team closed the door on the winter with a resounding thud, charging into NHRA’s 75th anniversary season with a bolstered roster and horsepower that promises to make this a year to remember. For Anderson, the 57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will be positively unforgettable. Drama in qualifying and a strong rebound on Sunday sent him to an astounding 192nd final round of his career, but that was only part of Anderson’s Gainesville story. His son, Cody, also made his long-anticipated NHRA Pro Stock debut. Qualifying was a surprising battle, one that Anderson and company certainly did not expect. The driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro holds the longest running qualifying streak amongst professional NHRA drivers. For 490 consecutive events, Anderson had qualified for the field – the next closest was Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher, whose streak of 444 comes with a somewhat different perspective as he has not raced the full schedule each season – but Pro Stock’s most decorated competitor found himself in a precarious position as the weekend progressed. The severity of the situation came across quietly at first as the excitement of the next generation of Pro Stock entering the scene bubbled amongst observers. Veteran Anderson was on the outside of the field by the slimmest of margins after Friday evening’s session, and on Saturday he had to make up, at the very least, .002-second to break in. Confidence was steady in the KBT camp, but the air and racing surface set up a nerve-wracking scenario. The team knew they needed a safe run, but the 6.608 that came up on the scoreboard was not going to get the job done. “We had a little misfortune Friday and broke an engine, and that put us at the front of the pack in the first qualifying session,” said Anderson. “Nobody was able to get off that starting line. We had to make some major moves to back it down, and we just backed it down too far and ran too slow. We had to get some guts for the last session and just go for it, because if we didn’t, we were done.” The right calls were made, and the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet sailed down the quarter-mile dragstrip to a perfectly balanced 6.556. With a sigh of relief for all, Anderson was in the field in the No. 13 position, and, stunningly, he was on the same side of the ladder as Cody. With 21 cars vying for position in the 16-car field, it was impressive that Cody had even made the show, but when he sliced off a crispy .021-second reaction time and surged past veteran Greg Stanfield’s troubled pass in the first round with a 6.585-second hit, it set the stage for a quarterfinals match that neither Anderson nor his son would soon forget. Anderson had defeated first-round opponent Deric Kramer, 6.564 to 6.568, to set up the family’s first official father-and-son battle. Although the fight was short-lived as Cody missed a step in the staging process and left before the tree came down (a “rookie mistake,” the humble newbie readily admitted), the mere fact that they got to race one another so soon in Cody’s career stood out. “It was so cool, and I’m so proud of him,” said Anderson with an enormous grin. “He’s just doing a fantastic job, and Greg Stanfield is a tough customer. Cody did his job and earned that win, and he’s got plenty of time to whip my butt out there. He can hold off for a little while.” The next round sent Anderson up for a meeting with another six-time Pro Stock champion, Erica Enders. Anderson got the jump and left the starting line .004-second ahead of his opponent, sealing the deal at the top end with low elapsed time and top speed of the round, 6.571, 209.17, to top a 6.602, 208.33. The final round was set, and KB Titan Racing-powered Matt Hartford was in the other lane. Although KBT’s Cody Coughlin had earned the No. 1 qualifier award (the second of his career), it was Hartford who claimed the most bonus points in qualifying. Anderson knew the final round would be a hearty challenge, but his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet was a top performer on race day – and as the most winning driver in the history of the class, he had a very good shot. The first race of the season came to a conclusion with Anderson leaving first and Hartford powering past for the win light, 6.530, 210.41 to 6.562, 209.72. “It was a good weekend,” said Anderson, who will arrive at the next race, the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals March 20-22, No. 2 in the Pro Stock standings. “We dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole in qualifying, but we recovered well and certainly could have won this race if it wasn’t for the buzzsaw we ran into with Matt Hartford in the final. The good news is, that’s our engine, so we know what it can run like, and that’s a confidence builder for this team. We just have to figure out what he’s doing better than us. “We’re off to a good start. You come to the first race every year not sure how you’re going to stack up, but it looks like we did, in fact, have a good winter of work. We’re definitely capable of winning a lot of races this year, and the KB Titan team is strong, from top to bottom. Any one of these cars can win the race, everybody has the same opportunity to go slug it out. It was a great weekend with the recovery we made and making it to the final round, and my HendrickCars.com Chevy is great. Cody qualifying and winning the first round, then getting to race him – you only get one first race, and this was a memorable one for both of us. It’s going to be a fun year.” The next event on the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule in NHRA’s 75th anniversaryseason will be the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix, March 20-22, 2026. This story was originally published on March 9, 2026. The post Six-Time Champ Greg Anderson Takes HendrickCars.com to the Final at Unforgettable NHRA Opener first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The NHRA kicked off its 75th season at Gainesville Raceway at it was a great event. Here's a recap of the 2026 Gatornationals. View the full article

The 2026 NHRA Pro Mod season kicked off at the Gatornationals. Derek Menholt was able to bring home his first NHRA Pro Mod win of the season.View the full article

If nostalgia drag racing has a spiritual home, it’s the legendary quarter-mile at Famoso Dragstrip. And on Sunday, the tradition continued as nitro thunder and old-school horsepower crowned champions at the 68th March Meet, one of the most iconic events in drag racing. Leading the nitro charge was Tyler Hilton, who drove his Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster to victory in a family showdown against his uncle Mike Hilton in the final round. Tyler Hilton hammered the throttle and blasted down the Bakersfield strip with a winning run of 5.714 seconds at 265.09 mph, sealing the victory in one of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend. In Nostalgia Funny Car, veteran nitro pilot Mike Peck delivered a blistering performance, defeating Nathan Sitko in the final round with a stout 5.581-second pass at 261.70 mph. The run locked Peck into the March Meet winner’s circle in one of the event’s premier nitro categories. The unpredictable Fuel Altered class added its usual dose of wild excitement as Brandon Seraphine claimed the victory with a 6.144-second run at 206.89 mph on a final-round bye. Beyond the nitro show, eliminations across the nostalgia sportsman ranks delivered plenty of drama on the famed Famoso quarter-mile. Keith Morovich captured the A/Gas title, while Neal Westbrook drove to victory in B/Gas. Brian Smith claimed the C/Gas win and Tim Mulvihill secured the D/Gas victory. In the Nostalgia Eliminator categories, Hans Jacob scored the win in NE1, Eric Warner captured the NE2 title, and Don Mallory drove to the victory in NE3. Additional winners included Jesse Howe in Hot Rod, Wayne Ramay in Pro Comp, Alan Hull in Junior Fuel, and Steve Faller in 7.0 Pro. Each champion celebrated in the famed Famoso Dragstrip winner’s circle, earning the coveted March Meet trophy along with the special NHRA 75th Anniversary Diamond Wally, a fitting reward for conquering one of the most prestigious nostalgia drag racing events in the country. For racers and fans alike, the March Meet remains the heartbeat of nostalgia drag racing, where nitro burns bright and drag racing history continues to be written on the Bakersfield quarter-mile. This story was originally published on March 9, 2026. The post PHOTO GALLERY: Hilton, Peck Headline Nitro-Fueled Winners at Historic 68th March Meet first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Making his debut as both a driver and Funny Car team owner, Buddy Hull and the newly formed Hull Racing team showed resilience and determination during the season-opening AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Competing in a stacked 19-car Funny Car field, Hull qualified in the No. 17 position, placing him ahead of both Todd Lesenko and reigning world champion Austin Prock. For Hull, the weekend marked the culmination of months of preparation and the beginning of a new chapter as the owner of his own nitro Funny Car operation. “We’re building this thing from the ground up,” said Hull. “To come out here with a brand-new team, make multiple passes and come very close to qualifying in a field like this says a lot about the guys around me. I’ve already learned a ton this weekend. It’s only going to make us stronger.” Hull’s race week began early as he joined fans at the Burnyzz FanFest on Wednesday evening to kick off the Gatornationals festivities. On Friday, he also appeared on the NHRA Stage alongside host Hannah Rickards before heading to the staging lanes for qualifying.“The pre-race events are so much fun and give us a chance to meet with fans,” said Hull. “I love interacting with the kids from the NHRA stage. On Friday I was offering them permission slips for their schools. It was cool to see so many young fans at the Gatornationals all weekend. That shows me that the NHRA has a great future.” With limited preparation time, Hull Racing entered the weekend with just one test pass completed before the event. Hull made his first qualifying attempt on Friday, while his second scheduled pass was shut off at the starting line before the run began. The team continued to make progress on Saturday, improving during the third qualifying session before posting their strongest numbers in the final round of qualifying. Hull’s best run of the weekend came during that final qualifying attempt, when the Funny Car posted a 4.213 second pass at 267.22 mph. About 600 feet down track, however, the engine exploded in a dramatic fireball. Hull wrestled with the car and safely guided it to a stop before climbing out under his own power. “First and foremost, I’m thankful to be okay,” said Hull. “When something like that happens at speed, your first job is to keep get the car stopped safely. As a husband, a dad, a business owner and now a team owner, my No. 1 priority is making sure I’m safe and that I don’t put my opponent in danger.” Hull sustained minor burns to his right hand, and credited his safety equipment for helping protect the rest of his body. “I can’t say enough about the gear from Impact,” said Hull. “That equipment did exactly what it’s designed to do. Situations like that remind you how important it is to have the best safety gear possible.” Following the run, Hull was already working with his crew chiefs and team to diagnose the cause of the engine failure and prevent a repeat moving forward. “That’s nitro racing,” said Hull. “We’re already digging into the data and figuring out exactly what happened. The good thing is we learned a lot this weekend. Every pass gives us more information, and with a brand-new team that’s huge.” Hull said the experience of the weekend reinforced his confidence in the group he has assembled around him. “I’ve got a great group of guys surrounding me who believe in what we’re building,” said Hull. “Being a team owner means I’m in control of my own destiny. We’re going to take what we learned here, fix what we need to fix and keep moving forward as a team.” Hull Racing’s Funny Car carried primary sponsorship from FS Performance and Sam Pack Ford during the Gatornationals weekend. “This was our first race as Hull Racing, and there’s a lot to be proud of,” said Hull. “We held our own in a tough field, we gathered valuable data and we proved we belong out here. Now it’s about continuing to improve and building this team one race at a time.” The next race on the schedule is the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs on March 20-22 at Firebird Motorsports Park. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, March 20 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, March 21. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Arizona Nationals visit nhra.com. The post Hull Gains Valuable Experience at First Race of 2026 Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The Factory Stock Showdown season opened at the Gatornationals. Ricky Hord ran through a tough field to pick up the win. View the full article

Reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde kicked off the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season with a strong showing at the historic AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, advancing to the quarterfinals at Gainesville Raceway. Driving the Head Racing Funny Car for team owner and crew chief Jim Head, Hyde faced a stacked 19-car Funny Car field competing for just 16 spots in Sunday’s elimination rounds. After struggling to find the right combination through the first three qualifying sessions, the team delivered when it mattered most during the fourth and final round, securing Hyde a place in the field. “This team knows how to perform under pressure, and that’s exactly what they did this weekend,” said Hyde. “It’s Florida, so it was a really hot weekend. It took some time for us to hit our stride, but Jim and the guys made it happen. I never have to doubt Jim Head.” Hyde qualified No. 14 and lined up against No. 3 qualifier Paul Lee in the opening round of eliminations. Staging the Funny Car with a 1-0 advantage in prior matchups, Hyde added another win to that record with a strong performance off the starting line. Hyde left the line first and powered the Head Racing machine to the round win, advancing to the quarterfinals. “That was a big round for our team,” said Hyde. “Jim Head and all the guys on this Head Racing Funny Car kept working all weekend. Jim made some great calls and the car went right down the track when we needed it.” In the quarterfinals, Hyde faced No. 11 qualifier Alexis DeJoria. Hyde came into the race with a 2-0 advantage in previous matchups against DeJoria and delivered his best pass of the weekend, running 4.066 seconds at 314.39 mph. Despite the strong run, it wasn’t enough to advance to the semifinals. “Honestly, that was the best run we made all weekend, so it’s something to build on,” said Hyde. “This team kept improving every time we went up there. Jim Head has forgotten more about Funny Cars than most people will ever know, and it’s an honor to drive for him. We’re making progress and that’s what matters this early in the season.” The weekend marked Hyde’s first NHRA event since being named the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year, giving fans their first chance to celebrate the milestone with the Canadian driver. Hyde kicked off race week by participating in the Burnyzz FanFest, spending time signing autographs and interacting with fans. Head Racing also debuted a new orange, red and black livery, mixing it up from the all-black livery they ran for most of last season. “It was really cool getting back out there with the fans,” said Hyde. “The support since winning Rookie of the Year has been amazing. The Burnyzz FanFest was packed and it reminded me how passionate NHRA fans are. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on the new paint job for the car. I am happy that this will be our look for most of the year.” During the off-season, Hyde stayed sharp by returning to his Pro Mod roots and competing in the final two events of the Drag Illustrated Winter Series. “Pro Mod racing keeps you on your toes, but it was great to be back out in Bradenton again,” said Hyde. “You can’t keep me out of a race car for too long and I think it helped me coming into Gainesville, getting back into the race weekend mindset.” The 2026 season also includes the strengthening of his relationship with OUTLAW Beer, as they become an associate partner of Spencer Hyde Racing and Jim Head Racing, adding momentum for the team as they begin the 20-race campaign. “We’re really excited to have OUTLAW Beer stepping up with us this season,” said Hyde. “Having partners who believe in what we’re building means a lot. I plan to have a long career in Funny Car, and they are definitely the kind of people I want along for the ride.” The Caine Group has also come on as a sponsor for the team. Jim and Janet Russell were in attendance over the weekend to cheer on Hyde, along with his friends and family from Canada. “Knowing that there’s people in the stands who want to see me succeed gives me such a confidence boost,” said Hyde. “The first race of the year can be nerve racking, getting back into the swing of things. But having your support system there makes all of the difference.” While the team narrowly missed advancing deeper into eliminations, Hyde remains confident the progress made in Gainesville will pay dividends throughout the season. His 2025 accomplishments included a No. 1 qualifier, a Mission #TooFastTooTasty win and two final round appearances, but he’s hungry to get his first Wally in his sophomore season. “This is race one of twenty, and I feel really good about where we’re headed,” said Hyde. “We made some improvements this weekend and if we keep building on that, I truly believe this team is going to go far in 2026.” Hyde and the Head Racing team will be back in competition in two weeks at the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs on March 20-22 at Firebird Motorsports Park. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, March 20 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, March 21. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Arizona Nationals visit nhra.com. The post Hyde Advances to Quarterfinals in First Race Since Rookie of the Year first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

In the windswept coastal town of Husum, Germany, often called the "Grey City by the Sea", the air is thick with salt and heritage. It is here that Holger Breuer of HB-Custom operates, a builder who has spent years proving he is anything but a one-trick pony. We’ve seen him tackle everything from ral... View the full article

The turbocharged Coyote 10 Chevy C10 chases a 4-second eighth-mile with over 1,500 horsepower using some minor upgrades.View the full article

NHRA Rookie of the Year contender Maddi Gordon made her presence known Sunday at the NHRA Gatornationals when she raced to a semifinal finish at Gainesville Raceway. Gordon piloted her Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster out of the Ron Capps Motorsports camp to round wins over two of the most accomplished drivers in class history before tire smoke ended her run at the opening race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. She leaves Gainesville ranked fourth in the points standings. Gordon was the first Top Fuel driver to hit the track in Friday qualifying. Just a couple hours after announcing a multi-year major associate partnership with Monster Energy, Gordon posted a 3.861-second pass at 319.29 mph to take the provisional No. 11 position. She stepped up to a 3.793 E.T. at 321.35 mph in the Friday night session and ended the day in the No. 15 spot. On Saturday, Gordon encountered tire smoke on her third qualifying attempt but came back with a consistent 3.797 E.T. at 328.06 mph in the final qualifying session. It was the quickest pass of the round, netting Gordon three bonus points. She solidified the No. 15 slot going into race day and became the 591st driver and the 23rd woman to qualify for an NHRA Top Fuel field. In her first-ever Top Fuel competition round, Gordon lined up against No. 2 qualifier and former world champion Shawn Langdon, who was recently named to NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers list. Crew chief Rob Flynn guided Gordon to her quickest pass of the event, a 3.762 E.T. at 334.48 mph, to get past a tire-smoking Langdon. The competition didn’t get any easier for Gordon, as she went on to face the winningest driver in the history of the class, eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, when Top Fuel returned to the starting line for the quarterfinals. Gordon powered to a 3.783 E.T. at 331.53 mph to defeat Schumacher and his 3.863 E.T. That sent Gordon to the semifinals and earned her a spot in the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the season, which will take place during Saturday qualifying at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The semifinals brought another battle of youth versus experience as Gordon faced her third “Top 75” driver, two-time and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta. Gordon started hazing the tires early and had to lift off the throttle as Kalitta advanced with his quickest pass of the day. “That was just a really, really good weekend,” said Gordon, who became the 100th woman to win an NHRA national event when she drove her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car to victory at the 2024 NHRA Northwest Nationals. “Of course, we all want to win the race, but I couldn’t have asked for much more in my debut. It was so cool to line up against Shawn in the first round. Rob was confident that the car would get down the track. When I heard (Langdon) blow the tires off in the other lane, I seriously spoke out loud, ‘That wasn’t me! We’re still going!’ Seeing that first win light was insane. I actually started to lose my voice after that one. It’s just been an amazing weekend.” Gordon’s rookie campaign will continue at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, March 20-22, at Firebird Motorsports Park near Phoenix. The post Statement-Making Top Fuel Debut Sends Maddi Gordon to Gatornationals Semifinals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Polaris' Xpedition is one of the brand's best side-by-side models, and CFMoto wants a piece of that pie with this latest patent from the Chinese company. View the full article

After nearly five months away from the driver’s seat, Jasmine Salinas returned to competition this weekend at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Driving the Valley Services/Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster, Salinas posted her best run of the weekend during Friday’s second qualifying session to secure her place among 19 drivers vying for a spot in the 16-car Sunday show. She was hoping for a repeat performance of her 2022 Gainesville outing, which saw her earn her first national event Wally trophy while competing in the Top Alcohol Dragster category, but an early loss of traction ended the second-generation racer’s day after the first round of eliminations. Salinas and the Scrappers Racing team, now armed with the addition of veteran crew chief Todd Okuhara, opened the weekend with a clean run of 3.866 seconds at 326.24 mph. They followed that up with an even quicker 3.791-second pass at 329.67 mph under the lights in Q2, giving the team two strong data points as they worked to dial in their new combination. Saturday’s hot and humid conditions proved tricky, and the team encountered tire smoke in both attempts, ultimately settling into the No. 14 position on the Top Fuel elimination ladder. Matched up against Leah Pruett in Sunday’s opening round, Salinas’ car lost traction shortly after she stood on the throttle, forcing her to lift early while Pruett made a clean pass in the opposite lane to advance. Despite the early exit, the weekend provided valuable track time for the Scrappers Racing team as they begin building momentum for the 2026 season. “We came into this race knowing we’d be behind compared to a lot of the other teams that had pre-season test sessions,” said Salinas, who competed on an abbreviated six-race schedule in 2025. “It’s not an ideal situation to have to utilize qualifying sessions to get your car and tune-up dialed in. Pulling the car out and making two good hits right out of the box Friday night was a great start. We’ve learned what we need to adjust on the car. “It was an overall great return to the track for this Scrappers Top Fuel team. I’m looking forward to getting more seat time this season and turning on those win lights that I know will be coming soon. While everyone else heads out to the West Coast, we’ll be staying back and doing some testing to fine tune the car and get it locked in.” Salinas and the Valley Services/Scrappers Racing team will return to the team’s headquarters in Brownsburg, Ind., where they’ll prepare for their next scheduled event, the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, April 24–26. The post Jasmine Salinas Returns to Competition at NHRA Gatornationals Season Opener first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

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