Drag Strips

A third-generation drag racer, Taylor Strange grew up immersed in the sport, as his grandfather raced at the outlaw George Ray’s Wildcat Dragstrip in Arkansas and his father carried the family tradition forward. Strange is also a driver, but his most rewarding moments in the sport have come as a crew member helping family-based team succeed in drag racing’s highest levels. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025.  Strange start

DEI introduces Adapt-A-Shield XT Heat Protection for engine bays. This barrier molds by hand to shield critical components from extreme heat.View the full article

In a sport where seats are rarely surrendered willingly – especially at the championship level – Bob Tasca III made it clear that his decision to turn over Funny Car driving duties wasn’t driven by circumstance, pressure, or corporate maneuvering. It was driven by conviction. Standing on stage at the Ford Racing Season Launch ’26 in Detroit, Tasca didn’t hesitate when explaining why reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock is taking over the wheel of the Ford Performance Mustang Funny Car fo

Drag racing wasn’t something Mellie Snedeker was born into – it was something she discovered, chased, and built a life around. Now 29, she’s carved out a space in the creative side of the sport, using photography, writing, and social media to tell the stories behind some of drag racing’s biggest moments. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025.  Snedeker’s father and brother had an interest in cars, and the family had an old Mo

Austin Prock will take over driving duties from Bob Tasca III in 2026 as Tasca Racing reshapes its Nitro Funny Car program.View the full article

Louisiana racer Charles Weckesser will debut this sleek twin-turbo, Coyote-powered GT500 built by Wizard Race Cars.View the full article

As part of its 75th Anniversary celebration in 2026, the NHRA has officially begun unveiling an expanded list of the Top 75 Drivers in the sanctioning body’s history, marking the first major update to its iconic drivers list since the original Top 50 was announced during NHRA’s 50th Anniversary season in 2001. The first five new additions – Tony Schumacher, Robert Hight, Erica Enders, Andrew Hines, and Peter Biondo – were announced this week, setting the tone for a month-long rollout that wi

Prior to the 2025-26 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service, Jerry Bickel Race Cars owner Rick Hord announced one of the biggest incentives in Pro Modified history with the Jerry Bickel Clean Sweep Challenge. If any driver earns the No. 1 qualifying position at all three Winter Series events, that racer will receive a brand-new Jerry Bickel Race Cars Pro Mod rolling chassis, estimated at more than $200,000. After the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks,

There were plenty of things to do around his family’s home near Tulsa, Oklahoma, but a teenage Bobby Savedra III chose to spend time working on street cars with his father. They spent hour upon hour in the garage turning wrenches, and as soon as he was 16, Savedra purchased a 2005 Mustang GT and promptly pumped up its power with a Roush supercharger. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025. “I have always been good with my hand

A veteran racer and promoter is leading the charge to reopen an abandoned North Carolina 1/8-mile strip in 2026.View the full article

Trick Titanium is now under Noonan Inc., bringing improved manufacturing tolerances and advanced coatings to their lineup of racing valves.View the full article

THE WES BUCK SHOW EPISODE 411 “WINTER HEAT AND STREET WARS” NEW YEAR. NEW WEEK. SAME FULL SEND ENERGY. This week on The Wes Buck Show, we are gearing up for one of the most anticipated races of the winter as U.S. Street Nationals takes over Bradenton Motorsports Park. This is race number two of the DI Winter Series, and the pressure is already turned all the way up. Joining us is Victor Alvarez, owner of Bradenton Motorsports Park and partner with Drag Illustrated in the DI Winter Se

Drag Illustrated, Melling Performance, and promoters Tom Gunner and Michael Poland have teamed up to deliver the Lil Gangstas Championship Series presented by Melling Performance for the 2025-26 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service, race officials announced today. The points champion at the end of the three-race series will earn $10,000 and a sponsorship package from Melling. For over 75 years, Melling has been manufacturing and providing customers with the newest cutting

Jack Roberts may not have grown up in drag racing like so many of the other honorees who appear on the 30 Under 30 List, but he’s become fully entrenched in the sport as a rising star tuner, specifically in the world of small-tire no-prep racing. Roberts and his Squirrel Tuned brand have put drivers like Chase Womack into the winner’s circle at major events in recent months, and if Roberts has his way, he’s just getting started. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 U

Randy Shipp has a thing for classic Chevrolets. This Corvette is one clean ride that Shipp pilots in Super Street. View the full article

Brad McBride has dialed up the looks and performance of his 1963 VW Type 3 Fastback. McBride is ready for PDRA Super Street in 2026.View the full article

The Locked-In Drag Racing Series kicked off its 2026 campaign January 10–11 with a two-day season opener at Famoso Dragstrip, where sunshine and cool high-50-degree temperatures delivered classic winter racing conditions in California’s Central Valley. The stable air and well-prepped surface allowed racers to lean on their combinations as qualifying and eliminations unfolded across a wide range of bracket, index, and heads-up categories. Local racers made an immediate impact in the bracket r

Heading into the 2025/2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service at Bradenton Motorsports Park, few – if any – drivers had more hype surrounding them than Jimmy Taylor. In the months leading up to the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, the first race of the DI Winter Series, Taylor and tuner Carl Stevens set social media ablaze when they powered Taylor’s twin-turbo Xtreme Racing Engines ’69 Camaro to a record-breaking 3.387-second pass at 240.29 mph d

Dubbin Motorsports will return to NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster competition in 2026 with driver Kirk Wolf, marking his fourth season in the team’s A/Fuel Dragster. The Minnesota-based team will run nine NHRA Lucas Oil Series National Events and one Lucas Oil Series Regional Event, with the possibility of adding additional regional races depending on championship points standings. The team continues its approach of incorporating new venues into the schedule to broaden competitive experience across m

Every so often, a factory-built car shows up at a drag strip and completely resets expectations. Not nudges them forward. Not “pretty quick for a street car.” Completely rewrites the conversation. That’s exactly what happened when Chevrolet rolled the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X onto the starting line at US 131 Motorsports Park. The result? An 8.675-second quarter-mile at 159.5 mph – in a street-legal, production-spec Corvette that anyone with the means can order. That number alone is s

Stroud Safety has acquired White Safety, expanding its presence in motorsports safety while continuing to support racers entering the sport and those seeking accessible safety solutions. White Safety will continue operating from Oklahoma City and remain focused on providing reliable, cost-effective motorsports safety equipment for grassroots and entry-level racers. The acquisition is intended to strengthen long-term support for the White brand while maintaining its established role within th

Weight is the enemy of any valvetrain. PBM now offers Titanium valves that will lighten your valvetrain and free up horsepower. View the full article

Coming off a remarkable Pro Mod rookie season in the Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS), Jacob McNeal entered the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks with plenty of momentum, driving the screw-blown ’71 Cuda out of the Jon Stouffer Racing camp. But even after a year in which he narrowly missed out on a points championship, McNeal was blown away by the sheer size and scope of the Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service after arriving at Bradenton Motorspo

SCAG Racing is pleased to announce that Scott Okuhara has been named Co-Crew Chief on the recently added Bluebird Turf/ Will Smith Top Fuel Dragster Team, joining Glen Huszar.  This role marks a new title for Okuhara, who has previously served as Car Chief for many notable teams across the NHRA pits. His experience brings a fresh and welcomed perspective to SCAG Racing’s expanding operation. “Randy and SCAG Racing have put together an amazing race team,” said Okuhara. “Working alongside

CompetitionPlus.com has been a leader in online motorsports journalism for over 25 years. Through web stories, commentaries, longform videos and podcasts the media organization founded by Bobby Bennett has been the go-to resource for drag racing fans around the world. For 2026 the wildly popular Power Hour show hosted by Lee Craft and Dujunnea Bland will move to a 5:30 p.m. ET time slot starting this Tuesday, January 13, offering live commentary and guest interviews weekly throughout the season.