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It’s that time of year again, when racers from the western states and beyond show up at Tucson Dragway for what has become the premier event of the West Coast Bracket Races series. The Southwest Showdown, at Tucson Dragway, is a must attend event for folks from more than a dozen states and three countries! Chris Forsyth and his team put on this awesome event, and we love being a part of it. We’ve been livestreaming this event for several years now and always love being a part of it. With Jim Hughes and the staff at Tucson Dragway, you can’t help but have fun and that’s what this event is all about. Don’t get me wrong, the daily purses, shootout purses, and prizes certainly don’t hurt, but there is a special connection that racers at the Southwest Showdown share and we love it. We’ll be live again on Saturday around 9am Tucson Arizona time with another full day of drag racing that is worth $15,000 for the winner of Super Pro, and $5,00o for Pro. Plus, there’s a Pro Shootout and a Super Pro Shootout, with a combined purse worth tens of thousands. You don’t want to miss it, so click the link below to watch it all live right here at BANGshift.com. CLICK HERE TO WATCH ALL THE LIVE RACING, ALL WEEKEND! The post LIVE Big Money Bracket Racing: The West Coast Bracket Races Southwest Showdown Is LIVE Right Here All Weekend Long! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Bozeman, Montana to Cape Town, South Africa. 25,000 miles connecting three continents over the course of four months. An entire spectrum of cultures, geography and geopolitics. That’s what we willingly took on for XOVERLAND’s newest series, Milestones: Global Expedition. This series captures the entire journey, from the easternmost reaches of North America to the northern extremes of Europe, and all the way down to Africa’s southern edge. It’s the longest and most demanding expedition we’ve done as a team so far, and it tested us in every possible way. It also happened to complete our circumnavigation of the globe. The Details This time around, we had a total of 13 team members across three phases, and a three-vehicle convoy consisting of two Toyota Tacoma Trailhunters and one Toyota Tundra, all built for technical terrain and remote travel. The route connected the outer edges of North America, Europe, and Africa and took us through 35 countries that offered intense extremes. Some days were smooth and scenic. Other days pushed us pretty hard, whether it was the terrain, the weather, the border crossings, or just the routine logistics of an expedition of this magnitude. Every day brought new challenges and lessons, and the team adapted and pushed through together. Our Partners We were fortunate to have a group of partners supporting the build and the journey this season: General Tire, Mobil 1, Toyota, Fjallraven, CBI, REDARC, Alu-Cab, OK4WD, Bowen Customs, Equipt Expedition Outfitters, Goose Gear, MaxTrax, Rigid Industries, and Red Oxx Mfg. These are brands we’ve trusted for a long time, and this trip was another chance to put everything to work in the real world. Now Streaming Milestones: Global Expedition is a 10-episode YouTube series dropped weekly on Thursdays starting March 26 through May 21, 2026, with episodes one and two now live. Join us as we share the challenges and the triumphs that come with life on the road for months at a time. Love the series? Order one of the Milestones: Global Expedition coffee table books by April 2, 2026 and get your copy signed by Clay & Rachelle. We’re excited to finally share this one with you. It’s been a big journey for our team, and we’re looking forward to bringing you along for the ride. The post Milestones: Global Expedition — XOVERLAND’s 25,000-Mile Overland Journey Across Three Continents appeared first on Expedition Overland. View the full article

Fresh from MCNews looking at Bajaj Mobility’s improving financial picture, and with Rennie just off the big 1390 Super Adventure R, KTM has now detailed a much sharper middleweight off-road offering. The 2026 KTM 890 Adventure R Rally brings WP Pro Components suspension, rally-focused hardware and limited availability. The post KTM adds limited-run 890 Adventure R Rally to 2026 line-up appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

2026 Honda Pioneer SXS1000 Range Honda has confirmed new Pioneer SXS1000 Deluxe three-seat and five-seat models for the Australian market in the second half of 2026, with an Elite Cab variant to join them. Final Australian pricing, detailed local specifications and accessory listings are still to come. This is more than a light model-year refresh. […] The post Honda confirms new Pioneer SXS1000 Deluxe and Elite Cab for Australia appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The 2026 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series roars to life this weekend at Darlington Dragway for the KTR Carolina Nationals presented by Pee Dee Fleet, and the season opener is loaded with storylines. A returning host track, a wild weather swing, a stacked field across every category, and the unmistakable buzz of a series that spent the offseason getting better in every direction. Here are five things I’m watching heading into the weekend. 1. The Weather Swing Could Decide Everything Friday’s forecast calls for a high of 87 degrees. Saturday morning? Pack the hoodies – it drops to 63. That’s a potential 20-degree swing from qualifying to eliminations, and it’s going to separate the sharp tuners from everyone else. Teams will get data during Wednesday and Thursday testing, but Friday’s tune-ups will look nothing like Saturday’s. The cool, dense air on race day is going to make the track an animal – and when conditions shift that dramatically, anything can happen. Expect at least one big-name stumble in E1 and at least one underdog making a run for it that nobody saw coming. 2. Winter Series Momentum Is Real The DI Winter Series set the table for this weekend in a big way. Four-time PDRA world champion Jason Harris kicked it all off at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals with a win in the Harold Denton “Party Time” tribute car, earning the cover of the DI Photo Annual in the process. And in Pro 10.5, Fletcher Cox walked away with a Winter Series championship and a World Series of Pro Mod win, rolling into Darlington with as much momentum as anyone in the Pro Street field. Jerry Morgano is another name to watch. He found the Pro 10.5 winner’s circle for the first time in several years over the winter and looked fast doing it. When a veteran gets that taste of winning again, he tends to come back hungry. 3. Marcus Butner and Jay Cox are the Pro Nitrous Pick Here’s my pick to win it in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous: Marcus Butner. The reason is simple – his tuner, Jay Cox, has made a ton of laps at Darlington Dragway, whether it was PDRA events, Carolina Xtreme Pro Mod races, or just in private testing. Jay knows this track in hot conditions and cool conditions, and that matters when you’re dealing with a 20-degree temperature swing between qualifying and the first round of eliminations. Butner and Cox are coming off a championship season in 2025. I don’t see any reason that slows down this weekend at a track where Cox has more data than just about anyone in the field. 4. Pro Boost Could Reset the Record Book The WS Construction Pro Boost field is as deep as it’s ever been, and there’s a real chance the class record falls this weekend. The ProCharger and Harts Charger cars looked stout all winter, and the screw blower cars were right there on the qualifying sheets at the World Series of Pro Mod. Innovation is driving innovation in this category – when one combination gets quicker, the other platforms respond. That arms race has elevated the entire class. Defending world champion Ty Tutterow is debuting a brand-new Larry Jeffers Race Cars-built ‘68 Camaro this weekend. It literally just started for the first time before testing began, and with proven, screw-blown horsepower from father Todd “King Tut” Tutterow’s Wyo Motorsports, it should be a contender right out of the box. With cooler, denser air on Saturday, someone is going to uncork a number that changes the conversation. Keep an eye on Lyle Barnett, who’s been racking up seat time early this year in both the Drag Illustrated Winter Series with Tommy Youmans and in NHRA Pro Mod with Billy Banaka. And two-time and reigning Pro Street world champion Ethan Steding continues to prove he’s a natural behind the wheel – a first-time PDRA Pro Boost winner this weekend wouldn’t shock anyone who’s been paying attention. 5. Super Street Is About to Have Its Moment I’ve been saying it all offseason: 2026 could be the year Super Street hits critical mass. The young-gun front-runners – defending world champion Connor McGee, Austin Vincent, Matt Schalow, Carson Perry – are all capable of winning on any given weekend. But the story this year is the wave of new cars and new faces entering the category. Brad McBride is back with a new Volkswagen build. Kenny Fox has been testing and looks sharp. There are teams out there who may show up for one race to test the waters and end up hooked. The tighter 2026 schedule, with all races centralized in the Mid-Atlantic region, is going to help this class grow. More teams can realistically chase a full championship. And when the car count rises, iron sharpens iron – the competition level jumps for everybody. I think one of the young guns parks it in the winner’s circle this weekend and kicks off a championship hunt that runs all season long. The KTR Carolina Nationals presented by Pee Dee Fleet kicks off with testing Wednesday and Thursday at Darlington Dragway. Qualifying begins Friday, with eliminations Saturday. Watch it live on FloRacing. Tickets available at pdra660.com. This story was originally published on March 26, 2026. The post Five Things to Watch at the PDRA Carolina Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

If you’re new to overlanding, the language alone can feel like its own trail to navigate. Words like rigs, kits, recovery, and trails get tossed around casually in camp conversations and on social media, but they each represent an important piece of the bigger picture. At its core, overlanding is about self-reliant travel and exploration by vehicle, where the journey matters just as much as the destination. Along the way, you will hear enthusiasts talk about their rig, the vehicle they have built or modified for travel, and the kit they carry, which can include everything from recovery gear and camp kitchens to navigation tools. Overlanding also sits somewhere between traditional camping and off-roading. Some trips resemble extended road trips that lead to remote campsites, while others involve navigating rugged trails, technical terrain, or obstacles that require careful driving and the right equipment. Understanding the terminology helps unlock the culture behind the adventure. Learning how to find trails, understanding their difficulty, and knowing when recovery gear becomes essential all help overlanders travel farther and more confidently. The following glossary breaks down some of the most common terms you will encounter as you start exploring the world of overlanding. Travel and Trip Terms Overlanding Vehicle-based travel that emphasizes self-reliance, exploration, and extended time on the road or trail. The journey itself is often the primary goal rather than simply reaching a destination. Camping vs Overlanding Overlanding centers on traveling to remote places, where the journey itself is the experience. Camping, by comparison, typically focuses on staying at a campsite for recreation or relaxation, making the destination the main goal. Expedition A longer and more remote overland trip that often requires detailed planning and self-sufficiency. Route / Track A planned path or trail used for travel. GPS tracks are often shared between overlanders. Waypoints Specific GPS points used for navigation such as campsites, fuel stops, or trail intersections. Dispersed Camping Camping outside of developed campgrounds, often on public lands such as BLM (Bureau of Land Management) or National Forest areas. Instead of designated campsites with amenities like restrooms, picnic tables, or hookups, dispersed camping usually means setting up camp in undeveloped areas along dirt roads, forest service roads, or remote clearings. Camping here is often free of charge, but may want to check local rules and regulations. Base Camp A central campsite used for multiple days while exploring nearby trails. Trails Routes that vehicles can travel beyond paved roads. Trails range from maintained forest roads to technical routes that require careful driving and capable vehicles. Finding Trails Many overlanders use navigation tools and apps such as trail maps, public land resources, and platforms like OnX Offroad to locate legal routes and understand trail difficulty before heading out. Trail Types Trails vary widely in difficulty. They can include graded dirt roads, forest service roads, desert tracks, sand dunes, rocky mountain routes, or highly technical rock crawling sections. Road Trip vs Off Road vs Rock Crawling A road trip primarily uses paved roads with occasional scenic detours. Off-roading involves driving on dirt, gravel, sand, or other unpaved surfaces. Rock crawling is a specialized form of off-roading that focuses on slow, technical driving over large rocks and obstacles. Recovery The process of getting a stuck or disabled vehicle moving again. Common recovery tools include traction boards, recovery straps, winches, and shovels. Understanding recovery techniques is an important part of safe overland travel. Spotter A person outside the vehicle who helps guide the driver through obstacles. Vehicle and Build Terms Rig An enthusiast’s vehicle that has been outfitted or modified for travel. A rig can be anything from a stock SUV with basic gear to a fully built truck with suspension upgrades, storage systems, and camping equipment. Build The process of modifying a vehicle for travel. Enthusiasts often refer to their vehicle setup as their “build.” Armor Protective components such as skid plates, rock sliders, and bumpers that protect a vehicle when driving off-road. RTT (Roof Top Tent) A tent that mounts to a roof rack and folds out for sleeping. Lift Suspension modifications that increase ride height to improve ground clearance and fit larger tires. Articulation How much a vehicle’s suspension allows the wheels to move up and down independently on uneven terrain. Drawer System A storage setup is installed in the cargo area to organize tools, gear, and recovery equipment. Kit The gear and equipment are carried on an overland trip. This may include recovery gear, cooking equipment, navigation tools, water storage, lighting, and shelter systems. View the full article

The Overland Expo Sourcebook is your guide to get inspired and outfitted, no matter where your overland journey takes you. Each year, tens of thousands of attendees take the Sourcebook home, and it serves as a comprehensive directory of vendors for every overlanding modification and accessory you could ever dream of. Plus, each year, a selection of stories, how-tos, and featured products provides inspiration for your next trip or build. Now, you can check out the 2026 Overland Expo Sourcebook online. Click below to see the full digital version, or continue reading for a preview of the stories and content you’ll find inside. GET THE SOURCEBOOK Overland Your Way to Overland Expo We teamed up with the navigation experts at onX Offroad to find routes near each of the five Overland Expoes happening all around the country. If you’re heading out to West, PNW, Mtn West, or East, be sure to check these out to tag some trail-time onto the beginning or end of your trip to Overland Expo. Just like the routes you’ll find in the onX Offroad app, these five routes include important stats, difficulty ratings, and helpful summaries from the onX Offroad Trail Guide network. Backcountry Cooking with the Experts This is arguably the tastiest article we’ve had in the Overland Expo Sourcebook in recent years. We invited some of our favorite overlanding chefs to share their go-to recipes for a delicious camp meal. Needless to say, they came through in a big way. You’ll want to keep these recipes handy before you stock your fridge for the next trip. They range from a quick and delicious dip to a group meal that promises some awesome leftovers, and they’re the perfect “excuse” to head to your favorite camping spot sooner rather than later. Small Things Make Big Changes It’s easy to get caught up in the rigs and build specs, but at the end of the day, overlanding is really about the exploration. That’s why we rounded up some small pieces of kit and gear that you can add to your load out that provide whole new ways to explore your route and destination. Some of them are pretty straightforward, but one or two might surprise you. Doing Our Part and Giving Back Finally, we wrap up the Overland Expo Sourcebook with a look inside the purpose and work of the Overland Expo Foundation. From attendees to exhibitors, the overland community’s support of the foundation translates into real-world change. Every year the Overland Expo Foundation diligently works to increase trail access, to support nonprofit groups working in the overland space, and to make sure that this activity that will enjoy is there for future generations, and they couldn’t do it without you. Plus, when you get access to the 2026 Sourcebook, you also get access to the archives featuring previous years and more great content! GET THE SOURCEBOOK View the full article

Brett Lasala and Eric Laferriere traded record-setting runs at TX2K26, with Lasala’s 5.87 win highlighting the 2JZ vs The World showdown.View the full article

As we inch ever closer to this year's Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride, Triumph revealed that the grand prize this year will be a one‑off Speed Twin 1200 Café Racer DGR Edition. And that's a heckuva way of saying, "Thank you."View the full article

Swedish startup Roxen rethinks PWCs with a lightweight design, removable battery, and minimal ownership hassle. View the full article

The Nolan X-904 integrates Quin crash detection tech that can alert contacts and emergency services automatically. View the full article

Long before tracks ever were installed on a side-by-side, Ski-Doo took one of its Can-Am roll cages, added two snowmobile rear tracks, and a set of out front skis to make the Elite. A side-by-side snowmobile. View the full article

The 2026 AOTOS Flux X26 Pro high-performance e-bike combines Class 2 legality with 100Nm torque and 2000W peak off-road performance.The e-bike space has exploded in recent years, with everything from svelte pedal-assisted commuters to snappy play bikes and full-fledged electric motos. The options ar... View the full article

With a barn-burner of a motorcycle behind Aprilia, Ducati's MotoGP manager said they can't "always rely" on superstar Marc Marquez to make up for the team's apparent shortcomings. View the full article

Quick design and mechanical updates from brands like Kove could change how riders view ownership and long-term value of today's motorcycles. View the full article

You don't have to be intimidated by adding a sensor to your Holley EFI harness. The Power Tap allows you to add a sensor with no cutting.View the full article

Bajaj Mobility AG KTM recovery moves into its next phase Bajaj Mobility AG has released its 2025 annual financial report, and for KTM watchers, the headline is straightforward enough. The group is back in profit, inventory is down sharply, debt has been reduced, and management says 2026 has started strongly. Revenue for 2025 came in […] The post Bajaj Mobility books 2025 profit – KTM recovery moves into next phase appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure R Motorcycle Test With Rennie Scaysbrook Oh, for the love of horsepower. At no point in my life did I ever wish to have a claimed 173 Austrian ponies ploughing away under the family jewels while ripping through the Southern California desert, but here we are. That level of go is […] The post 2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure R Test | Motorcycle Review appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Recall Round-Up Triumph Bonneville T100 & T120 Recall Recall number – REC-006552 Campaign number – SB641 Original published date – 4 March 2026 Supplier details – PETER STEVENS IMPORTERS PTY. LTD. Contact name – Triumph Australia Contact phone – 03 8327 8049 Contact email – info@triumphmotorcycles.com.au Contact website – https://www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au Triumph Bonneville T100, T100 Black, […] The post Recall Round-Up: Triumph Bonnevilles, Honda CMX500, CL500 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

(Photos by Mike Brooks) Continuing with his Toronto Motorama traditions, Mike Brooks has visited the great white north for the Toronto Motorama again this year. We’re used to seeing Brooks visit the Buffalo Motorama, to shoot great photos to share with all you BANGshifters, but this is the second year he’s visited Toronto and we dig it. The indoor car show scene has been off the hook this year, and it seems like the level of cars just keeps getting better and better. In the North East, the cold weather can hang on longer than a lot of the rest of the country, so indoor car shows are sometimes the only way for enthusiasts to get their car fix during the winter and early spring. The Toronto Motorama was awesome and you’ll dig all the photos. We’re starting off with our first gallery below, so check it out and then come back for more over the next couple of days.We approve and appreciate the effort and love that Mike continues to share all his photos with us here at BANGshift. So check out all the photos in his first gallery below, and remember we’ll have more coming this week. Also, we’d love for you to tell us what car is your favorite out of the gallery in the comments section below. We want to hear from you! The post Toronto Motorama Car Show Photos: Hot Rods, Customs, Muscle Cars, Race Cars, And More! Doing It Up Canada Style! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

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

We’ve shared a few galleries of photos from David Whealon already but now we’re getting into some of the photos from Richard Pasley too. Check them all out below by using the link to all the galleries we’ve posted so far! (Photos by Richard Pasley and David Whealon) – NHRA Drag Racing at the Gatornationals was off the hook yet again in 2026! The week started with new drivers, crew chiefs, and teams, plus record breaking performances in testing, and ended with big wins and happy fans. This is the start of a whole new year of NHRA Drag Racing and we know this season is going to be something special. We’ve got great action photos from Gainesville thanks to longtime contributor David Whealon and Richard Pasley. David was in Florida shooting all kinds of fun stuff at the Gatornationals and sent us a whole bunch of his favorites. Richard was there too and shared some of his! I’ve raced and announced a fair amount in the state of Florida and can tell you that the fans there are awesome, and they came out in force this past weekend. We’re talking about a completely sold out crowd and packed house. That’s awesome news for drag racing fans. And boy did they get a great show at the 2026 Gators. Everyone that goes always comments on how fun the crowd is there and they aren’t kidding. We hope you enjoy the photos as much as they loved the live action. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THE GATORNATIONALS [nggallery id=7480 The post Our 2026 NHRA GatorNationals Action Photos Just Keep Coming: Funny Cars, Top Fuel, Sportsman Door Cars, Pro Mods, Pro Stock Bikes And More! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Negativity. Unfortunately, it’s always been something that seems to spread far more quickly than positivity. And with the rise of social media, the old adage “Bad news travels fast” is more prevalent than ever. Drag racing is not immune to this trend – if anything negative happens within our sport, you can rest assured the internet will constantly provide updates. From the outside looking in, one might get the feeling that our sport is dying. To be clear, this isn’t just a drag racing issue. Nearly every major sport in America deals with the exact same phenomenon. NASCAR spent the better part of a decade being told it was dead while quietly rebuilding its entire product and audience. Boxing seemingly receives a funeral every few years, and then Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford fight in front of 70,000 people at Allegiant Stadium, bring in $47 million at the gate, and draw 41 million viewers on Netflix. There’s a reason for this: studies have shown that people are nearly twice as likely to share negative content on social media as they are positive. The algorithms are practically designed to amplify bad experiences over good ones. Pick any random day or time and try scrolling through social media without finding someone who supposedly loves drag racing posting negatively about the sport. Tracks are closing. The stands are empty. Sanctioning bodies don’t care about racers or fans. Promoters are only in it for the money. Payouts are a joke. That’s the version of reality that lives inside your phone and laptop. But if we logout of our devices, take a step back, and truly study drag racing as a whole, that’s thankfully not the case in most instances. Are there a few bad apples? Sure. But let’s shift our perspective for just a moment and dive into what’s already going on in 2026. From an admittedly biased point of view, the Drag Illustrated Winter Series kicked off the season with a bang. Grizzled veterans – Snowbird Outlaw Nationals winner Jason Harris and U.S. Street Nationals champion “Stevie Fast” Jackson – finally cemented their place in Winter Series history after years of close calls, while rising stars and fresh faces – World Series of Pro Mod winner Aaron Stanfield and DIWS points champion Peter Norton – proved they’re ready to step onto the biggest stage. Capacity crowds. 80 Pro Mods attempting to get into a 32-car field. True 10.5 and Lil Gangstas stealing the spotlight. Cole Pesz wrecking and subsequently winning $40,000 all within a few days. These are just a few of the countless amazing stories that occurred at Bradenton Motorsports Park over the course of three months this winter. As March rolled around, the NHRA began their 75th anniversary season in historic fashion with a sellout at Gainesville. According to longtime Drag Illustrated statistician and drag racing historian Bret Kepner, the 2026 Gatornationals was the highest-attended event in drag racing history. The sanctioning body followed that up last weekend with another massive crowd in Phoenix, despite record-high temperatures that reached triple digits. Bright young stars are blossoming before our very eyes – Maddi Gordon has taken Top Fuel by storm, and 2025 Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde is sitting No. 2 in Funny Car points. NHRA wasn’t the only game in town last weekend either. The newly revitalized IHRA hosted their season-opener at Darana (formerly Galot) Motorsports Park–Benson with an incredible 20 different classes competing, from Top Fuel to Stock Eliminator. Peter Norton continued his momentum from the Winter Series, taking home the Pro Mod Ironman, while Top Fuel pilot Gary Pritchett wasted no time getting to the winner’s circle after taking over driving duties for veteran driver and car owner Doug Foley Sr. Independent events continue to thrive as well, with TX2K 26 thrilling fans with record-setting runs and superstar appearances. Brett LaSala and Eric LaFerriere traded body blows throughout the weekend in the 2JZ vs. the World class. LaFerriere struck first in his “White Rice” Nissan 240SX, running a 5.905 at 242.73 mph to become the quickest and fastest radial import in the world. But it was LaSala who had the knockout blow, winning the event with a blistering 5.879 at 242.76 mph in his infamous “Snot Rocket” Mustang. Meanwhile, YouTube stars Cleetus McFarland (Street Car Champ) and Jimmy Dale (Street Car Sport) both took home TX2K wins, pleasing their massive fanbases. Looking ahead to this coming weekend, there’s an absolute embarrassment of riches for every type of drag racing fan. The PDRA opens their season at Darlington Dragway, with top stars from Pro Boost, Pro Nitrous, Pro Street, Super Street, Pro 632, Top Sportsman & Dragster, and a host of bracket racing categories. For fans of floppers, Funny Car Chaos – led by Chris Graves – begins its season at Tulsa Raceway Park, with more than 32 funny cars already pre-entered. Street Car Takeover is, well, taking over EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway), turning the NASCAR track into a pit road party, with incredible small-tire action happening down on pit road. The small-tire fun doesn’t stop there. Ryan Martin and Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington’s brand new Outlaw Syndicate Small Tire Series will debut at North Florida Motorplex, paying $20k to the Small Tire winner; Matt Plotkin and the Project X Promotions team will celebrate a decade of no-prep events with Bounty Hunters 10 at Penwell Knights Raceway in Odessa, Texas; Shadyside Dragway will host Carolina Gold, where the top eight Lil Gangstas competitors will earn invites to the $30k-to-win event at King of the South over Memorial Day weekend; and Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, Texas will feature Xtreme 275 Bad Boys Mayhem, with big money up for grabs in both radial and slick classes. For fans that can’t attend every event in person (and let’s be realistic – who can?), watching drag racing from home has never been easier. NHRA not only broadcasts their professional classes on FOX and FS1, diehard fans can watch every minute of the action on NHRA.tv. IHRA has partnered with Speed Sport to livestream all of their national events for free. FloRacing subscribers can watch major independent events such as the DI Winter Series, Lights Out, No Mercy, and TX2K, as well as every PDRA event this year. Individual media outlets such as Straight Line Media and Upshift360 – as well as countless others – travel all over the country to allow fans to see incredible action encompassing the entire drag racing spectrum. Outside of racing, other positive steps are being made to help preserve our beloved tracks. Just this week, The Kansas Motorsports Venue Protection Act passed with a vote of 120-0 and sent to Governor Laura Kelly to sign. It will become law immediately upon inclusion in the State Register. The bill allows the 20 current tracks in the State of Kansas – both drag and circle – to have civil immunity against nuisance and property complaints by any property owner who has built a home or business within a five-mile radius after any track that has consecutively operated with no lapse in operations greater than four years. This is a huge decision that will hopefully help pave the way for other states to do the same. As a native Missourian, I frequently like to give grief to my neighbors to the west. But in this instance, I am celebrating right there along with them. Are there issues in drag racing that still need to be figured out, hurdles still to be jumped? Of course. The sport will never be perfect – nothing is. But constantly focusing on the negatives instead of praising the positives is exactly what our sport doesn’t need. Go out and support your local tracks and help keep them open. Attend government hearings and let our representatives know how important the sport is to our communities. Watch as many livestreams as you can. Buy merchandise from your favorite drivers. This isn’t a call to stick our collective heads in the sand and ignore potential issues, but it is a call to spend just as much time – and preferably much more – proclaiming the positives happening around us as we do the negatives. There are so many great things currently going on in drag racing, and the season is just getting warmed up – let’s celebrate that. This story was originally published on March 25, 2026. The post Op-Ed: There’s So Many Awesome Things Happening in Drag Racing Right Now – Let’s Celebrate It first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Right Trailers expanded its racing program with the acquisition of a 2023 Mustang GT500 previously owned by Stott’s Ford. The car was built by renowned Jerry Haas Race Cars and is powered by a Vortech supercharged, all billet, big block Ford. The high-powered machine will compete in the NHRA Right Trailers’ Top Sportsman class. Michael Scott, President of Right Trailers, recently purchased the Mustang and has selected life-long drag racer Chris Roe to pilot the car in competition. Roe is also Scott’s business partner in their new venture, Defy Trailers. The car will carry both the Right Trailers and Defy Trailers banners. Defy Trailers is a new business in development by Scott and Roe focused on manufacturing high-end, professional-level, liftgate race trailers. The company aims to deliver a superior and fully engineered trailer for serious race teams. Scott and Roe plan to launch Defy Trailers later this year. U-Dump has also signed on as a partner on the Mustang for the 2026 race season. U-Dump is a dump trailer manufacturer based in Ocala, FL. Right Trailers is proud to offer quality U-Dump trailers to its customers. “We are appreciative and excited to partner with U-Dump trailers and represent the brand on our Right Trailers’ Top Sportsman Mustang,” Scott said. The 2023 Mustang GT500 is well-known for its performance in the Top Sportsman class. With Roe behind the wheel, the team aims to build on that reputation while introducing the Defy brand to fans and racers across the drag racing community. “This is the nicest car we’ve ever owned and we’re excited to now have it in the Right Trailers stable,” Scott said. “Chris Roe is a Ford guy and is perfect to have behind the wheel. The car’s also a fitting platform to campaign the Defy Trailers’ brand.” “It is an honor to be the one to drive this car,” Roe said. “We are excited to represent Right Trailers, Defy Trailers, and U-Dump Trailers while campaigning the GT500 in competition.” The newly acquired Mustang GT500 will debut with its new livery after preparations arecomplete. A tentative schedule will be released soon. This story was originally published on March 25, 2026. The post Right Trailers Nationwide Expands Racing Fleet with Addition of 2023 Ford Mustang GT500 first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Nissan is gearing up to roll out what might be its most dialed midsize truck yet, the Premcar-built Navara PRO-4X Warrior. And yeah, as you probably already figured, it’s not coming to the U.S. Which somehow makes it even more appealing. Unveiled alongside the all-new D27 Navara, this Warrior concept is less about flashy show truck vibes and more about what overlanders actually care about. Real upgrades. Real usability. The kind of stuff you’d spec out yourself if you were building a rig from scratch. At its core, the concept builds off the PRO-4X platform but pushes things further with a proper suspension lift, wider stance, and 32-inch all-terrain tires. It’s the kind of setup that immediately signals better clearance, more stability on uneven terrain, and less compromise when the pavement ends. READ MORE: The Ultimate Basecamp: Camping at Overland Expo West 2026 Where this truck really connects with the overland crowd is in the details. There’s a full protection package with a redesigned bull bar, underbody armor, recovery points, and a usable 3,500kg tow rating. It’s not just about looking tough in a parking lot. It’s built with the expectation that it’ll see remote trails, long highway stretches, and everything in between. Premcar’s influence is a big part of that. Over the past several years, they’ve been refining what a factory-enhanced truck should feel like in real-world conditions. Think balanced suspension tuning for both daily driving and loaded trips, not just stiff springs and oversized tires. That experience shows up here in a way that feels purpose-built instead of overdone. Visually, the lava red accents and Warrior branding give it a distinct identity, but nothing feels excessive. It still leans into a clean, functional aesthetic. For those of us in the U.S., this is another reminder of the kind of midsize trucks we don’t get. A factory-backed, warranty-friendly build that’s already sorted for dirt, load, and distance. Nissan says more details are coming as the new Navara launches in 2026, but for now, this concept is enough to get people outside the U.S. pretty excited… and the rest of us a little jealous. View the full article