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We’ve got live drag racing coming to you from Division 7! It’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing at it’s finest and every pair that goes down the race track is right here live. If you like Sportsman Drag Racing, where wheels-up action is the norm, then this is the racing for you. We’re talking Stock, Super Stock, Comp, Alcohol classes, and more right here from Sonoma! Check it out and let us know what you think! The post FREE SPORTSMAN DRAG RACING LIVESTREAM: NHRA Division 7 Lucas Oil Drag Racing from Sonoma – Wednesday and Thursday Racing Action appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

If you're the type of person who shudders at the phrase "factory custom," you need to know that this is much more than a numbered top triple and fancy paint.View the full article

Chad and Hunter Green are looking to land in the final round at Sonoma. The father/son duo have found more performance after testing.View the full article

"No [looking in your engines] for you!"View the full article

Ron Capps and Maddi Gordon are rolling into Sonoma ready for a big weekend. The teammates are coming off a double up at Norwalk.View the full article

Only specific models produced between specific dates are believed to be affected, but so far one crash in Germany has been attributed to this issue.View the full article

Why can't we get the basics right before trying to add a fancy sauce to the sandwich, Google?View the full article

With VW in the news more and more, Ducati's CEO stays quiet, saying the brand's record is what everyone should focus on.View the full article

The Marvel licensing fee is probably stored in the teeth.View the full article

Billed as an overlander, it's not really a truck replacement. View the full article

Brian Brooks’ sleek new Chevy II sports power from a 480-inch nitrous small-block built for no-time competition.View the full article

Glen Helen is one of the most famous off-road racing destinations around because of the history of all the amazing races that have been held their over the years. From desert off-road racing to short course, and everything in between, Glen Helen is known for being home to a huge variety of two and four wheel offroad racing. We used to live pretty close to Glen Helen, and I can tell you that it is an awesome facility that offers a variety of terrain and off-road racing areas. It’s fun for sure and one of those places that you just want to keep going back to. Check out the American Rentals Freedom Cup livestream replay below, and let us know who your favorite racers are. The post California Off-Road Racing From Glen Helen: This Is The American Rentals Freedom Cup Race Replay! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Máximo Quiles will step up to Moto2 with the CFMOTO Aspar Team in 2027 as the runaway Moto3 championship leader continues his rapid rise through the Grand Prix ranks. The post Máximo Quiles secures Moto2 promotion with CFMOTO Aspar appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

KTM Australia has launched a broad selection of 2026 Power Deals, with savings of up to $7000 across selected road and off-road motorcycles from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 model years. The post KTM Power Deals offer savings of up to $7000 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Steve Johnson will continue his 40th anniversary celebration tour by making the long journey to the nation’s west coast to take part in the GETTRX NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout on Saturday, July 18, at Sonoma Raceway. Eight of the top stars in the class will be competing in this high-stakes specialty event as part of the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals. “My endorphins are exploding with excitement,” Johnson enthused after receiving the call to compete in the GETTRX All-Star Callout. “To be invited at the last minute as an alternate puts a totally different spin on things. I’m a big promoter of recognizing opportunities (like our BAT-man scholarships) and this one was laid right in our lap.” With GETTRX providing a $25,000 winner’s purse, Johnson was willing to make the long journey with his Suzuki from his Alabama-based shop to northern California’s spectacular Sonoma Raceway to compete in the specialty event. “We decided to make the journey for three main reasons,” explained Johnson. “First, It’s the richest Pro Stock Motorcycle drag race that I know of and second, the GETTRX All-Star Callout features a stand-alone television show on FOX. And third, for the opportunity to engage the Sonoma fans with the incredible access to our pit area as we promote NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing.” The prize money, television and social media involvement provided by the GETTRX All-Star Callout race will create crucial exposure for the category and for Johnson and his fellow Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors. It’s also the last opportunity for the motorcycle teams to test their set-ups in race day conditions before their next event, the U.S. Nationals, in early September. The eight teams will get two time trials on Friday before battling it out down the Sonoma quarter-mile on Saturday. “This event will help me prepare for Indy and work on my riding style.” added Johnson. “It’s so important to ride perfectly because it always provides a better ET slip. It’s hard for me to practice at the shop or a local track, so this race is a huge advantage for me in preparing for Indy.” This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post Steve Johnson Excited to Head to Sonoma for GETTRX NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

KTM’s recovery gathered momentum during the second quarter of 2026, with motorcycle sales increasing 71 per cent year-on-year and parent company Bajaj Mobility returning to a positive EBITDA margin. The post KTM recovery accelerates as Q2 sales rise 71 per cent appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

When the IHRA announced the cancellation of the remaining Outlaw Nitro Series races on July 9, Mountain Motor Pro Stock was sidelined for the umpteenth time in the category’s relatively short history. Now, participants like multi-series world champion Johnny Pluchino are working diligently to ensure the class has a future. Pluchino has been around Mountain Motor Pro Stock his whole life. He grew up watching his uncle, John Nobile, compete in IHRA Pro Stock, where he won the 2004 world championship. Johnny’s dad, John Pluchino, started competing in the class in the late 2000s and went on to win the 2016 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world championship. The elder Pluchino handed the keys to his son in 2019. Johnny took the opportunity and ran with it, winning PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world titles in 2020 and 2022 and an NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock championship in 2024. “As a team, we definitely have a lot invested – a lot of time, effort, and resources,” Pluchino says. “So we definitely want to see this thing through. It’s an amazing class that has definitely had some adversity and good times and bad.” Last season, Mountain Motor Pro Stock had three series in which to compete: PDRA Extreme Pro Stock, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock, and IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock. Pluchino was one of a handful of drivers who dabbled in all three, though his focus was on defending his NHRA title. He made it to the semifinals in the one IHRA event he entered, but when rain pushed the rest of the race into Sunday, Pluchino had to leave due to prior commitments. This season, the Mountain Motor Pro Stock class decided as a group to focus on the opportunities presented by the latest iteration of the IHRA. Never-before-seen prize money, pro class billing, and hospitality were among the attractive aspects. Pluchino won the first two races and added semifinal finishes at the other two, putting himself in the position to join fellow Long Islander John Montecalvo as a season champion in three different series. “We had a 12-2 round record. We had almost a five-round lead at this point for the championship,” Pluchino says. “We’ve got two wins out of the five events we’ve ever attended since the new IHRA has existed. Things were going well for us until the news broke.” Pluchino didn’t have any warm and fuzzy feelings when IHRA announced the cancellation of three events in late June. He saw it as an understandable pulling back from an ambitious initial approach to the season. But when the rest of the season as a whole was cancelled a couple weeks later, Pluchino felt a lot of different emotions. Most notably, he was upset for his team and supporters. “We put so much effort into this as a race team that it crushes you as a competitor to not be able to see it through,” Pluchino says. “We live and work for championships. We really felt like this year, we were going to make another one happen. The trophy is what we do it for. The prize money that came with it this year was something that would have been huge for a team like ours. That was the added bonus on top of that championship trophy. “That was the first thing you think of – not for myself or my dad, who’s the team owner – but also for my sponsor, and for all my partners who have done so much to help us reach our goals this year,” Pluchino continues. “We came into this season knowing it would be the toughest year of Mountain Motor Pro Stock, maybe ever. And we really dug deep to be as competitive as we were. It wasn’t just because we had a couple good races. We worked at getting better and being as prepared as we could be to have those results. I was proud of where we were at.” Pluchino’s mindset quickly moved to finding a solution. His Kaase-powered Ross Environmental Services Mustang was performing at perhaps an all-time best. The class itself was also at a high point, with more than 20 cars showing up at the last race. Drag Illustrated Senior Editor Craig Cook declared it “IHRA’s most exciting class” in this June 24 op-ed piece. Pluchino wanted to keep that momentum going. “That’s really the most important part of it, right? It’s the future of this class,” Pluchino says. “I don’t want to race anything else. I don’t want to race a fuel car. I don’t necessarily want to race a Pro Mod car. I don’t want to bracket race. I live and breathe Mountain Motor Pro Stock. So now you think, “OK, we have all this invested into a Mountain Motor Pro Stock car. What’s next? Where do we go from here to make sure we’re making the right decisions for every team involved in the future of the sport and class?’” What’s frustrating for Pluchino and other Mountain Motor Pro Stock stakeholders is the fact that the class repeatedly ends up in the position of having to repair and rebuild itself. As Pluchino points out, there’s not just one single factor leading to these predicaments. “Some things were out of our control, just deals that fell apart due to various reasons, and there’s been some division in the class as well,” Pluchino says as he reflects on the class’s rocky history. “Between those two things, we’ve had some bum luck. We’ve had too many places to race at times to where the class wasn’t able to put on the show that we were able to do this year when we stick together and have one place to race. But unfortunately, right now, we had one place, and we just lost that place. “So again, we need to now stick together and make the right decision for us, for the people who support us, and for the future of the class because there’s really no class who’s put on the show that we have this year, especially in the IHRA,” Pluchino asserts. “The level of competition that we displayed this year at the four events that we participated in was incredible. We had between 23 and 26 cars at every race. We had fields separated by a few hundredths. We had a large percentage of rounds being decided by thousandths. The racing was amazing.” With that momentum in mind, Pluchino is optimistic that the future can be bright. The class has a lot going for it, but the group must act quickly and it must act together. “The cars weren’t all sold. The teams are still intact. The same level of competition that we’ve displayed all year long, which was really second to none, is still there,” Pluchino says. “So as long as this group, who has had trouble sticking together in the past, is able to stick together, then we’ll be just fine. We’ll get it figured out. We’ll come up with a deal that works best for us and whichever organization we race with. But the most important piece of this is sticking together and bringing 20-25 cars to every race and putting on an event that people rush to the stands to see Mountain Motor Pro Stock.” While the class is still working to find a season-long home with a national series, a one-off race has already been added to the schedule. The 49th annual Cornwell Quality Tools Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, will host a Mountain Motor Pro Stock shootout as part of its incredible lineup on August 1. Mountain Motor Pro Stock will compete on the same stage as NHRA nitro stars like Doug Kalitta, Jordan Vandergriff, Ron Capps, Maddi Gordon, Spencer Hyde, and Cruz Pedregon, as well as a host of exhibition acts. For the first time in the event’s history, fans around the world can stream it live on FloRacing. “Thanks to the amazing people at Summit Motorsports Park and Ross Environmental Services and the other people who are jumping on board, soon to be announced, we’re going to have an opportunity in front of a packed house at one of the nicest facilities in drag racing,” Pluchino says. “That’s going to be our first stop right now. We’re very excited about that. We are going to be racing for a great prize in front of a ton of fans on a historic facility.” Night Under Fire will serve as a proof of concept: Mountain Motor Pro Stock can be not just another class to fill track time, but a true part of the show. Pluchino and numerous behind-the-scenes players are ringing phones, rounding up funding, and working to make sure Mountain Motor Pro Stock has opportunities to race. It’s up to the class as a whole to continue providing value, whether that’s as a booked-in show or as a touring class. “So far, the teams have shown that we’re going to stick together, and I’m hopeful that that’s going to remain that way,” Pluchino says. “We are looking at all possibilities at this point for the remainder of this year. Then we’ll step into what 2027 looks like once we get that ironed out. If anybody would like to contact us about opportunities in 2026, we’re putting all those down on paper right now, trying to sort out what looks best for those organizations and tracks as well as for our class. But again, when Mountain Motor Pro Stock shows up at your event, we need to be there with 16-plus cars with an A+ show. And that’s our plan. As long as we can keep doing that, everything else will fall into place.” This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post Johnny Pluchino Discusses Mountain Motor Pro Stock’s Path Forward Following IHRA Cancellation first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Francisco Alí Manén, the founder of Lord Drake Kustoms, took a far more adventur...View the full article

THE WES BUCK SHOW – EPISODE 431 “NEW BEGINNINGS, BIG MONEY, AND PURE CHAOS” SOME WEEKS YOU CELEBRATE. SOME WEEKS YOU SHAKE YOUR HEAD. THIS WEEK? WE’RE DOING A LITTLE OF BOTH. This week on The Wes Buck Show, we’ve got one heck of a lineup, and there is absolutely no shortage of storylines. First up, our guy Mark Beatty joins us after making one of the biggest career moves in motorsports this year. After years of being one of the faces of Red Line Synthetic Oil and a huge supporter of racers, race tracks, and the DI Winter Series, Mark is taking his talents to the PDRA leadership team. If you’ve been around drag racing for more than five minutes, you’ve probably crossed paths with Mark. He’s one of the genuine good guys in this sport, and we’re gonna talk about the move, what’s next for PDRA, and why he’s as fired up as ever for this next chapter. Then we’ve got Chase Womack, fresh off an absolute throwdown at the Freedom of War No Prep at WesTX Abilene Raceway. Chase survived a stacked field, raced until nearly daylight, and walked away with a massive payday and the title of King of the Concrete. We’re gonna relive one of the biggest outlaw wins of the year and hear how he got it done. And if that wasn’t enough… We’ve got a WHOLE LOT to unpack. The IHRA situation. The rumors. The fallout. The reactions. The conversations everybody in drag racing is having right now. It’s one of the wildest weeks this sport has seen in a long time, and we’re not gonna tiptoe around it. Big guests. Big news. Big opinions. This one is gonna be a barn burner. LET’S GOOOOO! Each week on The Wes Buck Show, Wes Buck, JT “Murder T” Hudson, and Mike Carpenter bring their unique insights and analysis to the most electrifying moments and storylines from a packed weekend of drag racing. SUBSCRIBE for the latest in drag racing: @dragillustrated GRAB YOUR MERCH: dragillustrated.store STAY CONNECTED: @thewesbuckshow @dragillustrated RACERS CLUB MERCH: racers.club Wanna sponsor the show? Contact us: [email protected] dragracing #wesbuck #MarkBeatty #PDRA #RedLineSyntheticOil #ChaseWomack #FreedomOfWar #NoPrep #IHRA #ProMod #OutlawRacing #WBS #DI #RacersClub This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post The Wes Buck Show | Ep.431 | Mark Beatty, Chase Womack, & More!! first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Jordan Vandergriff has yet to turn a wheel in competition at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, but he has been part of a winning team there and is looking at the July 17-19 NHRA Sonoma Nationals as a perfect opportunity to write his name into the Northern California track’s history book while earning a second Diamond Wally during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. “I know that a lot of people go to wineries and take tours of the region and all that stuff, but I’m all business. Going to the racetrack is what I like to do. My favorite place in Sonoma is Sonoma Raceway.” The Southern California native was a crew member on his family-owned Top Fuel team in 2018 when current Funny Car competitor Blake Alexander earned the NHRA Sonoma Nationals title after winning at Norwalk just three races before. “I haven’t raced there, but I was a crew guy on my family’s Top Fuel team when we won there with Blake Alexander in 2018 against Tony Schumacher in the final round,” said Vandergriff. “I was rat guy, floater, whatever-needed-to-be-done guy for my family team. I love Sonoma. Growing up in SoCal when my uncle raced, it was one of the tracks our family would always take a trip to. Some of my early memories as a kid was staying at the hotel in Sonoma, getting breakfast, and then heading to the track. So, Sonoma’s a very near and dear place in my heart being a California race.” Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team is currently fifth in the point standings after 10 races and just 40 points behind Matt Hagan in second place with four races remaining in the regular season. “The mindset for our Cornwell Quality Tools Chevy team has switched,” Vandergriff said. “I think the first half of the year has been about getting me comfortable, meshing as a team, and seeing what (crew chiefs) Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker can do together. I would say we’ve exceeded expectations so far and now we are a player in this championship race. We have a great race car and a great team, and I’ve done pretty well as a driver. We’re contenders so we have to have that contender mindset and go for full force. I think we’re gonna be a contender in the regular season championship and in the season championship, as well.” Friday night’s qualifying session will have added incentive with the Deecell Power Systems “After Dark Low Qualifier” bonus. The top qualifier of that session In Top Fuel and Funny Car will each earn $4,000. Last year, Brittany Force dazzled the huge crowd with a record speed run at the time, going 3.645-seconds at 343.16 mph. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. PT on Friday, July 17, and the final two rounds on Saturday, July 18, at 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 19. Television coverage of the event includes qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Elimination coverage begins Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on FS1. This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post Vandergriff Wants Own Sonoma Nationals Title first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

VP Racing Fuels, Inc., The World Leader in Fuel Technology®, has acquired PRO ENERGY FUEL LIMITED, a supplier of aviation gasoline, racing fuels, oils, and related products. The acquisition establishes VP Racing’s European headquarters in Sligo, Ireland, with operations based in Wroclaw, Poland and Rotterdam, Netherlands, including a distribution network throughout Europe. Creating a permanent platform to support motorsports, aviation, and performance fuel markets across continental Europe while strengthening service in the United Kingdom. This move enhances VP Racing’s ability to support racing series, venues, teams, distributors, aviation customers, and retail partners with improved logistics, technical expertise, and product availability, extending the hands-on service model that has defined the VP Racing brand for more than 50 years. Expanding European Motorsports Support VP Racing Fuels maintains a strong presence in European drag racing, including its role as Official Fuel of Santa Pod Raceway through the 2025–2026 seasons. With PRO ENERGY now part of VP Racing, the company is positioned to expand support across continental Europe with improved fuel availability, coordinated logistics, and enhanced technical service. Beyond drag racing, VP Racing continues to grow its footprint in road racing, rally, and karting, where fuel consistency and reliability are critical. The European hub enables closer collaboration with teams, series organizers, and track operators across key markets. VP Racing also continues to expand in two-wheel competition as the official fuel supplier for Yamaha and Honda OEM motocross programs, with the new hub improving local access and event-level support. Advancing Sustainable and Aviation Fuel Solutions PRO ENERGY brings a 100% sustainable racing fuel that meets FIA and FIM Appendix requirements, providing an immediate solution for evolving regulatory demands without sacrificing performance. The acquisition also strengthens VP Racing’s aviation fuel capabilities in Europe. PRO ENERGY’s infrastructure supports expanded Avgas availability, while VP Racing continues development of its unleaded aviation fuel in partnership with LyondellBasell. The fuel has completed extensive testing and continues progressing toward broader certification and availability. Growing Consumer Performance Fuel Access The acquisition supports VP Racing’s strategy to expand consumer performance fuel products across Europe and the UK. The new operations hub enables stronger distributor alignment, improved supply, and increased retail availability for small engines, powersports, and enthusiast applications. Executive Commentary “This acquisition gives VP Racing a true operational foundation in continental Europe,” said Alan Cerwick, President and CEO of VP Racing Fuels. “ProEnergy’s businesses align closely with our strategic vision and provide a strong foundation for accelerating the growth of the VP Racing brand. It strengthens our ability to support motorsports, aviation, and consumer fuel markets with the same service‑driven approach that has defined our success in the United States, while positioning us for long‑term growth, particularly in sustainable and renewable fuel technologies.” “Establishing a European hub allows us to better serve customers with improved logistics, technical support, and local presence,” said James McVey, Director of International Sales.“We are proud to join VP Racing Fuels at this important stage,” said Kamil Skorupski, Founder and CEO of PRO ENERGY FUEL LIMITED. “Together, we are well positioned to support today’s market and future fuel innovations.” This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post VP Racing Fuels Acquires PRO ENERGY FUEL LIMITED first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

The Legacy Nitro Funny Car Series is pleased to welcome CHE Precision Inc. aboard as associate sponsor of the 11-race series showcasing nitro-burning Funny Car competition at NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series and select NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events. CHE Precision Inc. manufactures quality valvetrain components that have continuously assisted racers in obtaining victories throughout the racing industry in NHRA, NASCAR, IndyCar, SCCA, and more. CHE Precision Inc. has supported the series in the past with specialty awards and remains present in the Professional categories as a longstanding sponsor of the Ron Capps Motorsports teams. “CHE Precision Inc. is excited to partner again with the Legacy Nitro Funny Car Series,” said Rochén Holguin, owner CHE Precision Inc. “These teams put it all out there on the track for the fans and the sport, and we are thrilled to offer them the best in valve train components.” Four Legacy Nitro Funny Cars are set to be featured in the inaugural Big Nitro Show that will headline the 25th annual PRW Power Blue Suede cruise at Summit Motorsports Raceway Park in Norwalk, Ohio, on July 24-27 alongside front-engine nitro dragsters, fuel altereds, gassers, and over 3,000 street rods. Tickets for the event are available here. With six of 11 championship events completed, the Legacy Nitro Funny Car Series resumes open competition at the Nightfire Nationals in Boise on August 7-9; the Nostalgia Summer Nationals in Woodburn, Ore., on August 28-30; the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield on October 23-25; the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals on October 30-November 1; and the season-ending In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona on November 12-15. The field of entries with 1970s-inspired body styles and rule parameters serve as a popular addition to the final two NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events as the National Hot Rod Association concludes the celebration of its 75th anniversary season. Follow the Legacy Nitro Funny Car Series page on Facebook and for news and updates. Email [email protected] for racing and sponsorship inquiries. Event tickets and additional information are available at www.nhra.com/tickets and www.nhra.com/hotrodheritage. To learn more about CHE Precision Inc., please visit www.cheprecision.com. This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post CHE Precision Inc. Joins Legacy Nitro Funny Car Series as Associate Sponsor first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Promoter and racer Justin Swanstrom is making the most of a tough situation with the addition of Pro Mod and Extreme Pro Mod to the lineup for his Swanfest – Money In The Bank, October 1-3, at Rockingham Dragway. With the recent cancellation of the remaining IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series races, racers who competed in that series’ Pro Mod and Outlaw Pro Mod classes now have another option on the race calendar. “I was thinking on it….I was little scared honestly as in if the support would come! But I’ve built Swangang and SWANFEST off of some RISK!!!” Swanstrom said in a Facebook post. Pro Mod and Extreme Pro Mod join a lineup of primarily no-time classes including Extreme 275, 28” Class, DMV Heavy Hitter Street, and the invite-only Cub on Cub Crime. Swanstrom noted that he’s working on additional classes as well. Tickets for Swanfest went on sale July 13 with Swanstrom reporting record-setting ticket sales in the first day. For more updates on Swanfest – Money In The Bank, follow Justin Swanstrom on Facebook. This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post Justin Swanstrom Adds Pro Mod Classes to Swanfest Lineup first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Here we go again! The 2026 IMSA Racing season is in full swing and this weekend the series was visiting Canada’s Canadian Tire Motorsports Park which is one of the most famous race tracks in the Canada! There was a ton of racing that is going on all weekend, in several classes, and for those that missed all the racing action LIVE we’ve got highlights right here. No matter what IMSA class of racing you like, you’ll find some entertaining side by side racing action going on in the video below. It’s a really fun track to watch racing on and you won’t want to miss it. Video Description: Extended highlights from the 2026 IMSA Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park #IMSA #autoracing #motorsport #sportscars The post 2026 IMSA Chevrolet Grand Prix at CTMP | Highlights from the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Florida’s Immokalee Regional Raceway hosted a packed house for their most recent Winter Series at the conclusion of 2025, and it very well might be the track’s last string of December events, at least at its current location. Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #199, the Interview Issue, in March/April 2026. Dragstrip founder Ralph Hester always knew the track’s days were numbered, having been constructed on airport-owned land and given a 10-year lease back in 1999. The fact that Hester just kicked off his 27th season is remarkable, although it looks like the party might be over by mid-year. The neighboring airport is fully anticipating building new hangers where the dragstrip is located, and it’s a project that’s been delayed twice, which is how the dragstrip continues to operate. Barring any more delays, the track is set to close permanently at the end of May 2026. Hester has solid backing from his existing sponsors, and he’s currently looking for another location in Immokalee to construct another dragstrip and keep the good times rolling. “Everything here that you see can be moved, including the tower. I just need some land so I can move the track and reopen it,” says Hester. And if the attendance of his most recent Winter Series is any indication, the crowds will surely follow. “We had a huge tent and we served 250 steaks one night at the first race, and 250 plates of BBQ the following week.” Hester has always placed hospitality high on the list when it comes to his long-standing success as a track owner/manager. The entire community benefits from the influx of out-of-town racers coming to Immokalee, and the restaurant owners tell Ralph their business doubles when he’s hosting his big events. As for the racing schedule this year, there’s plenty of action planned for what is expected to be the shortest season on record. With no time to spare, Immokalee presented the “New Years On The Strip” event to kick off the first weekend of 2026, and as expected, the pits were full. Immokalee then launched the bracket points series with a double-header the following week. While the points program usually goes all the way into October, they’re going to have to settle with a dozen point races slated from January to May, unless of course, the airport’s hanger project gets delayed once again. In addition to the bracket racing, no-prep has also been a popular attraction in recent years, although nothing has surprised Hester more than the attendance of a truck series that Immokalee began hosting not too long ago. “They don’t have many trucks, but they pack the place out whenever they’re here,” says Hester. At a recent truck meet, all 28 food vendors on-site sold completely out of food. “We couldn’t fit anybody else in here, and we were having to park cars on the road coming in!” says Hester. In between the large weekend gatherings, Shameless Racing sponsors the Runday Sunday events, and has for many years. Friday night test-and-tune sessions are also available on select weekends. Hester made out the schedule to the end of April, as he awaits the final word from the airport regarding the hanger project. “It’s been delayed twice already, and I’m not really anticipating it getting delayed again. Immokalee has been real good to me, and I don’t want to leave this area to build another track,” concludes Hester, maintaining his desire to always stay and race in the town of Immokalee. This story was originally published on July 15, 2026. The post Racing Against The Clock: Immokalee Regional Raceway Makes The Most Of What Could Be Its Last Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article