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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

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

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

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

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

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

Staying AliveIt's been a tough 2025 and the start of 2026 for the automotive industry, from the EV slowdown and market preference shift to the oil crisis. Automakers have been putting out fires left and right, pivoting strategies, or offering more incentives to entice new car buyers. To tackle the fuel price issue, Ford in the US is offering a very unique incentive program. One that tackles fuel prices head-on for potential new car buyers through gas cards. This might also be the way the brand is trying to get customers to buy some of the slower-selling models. Savings MatterNew car buyers are becoming more conscious of the cars they're getting. We've already seen the market react with customers flocking to electrified powertrains. Brands are seeing this and are trying to offer deals that might sway customers towards the other non-hybrid or EV offerings. According to a report by Cars Direct, Ford is now offering the Fuel Your Ford Program, which can provide savings of up to $3,500. An April 1 bulletin shows that this fuel incentive program is now being offered in five regions in the United States. The specific states are Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix, and San Francisco. However, the offer is only available for two Ford models, the Maverick and the Bronco Sport, until April 30, 2026. The amounts for each variant and model also vary by region. In California, the Bronco Sport gets $3,000 off MSRP, while the Maverick gets $3,500 on the Lobo variant but $2,500 on the others. There is also a $1,000 rebate on the hybrid Maverick. It's no surprise that this deal is on offer for the Bronco Sport and Maverick, with reports suggesting the brand is struggling to sell over 20,000 units of the 2025 year models of both nameplates. Ford The Fine PrintAs mentioned, only two models in the lineup are eligible for the fuel card incentive, not to mention other fine-print rules that might dissuade buyers from participating. This discount is also available only to buyers, not lessees, and cannot be used with other cash incentives. Furthermore, it might take up to five weeks for the fuel card to be issued, which may be too long for buyers. Cars Direct also finds that the other cash incentive programs offered by Ford might offer buyers better value at much less hassle than the fuel card incentive. At the moment, it seems only the West Coast is offering the fuel incentive program. F View the full article

Last year, Stellantis introduced the Ram 1500 Special Service Vehicle, a pickup designed for use by park rangers, fire departments, police, and other government agencies, and now the 1500's bigger brother is getting similar treatment with the reveal of the 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle, which the brand is calling the "first pursuit-capable heavy-duty truck." Like the 1500 SSV, it's aimed at law enforcement, fire, rescue, and emergency response agencies, providing them with the towing and hauling capability of a 3/4-ton truck along with enough performance to keep up with the bad guys. Let's take a closer look. HEMI V8 Power Helps Ram's ERV Pass Police Tests Stellantis View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The new truck is the first (and thus far only) 3/4-ton truck to complete Michigan State Police vehicle trials, which include 0-60 mph, 0-80 mph, and 0-100 mph acceleration tests, achieving figures of 8.41 seconds, 13.22 seconds, and 20.5 seconds, respectively. Those figures are "within two seconds" of some smaller and lighter 1/2-ton trucks and SUVs, and the 2027 Ram ERV tops out at 103 mph, limited by its tires, a speed it can achieve in under half a mile. Under the hood is a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 delivering 405 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque to a TorqueFlite HD eight-speed automatic transmission, which feeds a selectable two-speed transfer case and a new differential with a 4.10 axle ratio (3.73 is the standard Ram 2500 axle ratio). Related: Las Vegas Police Debut the World’s First Tesla Cybertruck Patrol Fleet To ensure the truck can handle the occasional bashing, a transfer case skid plate is fitted, and the 18-inch wheels are made of steel. To support all the added equipment that various agencies will need to work with, the truck also gets dual 400-amp alternators and a Vehicle System Interface Module, which adds auxiliary switches and dedicated wiring circuits to make upfitting easy. Ram's New ERV Can Handle Bends, Too Stellantis Michigan State Police Testing also included high-speed maneuverability tests, braking trials, and hot laps at Grattan Raceway, near Grand Rapids, Michigan (the track is currently for sale, by the way). This track has a 160-degree hairpin, a downhill reverse-camber section, and a 3,200-foot straight, so the ERV was certainly put to the test in as many ways as possible, and its passing was partly attributed to its five-link coil rear suspension. Stellantis didn't reveal what the truck costs, but since it's not aimed at civilians, that doesn't matter. The 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle will be available to fleets from the second half of the year. View the full article

Four-time Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan won the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating three-time world champion Ron Capps in the final round to close out the 66th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also won the third of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Hagan went 3.876-seconds at 330.39 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat, holding off Capps’ 3.893 at 334.32 in an epic side-by-side final round, capturing the milestone race in what was a thrilling matchup of the two winningest active drivers in the class. Hagan, who defeated Spencer Hyde, Jason Rupert and J.R. Todd earlier in the day and also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, drove to his first win of the season and the 56th in his standout career to cap off what was a flawless weekend. This one will certainly mean a great deal for Hagan, as he captured a historic victory and also shared the winner’s circle with his boss, Tony Stewart. “I was telling Tony that sometimes you just wake up and you know today’s going to good, and it was great. To win with the boss man to double up, and, you know, Leah [Pruett] was No. 1 qualifier, and winning the 1,000th Funny Car and the [Mission] #2Fast2Tasty yesterday …. the only thing we didn’t leave with was the change under the bleachers,” Hagan said. “This race track has shown me so much love over the years. Racing Capps, man, it was like back in the day throwing it down, because we always used to throw down, so it just kind of felt natural. It’s a magical place because champions are crowned here and tonight reminded me of the championship deals, because, you know, the lights were on and I’ve won a won a couple times under the lights here, and you know, it just felt right.” Capps, who won the most recent race in Phoenix, reached the finals for the second straight race and the 159th time in his career with wins against Dylan Winefsky, Alexis DeJoria and Jordan Vandergriff. Hagan and Capps are also tied for the points lead after three races. Racing legend Tony Stewart delivered the first Top Fuel win for Elite Motorsports, going a weekend-best 3.683 at 332.51 in his 12,000-horsepower R&L Carriers dragster to knock off Justin Ashley in the championship round. It’s the first career win at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip for Stewart and his third career victory in his NHRA career, and this one will certainly be meaningful. He picked up wins as both a driver and team owner on Sunday, as he drove to victories in eliminations against Will Smith, Gainesville winner Josh Hart and Shawn Langdon. It set up a marquee matchup against Ashley, who posted three straight reaction times of .025 leading to the final. Stewart was .047 in the championship round and quickly tracked down Ashley on his standout run, getting the win a year after finishing as the Winternationals runner-up, this time during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. “I’ve been [in NHRA] for five years now and following Leah around and being a part of it, but it doesn’t take long to realize how special Pomona is in drag racing, and how much it means to everybody,” Stewart said. “To be able to come here, and especially on an anniversary or for NHRA, you couldn’t ask for a better scenario for me. The only thing that would have made it better is if we met Leah in the finals. But for Matt to win is the 1,000th Funny Car win here, and to be here on NHRA 75th anniversary, and win here at the Winternationals, that is huge. “I literally told [team owner] Richard Freeman and Royce Freeman on Friday, and individually, ‘Listen. 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 and I promise you that all the ingredients are here. You can see it. I’ve been a part of enough programs to know when it’s right and I don’t know when it’s going to click and come together, but I’m telling you all the stuff that you need to be successful is right here right now.’ I had no idea in 48 hours that it was going to come together.” Ashley advanced to the final round for the first time this season and the 33rd in his career thanks to round wins against Maddi Gordon, No. 1 qualifier Leah Pruett and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, who leaves Pomona as the points leader. In Pro Stock, six-time world champion Greg Anderson continued to rule the class at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, as he won for a record-tying 17th time at the historic facility, holding off KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.505 at 209.88 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It is the 113th career win for Anderson, who qualified No. 1 and ran the quickest in every round of eliminations. He dipped into the 6.40s in the first three rounds en route to wins against Kenny Delco, Matt Latino and Greg Stanfield. That set up a third straight final round against Glenn at Pomona dating back to the 2024 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals and Anderson stayed perfect in that regard, chasing down Glenn at the finish line. Glenn was .003 on the starting line, but Anderson was a solid .018 and tied John Force for the most wins in NHRA history at the legendary track. He’s also now won the Winternationals eight times, which ties him with Bob Glidden for the most in Pro Stock history, as the veteran continues to perform at an extremely high level. “I came to the racetrack today with a lot of confidence. I felt good. I knew I was going to have a great hot rod. It’s been great all weekend,” Anderson said. “It just absolutely loves this racetrack. It’s a blast to drive this car. We had a great weekend as a team; from top to bottom, the KB Titan team was very, very impressive, but that meant it was going to be really hard for me to find a way to win on Sunday, but we did it. “When you race Dallas, you’ve got to be perfect and I really didn’t make any big errors today, and the car was flawless. It really doesn’t matter how much you win by as long as that win light comes on, especially against Dallas because he’s riding the wave right now. He’s got confidence. I’m so damn happy he’s on my race team and I don’t have to hate the kid, I love the kid, and it’s a blast to race him, and it’s an honor.” Glenn stayed in the points lead in advancing to his second straight final round and 23rd in his career after defeating Gainesville winner Matt Hartford, Eric Latino and teammate Dave Connolly. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action April 24-26 with the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. The post Hagan Wins 1,000th NHRA Funny Car Race; Stewart and Anderson Also Get Victories at Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

KTM launched its new 450 RC in China, and it looks like it could top the class in terms of specs. But it's unlikely to make its way to the US.View the full article

Sometimes, it's all down to how a bike makes you feel when you ride it, and the Triumph Tracker 400 feels pretty amazing in the saddle. Here's how our first ride review went.View the full article

The OGs Get One Last RunAfter raising prices on existing Model S and Model X inventory, Tesla is reportedly offering a final Signature Series for the two outgoing EVs through an invite-only program. According to reports shared by Sawyer Merritt on X, the EV maker plans to build 250 Signature Model S units and 100 Signature Model X units, with the latter available only in a six-seat configuration, as a proper send-off before the Fremont line that built the nameplates is converted for Optimus humanoid robot production. The Signature models won’t come cheap. Both the Model S and Model X Signature are reportedly priced from around $159,000 (excluding destination fees), with the delivery expected to begin around May 2026. These final editions do feature a few distinguishing touches over the standard versions, though they do not appear to introduce any major updates beyond exclusive styling. Hey everyone, was a bit busy today, but I got a chance to speak with a couple customers who were offered a @Tesla Model S and Model X Signature Edition, the final versions of the Model S/X that will ever be produced. Here's all the info: Model X Signature Edition: • Price:… pic.twitter.com/rmqvDIYfqm — Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 12, 2026 Dressed for DepartureThe exterior is finished in Garnet Red paint, with the Model S Signature also receiving color-matched door handles. Contrasting gold accents appear on the Tesla logo and badging, including the Plaid script, which denotes the performance-focused trim. The carbon-ceramic brakes also feature gold calipers, though the Model X Signature gets red ones instead. Inside, the cabin comes with a white interior, Signature dash badging with a unique numbered plaque, and gold Plaid seat badges. Given the Plaid badging, both the Model S and Model X Signature editions are expected to feature a tri-motor setup producing 1,020 horsepower and sending power to all four wheels. The Model S Signature rides on 21-inch wheels, while the Model X Signature gets 22-inch wheels. In addition, these limited-run models come with the Luxe Package, which includes a four-year protection plan, free Supercharging, and Premium Connectivity. Sawyer Merritt/X The Future Moves OnReports also state that Tesla is planning a final send-off event for the Model S and Model X in May, said to take place “at sunset.” While the two may not remain in the lineup, they leave behind a significant legacy in the automotive industry as models that helped push the boundaries of what electric vehicles could do, beginning in the 2010s. More affordable alternatives, the Model 3 and Model Y, will remain on sale, while Tesla also pushes ahead with Optimus and its robotaxi plans centered on the two-seat Cybercab. Sawyer Merritt/X View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

Wil Ruprecht dominated rounds three and four of the 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore at Dungog, while E1 produced breakthrough wins for Ryan Hayward and Jeremy Carpentier across a demanding weekend in New South Wales. The post Ruprecht sweeps Dungog as AEC class battles intensify appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

There was a degree of validation attached to winning the Food City 500 on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway for Ty Gibbs, crew chief Tyler Allen and team owner and grandfather Coach Joe Gibbs. That last title is especially relevant. One thing that has been uncovered since Joe Gibbs Racing sued former competition director Chris Gabehart in February is a conviction from the defendant that Coach ...Keep readingView the full article

Jonathan Hassler was introduced to the Kobayashi Maru test on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. For those who are not fans of Star Trek, this is basically a no-win scenario exercise that basically just tests your decision-making prowess when presented with two options that were not going to produce a victory. Now, to be fair to the test, Ryan Blaney nearly drove the Penske No. 12 car back to ...Keep readingView the full article

Josep Garcia left Sicily with the EnduroGP lead after winning day one and backing it up with a day-two podium, while Brad Freeman, Andrea Verona and Steve Holcombe all gave the opener added bite. Full EnduroGP, class and support-category reports, plus results and updated championship standings from Custonaci. The post EnduroGP of Italy | Garcia leads Sicily opener as Freeman shines on Sunday appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

After 500 laps of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney has moved closer to the points lead, now 62 markers behind Tyler Reddick, who has led the standings all year. After earning his first career win, Ty Gibbs has jumped up to fourth in the standings. After a mid-race crash, Shane van Gisbergen has fallen to the Chase cut line, and is just one-point clear of Chase Briscoe. The ...Keep readingView the full article

Lucas Coenen and Simon Längenfelder topped the premier classes at Riola Sardo, while the support categories also produced major movement in the points. Full MXGP, MX2, EMX250 and EMX125 reports, results and updated championship standings from the MXGP of Sardegna. The post MXGP of Sardegna 2026 | MXGP, MX2, EMX250 and EMX125 results, reports and standings appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Ty Gibbs became the 207th different driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, beating Ryan Blaney in a 0.055s photo finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was the closest Cup finish at Bristol in 35 years. Blaney had to settle for second while Kyle Larson, who won both stages and led 284 of 500 laps, finished third. Championship leader Tyler Reddick was fourth, and Chase Briscoe was fifth. Todd ...Keep readingView the full article

Making his 131st career start in the NASCAR Cup Series, Ty Gibbs earned his first career win in a wild overtime finish. Kyle Larson won both stages and Ryan Blaney had the fastest car in the end, but they had to settle for second and third, respectively. Both chose to pit for fresh tires in the closing laps, while Gibbs rolled the dice and stayed out. Blaney ran side-by-side with Gibbs ...Keep readingView the full article