- Ron Capps to Start Race Day from the Pole Position at NHRA Season Opener
- BROWN WINS RIGHT TRAILERS TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT IN FRONT OF SELLOUT CROWD AT GAINESVILLE
- SELLOUT CROWD TO OPEN NHRA'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
- JONATHAN ALLEGRUCCI RUNS TO GATORNATIONALS NO. 1 QUALIFIER
- NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES POWERED BY FUELTECH TO OPEN 2026 SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
- Ron Capps Leads Funny Car Field with Provisional Pole at Season-Opening NHRA Gatornationals
- HART GRABS GATORS PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFIER
Motorcycle Drag Racer Dystany Spurlock Aims for Historic NASCAR ARCA Series Bid
As she continues her pursuit of stock car racing’s highest levels, Spurlock would become the first Black woman to compete in NASCAR’s top feeder series
DETROIT — Professional motorcycle drag racer Dystany Spurlock is beginning the journey to fulfill a lifelong dream of racing in NASCAR’s 
Cup Series, taking the first steps on that path as she prepares to compete in the ARCA Menards Series during the 2026 season.
Instead of a one-time debut, Spurlock will take a step-by-step approach, starting with late model racing and, once approved by NASCAR’s competition committee, entering ARCA competition as she pursues stock car racing’s highest stage. Each phase brings her closer to a season-long campaign in NASCAR’s top feeder series, where she’ll compete against experienced racers at some of the sport’s toughest and most iconic tracks.
Her journey starts at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina, where Spurlock will compete in a late model series to gain valuable seat time on paved ovals. She then plans to enter the ARCA Menards Series East event at Hickory in late March, a critical step toward national-level competition, with the goal of advancing into a spring ARCA Menards Series national event and racing regularly throughout the season. Continue reading
HUGE LIST OF LEGENDS SET TO APPEAR AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
List includes Bernstein, Garlits, Muldowney, Prudhomme, Amato, Gwynn and Frey to open NHRA’s milestone 75th anniversary season
GAINESVILLE, FL – An incredible list of NHRA legends will help kick off NHRA’s 75th anniversary season, as some of the biggest names in 
NHRA history will be appearing at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 5-8 at famed Gainesville Raceway.
Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato, Darrell Gwynn and Bob Frey are all slated to appear in Gainesville, a spectacular contingent of NHRA legends to open the milestone year in style.
Throughout the weekend, fans will have the chance to meet and interact with each legend, who each played instrumental and iconic roles in NHRA’s 75-year history. A full list of weekend appearances by the impressive group of legends will be released soon, while a comprehensive list of legends appearing at all 20 national events will be released in the coming weeks.
In Gainesville, it won’t get much bigger than the seven scheduled to appear to ring in NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.
$25,000 Wild Card Shootout Added to World Series of Pro Mod
BRADENTON, FL – Drag Illustrated has announced the addition of the $25,000 Winter Series Wild Card Shootout to the Drag Illustrated 
World Series of Pro Mod, further expanding race-day opportunities and reinforcing the Winter Series’ commitment to delivering the most competitive and inclusive Pro Modified program in drag racing.
The new Wild Card Shootout will feature qualifiers 33 through 64, paying $15,000 to win and contested over five full rounds of eliminations on race day at Bradenton Motorsports Park. In addition to the winner’s payout, the Wild Card Shootout will pay $5,000 to the runner-up and $2,500 to the semifinalists, offering $25,000 in total payouts.
The program replaces the Chicago-style shootout format previously utilized at WSOPM and represents a significant evolution in how Drag Illustrated approaches race-day competition. Continue reading
Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster
BROWNSBURG, IN – The Shawn Reed Racing Top Fuel team will run the full 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule with 
Shawn Reed and Ida Zetterström sharing driving duties of the Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster throughout the season, it was announced today. Reed will scale back from full-time touring and compete on a limited basis to devote more time to his business, while Zetterström, a multi-time European drag racing champion, will serve as the team’s fill-in driver in his absence.
Reed, who scored his first NHRA Top Fuel victory in 2025, will open the season at the NHRA Gatornationals where he will also compete in the NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. The event-by-event driver schedule for the remaining 19 races will be announced at a later date.
“Last year was one for the books, that’s for sure,” Reed said. “Started with the PRO Shootout win. Obviously, Seattle was not ideal, but we came back bigger and badder than ever. We went out, won the IHRA race in Ohio, the first NHRA Countdown race in Reading (Pa.), continued to qualify well, and ended up finishing the year ranked eighth, a personal-best for me. Continue reading
FAMED MARCH MEET SET FOR HISTORIC 68th INSTALLMENT MARCH 5-8
BAKERSFIELD ,CA – One of the most iconic and significant drag racing events in the country, the Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet, 
will return to Famoso Dragstrip, March 5-8, 2026. The 68th edition will feature Heritage Series and Nitro categories as well as a car show, swap meet and vendor row. While the NHRA celebrates its 75th year of professional drag racing the March Meet will continue to highlight the impressive past performers and nostalgic race cars that built the sport that is celebrated and enjoyed by millions today. Tickets are on sale now with single day and multi-day tickets available. A full list of competitors will be available on the coming weeks.
“When you look at the stars and cars of today’s NHRA you have to acknowledge what has happened at the March Meet over the past nearly 70 years,” said Blake Bowser, March Meet promoter. “Our event is the closest thing to a time machine for long time fans as well as new fans looking for a cool experience with amazing looking vehicles. I don’t think there is another sport that showcases its past better than the March Meet. The nostalgia cars on the track look almost identical to their predecessors and in some cases, fans are seeing the original race car burn out and fly down Famoso Dragstrip.” Continue reading
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR NHRA’S DEBUT AT U.S. 131 MOTORSPORTS PARK AND ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY
Tickets also available for NHRA’s first-time appearances at South Georgia Motorsports Park and Maryland International Raceway
INDIANAPOLIS – Tickets are now on sale for the first two races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, as the NHRA 
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series prepares for its full national-event debuts at both U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway.
The inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals in Martin, Mich., takes place Sept. 18-20 to open the six-race playoffs, while the NHRA Nationals at The Rock takes place a week later, Sept. 25-27, in Rockingham. With heavy demand and ample excitement for NHRA’s debut at the two facilities during its 75th anniversary season, fans are encouraged to get their tickets early to a pair of must-see events.
To purchase tickets, fans can visit www.nhra.com/tickets.
Tickets are also on sale for two other tracks making their NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series debuts in 2026, with the return of the NHRA Southern Nationals taking place at South Georgia Motorsports Park on May 1-3 for the first time and the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals following on May 29-31 at Maryland International Raceway.
Combined, NHRA will hold races at four new national event facilities during the 2026 campaign, further displaying NHRA’s growth during the milestone 75th season that includes a premier list of national event tracks in 19 markets across the country. Continue reading
CompetitionPlus Mourns the Loss of Chris Haverly
SPARTANBURG, SC – CompetitionPlus is mourning the loss of staff member Chris Haverly, who was killed Tuesday in a single-car accident 
in Wytheville, Virginia.
“Chris and I came up the ranks under the mentorship of the late Dave Bishop, who welcomed us in as kids and taught us more than how to be journalists but good people,” said
CompetitionPlus.com Editor/Publisher Bobby Bennett. “Chris was a kind and gentle soul and always did what it took to help us bring the readers of CompetitionPlus.com the best photography. He was one of the most selfless people I ever met. My heart is broken.”
Haverly was deeply rooted in drag racing and widely respected as a photographer for his tireless work and welcoming presence in the pits. Beyond the race track, he dedicated much of his life to rescuing animals—transporting dogs and cats from high-risk shelters to rescues, fostering animals in his home, and helping families keep their pets during difficult times. Continue reading
NHRA TO HONOR ICONIC JOHN FORCE IN 2027 WITH “50 YEARS OF FORCE” CELEBRATION FOLLOWING 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
INDIANAPOLIS – Even as NHRA prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary season in 2026 and highlight some of the sport’s biggest legends, 
the 2027 season is already shaping up for another year-long epic celebration with one of motorsports’ most iconic figures.
NHRA announced today that the 2027 season will honor the sport’s winningest star, legendary 16-time Funny Car world champion John Force, with a year-long “50 Years of Force” celebration at each stop on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour.
To be part of “50 Years of Force,” fans can renew their tickets onsite for a 2027 race throughout the upcoming 75th anniversary year in 2026, which features 20 races across the country. Fans who renew their tickets onsite will also receive a special commemorative 16-time championship ring honoring the Hall of Fame legend.
“John Force is a true icon in motorsports and a name synonymous with NHRA Drag Racing, and celebrating ’50 Years of Force’ in 2027 will be a tribute to one of the most influential figures our sport has ever seen,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “Coming off what’s going to be an absolutely huge year in 2026 with our 75th anniversary, we encourage all of our fans to renew their tickets for 2027 to be part of this unforgettable celebration. Continue reading
SPEEDMASTER SIGNS MULT-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH JOHN FORCE RACING AS CO-PRIMARY SPONSOR OF JOSH HART’S TOP FUEL DRAGSTER
Global leader in high-performance automotive parts will also serve as an associate sponsor for JFR’s three Funny Car teams
BROWNSBURG, IN – John Force Racing (www.johnforceracing.com) and Speedmaster (www.speedmaster79.com) have reached agreement 
on a multi-year partnership for the global leader in high-performance automotive parts and motorsports culture to serve as the co-primary sponsor, with Burnyzz Speed Shop, of the Top Fuel Dragster team driven by Josh Hart in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Hart and the Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster team will make their debut at the NHRA’s 75th anniversary season-opening AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway on March 5-8.
The partnership also includes associate sponsorship of all three of the 24-time championship organization’s Funny Car teams with drivers Jack Beckman, Alexis DeJoria and Jordan Vandergriff.
“Speedmaster has always admired what John Force Racing represents, an unmatched legacy built on performance, resilience, and winning at the highest level,” said Speedmaster CEO Jason Kencevski. “Becoming part of that legacy through a multi-year partnership is a proud moment for us. Having Josh Hart behind the wheel representing Speedmaster and Burnyzz is incredibly exciting. Continue reading
B.R.A.K.E.S. Lifesaving Teen Driver Training Program Receives $10,000 Donation From Nationwide
CONCORD, NC – The B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) lifesaving national teen driver training program today 
announces that it has received a $10,000 donation from Nationwide.
The announcement follows last week’s launch of Nationwide’s campaign with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to promote the Nationwide Focused Driving Rewards® program, which incentivizes drivers to earn points for distraction-free driving and then redeem them for gift cards.
The Nationwide Focused Driving Rewards® multimedia campaign was filmed at zMAX Dragway. It features a Charlotte-area parent and teen duo maneuvering a distraction course designed by B.R.A.K.E.S., while following direction from NASCAR Hall of Famer Earnhardt. Distracted driver awareness is one of five exercises that teens must complete to earn a B.R.A.K.E.S. training certificate.
“We are deeply appreciative of this generous donation by Nationwide, which will help our non-profit fund more training programs across the country,” said B.R.A.K.E.S. Founder Doug Herbert. “It’s an honor to work with Nationwide and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on this truly impactful teen driver safety initiative.” Continue reading
