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I miss that you don’t get to watch every World Rally Championship event from start to finish like we used to get back in the day, unless you pay for a subscription of some kind. The coverage that was available back in the early 2000’s was excellent, with on track, in car, in the pits, and aerial footage as well. And that was without all the great technology that exists today to make shooting races like this even easier. I say all this because whenever I do see YouTube coverage it makes me happy and I want to watch. Like this video here, which is a full stage at speed from inside the car. Yes, this is the action we love. The post World Rally Championship FULL ONBOARD Video From WRC Rally Sweden Stage 17 with Katsuta and Johnston appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Thanks to the IHRA Atlanta Dragway will live again. The organization announced it has purchased the facility and plans to open it once again.View the full article

Like most of the country, we’ve had some weird weather down here in Texas over the past couple of months. From absurdly warm to bitter cold, and everything in between. Like many, we were iced in at times and even when the roads were clear we have had some really cold and dry weather which makes doing anything outside a challenge, let alone trying to put down 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower to the ground on the streets. But that is exactly what was going down at this Texas Cash Days event. Lucky for us, Fred and Kyle and the 1320Video crew were on hand and ready to rock when the racing started. Watch the video below. Video Description: We were out in DFW, Texas for a Cash Days with 17 cars putting in for a $4,000 pot. The temps were down in the 30’s, which made the street extra tricky and turned traction into the biggest challenge of the night. Cold pavement, big power, and zero prep made every matchup unpredictable. When the road’s this cold, it doesn’t take much to turn a clean run into a smoke show. Another cold night on the street with money on the line — and only one car walking away with the pot. The post Brrrrrrrrr… Texas Cash Days In The Cold Means Tuners Were Working Hard To Put Power Down In The Lonestar State appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

MotoGP Sports Entertainment, formally Dorna Sports, tried to switch the Phillip Island MotoGP event to Albert Park, but the Victorian government is blocking the move.View the full article

A brand-new nuclear reactor is set to undergo testing at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Orangeville, Utah. That's about two hours away from Moab, and only 30 minutes from where the author elk hunted last season.View the full article

Between motorcycle-specific navigation and performance analytics, no other model can compete with Garmin's latest Zūmo XT3 navigation system.View the full article

French engineering firm Furion just turned Yamaha’s hooligan twin into a two-wheel-drive hybrid with a hub-mounted front motor.View the full article

Built in China, branded in Spain, and priced under 4,000 euros, the Leonart Racer 300 dares you to take the gamble.View the full article

Choose from a regular-degular Aprilia track day experience at COTA, or a VIP experience with Aprilia's MotoGP and Trackhouse racing teams.View the full article

Press surrounding the closure of a handful of off-road trails in the Mojave are that of "the sky is falling." The truth is far more benign, but that's not what the Blue Ribbon Coalition wants you to think. View the full article

The Turn & Burn drag-and-drive provides a twist on the typical drag and drive. Racers will get to hit some unique stops during this event. View the full article

MotoGP in Australia MotoGP on the streets of Adelaide… The relationship between Phillip Island Circuit management and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, an arm of the Victorian Government that also puts on the Albert Park Formula One Grand Prix, has been under strain for some time. Phillip Island Circuit directly promotes and organises Australia’s round […] The post Adelaide street circuit set to replace Phillip Island on MotoGP calendar appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

P.I. WorldSBK/SSP Testing Images Gallery C Images by RbMotoLens and TH The post Phillip Island WorldSBK/SSP Testing Images – Gallery C appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

It’s time for Lights Out 17, Winter’s favorite radial race, and thanks to NC Promoder we can all watch testing and highlights as Monday and Tuesday had teams doing shakedown hits to see if their winter changes were going to work out. We may never know who was sandbagging and who was showing off, but we do know who’s there already! Video Description: Monday test session from South Georgia Motorsports Park. Many competitor’s are shaking down getting ready for Lights Out 17. The post Lights Out 17 Testing Livestream And Video: It’s Time For Radial Revolution 2026 At South Georgia Motorsports Park appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Two iconic brands that partner on multiple levels in multiple businesses, DHL and Kalitta Motorsports, signed a multi-year contract extension for J.R. Todd’s DHL GR Supra Funny Car, the team announced today. The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 6-8 at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. What started some two decades ago as an agreement to sponsor race cars is now a multi-faceted relationship that enjoys success on and off the racetrack including charitable efforts, business-to-business networking and track-side experiences for DHL customers. In addition to winning NHRA Funny Car championships with Todd (2018) and Del Worsham (2015), DHL and Team Kalitta partner in the fight against food insecurity. Through “The Race to End Hunger,” DHL, Kalitta Motorsports and Kalitta Air combine forces each season to raise funds equivalent to at least one million meals through Feeding America, the largest charity working to end hunger in the United States. “For more than 20 years, Kalitta has been a trusted partner, united by a shared commitment to excellence on the racetrack and making a positive difference in the communities we serve,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Europe and Head of Global Partnerships. “Together, we’ve brought fans and employees closer to the sport while strengthening both our business and community initiatives. This multi-year extension reflects how naturally our brands align, and we’re excited to continue building on this momentum in the years ahead.” As the global leader in international logistics and express shipping services, DHL enjoys a decades-long partnership with Kalitta Air, which transports DHL customers’ shipments around the globe. Its relationship with Kalitta Air led DHL to Kalitta Motorsports in a business-to-business development which can encompass all Kalitta Motorsports corporate partners. Each year, Kalitta Motorsports hosts a business-to-business summit among all its partners in hopes of fostering additional business relationships among the attendees. “DHL is just a phenomenal partner,” Team Kalitta General Manager Chad Head said. “They are partners in the true sense of the word; the DHL-Kalitta relationship is so much more than a logo on the side of a race car. We collaborate on many levels from entertaining their customers at the racetrack, growing both companies through our business-to-business efforts, our drivers visiting their hubs around the country, or working with Kalitta Air or fighting hunger each fall, DHL is always there, working with us side-by-side. We are proud to consider our friends at DHL part of the Team Kalitta family.” The post DHL, Kalitta Motorsports Sign Multi-Year Partnership Extension first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

WorldSBK 2026 Phillip Island Test Quotes Nicolò Bulega – P1 “I’m happy because, during this second day, we had the chance to try many different solutions. I liked some of them; others less so, but this helped us understand which path to take. We need to improve further in some areas, but the base is […] The post WorldSBK riders reflect on P.I. Test and look towards season opener appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Steve Magnante is back at it, at Backyard Auto in New Hampshire to check out another great muscle car project or two. Today is a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Convertible, of which only 2,553 were made! These were the cars that gave birth to the insane Super Stock Hemi Barracuda’s and Darts we all know and love. These were fun little cars, and I think one with a Gen 3 Hemi would be a riot with a TKX or 8HP behind it as well. Check this out, as Steve will give all the info you expect. The post Junkyard Crawl With Steve Magnante: Steve Found A 1 of 2,553 Barracuda Formula S Convertible At Backyard Auto In New Hampshire! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

POMONA, Calif. – In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip will again make history this spring during NHRA’s milestone 75th season, as the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals will play host to the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history on April 9-12 on the hallowed grounds at Pomona. Funny Car made its first-ever appearance at the 1966 World Finals in Tulsa, with Eddie Schartman picking up the victory. NHRA’s milestone year in 2026 will begin with the 998th Funny Car race at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, with the historic moment coming two races later in Pomona. The 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph Funny Cars have made history for 60 years, but only one driver will lay claim to being the winner of the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. Last year, Shawn Langdon took the honors at the 1,000th Top Fuel race, while a host of standouts will have their shot in Pomona to etch their own place in history. To get here, this list showcases the first and then every 100th Funny Car winner heading into the historic Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona: 1. Eddie Schartman, 1966 Tulsa, World Finals 100. Tripp Shumake, 1981 Atlanta 200. Bruce Larson, 1989 Winternationals 300. John Force, 1994 Topeka 400. Tim Wilkerson, 1999 Chicago 500. Wilkerson, 2003 U.S. Nationals in Indy 600. Jack Beckman, 2008 Phoenix 700. Johnny Gray, 2012 Englishtown 800. Force, 2016 Denver 900. Cruz Pedregon, 2021 Norwalk So who will win the 75th anniversary Diamond Wally at the 1,000th race in Funny Car history? Will it be back-to-back world champion Austin Prock, who has dominated the past two seasons? Others, including John Force Racing standouts Beckman, who won the Winternationals last year, and his new teammate, Jordan Vandergriff, while Top 75 drivers like Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Pedregon would love to win the magical 1,000th race. One thing is for certain: it will be one of the highlights of NHRA’s milestone 2026 campaign. Legends from those landmark races will all be on hand in Pomona to add to the celebration, while the winner of the 1,000th Funny Car race in Pomona will also receive a special trophy to go along with the diamond Wally. NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein will also be on hand in Pomona to help celebrate this monumental moment and NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. His historic run at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in 1994 – becoming the first to break the 310-mph barrier – will be the commemorative ticket and moment for the weekend, with the first 4,000 fans in attendance on Friday set to receive a special NHRA 75th anniversary Winternationals event poster. In 2025, Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Beckman (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on Sunday April 12 beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Millican, a Top Fuel fan-favorite, claimed his eighth career win last season – and first in Pomona – when he took out motorsports legend Tony Stewart in the final round. Millican advanced to two more finals in 2025, while Stewart won NHRA’s first regular season title. However, it was Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta who claimed his second world title at Pomona at the conclusion of the season. Others to look for will be multi-time Pomona winners Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown and Justin Ashley. Greg Anderson, the winningest active NHRA driver, won his 16th race at the famed facility over KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. The duo battled all season for the championship, but it was Glenn who earned his first title. Anderson, Glenn and the rest of KB Titan Racing will again be up against their longtime rivals at Elite Motorsports, led by six-time world champ Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield. Along with racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, fans will also be treated to action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, Total Seal Tech Talk, the NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun. Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10, and the final two rounds on Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. To purchase tickets to the 2026 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Fans can get closer to the action with a Top Eliminator Club experience, offering the best seats in the house and a premium experience, as well as a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverage, driver appearances, a premium view and more. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com. The post 1,000th Funny Car Race Coming to Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

I’m a big fan of trailers, and I own a few different sizes. With that said, I am one of those people that is always contemplating another size to add to the fleet because they are just so handy. Don’t want to lift heavy stuff into the way too tall bed of your new truck? A small utility trailer will make your life much easier. But there is nothing worse than having a good functional trailer and then having to rig up for every trip. Instead, make sure the trailer is ready to go at a moments notice, and you’ll have a much more pleasurable, safe, and effective trip with your trailer. That means not having to strap down the spare, or having to stash it in the pickup bed. That means having places to tie the load down to, and then having straps that will do the job. And how about storing those straps? How about the electrical connections on your trailer? New or old, every trailer needs a little bit of love to be just right for you when you start using it. So when we saw the TrailerSmith put together a video of some of his favorite trailer mods, I knew we should share it. I’ve got a trailer we are planning to do some big upgrades to this year, as well as a from scratch drag and drive/utility trailer project coming up, so make sure you keep coming back if you dig trailer content because we’ll have plenty to share. Until then, check out the TrailerSmith’s top trailer upgrades. Video Description: Thanks to etrailer for sponsoring this video. Check out their trailer products at https://www.etrailer.com/?etam=a0068 Are your trailer upgrades or accessories actually working for you? In this video, we show you The TrailerSmith’s top 5 essential trailer upgrades or accessories that will save you time and money in the long run. These are practical solutions to common problems that come up when towing a trailer. From D-rings to spare tire mounts to toolboxes, don’t skip the trailer upgrades that actually save you time and money. The post Trailer Tech: Here Are Some Simple, But Effective, Trailer Upgrades That Save You Time, Money, and Aggravation When Hauling A Load appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

If you were to draw a Venn diagram of "legendary reliability" and "unapologetic 90s plastic," the Honda NX650 Dominator would sit right in the center. Launched in 1988, the Dominator was Honda’s answer to the growing demand for "soft" dual-sports—bikes that could handle a gravel fire road on Saturda... View the full article

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – For as long as they have been brothers, Jim and Jon Oberhofer have been involved in drag racing. Since attending races with their father, Dave, the Oberhofer Brothers have been nearly inseparable, working with their dad on the Top Fuel dragsters he was a part of and eventually carving their own drag racing paths, most prominently with Kalitta Motorsports. In 2026, Jim and Jon Oberhofer are together again, this time at Rick Ware Racing (RWR) where the duo will serve as the crew chiefs for Top Fuel drivers Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican, respectively, in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Joining them as co-crew chief for both entries will be another NHRA veteran, Nicky Boninfante. “When you look at what Jim and Jon have accomplished in this sport, it’s remarkable. Championships, U.S. Nationals wins, decades of experience at the highest level, but what really stands out to me is that they’ve grown up in this business together. There’s built-in trust and understanding that isn’t manufactured. Pair that with Nicky’s experience and success, and you’ve got three guys who have seen every scenario drag racing can throw at you,” said team owner Rick Ware. “In NHRA, performance comes down to thousandths of a second, and chemistry matters just as much as horsepower. We feel like we’ve assembled a leadership group that gives both Tony and Clay the tools to compete for wins and contend for championships.” Jim Oberhofer had been Millican’s crew chief since 2022 and when RWR acquired the team in 2023, Jim remained in the role and an integral part of the operation, which has gone on to win five Top Fuel event victories, including the 2024 U.S. Nationals. With the addition of eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher to RWR for the final seven races of 2025, Jim was moved to crew chief of Schumacher’s No. 15 American Communications Construction dragster. The best person to lead Millican’s No. 51 Parts Plus Top Fuel program and maintain its winning ways was, of course, another Oberhofer. Jon Oberhofer comes to RWR from Kalitta where he rose from cylinder head specialist on the double championship-winning Top Fuel dragster of Scott Kalitta in 1994-1995 to co-crew chief for Top Fuel drivers Dave Grubnic (2004-2007) and Doug Kalitta (2007-2008), and Funny Car drivers Jeff Arend (2009-2013), Del Worsham (2014-2016) and J.R. Todd (2017-2025). In addition to the two Top Fuel titles Jim was a part of in 1994-1995, he won two Funny Car championships via Worsham in 2015 and Todd in 2018. And, like his brother, Jon has tasted victory at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, winning back-to-back with Todd in 2017-2018. “Jim and I have worked together a lot over the years, so there’s already an understanding before you even open the trailer in the morning,” Jon said. “We don’t have to explain much because we already know what each other is thinking. Coming into Rick Ware Racing with Tony and Clay and having Nicky there too, it just felt comfortable right away. It’s competitive, but it’s also fun, and that’s usually when you do your best work.” Jim Oberhofer began his time at Kalitta as a parts washer in 1983. After working with Frank Cook and Chuck Landers on their Alcohol Funny Car in 1984-1986 and Jay Meyer’s Top Alcohol dragster in 1987, Jim retuned to Kalitta in 1988 as a crew member for Scott Kalitta and his Top Fuel dragster. He soon took on many roles, from cylinder head specialist for Scott Kalitta to co-crew chief for Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta (2000-2003) to crew chief for Scott Kalitta (2004-2005), Hillary Will (2006-2008) and Doug Kalitta (2009-2018), all while serving as the team’s general manager for 18 years (2000-2017). “Jon and I have spent our whole lives around these cars, so getting the chance to do this together again is pretty special,” Jim said. “We’ve both worked different paths over the years, but the approach never really changes. You pay attention to the details and take care of the people around you. Tony and Clay give great feedback, Nicky brings a steady hand across both teams, and that makes our job easier. It feels like a group that knows how to work together before the season even starts.” Like the Oberhofers, Nicky Boninfante began his drag racing career attending races in the early 1970s with his father, Nick Boninfante Sr. Nicky has also curated an impressive resume that includes previous crossovers with the Oberhofers, as he spent two stints at Kalitta – Top Fuel in 1994-1995 as clutch specialist for Scott Kalitta before returning in 2008 as crew chief for Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel and then co-crew chief in Funny Car from 2009 through 2019 with drivers Arend (2009-2013), Worsham (2014-2016), Alexis DeJoria (2017) and Shawn Langdon (2018-2019). In 2015, Boninfante pulled double duty by also serving as crew chief for Worsham, where they won the 2015 NHRA Funny Car championship. “After being around this sport as long as I have, you recognize when a group fits. There’s respect here. Nobody guards information and nobody panics when things don’t go perfectly. That lets you make smarter decisions, and over a long season that usually shows up on the scoreboard,” said Boninfante, who has been with RWR since 2024. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off its milestone 75th season with the NHRA Gatornationals March 5-8 at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway. Livestreaming of every round can be seen on NHRA.TV with FS1 providing tape-delayed coverage. The post Oberhofer Brothers Together Again at Rick Ware Racing first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Pro 10.5 racers will have more on the line than ever when the class returns to the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Red Line Oil, Feb. 26–28 at Bradenton Motorsports Park, where a lucrative $25,000 winner’s purse headlines the Pro 10.5 Challenge. In addition to racing for one of the richest payouts in class history, competitors will also decide the inaugural DI Winter Series presented by J&A Service Pro 10.5 champion, with the champion earning a $5,000 bonus and a massive custom baseball bat from Victus Sports as a one-of-a-kind trophy. “This is a big moment for Pro 10.5,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated founder and Winter Series promoter. “We’ve watched the class bring incredible energy and car counts to the World Series of Pro Mod the last two years, so bringing them into the full three-race Winter Series for the 2025/2026 season felt like the natural next step. Rewarding the drivers who’ve supported the series by adding a championship element takes it to the next level. Big thanks to Tom Kasper, Kasper Performance Edge, and everyone at Victus Sports for helping to make it all possible.” Ohio’s Bill Lutz raced to the $10,000 Pro 10.5 victory at the Winter Series opener, the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, when he defeated Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox in the final round. Outlaw 10.5 veterans Jerry Morgano and Nick Agostino faced off in the Pro 10.5 final round at the second race, the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission, with Morgano edging out Agostino for the $10,000 prize. Heading into WSOPM, Agostino is the points leader in his turbocharged, small-block-powered “Cannoli Express” ’69 Camaro. Morgano and his “Copperhead” ’02 Mustang Cobra, also powered by a turbocharged small block, aren’t far behind in second. Cox is third with his nitrous-fed “Training Day” ’69 Camaro, while Lutz and Joel Wensley Jr. round out the top five in points. The Winter Series Pro 10.5 will collect a $5,000 bonus along with a custom, five-foot-long baseball bat produced by Victus Sports. Victus designs and handcrafts pro-quality wood bats for players of all ages, from Little League beginners to dozens of MLB superstars. Victus has also provided custom, regulation-sized bats for the No. 1 qualifiers in Pro Mod and Pro 10.5 at the Snowbirds, the U.S. Street Nationals, and WSOPM. “Victus sponsored my son, Ty, when he played baseball in school and they’ve continued their support when he decided to focus on racing,” said Tom Kasper, Pro 10.5 class liaison and car owner. “The baseball bats make for a really memorable trophy that stands out when you hang it on the wall or put it in your trophy case. I’m looking forward to presenting this massive bat to the first-ever Winter Series Pro 10.5 champion.” The World Series of Pro Mod will also crown a $150,000 Pro Mod winner, as well as the 2025/2026 Winter Series Pro Mod champion. The event lineup also includes True 10.5, Lil Gangstas, and much more. Tickets for the World Series of Pro Mod are on sale now. Visit www.TheWinterSeries.com/tickets to purchase tickets. This story was originally published on February 17, 2026. The post $25,000, Inaugural Championship On The Line For Pro 10.5 at WSOPM first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

When the hit television shows Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings stopped filming after 15 seasons, many fans wondered what would be next for their beloved drivers. Two of its most popular stars – Ryan Martin and Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington – didn’t waste much time getting back to doing what they’ve always done: Race. Martin quickly jumped into the Small Tire ring, hosting his own events across the south last winter, competing at large no-prep events such as Outlaw Armageddon, and is currently running the True 10.5 class at the Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service. While testing in Bradenton, he recently became the first driver to record a 3-second pass on 28×10.5 slicks, running a 3.949 at 198.73 mph. Ellington, meanwhile, has jumped headfirst into the Pro Mod waters, competing in the Midwest Drag Racing Series for most of 2026 in “Blue,” the twin-turbo ‘69 Camaro owned by Keith Haney. He won in just his third career start in the class, and is now racing in his second Winter Series. If all that wasn’t enough, the two drivers announced the Right Trailers Outlaw Street Series presented by XPEL at PRI, which will take place at select NHRA national events this year. Now they’re stepping into what is their biggest project to date: the Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series, an eight-race series paying $20k to win at each event, with a points champion crowned at the end of the year. In addition to the headlining Small Tire class, Outlaw Syndicate will feature Lil Gangstas, 6.50 Index, Daily Driver, and Jr. Dragsters. Prior to the season starting, both Martin and Ellington sat down with Drag Illustrated to share how the Outlaw Syndicate Series came about, and what fans can expect. Since filming stopped for Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings, you guys have been venturing out and trying different things. What made you decide to start your own series? Shawn Ellington: It all started when Ryan did his own thing last winter to try to stay busy. We’d worked so much, embraced so much for so many years with the Street Outlaws and NPK stuff, that you take that away from us for a month and we get bored very easily. So last winter, when I was doing the Winter Series stuff, Ryan was putting on small-tire races. How many did you have? Ryan Martin: I think we ended up with five during the winter time. SE: It worked out really well. I ended up doing one of them with him in the OG car and it was an amazing time. I’m gonna be honest with you – it was laid back, it was simple, it was small-tire stuff with my favorite car of my fleet, and it felt like I was just racing with my buddies again. It wasn’t my way of living. It wasn’t my livelihood. When Ryan asked if we wanted to think about doing our own small tire series, I said I think that would be amazing. It’s a good way to make some money, it’s a good way to meet the fans, it’s a good way to just go out and spend some time with fans and racers and family. RM: I think also, just to be truthful, there’s a few different sides of racing. One of them that we all know is the super awesome, enjoyable side that’s everybody’s pastime, and you go do something fun and hang out with the family and go race one of my favorite cars. But for us, it was also like, on the business side of this, we stepped out of something that we were able to make a living doing, and I think me and Shawn kind of sat back and said, how do we continue to make a living with what we’re good at? So we said let’s see if we can make some money on the promotional side of it. We know how to drag race, we know how to do well, we know how to win championships. Let’s see if we can be promoters. We’re hoping that with our popularity and following, which showed during our test run of those five races we did last year, helps springboard this series. So while Shawn’s correct – we love it, it’s enjoyable, we love the small-tire deal – we wanted to get into the business side of drag racing, and here we are. You mentioned the laid-back atmosphere at these races. Talk a little bit about what went into putting this schedule together – there seems to be some different and/or smaller tracks that give new fans an opportunity to see you. SE: So it’s not just me and Ryan. We have a third guy, Carson Baker, who drives the orange car that looks a lot like the Fireball Camaro. Him and Ryan became buddies, and he wanted to be involved in this with us. He’s the type of guy who wants to pull his own weight, so we continuously hear from him and he told us, ‘I can’t bring things to the table like you guys can, but what I can do is work hard, reach out to tracks, and put this stuff together.’ We told him what we were looking for…not huge venues. We don’t need to get a place that houses 30,000 people and 5,000 people show up. We need smaller venues, places we haven’t been to the last 10 seasons with NPK, closer to people that haven’t gotten to get out and see us race. Carson talked with all the tracks, got us set up, and made the schedule. It’s tough trying to not schedule things on top of other races, and we also have things that could interfere with what Ryan and myself already have going on, which is Midwest Pro Mod and the four NHRA races that we’re planning on doing this season. It took a lot of work, and I feel like where me and Ryan lack, Carson makes up for it. RM: One thing Shawn’s kind of forgetting is whenever Covid hit, him and I were both used to making money on this TV show, so what are we gonna do now? Covid was an uncertainty – we could go two years or five years without work. We just didn’t know, so we did something pretty close to this same thing and we hit some ridiculous amount…it was like 12 tracks in four weeks. It was all small venues, and we knocked it out of park on every one of them. So when I did my series last year, I went to smaller races that are not too far away from me. We ended up at a lot of tracks in Mississippi and Texas here in the south where people hadn’t seen us 405 guys before, and it was a big hit. We took the list from Covid and we took a list that I did, listed every single track we could think of, and I turned Carson loose with it. I gave him about 25 tracks and we came up with eight that are a good fit for us. There have been a couple changes to the class line-up recently. What can fans expect to see at your events? SE: We did change a couple of things recently. We’re going to add a 6.50 Index class and a Jr. Dragster class for the kids. A lot of these tracks that we’re going to cater to Jr. Dragsters. They’re the future of racing, so we wanted a place for them also. So we’re not going to do the All Steel-All Glass because honestly, anybody who could run ASAG can jump in the 5.30 Lil’ Gangstas class. RM: Yeah, we basically decided to merge those two classes after putting some thought into it. We had a long conversation between the three of us, and we wanted to add the 6.50 Index because it seemed like the most popular index class. We wanted to do Jr. Dragsters for the kids, but we felt like we were possibly shortchanging one of the classes by having those two. We kept 5.30 because it’s obviously the next big thing going right now. I think it’s hot. You could have 40, 50, 60 cars if you’re really trying. And like Shawn said, most all of the ASAG cars can run in 5.30 if they want. We’ll still have Daily Driver. The 28’s class is still gonna pay 20 grand. We think that Lil’ Gangstas is gonna pay $10,000. We’re currently talking with a few sponsors that have asked for that to be their class, so we’re trying to get it up around 10 grand. SE: We’re gonna have a good time, and we’re gonna run the 5.30 Lil’ Gangstas class with a couple of cars, like our ‘55 Chevy and Ryan’s champagne ‘69 Camaro. It’ll also give Phantom a place to race his truck, and if Aiden’s car is done, he’ll have his Chevelle in it. The Lil’ Gangstas class is just a fun class, and it doesn’t matter who you are, what your car runs. It’s pretty amazing. There’s been a lot of discussion recently in small-tire racing about whether the clocks should be on or off. Which way will they be at your races? (Long pause…) RM: I was waiting to see what Shawn said. SE: I was doing the same thing. RM: You know, we haven’t really talked about that a lot. We’re trying to figure it out, watching to see how everything else is going to pan out. We wanted to see how everybody accepted the Winter Series with the clocks being on, and I honestly don’t know how they accept it yet. I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I truthfully don’t know what to do, whether we should have them off or not. We’re gonna have to make a decision here pretty soon, but we haven’t pulled the trigger on that yet. SE: And let’s be honest, we realize that we were racers way before we were promoters, so things may change as we go. We may say this is the way it’s gonna be and then figure out at the first race it can’t be like that. We’re new to this and we are open to change. We’re just gonna throw our hats in the ring and see what happens. RM: I think it’s gonna be great, and if we learn to adapt to what is popular and what people like…sometimes the general public doesn’t agree with that. I think our goal here is to make people happy, give them somewhere they want to go, somewhere they want to race. If we have to make adjustments along the way to figure that out, then that’s what we’re going to do. SE: And so far, we’ve got some amazing sponsors on board. We haven’t even really written everything down yet. Well, I’m sure Carson has, but if you saw the list of things that the championship is gonna be worth, it’s gonna be huge. RM: You know, the prize pack…we got Polaris on board for a Razor… SE: Kicker’s gonna outfit that Razor with a stereo system. There are people like Mark Micke who’s going to throw in a shifter to the winner, all kinds of sponsors who are talking about giving products to the series champion. It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to give somebody a reason to chase this series. Not only for that, but the $20,000 to win is pretty good for these smaller tracks. There was also talk about the two of you grudge racing throughout eliminations. Is that still on the table? SE: I don’t know. That’s definitely a possibility and I do believe we’re going to have the cars there. RM: It depends. I don’t know if it’s feasible for us to bring everything. We’re trying to figure that out. If we focus our efforts on running Lil’ Gangstas, we’re not going to compete with these guys with small-tire cars. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to bring five or six cars to come race 5.30 so that we and our crew guys can enjoy it. We’ve also talked about me or Shawn racing the Small Tire champ at the end of the night for an additional $5,000 at a few races. Looking ahead – now that you’re both officially jumping into the promotional side of things, where would you like to see this series head moving forward? RM: One thing we learned from NPK is you can oversaturate things. You can oversaturate yourself for one series – there were a couple times where we raced 16 or 18 times in one season for the NPK series. When you’re chasing a points championship, it’s super grueling to do that to anybody. We’re not gonna do that. I think 10 is the sweet spot for me. In my opinion, if we could stay somewhere between 8-10, that is a fair amount of races for a points champion to try to follow and not get overwhelmed. With NPK, a lot of guys couldn’t keep up with that series because they had to work regular jobs. Guys like me and Shawn, that was what we did for a living. We were fortunate enough that we could go test during the week to stay on top and it showed – we both won championships. But we don’t want to do that to these people. This year we’re at eight; if next year is nine and the following year is 10, that’s probably going to be where we’ll cap it. And honestly, we’re gonna have such a busy year with this series, our NHRA stuff, and Midwest Pro Mod, you’re talking about 30 weekends booked for the year. SE: Not to mention, we haven’t really discussed going to Canada yet, but the three places we’ve been going to in Canada are likely going to be added at some point also. But 8-10 races is, in my opinion, the perfect number. A lot of these guys coming to these races, especially the locals, I feel that we’ll be fortunate enough to have some people that are chasing the championship. But those same people chasing the championship have regular 9-5 jobs. I think especially right now, it’s gonna take a lot of our attention to try to keep the racers happy, keep the fans happy. That’s one of my biggest things is to be there for the fans. A lot of times in NPK, I heard so many times throughout the years, ‘I couldn’t get to Shawn. His line was too long.’ We want to make ourselves readily available. That’s the reason we went ahead and did the VIP tickets where me and Ryan will have personal time, Q&A’s, things like that. Martin and Ellington are quick to thank their long list of growing sponsors for helping make the Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series possible: ProLine, VP Fuels, Quick Performance, XPEL, M&M Transmission, Isky Racing Cams, Hoosier, ProCharger, OC Raw, Larry Jeffers Race Cars, Nitrous Express, Baker American Cycles, Central Power Systems & Services, Polaris Off Road, Billet Specialties, Motion Raceworks, Forced Inductions, Kicker, MidWest Diesel, and ATI Performance Products. 2026 Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series schedule March 27-28: North Florida Motorplex – Fountain, FL April 10-11: Brainerd Motorsports Park – Ringgold, GA May 1-3: Darlington Dragway – Darlington, SC May 15-16: 710 Dragway – Rowland, NC June 5-6: Southside Dragway – Mason County, WV June 12-13: Jackson Dragway – Jackson, TN August 7-8: Holiday Raceway – Woodstock, AL August 21-22: US 60 Dragway – Hardinsburg, KY The post Ryan Martin and Murder Nova Discuss New Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series first appeared on Drag Illustrated. 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Virginia Motorsports Park, one of the East Coast’s premier drag racing destinations, is set to enter a new era. Cuttell Motorsports and the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) have reached an agreement to acquire the Dinwiddie, Virginia, facility from Tommy and Judy Franklin, who’ve owned and operated the track since 2017. Located on more than 500 acres at 8018 Boydton Plank Road, VMP has spent the last eight years under the stewardship of the Franklins, who oversaw significant upgrades and helped elevate the track’s national profile. The quarter-mile surface, converted to all concrete in 2018, has hosted major national and regional events while producing multiple national records, further cementing its reputation as a championship-caliber venue. With the transition, VMP becomes the latest addition to Cuttell’s growing portfolio of drag racing properties operating under the IHRA banner, joining facilities in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and beyond. The multi-purpose complex features a wide array of motorsports activities, from drag racing, autocross, and drifting to the Dirtplex’s motocross, BMX, mud bogs, and more. Despite the ownership change, the Franklins will remain deeply involved in the sport. The couple will continue to own and operate the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series, which is scheduled to compete at Virginia Motorsports Park twice this season. Additionally, longtime track executive Tyler Crossnoe recently stepped down from his role as Vice President of VMP but will remain at the helm of PDRA competition as Series Director, ensuring continuity for racers and teams. “We have truly enjoyed the tenure of time that we have had at this facility,” Tommy Franklin said in a statement. “The gratitude and support that we received was a great motivator for continuing to improve a facility that is near to our heart. We are passing off the baton in hopes that this is just the beginning of even more exciting times in the history of Virginia Motorsports Park.” Franklin also expressed confidence in the track’s future under its new ownership, noting Cuttell’s investment in the drag racing community and the expectation that the venue will continue to grow while hosting memorable events for racers and fans alike. Read the full statement below. This story was originally published on February 17, 2026. The post Virginia Motorsports Park Joins IHRA Collection of Tracks first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The IHRA has officially purchased Virginia Motorsports Park. The track is set to host an Outlaw Nitro Series event in 2026.View the full article