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While ARP’s engineering team is constantly developing fastener kits for late model engines like the Chevy LS/LT, Ford Coyote and Chrysler Gen III Hemi plus related aftermarket block/cylinder head combinations, they also step back in time to meet the needs of enthusiasts. Such is the case of ARP’s new head stud kit #151-4002 for 1927-31 Ford 201 c.i.d. Model A 4-cylinder engines. The kit includes 8740 chrome moly studs, parallel ground washers, and forged, hardened, CNC machined and polished stainless steel acorn nuts. ARP also offers five kits for Ford flathead V-8 applications that cover various blocks from 1936-53 with factory or aftermarket cylinder heads. For inline 6-cylinder Ford applications (1965-96) ARP offers head stud kits for both 240 and 300 c.i.d. engines. All studs for vintage applications are manufactured in-house at ARP’s California facilities from premium grade 8740 chrome moly steel that’s nominally rated at 190,000 psi tensile strength and significantly stronger than the OEM hardware. Threads are rolled after heat-treating, which gives them a fatigue strength up to 20-times better. For additional information check out ARP’s new 2026 catalog at www.ARPcatalog.com or call 800-826-3045 for personalized technical assistance. A printed copy of the 180-page catalog is available free upon request. The post Got A Flathead? ARP Expands Coverage Of Vintage Engines! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Small tire drag racing has been the hot thing for the past few years, and with all kinds of small tire classes taking over events all over the country for the last few years, it is no wonder the IHRA decided they wanted to jump on the bandwagon as well. Small Tire No Time drag racing has not typically been something you’d see at national event level races, so when IHRA made the announcement it hit really hard with the No Time racing community. Add to that big payouts and it’s no wonder they have been getting some big No Time names to come out for the first events of the year. In the video below we’ve got full Small Tire Bratz coverage from Virginia Motorsports Park, so check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below. Video Description: Full coverage of the small tire Bratz series, IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series from Virginia Motorsports Park the second race of the 2026 IHRA season. Enjoy these small tire cars as they battle tricky conditions to head to the winter circle later in the day. Please make sure you like, share and subscribe. Thanks again for watching. The post Small Tire Bratz Class Outlaw Nitro Series Full Eliminations Video From Virginia Motorsports Park appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

For much of the past decade, Mazda has been the Japanese brand that punched above its weight, offering premium-feeling interiors, driver-focused dynamics, and dependability that kept loyal buyers coming back. Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings consistently place Lexus, Subaru, and Toyota at the top, and seven years back, Mazda was right up there with them, clinching second spot on the list. Fast forward to 2026, and Mazda has seen the biggest drop in the reliability rankings of all carmakers, falling eight spots from the previous years to land at 14, just ahead of Volvo. The worst part is that the reasons are ones Mazda chose for itself. Mazda View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article New Platforms, New ProblemsMazda’s downward slide traces directly to its ambitious hardware pivot. The CX-70 and CX-90 introduced a new engine, transmission, and platform, along with the brand's first plug-in hybrid models. That is a lot of new engineering and technology hitting the market all at once. Both the conventional and PHEV versions of the CX-70 and CX-90 scored below or well below average for reliability, with the PHEVs continuing to show issues with EV batteries and electric motors. Contrast this with the Mazdas of old, models built on familiar, proven underpinnings with dependable naturally-aspirated engines and torque converter automatics. Cars like the Mazda3 rated above average, and the CX-30 and CX-50 scored average. What Mazda did well, it did by being careful and incremental. When it threw that playbook out, quality suffered. Kyle Edward View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Doubling Down on Screens While Reliability BurnsJust as owners were reporting problems with Mazda's most complex new vehicles, the company's executives were busy defending that very direction. Mazda has argued in favour of the brand's 26-inch touchscreen in the CX-6e, saying large screens offer more possibilities for displaying information clearly. Meanwhile, Mazda's new interface strategy has been described as a ground-up redesign, citing customer feedback as justification for sweeping physical controls off the dashboard. The irony is sharp. The 2026 CX-5's transition to an all-screen interior is arriving precisely as other automakers are heading in the opposite direction, returning to physical controls. Mazda built its reputation on safety, restraint, and driver focus. The reliability data suggests its customers noticed when that changed, and they are not thrilled about it. View the full article

A Segment Hyundai Can’t IgnoreNot much is known yet about Hyundai’s upcoming midsize pickup, but the model is already drawing attention, given the high demand for trucks in the U.S. In Australia, meanwhile, CarExpert reported that expectations are also high, reflecting just how popular pickups, or “utes,” are there as well. Bill Thomas, Hyundai Australia’s General Manager of Public Relations, told the publication the new pickup is primed to help the brand make a splash in the Land Down Under – a stark contrast to the Kia Tasman, which has seen a more muted reception. “We see a long future for utes in the Australian market, and it is our aim to be highly competitive when we launch,” he said. Adam Lynton/Autoblog Previewing What’s to ComeThomas pointed to the Hyundai Boulder, an SUV concept unveiled at the 2026 New York International Auto Show that shares its ladder-frame platform with the company’s future midsize pickup. He said Hyundai plans to study feedback to better understand how the market might respond to the Boulder’s rugged, boxy design, while also looking for ways to give customers “something they’ve never imagined.” “Judging by the reaction to the Boulder concept, we're confident we're on the right track,” he added. A separate report from The Drive stated that the upcoming truck will feature physical buttons, a move several automakers, including Volkswagen, have also embraced. Olabisi Boyle, Hyundai Motor North America’s senior vice president for product planning and mobility strategy, said buttons will remain essential, especially in work-oriented trucks. Modern technology will still be part of the package, but without sacrificing physical controls. “[The] key things that you have to do repeatedly are going to stay manual knobs. They just are,” she said. Hyundai A Work Truck MindsetAs such, the new Toyota Tacoma-rivaling midsize pickup will likely adopt a tougher, more rugged design that gives it a true workhorse character, unlike the Hyundai Santa Cruz, which was geared more toward urban buyers. With the Santa Cruz reportedly set to be discontinued after underwhelming sales in its battle with the Ford Maverick, the Korean marque would have room to reposition itself in the U.S. truck market. The truck is expected to arrive by 2030 as part of Hyundai’s broader plan to launch 36 new or significantly enhanced models in North America. That strategy also calls for a wider mix of powertrains, including more hybrids and range-extended EVs. By then, the company aims for more than 80 percent of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. to be assembled domestically, supported by a $26 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing. Hyundai View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

At the beginning of the year, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was revealed, and it's an elegant combustion-powered machine with brilliant tech. While an all-electric S-Class is eventually coming to replace the egg-shaped EV that failed to capture the hearts of buyers, Mercedes is keeping the EQS name alive for the time being, and for 2027, it's even more technologically advanced than ever. Sadly, it's also weirder than ever, gaining a yoke that looks like an afterthought in the midst of the Hyperscreen's cluster and the binnacle it sits behind. The styling of the whole car also remains odd, and perhaps more so than before. Both of these complaints are the result of using existing bodywork and interior bits, but don't let these problems put you off because this is a more impressive EV than before. We'll get to that momentarily, but first, we can't ignore the design. 2027 Mercedes-Benz EQS Looks Odd Mercedes-Benz Sadly, while the stylists have tried to make the EQS seem more like a traditional Merc from a cosmetics standpoint, they haven't tried very hard. Where the first EQS had a fake grille leading from its headlights into the area above the lower intake, the latest one has arguably made the luxury EV look worse and less resolved, with the fake grille appearing as if it were stuck on at the last moment. And the star atop the hood is illuminated. The jury is still out on whether this looks tacky or not, but when BMW uses so-called "Iconic Glow" outlines to define fake grilles, the decision to make the star light up was always going to be made. An AMG Line version is optional, deleting the chrome slats and adding a large center star. Mercedes-Benz The "DIGITAL LIGHT" headlights (with more illumination and efficiency than before and the introduction of the partial high beam function for the first time for U.S.-spec EQS EVs) have gained three-pointed star-shaped daytime running lights to make them look more like other new Mercs, but the taillights have not. The DRLs here are squiggles as before, but now the squiggles extend deeper into the middle taillight bar, making them look more like a handwritten signature. Fake vents lower down and a finned false diffuser further below are more pronounced, but overall, only the most obsessive will be able to tell the difference between this 2027 EQS and its predecessor. However, there are plenty of new elements elsewhere. 2027 Mercedes EQS Goes Much Further Than Before Mercedes-Benz On the WLTP cycle (which is more forgiving than the EPA testing here in America), the old EQS 580 could do up to 770 kilometers on a charge, or a little more than 478 miles, but with a new 800-volt architecture that includes a larger battery with improved cell chemistry (including less cobalt), the EQS 450+ manages a remarkable 925 km, or roughly 575 miles. When it's time to replenish the battery, DC fast charging at up to 350 kW provides 320 km/199 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes by effectively charging two halves of the battery at once. The EQS also has new drive units developed by Mercedes' own engineers, with a two-speed transmission (first gear for accelerating from rest, second gear with a single planetary gear set for efficient driving) on the main drive unit at the rear axle, and when coasting, the EV can manage up to 385 kW of recuperation. Related: Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach SL Roadsters Spied with Fresh New Looks The 2027 EQS should be more comfortable than before. A Rolls-Royce scans the road ahead to prepare the suspension for bumps, and the new EQS does something similar, but using patent-pending tech to harness anonymized cloud-based data from other MB vehicles for predictive damper regulation. The fanciest electric Merc still has plenty of sensors to keep occupants safe—10 external cameras, five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors for a total of 27 sensors—and with a top speed of 130 mph, it'll cross continents quickly. Innovative Steering for 2027 EQS, Still Plenty of Screens Mercedes-Benz For the first time on a series production German car, the 2027 EQS is available with steer-by-wire, something made famous by the Tesla Cybertruck and the Lexus RZ. This will require less input at low speeds than conventional systems and, in combination with standard rear-axle steering, three-pointed turns will be almost effortless for the three-pointed star, and automatic parking (and leaving of a parking space) is possible. The car can also reverse along a previously traveled route, which the driver can watch through the reverse camera. To ensure this steering system is safe, Mercedes' system has redundant architecture, allowing the car to still be directed even if one system fails. Because of steer-by-wire, the new yoke makes more sense, but given the shape of the dashboard, this input device looks a little out of place. Speaking of the dash, the 55-inch setup (12.3-inch driver display, 17.7-inch center screen, 12.3-inch passenger display) is said to be more intuitive to use and, with the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, AI from multiple agents is at the tip of your finger or a voice command away. Various customizable themes are possible, of course, and the car can stream video from Disney+, YouTube, Sony RIDEVU, and other platforms. Another neat addition is that of heated seatbelts, first seen with the Experimental Safety Vehicle 2019 concept, while the rear belts get soft beltbags to reduce the chance of injury from the restraints during a major front-end collision. The rear occupants also get their own screens, with a pair of 13.1-inch displays and configurable remote controls, and thanks to integrated HD cameras, these can be used for video calls. A 15-speaker Burmester audio setup with 710 watts of power and Dolby Atmos provides a rich listening experience. Mercedes-Benz Pricing is yet to be announced, but when the new EQS reaches dealers in the second half of this year, the MANUFAKTUR Made to Measure program will allow almost endless customization, while those who'd rather choose from a menu can take advantage of the new Black Sparkling paint finish with glass flakes or the new Verde Silver Magno, a matte green. Inside, Natural Grain Poplar Wood in black is a new option, and the door panels get decorative stitching with the Exclusive Nappa Leather Package. So while this may not look like a traditional S-Class, it'll be as close as any EV could hope. Mercedes-Benz View the full article

Have you ever heard that clicking sound after you get out of your car and thought, “Is it going to blow up?”, as your anxiety sets in. What happened while you were driving is that the extreme temperatures in and around your drivetrain caused various metal components to expand, and now that you’ve turned the car off, these parts begin to lose heat and cool down rapidly. As they shrink, these components rub against each other, and against other metal components such as bolts and brackets, and these micro-frictional impacts are what you hear as those clicking sounds - typical culprits being heat shields and exhaust components. It's simply different metals contracting at different rates, and not mechanical failure. When to Worry?It is crucial to note that we are discussing the clicking noise you hear after you turn off the vehicle, and not while it is still running. If you hear a clicking noise while the motor is still running, or if you experience changes in performance along with a noise you don’t recognize, this would be cause for concern. I Do Cars/YouTube In recent reports, General Motors’ 2.0L, 2.5L, and 2.7L engines have experienced “ticking” noises caused by manufacturing debris in the hydraulic valve adjusters. Unlike the clicking we described in the introduction, this could lead to complete engine failure. Another situation that might warrant attention would be if this ticking noise was accompanied by the smell of coolant or oil, or if you saw visual evidence of a fluid leak. In this case, it would be wise to visit a professional for their opinion. Preventive maintenance can save you thousands in the long run, and so it is important to identify new sounds, sights, and smells whenever possible, and to investigate those that you cannot explain. Modern tools leave little to the imagination when it comes to diagnosing potential issues. Ford No Reason to Worry Then?When you hear that ticking sound next, remember this is the sound your car makes after it has been turned off; there is no reason to worry. It is your car’s way of unwinding after a workout. Unless the noise is accompanied by other issues or occurs while your car is still running, this is simply physics at work. View the full article

(Words By Darr Hawthorne) • Drag racing, and motorsports in general, has never been an easy sell. It wasn’t in 1965, it wasn’t in 1985, and it sure isn’t now. Somewhere along the way, we all started pretending it should be. Here’s the reality: nobody wakes up on a Saturday morning automatically deciding to go to the dragstrip anymore. Families have options, endless options. Youth sports, concerts, beach and lake days, streaming services, backyard barbecues. If you’re not already in their head before the weekend hits, you’re not even in the conversation. That’s the part too many “motorsports executives” miss. You don’t just open the gates and hope a crowd shows up. You pre-sell the audience. And no, that doesn’t happen with a slick TV Ad campaign, YouTube livestream or a well-produced TV show. Don’t get it twisted, streaming has its place. It serves the hardcore fans, the racers, the already-converted. But it doesn’t create new spectators. It doesn’t convince a family of four to pile into the SUV and go spend money at the track. That takes something else entirely. It takes boots on the ground. It’s not glamorous. It’s not scalable. It doesn’t come with analytics dashboards or quarterly reports. But it works, and it always has. You want people in the stands? Then you go where people actually are. You hit the local car shows with stacks of flyers and a limited amount of single-day, two-for-one ticket deals. You walk into auto parts stores, fast food joints, liquor stores, even the places some folks don’t like to mention. You make sure your event is seen. You connect with local museums, vocational schools and what’s left of High School and Community College auto shop programs, because those kids aren’t just future fans—they’re future racers. You get the local TV weatherman strapped into a nitro car during the 5 and 6 o’clock news and light the thing off. Is it a little goofy? Sure. Does it work? Absolutely. Because now people are talking. That’s how you build awareness! Not with perfectly curated social media posts, but with repetition, presence, and a little bit of noise. It’s grassroots. It’s messy. It’s effective. And here’s the part that might sting: drag racing isn’t Formula 1. It isn’t NASCAR. It isn’t IndyCar. It never has been, and it never will be. There’s this assumption floating around that drag racing’s biggest problem is awareness. It’s not. People know what drag racing is. The problem is access, and more importantly, friction. Let me give you a real-world example. The second drag strip I ever set foot on was Pomona, now In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. I absolutely love that place. It’s hallowed ground. But for years, getting there as a casual or rabid fan meant loading up the car, sitting in LA traffic, burning gas, paying exorbitant Fairplex parking fees, and committing to a full-day logistical exercise before you even smelled nitro. That’s a barrier. A big one. But something changed last September that nobody in the sport is talking about: the MetroLink stop at the La Verne/Fairplex Station. There’s a proposed pedestrian bridge from the new station into the dragstrip parking lot. Think about what that actually means. Now a dad and his kid can hop on a train, step off a platform, cross at the stoplight, and walk straight into the drags. No gas. No parking fees. No nonsense. Just buy a ticket and go in. That’s not theoretical, that’s a turnkey, walk-up audience. And here’s where the sport needs to wake up. Why not lean into it? Why not create a simple, no-brainer family pass? Fifty bucks gets a family through the gate for a day at the drags. No overthinking it. No convoluted ticket tiers. Just an easy “yes” come on in. They can walk over to the Westside grandstands, the ones currently hidden behind giant sponsor tarps, and sit down to watch 330-mph cars try to rearrange the laws of physics. Maybe they skip the pits this first time. Maybe they don’t. Give them the option to upgrade if they want the full sensory overload. Either way, they’re in the building. And once they’re there? The rest takes care of itself. They’ll hear it. Feel it. That chest-thumping, ground-shaking violence that no TV broadcast has ever successfully captured. The kid’s eyes go wide. The dad grins like he’s 12 again. Maybe they grab a wildly overpriced event shirt, a toy, an In-N-Out Burger or churro, because of course they do, but that’s not the point. The point is they’ve been exposed. That’s how this works. Not with million-dollar ad campaigns or gimmicks—but by removing friction and letting the product do what it’s always done best. You don’t need to sell drag racing once people are standing at the fence. You just need to make it stupid simple for them to get there. Trying to package it like other series misses the entire point of what makes drag racing special in the first place. This sport was built at the local level, by local people, for local crowds. Take that away, and what are you left with? An expensive TV show… or worse, an amateur video feed with no audience behind it, and neither one fills grandstands. The truth is, you can have the best cars, the biggest names, and the slickest broadcast in the world, but if the seats are empty, the whole thing feels hollow. Because empty seats don’t buy tickets. They don’t buy trackside In-N-Out Burgers. They don’t buy beer. And they definitely don’t come back next time. Building a crowd isn’t about job titles or marketing degrees. It’s not something you can outsource to a “VP of Promotion” and check off a list. It’s more like politics than people want to admit. It’s handshakes. It’s conversations. It’s showing up, over and over again, until people know who you are and what you’re bringing to town. And you pray for great weather! It takes work. The kind of work that doesn’t scale neatly, doesn’t trend online, and doesn’t look impressive in a boardroom. But fills seats. And at the end of the day, that’s the only metric that really matters. Famed drag racing promoter Bill Doner used to say, “The empty seat doesn’t buy a hot dog”. Because an empty seat doesn’t buy a damn thing. The post Boots On The Ground: How To Actually Fill A Dragstrip In 2026 appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

The Era Of ExcessMost people will argue that the '80s were the true era of excess, especially in the automotive scene, but the '90s pushed things even further. The true birth of the hypercar class can be traced back to the '90s, with the top-speed science project McLaren F1, the Jaguar XJ220, and the elusive but infamous Bugatti EB110. The latter, for all intents and purposes, reignited the Bugatti brand and set it on the path we know it for today. Back then, though, Bugatti wasn't yet funded by the mighty VW; in fact, it went bust. A rare EB110, thought to have been lost amid the drama surrounding the bankruptcy, has emerged and is up for sale. Mecum View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article Saved By The BellAs mentioned, Bugatti was revived in the '90s in Italy but soon encountered issues, leading to the 1995 filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In the process, several chassis currently under construction were either lost or quietly finished and sold off. Which is why any 1995 EB110 Super Sport is worth a lot of money; the mystique and rarity build its value among collectors. Listed on Mecum Auctions is a particularly interesting 1995 EB110 Super Sport. Chassis 39021 was thought to have been lost and to have disappeared during the transitional period after the brand closed in the '90s. Officially produced in 1994, this car was used as a demonstration and training model for suppliers, marking it as a special model compared to the standard cars made for customers. What makes this story even more interesting is that when the factory was padlocked, chassis 39021 wasn't in it. The car was with a supplier, undergoing some testing. As the company's assets were being counted after the bankruptcy declaration, this particular car was forgotten and ultimately lost to time until now. Its return from the dead is considered a miracle for enthusiasts, adding it to the very exclusive list of just 30 Super Sports ever built. It has since been restored by B Engineering, headed by former Bugatti engineers. Despite its role for suppliers, this EB110 has only 413 miles of use. Mecum View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article A True Collector's ItemThe 90's EB110 Super Sport is considered one of the best of that era of high-performance cars. It featured one of the first dedicated all-wheel-drive systems for that class, and was powered by a mighty quad-turbo V12 making 603 hp. So good was the EB110 that Michael Schumacher bought one in yellow. In Super Sport guise, the EB110 is even more coveted, as reflected by auction prices of previous sales. On average, an EB110 Super Sport sells for between $2.5 million and $3.5 million. Chassis 39021 might just fetch more money with a story unlike any other and deserves a spot in any collection. Mecum View the full article

A couple of weeks ago we shared the video of Derek picking up this machine and getting it ready to drive 850 miles home. Seemed like a pretty stout trip in an unknown RV, but that was nothing when compared to the 3,000 miles planned for this trip here. I mean this is 7 states of fun, which means this bad boy needs to be ready to drive, camp, cook, and more. Will this vintage big block powered RV make it around the country? I don’t see why not! Many just like it drove millions of combined miles all over North America back in the day, hauling families and friends all over for vacations. Let’s see what Derek and Bentley got up to on this father son adventure. CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED DEREK’S ADVENTURES GETTING THIS RV HOME Video Description: It’s our annual father & son trip. This year Bentley and I are going to attempt to fish in 7 states, which would get us over 3,000 miles in total. This episode is chock-full of travel, americana, antiques, museums, fishing, cooking, and more! The post Vice Grip Garage Annual Father Son Trip! ATTEMPTING 3,000 Miles In A VINTAGE BIG BLOCK RV! Cooking, Fishing, Museums and more! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Tony Stewart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster team rallied to the first nitro victory for Elite Motorsports Sunday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. It was Stewart’s third career Top Fuel victoyr and his first at Pomona Dragstrip. After multiple delays due to weather and on-track incidents, Stewart faced-off with Top Fuel rising star Justin Ashley in the finals under the lights at the historic facility. Ashley, known for his stout reaction times, left the starting line first but the R+L Carriers machine chased him down by the 60-foot marker and never trailed. Stewart reached the finish line in 3.683-seconds at 332.51 mph to defeat Ashley’s 3.714 at 328.54. “I literally told Richard Freeman (Elite Motorsports team owner) and Royce Freeman (Richard’s brother) on Friday, ‘I know I’m relatively new to drag racing, but I’ve been racing for 47 years, I’ve been a part of a lot of different programs and worked with a lot of different people. But I promise you, all the ingredients are here to win. I don’t know when it’s going to click and when it’s all going to come together, but all the stuff that you need to be successful is right here.’ I had no idea just 48 hours later that it was going to come together,” Stewart said. “We had a great day and I felt great on the racetrack. I felt great on the lights. They made big adjustments for the final to run a 3.68. [Crew chief] Mike Green’s track record speaks for itself, and so does Joe Barlam. For me to race with those guys and and to race with a different program, it’s definitely a unique and different dynamic than what I’m used to. But it’s awesome to race with Mike Green and Joe and Dustin Davis.” “This is three Top Fuel wins now for me, and the one person I’ve never mentioned in the media and in the interviews is my wife Leah [Pruett]. And if it wasn’t for her and everything that she and Matt [Hagan] (Funny Car driver) taught me. Leah has probably been 95% of it, people don’t realize how integral of a part she’s been in my career in drag racing. I’ve had a 1000 questions and every time there’s an answer, it leads to three more questions. Everything that I’ve done in the sport has been because of her. And to be a part of NHRA’s 75th Anniversary, to win with Matt Hagan in the 1000th Funny Car race is huge. This is Leah’s home track. All of this just feels extra special to me,” continued Stewart who won alongside his Tony Stewart Racing Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan. “Leah’s story of telling me that when she was a kid, she’d sneak out of school just to come to the drag races on Friday here at Pomona. When she won here, just to be here for an event and a track that’s so special means everything. Now I’m here sitting holding a ‘Wally’ trophy, in NHRA’s 75th Anniversary, just super special. It’s awesome.” En route to the finals, Stewart and the R+L team took down Will Smith, 2026 Gatornationals winner Josh Hart and former world champion Shawn Langdon. Elite Motorsports continues the 2026 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season with the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway just outside of Charlotte April 24-26. This story was originally published on April 13, 2026. The post Tony Stewart, R+L Carriers Team Get Elite Motorsports’ First Top Fuel Win at NHRA Winternationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

There are tons of historic spots around Southern California that impacted hot rodding, racing, and custom car building over the last 80 years or so, but no matter how many you can think of there are hundreds more. I was going to say dozens, but that just won’t cover it. Not by a lot. Having been fortunate enough to see many of them with David over the years, and having heard the history from so many during my time living there, I can tell you that they are nearly everywhere you look. Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas are a hot bed at a level you just can’t understand without spending a lot of time there. I know you’ve heard me say it before, but this time let’s watch Freiburger cruise around SoCal to see some of his favorite historic hot rod spots in and around Los Angeles. Video Description: In this video, find out about pioneering hot rodders and speed shops, the heyday of tire manufacturing in Los Angeles, winning Indy cars built in SoCal, the history of Vic Edelbrock, and much more! I love then-and-now images and I live for hot rod history, plus I’m a Los Angeles native—so this video mixes all those things together with a driving tour of historic automotive locations in and around Los Angeles! The post Freiburger Takes Us On A DRIVING TOUR of HISTORIC HOT ROD SPOTS Around Los Angeles! Too Many To Count! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Racers in the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series professional, sportsman, and Jr. Dragster categories will have the opportunity to compete for two race wins in one event this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech. Held at Darana Motorsports Park in Benson, N.C., April 16-18, the second of seven races on the 2026 PDRA schedule will see the series complete eliminations from its season-opening KTR Drag Racing Carolina Nationals presented by Pee Dee Fleet on Thursday before rolling into Friday qualifying and Saturday eliminations. The pro classes completed two rounds of eliminations at the Carolina Nationals at Darlington Dragway before numerous delays and cold track temperatures led series officials to postpone the rest of the event to the East Coast Nationals. The two-in-one aspect creates an action-packed schedule for racers and fans attending the race at Darana Motorsports Park, formerly known as GALOT Motorsports Park. “This is a staple track on the PDRA schedule and it’s not the first time we’ve contested two races in one weekend here,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “This track has a rich history in this area and it’s become one of the nicest eighth-mile dragstrips in the world. It’s going to be a busy weekend, no doubt. Whether fans are sitting in the stands or tuned in on FloRacing, they’re going to see nonstop racing action from the time they tune in on Thursday until event champions are crowned on Saturday night.” Fans can watch Thursday’s completion of the Carolina Nationals for free on FloRacing 24/7, which is available on Amazon Prime Video, Fubo TV, and YouTube. The FloRacing 24/7 broadcast will begin Thursday at noon ET and will run live through the end of the day. FloRacing subscribers can continue watching the race on Friday and Saturday. In Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars, reigning world champion and home track hero Marcus Butner will square off against “Mountain Man” Mike Achenbach on one side of the semifinal ladder. Fredy Scriba, the 2024 world champion, will meet up with three-time world champion and Darlington No. 1 qualifier Tommy Franklin in the other matchup. The reigning world champion in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Ty Tutterow, is also still in Carolina Nationals competition. He was set to face Lyle Barnett, who’s announced he won’t make it to the East Coast Nationals due to a schedule conflict. After his semifinal bye run, Tutterow take on the winner of the other semifinal match between Johnny Camp and multi-time East Coast Nationals winner Melanie Salemi. Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing No. 1 qualifier Jerry Morgano will take on young gun Blake Denton in a turbo vs. nitrous semifinal match. Retired NFL superstar Fletcher Cox will face another young gun in the class, Joel Wensley Jr., on the other side of the ladder. Another Darlington low qualifier, J.C. Beattie Jr., remains in competition in PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises. He’ll line up against two-time and reigning world champion Jeff Melnick. The winner of that race will advance to the final round to face Melnick’s teammate, Jeff Pittman, who has a bye to the final. The two most recent world champions in 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling, Connor McGee and Dan Whetstine, could face off in the Carolina Nationals final round. McGee, the reigning world champ, will need to defeat championship challenger Austin Vincent, while Whetstine, the 2024 champ, must take down Darlington No. 1 qualifier Matt Schalow. There are multiple rounds of racing left to finish in the PDRA’s sportsman ranks: MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes. The East Coast Nationals will also include Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, giving the area’s bracket racers a stage to compete. The future stars of the sport will compete in the East Coast Nationals in the PDRA’s Jr. Dragster ranks, Pro Jr. Dragster and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster. Thursday testing will begin at 9 a.m., allowing racers a chance to hit the track before Carolina Nationals eliminations continue. The pro semifinals are scheduled to run at 2 p.m. followed by the finals at 4:45. Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will begin qualifying for the East Coast Nationals at 6 p.m. Pro qualifying sessions are set for Friday at noon, 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. On Saturday, pre-race ceremonies and pro eliminations will kick off at noon. Tickets are available for $20 on Thursday, $25 on Friday, and $30 on Saturday. Discounted Junior and Kids tickets are also available, while kids 5 and under get in free. Purchase tickets at www.PDRA660.com or at the gate. PDRA fans around the world can catch all the action live on the official event live stream through www.FloRacing.com. This story was originally published on April 13, 2026. The post PDRA Rolling Into North Carolina For Two-For-One Weekend at East Coast Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Matt Hagan and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car team capped off the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip with Hagan’s 56th career victory, not only taking home an NHRA 75th Anniversary Wally but the 1,000th NHRA Funny Car event trophy. Hagan took down three-time Funny Car world champion and most recent NHRA event winner Ron Capps in the final round. Hagan handled the JHG Dodge Hellcat to a 3.876-second pass at 330.39 mph to defeat Capps’ 3.893 at 334.32. It is Hagan’s eighth overall victory at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, fourth at the NHRA Winternationals. “I’m trying to catch Capps on overall wins [Ron Capps has 78 career victories]. But he has 20 years of racing on me,” Hagan said. “One thing about Ron is he’s just a great driver. He took me under his wing when I was first out here,and we got into all kinds of trouble together too. So, when we race each other, even back in the DSR days, we really throw it down, especially in the final round. Pomona Dragstrip has shown me so much love over the years. It’s a magical place, because champions are crowned hereat the end of the year. There’s just so many great memories made here. It felt like the championship, because the lights were on just like the World Finals in the fall. When you pull up to the starting your adrenaline’s going, and you’re trying to control your breathing. I was too pumped up in the final, and I almost double stepped the car up there off the line. “It was just our day. I was telling [team owner] Tony [Stewart] that sometimes you wake up and you’re just like, ‘All right, today’s good. Like, I can tie my shoes today. It’s going to be a good day.’ But to win with Bossman (Tony won in Top Fuel) and double up is special and Leah [Pruett] was No. 1 qualifier and we won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday. Plus having the JHGfolks here, the only thing we didn’t leave with was the change under the bleachers. So, it’s been a great weekend,” Hagan continued. “History was made here with the 1,000thFunny Car race. That is super, super special. And I’m just very, very blessed to be a part of that. It just hasn’t really set in yet. To drive for Tony, be a teammate to Leah, to have this group of people. We’ve surrounded ourselves with great people from the media folks down to the guy that puts the oil in the car. We’ve been blessed to have an elite group of folks here. It’s a family within a family. I’m proud to be a part of it and we’re gonna hopefully do a lot more of this in the future.” Hagan started the day as the No. 4 qualifier defeating 2025 Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde and en route to the finals also picked off Jason Rupert and JR Todd. In Top Fuel, Leah Pruett and the Rinnai Tankless Water Heater team earned a bye first round with their No. 1 qualifying position and had a solid 3.703-second pass at 334.73 mph with a .064 reaction time that came up short on a holeshot by .0222-seconds to Justin Ashley’s .025 reaction time and 3.720 pass at 336.07. “Overall, a phenomenal weekend. Starting with the very first day. Having a provisional No. 1 spot, and I think the entire paddock was thinking that won’t hold, everybody should go quicker and move around that,” Pruett said. “Everyone had the same challenges throughout the weekend. And for that 3.72 to hold, really maximized the value of what this Pomona race was. Not only did we get the points that go with being No. 1 qualifier, but you get that bye run in the first round and then the opportunity to dial in the car. We took every opportunity there. Pushed hard. And it was a little too much, and that’s okay. We were able to properly prepare for our second round against Justin Ashley who keeps doing what they do. “This entire Top Fuel field is insane. Cars are running within a couple hundredths of each other,” Pruett continued. “In eliminations, drivers are just diving those reaction times down, and it would be incorrect for me to say that it hasn’t taken me a couple races to get to where I’m at. And that’s okay. I knew that I wasn’t gonna give up. We had a lot of momentum in Phoenix. We continued that momentum here and just because we didn’t get past the second round does not mean that momentum has stopped in any way. Actually, I feel like, coming out of E2, on all fronts, pushes us right to where we want to be for Charlotte in a few weeks.” Tony Stewart Racing continues the 2026 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season with the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway just outside of Charlotte April 24-26. The post Matt Hagan Wins NHRA’s 1,000th Funny Car Race; Leah Pruett Advances to Quarterfinals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Bubba Stanton put three runs on the board in eliminations at Virginia Motorsports Park that looked like they came off a bracket car: 3.514, 3.515, 3.501. The last one was not only the quickest Outlaw Pro Mod pass of the weekend, but also in IHRA Outlaw Pro Mod history, and delivered the Potts Camp, Mississippi, veteran his first Ironman trophy of the 2026 season at the second stop on the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series tour. “I’m very happy with the car,” said Stanton, who defeated Hank Stubbs in the final round. “The car has been flawless all weekend. This is the second race out with it, and it took me a little bit to get it worked out, but now we’ve got the car worked out, it just wants more.” The car is a new Quarter-Max Racing-built fifth-generation Camaro with a screw-blown Hemi, unveiled at PRI late last year and still being dialed in on race weekends. Two races in, it’s already in the winner’s circle. Stanton qualified third in the 14-car field with a 3.531 at 217.98, then survived a wild opening round – he went red but advanced when Chevy Reeves broke – before settling into the kind of consistency that has defined his career. He drove past Frankie Taylor with a 3.514 in the second round, then edged Randy Weatherford with a 3.515 in the semifinals before uncorking the 3.501 at 219.08 in the final. Stubbs, who had been solid all weekend from the No. 5 qualifying spot, went red by nearly a quarter-second in the final, ending his bid to become the first repeat Outlaw Pro Mod winner this season. Stanton instead became the fifth different winner in five races in the category. “We’re just going to keep getting after it,” Stanton said. “You just can’t take chances in the finals. You’ve got to do what you think you can do and get down the racetrack. We’re here to win, not to set records.” But when you’re running 3.514, 3.515, and 3.501 in consecutive rounds, both tend to happen at the same time. For a two-time Pro Extreme world champion – 2006 in the ADRL and 2014 in the PDRA – Stanton’s weekend was a reminder that the Mississippi native hasn’t lost a step, even as the competition around him continues to grow. The IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series heads to Capital City Motorsports Park in Montgomery, Alabama, May 7-9 for the third event of the 2026 season. The post Bubba Stanton Sets IHRA Outlaw Pro Mod ET Record, Rolls to Win at Virginia Motorsports Park first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The best story coming out of the Pro Mod final at the second stop on the 2026 IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series tour at Virginia Motorsports Park wasn’t the win light. It was who was standing on both sides of it. Tony Wilson, driving Ed Burnley’s Harts Charger-equipped “Iron Man” ‘69 Camaro, put together his best weekend of driving in the class to take home the Pro Mod Ironman trophy and $50,000. His tuner? Jason Harris. His final-round opponent? Also Jason Harris. Wilson nailed a .012 reaction time in the final and ran 3.586 at 209.04 mph to seal it. Harris, who had been solid in the 3.50’s all weekend from the No. 3 qualifying spot in his “Party Time” ‘69 Camaro – a tribute to the late Harold Denton, the beloved Pro Stock legend who passed away in 2024 – had trouble on the starting line when his fuel pressure sensor went haywire and the RPMs wouldn’t come up. He went .133 on the tree and the car never had a chance to do what it had done all day, slowing to a 3.661 at 173.74. But the way Harris handled it afterward said everything about the relationship between these two teams. “I don’t know what happened to mine,” Harris said after walking up to Wilson in the winner’s circle. “It’s like when I hit it, it wouldn’t come up. The fuel pressure sensor was going crazy. But that’s okay. He deserved it. They worked hard. You should have seen their pits. Their pits were destroyed. Stuff everywhere. They had a lot of problems, but the better car won today. That’s the way it goes.” Wilson, from Kannapolis, North Carolina, qualified eighth in the 21-car field with a 3.594 and proceeded to kill the tree all weekend long, posting reaction times of .008 and .012 in the later rounds while running consistent 3.58’s. He became the eighth consecutive first-time winner in IHRA Pro Mod and the 65th different winner in the history of the class. “This is awesome,” Wilson said. “I can’t thank Ed Burnley enough. And Jason. Jason gave us a heck of a car. I can’t thank him enough.” The arrangement is unique even by outlaw racing’s standards. Harris tunes Wilson’s Burnley-owned Camaro – both Harts Charger centrifugal supercharger cars backed by Pro Line Racing Engines – and then lines up against him in the finals on race day. Wilson was asked how much trust that takes. “It’s a lot of trust in Jason,” Wilson said. “It’s a lot of trust in my dad and the guys we got working on the car. I don’t have to do a whole lot, really; just help them with maintenance during the rounds. But I really get to focus on driving this race car. And that was my deal with Ed. I didn’t want to tune. I wanted Jason for that because I wanted to be able to have the opportunity to just drive a race car.” That deal is paying off. Wilson, a noted wheelman and veteran of PDRA Pro Nitrous competition, also won a Pro Nitrous Ironman last year, giving him two Ironman trophies in two different classes. Burnley, based out of Pasadena, Maryland, now has a winner’s trophy headed home. “This is for Mr. Ed,” Wilson said. As for Harris, who could have been bitter about losing a final round to the car he tuned? He wasn’t. He walked over, praised the effort, and said his piece. “Party time is still going to be party time,” Harris said. “It’s all right. He deserved it.” The IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series heads to Capital City Motorsports Park in Montgomery, Alabama, May 7-9 for the third event of the 2026 season. The post Tony Wilson Wins IHRA Pro Mod at Virginia Motorsports Park, Takes Out Jason Harris in Final first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

When Maintenance Isn’t the ProblemThe 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 doesn’t have a flawless track record. It’s seen as one of Ford’s sturdier modern turbo engines, but, like most small-displacement turbos, it brings its own set of quirks. The standard advice still stands: keep up with maintenance, and you’ll probably steer clear of major problems. Regular oil changes and proper servicing usually pay off. But what if you follow the book and the engine still fails? That’s exactly what happened with this 2022 Ford F-150 running the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, recently torn down by I Do Cars. The owner changed the oil every 6,500 to 7,500 miles – well ahead of Ford’s 10,000-mile interval. Dealer records confirmed the routine, and the engine’s internals reflected that level of care. Even so, the engine catastrophically failed at just 110,000 miles. Clean on Top, Catastrophe BelowInitial inspection didn’t reveal anything out of the ordinary. The valvetrain was clean, with little varnish and no evidence of oil starvation. Timing components looked good, and overall, it matched what you’d expect from an engine that’s been given a proper TLC. That first impression changed quickly. Once the spark plugs were removed, it was clear that one cylinder was essentially gone, with metal fragments stuck to the plugs. The rest were wet and fouled, pointing to a tough final run before the engine gave out. Digging deeper, one turbocharger was loaded with metal debris, and the oil filter was packed with shavings. The oil system had been moving fragments around, but that looked more like a result than the root cause. The real trouble was further inside. One piston was completely destroyed, leaving fragments scattered in the oil pan. Pieces of connecting rod, piston rings, and bits of the aluminum block turned the bottom end into a collection of broken parts. The block itself had serious internal damage, with cracks and punctures throughout. The cylinder head told the rest of the story. One bank had a burnt exhaust valve with heavy seat damage, while the other was missing an exhaust valve altogether. I Do Cars/YouTube View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article The Likely CauseThe evidence points to a combustion issue, not a lubrication problem. Bearings and journals were still in good shape, so oil starvation wasn’t to blame. Instead, the evidence suggests that the exhaust valve overheated, weakened, and finally failed. Once it broke apart and entered the combustion chamber, the rest of the damage happened fast. Interestingly, Ford has issued a recall for certain EcoBoost engines due to brittle intake valves, including some models equipped with the 2.7-liter unit (which led to a weird lawsuit). However, this particular failure involved exhaust valves, which fall outside the scope of that recall. That doesn’t mean the two issues are connected, but it does raise questions about valve durability in these engines. Add in known concerns with fueling, injectors, and combustion, and the long-term reliability picture gets more complicated. There’s no single answer here. Bad fuel, a weak injector, or a one-off part failure could all be to blame. The main takeaway: even with careful maintenance, some engines can still fail. Ford View the full article

Ron Capps and the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car team delivered a standout performance Sunday at the NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, racing to the final round of the milestone 1,000th NHRA Funny Car event before a narrow loss to Matt Hagan. After qualifying No. 2, Capps ran a series of passes in the 3.80-second range, including low E.T. of the event, on the way to his 159th career final round. With the runner-up finish, Capps is now tied for the Funny Car points lead with Hagan following race three of the 20-race NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Funny Car’s first qualifying session on Friday was a challenging one for Capps and his fellow competitors, but with Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli turning the knobs, he charged to a 4.007-second pass at 314.17 mph in the second session. That was the third-quickest performance of the round, rewarding Capps with one championship bonus point and the provisional No. 3 position. By reaching the semifinals at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, which he ultimately won, Capps earned a spot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge during Saturday qualifying. Capps left the line first against Paul Lee, but he started to lose traction and backed off the throttle. He then rebounded to a 3.919 E.T. at 330.88 mph in the final session to grab two more bonus points and climb up to the No. 2 position in the final qualifying order. In the first round of eliminations on Sunday, Capps left the starting line ahead of young gun Dylan Winefsky, and though he lost traction, pedaled, dropped cylinders, and shut off early, he crossed the finish line first with a 4.977 E.T. Capps came back stronger in the quarterfinals, where he fired off low E.T. of the round, a 3.884-second pass at 332.34 mph, to defeat Alexis DeJoria. Capps and Antonelli lowered the boom yet again in the semifinals with a 3.863 E.T. at 330.31 mph – low E.T. of the event – to hold off rookie Jordan Vandergriff and his 3.889 E.T. Following a quick turnaround to race under the lights in the 1,000th NHRA Funny Car final round, Capps lined up next to fellow multi-time world champion Matt Hagan for the 85th time in eliminations. The NAPA Auto Care machine moved off the starting line first, but Hagan pulled ahead at the finish line, with Capps recording a 3.893 E.T. at 334.32 mph to Hagan’s winning 3.876 E.T. “You really couldn’t ask for a better final in a lot of different ways,” Capps said. “It was really mano a mano with both teams – ‘Stretch’ (Mike Knudsen, Hagan’s crew chief) and Guido and then Matt and me. I get up for racing Matt. He was a teammate of mine for a long time and I know how good he is. To me, that’s like a ‘Snake’ and ‘Jungle Jim’ race back in the day. You’ve got a great car, you get up there and you throw down, then you add the fact that it’s Pomona on a late Sunday night under the lights and the 1,000th win in Funny Car is on the line. There’s so many cool things about it. I’m bummed it didn’t go our way, but at the same time, we have a good hot rod, and we moved up in points. I’m just so proud of Guido and the guys.” Capps will look to solidify the points lead at the next stop on the NHRA Mission Foods Series schedule, the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, April 24-26, at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina. The post Ron Capps Runner-Up in Historic 1,000th NHRA Funny Car Race, Ties for Points Lead at Winternationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Johnny Pluchino came into the second stop on the 2026 IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series tour as the man to beat in Mountain Motor Pro Stock. He left Virginia Motorsports Park having removed any remaining doubt. Pluchino wheeled his Kaase-powered, Ross Environmental Services 2013 Ford Mustang to a 4.014 at 180.21 mph in the final round to defeat Jordan Ensslin’s 4.032 at 178.54, resetting both the IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock ET and speed records in the process. The previous marks – a 4.019 at 180.02 set in qualifying by Matt Giangrande – didn’t survive the weekend. “I think he was pretty good on the bulb there,” Pluchino said of Ensslin, who had the better reaction time with an .015 to Pluchino’s .022. “I saw a lot of purple, but it’s all right. We set the record, ET record, speed record, and we got that thing. It’s pretty beautiful.” It was the second consecutive IHRA victory for Pluchino, who also won the season opener at Galot Motorsports Park, making him the first back-to-back Mountain Motor Pro Stock winner since Chris Powers. The 24-car field at Virginia Motorsports Park was the quickest in IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock history, with the bump spot for the 16-car field landing at a 4.089. Pluchino qualified third with a 4.031 and went to work from there, beating Dwayne Rice in the opening round before scoring a holeshot win – .039 to .058 – over Chris Powers in the second round. A 4.026 in the semifinals dispatched Jeremy Huffman and set up a rematch of the Galot final with Ensslin. Getting to the final wasn’t easy for Ensslin, either. A staging beam malfunction in his semifinal matchup with John DeFlorian forced a re-run, and Ensslin had to put his car back together before coming up to the line for the final. Pluchino told officials to give Ensslin all the time he needed. “A lot of respect for this team,” Pluchino said of Ensslin’s operation. “It’s going to be a battle all year long.” That respect didn’t soften the competitive edge, however. Between the semifinals and the final, Pluchino and his father, John – himself a 2016 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion – huddled over the data and debated whether to swing for the fences. “We talked about it way too long because they were up there running it again,” Pluchino said. “So we talked about it way too long and second-guessed and third-guessed and fourth-guessed, but it worked out.” It more than worked out. The 4.014 was the quickest pass in IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock history, and the margin of victory at the stripe was just 11-thousandths of a second. Pluchino, from Long Island, New York, has been building toward this kind of dominance for years. He grew up in his father’s backyard shop, learning the car from the ground up. That foundation has carried Pluchino Racing to six world championships: John’s 2016 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock title, Johnny’s two PDRA Pro 632 championships, two more in PDRA Extreme Pro Stock, and the inaugural Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock world championship he won in Las Vegas in 2024. He added the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational title at Bradenton in 2025. “My team…Ross Environmental Services, first of all, amazing partner to have with us, but the people that are here, turning wrenches, driving the truck to the track, my dad for putting this team together…everybody works their heart out,” Pluchino said. “Everybody does it because they love it, and that’s why these two teams are in the final round. And hey, we did it in style.” With two wins in two races and the points lead firmly in hand, Pluchino isn’t slowing down. “Mountain Motor Pro Stock is putting on a hell of a show,” he said. “I’m just super excited to continue this season.” The IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series heads to Capital City Motorsports Park in Montgomery, Alabama, May 7-9 for the third event of the 2026 season. The post Johnny Pluchino Sets Both Ends of IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock Record, Goes Back-to-Back at Virginia Motorsports Park first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Maddi Gordon, the driver of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster, continued gaining positive momentum in her rookie season at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals today in Pomona, Calif. The talented Ron Capps Motorsports standout recorded a new career-best speed and elapsed time attempting to defeat Justin Ashley in the opening round of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition. Although Gordon didn’t get the win light, it was a milestone event in front of a hometown crowd for the California native. In addition to recording new personal bests and winning the first round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Gordon, the 100th woman in NHRA history to win a national event, had the honor of hosting NHRA Drag Racing legend Shirley Shahan, who captured victory No. 1 for women. “I met Shirley at the Winternationals last year and she’s such a wonderful lady,” said Gordon. “I’ve been reading her book and learning more about her. It’s funny because she seems like this sweet lady who would be baking cookies for her grandkids but in reality, she’s bad to the bone! It was really cool to have her out here. She’s like drag racing royalty so the fact that she was hanging out with us, wearing green, was a big honor.” While Gordon lost traction and had to shut off early in the first Friday session, the Carlyle team quickly found their groove and came back with a stellar pass of 3.819 seconds at 326.56 mph. On Saturday, Gordon pulled double duty in qualifying, competing in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, wherein the semifinalists from the previous race get a chance at redemption. In the first round of competition for the race-within-a-race, Gordon got the starting line advantage over former world champion Shawn Langdon. She held on to that lead, crossing the finish line in 3.831 seconds at 317.34 mph. In the process, Gordon earned one bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of the session. “We’re two to one against Shawn Langdon now,” remarked Gordon. “That’s really exciting. He’s mentored me a lot, so it’s a big deal to run against him. He’s one of the best out there. That was really cool.” In her first Mission #2Fast2Tasty final, which also served as the last qualifying opportunity for drivers, Gordon faced Doug Kalitta. As the two rolled up to the starting line, a real-time fan poll showed that approximately 75% of fans expected Gordon to defeat the Top Fuel veteran. The pair put on a show as they both made their quickest passes of the weekend, but ultimately, Kalitta turned on the win light. Gordon’s 3.798 at 327.98 landed her in the No. 8 spot on the competition ladder. After morning showers delayed the start of eliminations Sunday, Gordon and Ashley were the first pair on the track. In the Top Fuel Marquee Matchup, Ashley got the starting line advantage, and while Gordon made a blistering pass of 3.744 at 334.15, it was not enough for Ashley’s 3.714 at 332.43. “We all hate to lose,” said Gordon. “But Rob (Flynn, crew chief) said we can’t hang our heads about how we did today. I had my career-best E.T. and mile per hour, but not my career-best reaction time. As a driver, that’s what I look at because that’s what I want to provide for the team. It was really cool going down the track after all the rain. Rob and Troy (Fasching, crew chief) got it right down Broadway. We made our best run yet in conditions we’ve never had. It shows just how good this team is and how well we can adapt to different conditions. Losing sucks, but running a career-best mile per hour and E.T. definitely does NOT suck!” The weekend ended on a high note for Gordon and her family when her father, Doug Gordon, raced to victory in the Top Alcohol Funny Car category. Gordon will continue her Rookie of the Year campaign in two weeks when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series travels to Charlotte for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Raceway. The post Maddi Gordon Clocks Career-Best Run at NHRA Winternationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The Pajero’s Return Is No Longer a RumorThe Pajero is coming this year. This has been news because of dealer leaks, but now, it’s official. Mitsubishi Motors President and COO Keisuke Kishiura confirmed the timeline at the Automobile Council 2026 in Japan. That ends months of speculation. Speaking to Best Car, Kishiura said, “It will be released by the end of the year as a new cross-country SUV, so please wait for that.” He stopped short of explicitly naming the Mitsubishi Pajero, but the direct question and context – combined with the event’s Pajero-heavy display – make the direction fairly clear. The executive also shared a personal detail that stands out. He prefers manual transmissions. Most SUVs today are automatic, so this is unusual. It is not clear if this will affect product decisions, but it is a mindset that off-road fans will notice. MitsubishiMotorsTV/YouTube A President Who Still Prefers Three PedalsKishiura’s comments weren’t limited to product plans. He also gave a glimpse into his own car history, and it’s not what you’d expect from a modern automotive executive. He said he has never owned a Pajero. Instead, he prefers the RVR Sport Gear, especially the 5-speed manual version. He described himself as a manual transmission kind of person and said he chose the stick shift even when automatics were more common. Does this mean the upcoming Pajero will have a stick shift? Not really, but at least we know the man at the top is still a fan of MTs. Kishiura’s garage has also included models like the Lancer and Grandis. More recently, he has driven electrified vehicles like the eK Cross EV and Outlander PHEV. This shows he understands both Mitsubishi’s heritage and its move toward electrification. When asked about competition from low-cost Chinese EVs in ASEAN markets, Kishiura said Mitsubishi will not try to compete with them directly. The company will focus on its strengths, like durability and off-road capability. This approach matches what buyers expect from Mitsubishi. Cars & Bids What We Know About the New Pajero So FarDetails are scarce at this point, but the direction is clearer now. Mitsubishi calls the new model a true cross-country SUV and plans to make it a core vehicle for the brand. The “cross-country SUV” part is important. It suggests the new Pajero will not become a soft-roader like many current SUVs. Instead, it is expected to keep traditional off-road strengths, possibly with body-on-frame construction or strong terrain capability. There are signs that Mitsubishi has been benchmarking the Pajero against the Toyota Land Cruiser. That sets a high standard and shows the company wants more than just to bring back an old name. It is still unclear how Mitsubishi will balance a rugged identity with modern needs like electrification, safety technology, and global market demands. The company’s recent success with hybrids in Southeast Asia suggests an electrified powertrain could be included. Mitsubishi View the 6 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

Volvo’s goal to increase U.S. sales by 60% by 2030 is a lofty one, but it’s going to need a significant turnaround between now and then to make it happen. The Swedish automaker has just reported first-quarter sales in the U.S., and every single model has seen a decline in sales relative to the same quarter last year. Overall, the company sold 22,651 vehicles in Q1 2026, a steep 32% drop from last year. With a lineup now almost exclusively made up of SUVs and heavily focused on electrified models, Volvo’s range is well off the pace of most other European luxury brands. A Dismal Start to the Year Volvo Of all Volvo models sold in Q1 2026, 5,762 were electrified (EVs or plug-in hybrids) and 16,889 were mild hybrids. EVs were down 14%, PHEVs were down 49%, and mild hybrids dropped by 29%. Despite being one of the oldest Volvo models on sale, the XC90 was the best-selling model on 8,513 units, but that’s still 9% less than a year ago. It was followed by the XC60 on 8,061 units (-37%), the XC40 on 3,403 units (-47%), and the EX30 (which will be discontinued at the end of 2026) on 915 units (-23%). Another 458 EX30 Cross Country variants were sold last quarter. Model Q1 2026 Q1 2025 % increase/decrease S60 2 685 -100% S90 17 377 -95% V60 Cross Country 565 983 -43% V90 Cross Country 15 166 -91% XC40 3,403 6,469 -47% XC60 8,061 12,706 -37% XC90 8,513 9,369 -9% EX30 915 1,185 -23% EX30 Cross Country 458 - - EX90 702 1,000 -30% Total 22,651 33,285 -32% The S60, S90, V60 Cross Country, and V90 Cross Country have all been discontinued, with the final V60 Cross Country models set to be produced this month. That leaves Volvo without a sedan or wagon, although the ES90 electric sedan will change that; it's not expected to sell in large volumes, though. Volvo “While the first quarter presented challenges, we are seeing strong momentum heading into Q2 and our focus remains firmly on meeting the needs of our customers in a dynamic market, with a diverse portfolio of powertrain options – MHEV, PHEV and BEV,” said Luis Rezende, President, Volvo Car Americas. To put Volvo’s Q1 sales into perspective, Mercedes-Benz sold 78,500 vehicles last quarter and BMW hit over 80,000 units. Even a much smaller luxury brand like Acura outsold Volvo with sales of over 32,000 vehicles. Related: Volvo Hasn’t Closed the Door on Wagons Just Yet What It Means Volvo Even though it’s been a tough quarter for many automakers, Volvo’s sharp decline in sales must be a concern. High average new-car prices, severe winter weather, and rising gas costs have all impacted car sales in Q1, hitting some brands harder than others. For Volvo specifically, the move to an almost exclusively SUV lineup further eroded sales, and even those SUVs have seen a large decline in sales. The company has also been plagued by software issues in new-generation vehicles, which may have dented the public’s confidence in the brand. There is one promising launch to look forward to, though: the EX60 SUV will be introduced later this year. If Volvo can stabilize its software before that vehicle launches and capitalize on renewed interest in EVs, the company may be able to finish the year stronger than it started it. View the full article

A routine occurrence in backcountry skiing or snowboarding is to take a snowmobile up, then send it down sans rider. But things can go wrong, as one skier found out after nearly being run over by one. View the full article

Luxury Expectations, Unexpected ProblemsLand Rover built the Range Rover’s reputation on status and refinement. These SUVs usually end up in garages where expectations run high – not just for comfort and capability, but for longevity that justifies the price. At this price point, you’d expect major parts – especially brakes – to last. For some Range Rover and Range Rover Sport owners, though, that’s not what happened. A class action lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey claims otherwise. The case, Zats et al. v. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, centers on three plaintiffs from New York, California, and Illinois who allege their vehicles suffered from premature brake wear. James Riswick The Case Against the BrakesThe plaintiffs – Boris Zats, Amir Gupta, and Frank Ruffolo – each report paying thousands of dollars out of pocket to replace brake pads and rotors far earlier than expected. Zats replaced his brakes at just under 15,000 milesGupta did the same slightly past 16,000 milesRuffolo had two vehicles serviced, both before 14,000 milesEach repair ran from about $2,000 to over $2,500. The lawsuit says this isn’t just bad luck – it’s a sign of a bigger problem with the brakes. The complaint claims the brakes run hot – so hot that pads, rotors, and other parts wear out fast. Owners say they’ve heard squealing, grinding, vibrations, and even knocking when they hit the brakes. Sometimes, it gets bad enough that repairs aren’t just recommended – they’re unavoidable. The owners say dealers wouldn’t cover the repairs under warranty. Normally, brakes are considered wear-and-tear items, but the lawsuit argues these failures are happening too soon to be chalked up to normal use. The complaint also cites several technical service bulletins issued to dealers regarding early brake wear, suggesting that Land Rover knew owners were having repeat problems. What Happens NextJaguar Land Rover attempted to move the dispute out of court by invoking arbitration clauses found in warranty documents. The company argued that the plaintiffs had agreed to resolve disputes through arbitration rather than litigation. However, the plaintiffs countered that they were never properly informed of these terms, claiming the arbitration provisions were buried deep within the vehicle handbook and not disclosed at the point of sale. For now, the court has denied Land Rover’s motion to compel arbitration. The ruling doesn’t settle the case but allows it to proceed, at least temporarily, in court. The judge has ordered limited discovery to determine whether a valid arbitration agreement exists. So now, both sides get to dig up more evidence before Land Rover tries to steer things back to arbitration. For now, the case is just getting started. But it’s a reminder that in the luxury world, high expectations can clash with real-world headaches. James Riswick View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

India’s GST structure makes the 350s cheaper, but the 390s still deliver higher performance and more premium features. View the full article

Here’s gallery #2 from Mike Brooks coverage of the Run to the Sun car show in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. If you missed gallery #1, use the link below to check them out too. (Photos by Mike Brooks) The Run to the Sun car show in Myrtle Beach South Carolina celebrated it’s 37th anniversary this year and as usual had a sellout crowd. This show sells out every year, and features some awesome Pre-1990 muscle cars, hot rods, street machines, and trucks. It’s a special event, that’s for sure, and when the weather is great like this year it is hard to beat. Longtime contributor Mike Brooks was on hand and snapping photos to share with all you BANGshifters, and you can check them all out below. One of the things we like about this show is the variety of cars and trucks. Lifted, lowered, customs, classics, it’s all here. Check them out. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTOS WE ALREADY POSTED FROM THE RUN TO THE SUN The post Run to the Sun 2026 Car Show Photos: The 37th Annual Run to the Sun Car Show Featured Custom Cars, Trucks, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, And More! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article