What is it about Pro Modifieds that seems to have set the drag racing world on fire? Could it be their 4,000-horsepower engines with minimal restrictions? Record ETs in the 3.40s on an eighth-mile track? What about the body styles that are easily identifiable by make and model? The drivers with standout personalities? And without a doubt, those massive payouts are enticing, too.

“Pro Mod racing has become very popular due to its competitive nature,” observed Tyler Crossnoe, series director of PDRA Drag Racing Series, Fredericksburg, Virginia. “Years ago, there were the ‘favorites’ who you kind of knew would win before the race ever started. Now, you have 75-plus cars in the country that could win any event they attend. The competitive nature has driven it to be one of the hardest classes to compete in, but one of the most exciting.”

Pro Mod racing “keeps getting bigger,” observed Keith Haney, owner and promoter of the Mid-West Drag Racing Series in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and driver of a 2025 C7 Corvette Pro Mod named Black Widow. He said more people are joining the class’s ranks due to its “characters” and the fact that the cars “look like cars you drive and buy on Monday.”

He credits the popularity of Street Outlaws drivers and their transition to Pro Mods. “Everyone wants to be in Pro Mod. If you ask a top sportsman guy, which is where I started, I wanted to run Pro Mod. And now I’m running Pro Mod.”

Competitors from Street Outlaws are definitely making a statement in the Pro Mod ranks. Shawn Ellington, also known as “Murder Nova,” drives a 1969 Camaro Pro Mod named Blue. He described the class as “relatable to people because they’re door cars. And you don’t get a faster door car than a Pro Mod. They still sort of look like a real car. Yeah, they may be a little bit narrowed, and a little bit stretched, but other than that, you can look at a 1969 Camaro and go, ‘Okay, that’s a ’69 Camaro.’ It still looks like a real car. And just the excitement around them. I mean, who doesn’t like the fastest door cars in the country? Wheels up at 660 feet. That’s what all the hype and all the excitement are about. And cars that have the ability to go sub .890 to the 60 foot is just unbelievable.

“Then there’s the fact that somebody from where I came from can jump in one of those cars and go out and rub elbows with the baddest dudes on the planet. I got into it because I wanted to prove that I belong. Every time I go somewhere, I may even have a small chip on my shoulder. But I feel like every time we unload that car and every time I let go of the button on that car, I’ve got something to prove. And that’s what I’m trying to do is prove it,” he added.

Pro Mod is “exciting just because of what the cars are and how fast they go,” said fellow Street Outlaws alumni Scott Taylor. He drives the 1969 Camaro Pro Mod known as Chee Doe, a nod to his car’s sponsor, Keith’s Superstores, and its cheetah logo. “It’s not just a pass that goes down through there and lights a number on the board. It is wild from start to finish. I mean, you take 4,000-plus horsepower and stick it in a door car. To me, it doesn’t get any more exciting than that. The fans go wild when the Pro Mods run. Heck, when we start up a Pro Mod, it just gives you that feeling that it’s time to go racing.”

Why Pro Mod

Signs of the racing off-season being in full swing were evident when the motorsports community gathered at the PRI Show recently in December. Many teams are putting the finishing touches on their race cars for the 2026 season. But that’s not the case for Pro Mod. This class is currently in high season with the Drag Illustrated Winter Series, which is a three-race series consisting of the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, which took place in December, followed by the US Street Nationals in January, and concluding with the World Series of Pro Mod at the end of February, all at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida. This coveted eighth-mile invitation-only event filled the staging lanes with 90 of the country’s, or possibly the world’s, best Pro Mod race cars as they compete for more than $300,000 in payouts, and a historic opportunity to earn a $1 million bonus if the same driver wins all three races.

Several of our sources pointed to one main reason for the rising popularity of Pro Mod drag racing: Wes Buck.

“Wes Buck has done a really good job bringing some light to what I feel is one of the best classes in the world,” said Taylor. “He’s just exposed how awesome it is.”

As owner and operator of Drag Illustrated and the Drag Illustrated Winter Series, Buck’s personal drag racing passion is Pro Modified, he admitted. As a result, in 2017 he and his team held their first Drag Illustrated-produced event at Bandimere Speedway in Colorado. The invitational format of the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod was designed to “control the cast of characters and make sure that we had the right people involved with what we were doing,” Buck explained. “We also introduced the notion of big racing, where we put up $100,000 to win. This was absolutely unheard of. The biggest Pro Mod races in the country at that time were paying $7,000 to $10,000 to win. We basically introduced this invitational format, big money, crazy, over-the-top, pomp and circumstance, a level of production value that the sport of drag racing hadn’t previously seen.”

When the pandemic struck in 2020, it put a halt to the event, which allowed Buck and his team to pause and reimagine.

To read the full article, plus hundreds of other articles like it, for free, sign up for a digital subscription to PRI Magazine on Zinio here.    

Once you download the Zinio mobile app or are logged into Zinio on a desktop browser, you will gain immediate access to more than a year's worth of content, including "The Power Behind Pro Mod Mania " here and additional coverage in the January/February 2026 issue here. 

A recent shift in federal enforcement policy is bringing clarity to the motorsports and enthusiast communities: SEMA and PRI are applauding the Jan. 21 announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that it will exercise its enforcement discretion for Clean Air Act violations related to tampering with onboard diagnostic (OBD) devices on vehicles and no longer pursue criminal charges in such cases.

This announcement only reflects the enforcement discretion of the current administration. The statutes of limitation for such violations go beyond the term of any single president or administration, and future administrations may view such enforcement differently.

"This is a welcome end to overly harsh penalties for violations that are otherwise addressed through civil enforcement," said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. "SEMA/PRI believes in following the law, and federal law is clear with regard to tampering of emissions systems or profiting from the sales of products that enable such behavior. SEMA/PRI remains committed to working with federal regulators at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure our industry has a voice in the development of policies impacting compliance with federal and state laws with regards to emissions and safety, and creating a path for our industry to continue its innovation."

BACKGROUND

OBD tampering involves altering a vehicle's electronic systems or software, primarily to defeat emissions controls or commit mileage fraud, both of which are illegal under federal and state laws in the U.S.

Violators are subject to significant civil penalties (up to $37,500 for each part or component) and, until this announcement, even criminal prosecution, with the potential for prison terms.

SEMA has invested heavily through its SEMA Garage program to provide its members with pathways to navigate federal and state emissions.

The SEMA Certified Emissions (SC-E) program is a documented pathway for demonstrating that an aftermarket part doesn't increase the emissions of a vehicle on which it's installed. The program was designed around the guidance of the EPA's Tampering Policy as a means to offer aftermarket companies:

• An accelerated path to emissions compliance, allowing products to be legally sold in 49 states prior to receiving a California Air Resources Board (CARB) EO.
• Create an industry-wide standard for "reasonable basis."
• Create a centralized database for compliant products.
• Provide legitimacy to the claim "EPA compliant."
• Establish a path to compliance for certain products that are unable to receive a CARB EO.

For more information, visit sema.org.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock | Scharfsinn

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will honor the Unser family at its upcoming open test on February 17-18 at Phoenix Raceway.

The Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway will be open to all teams as they prepare for the series' return to the track on March 7 as part of a doubleheader weekend alongside NASCAR's national series. It will be the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at the 1.022-mile oval since 2018.

Cars will be on track Tuesday, February 17, and Wednesday, February 18. The Wednesday sessions will be open and free to the public, with an autograph session scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST/12:45 p.m. MST.

"The name Unser is synonymous with Phoenix Raceway," INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. "We're honored to salute this family's incredible accomplishments at their home track for this important Open Test, which sets the stage for INDYCAR's return to Phoenix in March. As a longtime fan of the sport, I also really appreciate that the logo for this special test features some familiar colors from cars driven by Al and Bobby, which I'm sure will bring back many great memories for our loyal fans."

Al Unser won a track-record six INDYCAR SERIES races at Phoenix since the track first started hosting series events in 1964. He also won six poles at the track as part of a career that included three series championships and four victories in the Indianapolis 500.

Bobby Unser took the checkered flag four times at Phoenix but powered to a track record 11 poles at the desert oval. He also won two series titles and three Indianapolis 500s.

Two-time series champion and two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. finished runner-up at Phoenix four times.

"I'll speak for our family and say how pleased we are to be honored in this way by INDYCAR," Al Unser Jr. said. "Dad simply loved racing at Phoenix, and no one took it to the edge in qualifying there quite like Uncle Bobby. It was exciting to see the track added to the schedule this year, and the Open Test will be crucial for drivers and teams as they get ready for the race in March. I can't wait to see the NTT INDYCAR SERIES back at Phoenix."

Live timing and scoring from both days of the Open Test will be provided on INDYCAR.com and the INDYCAR App. Fans unable to attend the test also can follow along on INDYCAR social channels.

For more information, visit indycar.com.

The ECR NTT INDYCAR SERIES team has announced new additions to its engineering department ahead of the 2026 season.

Continuing under the direction of Owner and Chairman Ted Gelov, Co-owner and driver Ed Carpenter and Team President Tim Broyles, ECR has added Derek Davidson as team manager to its competition management. Davidson was an accomplished USAC racer before beginning his INDYCAR career as a fabricator, mechanic and crew chief. With more than 20 years of experience, Davidson worked his way up through the ranks of race team operations and spent the last decade in team management roles before joining ECR's leadership.

After serving as race engineer for one of ECR's two entries and most recently as chief engineer, Matt Barnes will step into the role of vice president of competition. Barnes will oversee all aspects of the engineering department.

With Barnes assuming management of the engineering department, Quentin Montigaud has been promoted to race engineer of Alexander Rossi's No. 20 Chevrolet. He was most recently the performance engineer for the No. 20 car. Additionally, Pete Craik will remain race engineer of the No. 21, driven by Christian Rasmussen. Craik has led of one of ECR's two entries as race engineer for the past seven years.

ECR's engineering department gains additional depth with the addition of Robert Gue. A 23-year motorsports engineering veteran, Gue will lead development efforts for the team as senior project engineer.

ECR has also added Chase Campbell as the team's full-time strength and conditioning coach. Before joining ECR, Chase Campbell worked with collegiate and professional athletes for 10 years. He leads routine workouts for the No. 20 and No. 21 crews, as well as open lift sessions for all team members. Campbell also oversees daily pit stop practice for both crews and serves as the team's pit stop coach.

For more information, visit ecrindy.com.

The 35th consecutive season of the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) has revealed its schedule for 2026, including a mix of ASCS staples, new venues and returning favorites.

Thirty-five race dates have been confirmed on the new calendar, which begins at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 29–31, as part of the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals and concludes at Creek County Speedway, Oct. 16–17, in the 11th edition of Fuzzy's Fall Fling. The national 360 Sprint Car circuit will take drivers to 22 different tracks across 12 states in 10 months.

Drivers will vie for a slice of the $152,000 championship points fund, which awards $40,000 to the champion, $25,000 to the runner-up and $20,000 to third place. Dotted throughout the schedule are several special event purses, including five events with at least $10,000 to win and nine with a minimum $5,000 in store for the winner.

New venues include Texarkana 67 Speedway (AR), Worthington Speedway (MN), Viking Speedway (MN), Riverside International Speedway (AR), Gallatin Speedway (MT), Moberly Motorsports Park (MO) and RPM Speedway (TX).

See the full 2026 ASCS schedule below.

For more information, visit ascsracing.com.

Image courtesy of American Sprint Car Series/Emily Schwanke

The Small-Tire Pro Stock series will host a six-race schedule in 2026 for its second season.

The Small-Tire Pro Stock class will partner with the Nostalgia Drag Racing League for three of its six events during the 2026 season, which includes events at South Georgia Motorsports Park, World Wide Technology Raceway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and Darana Raceway.

"Small Tire Pro Stock is proud to partner with Nostalgia Drag Racing League for three events, and to be part of the programs at South Georgia Motorsports Park, World Wide Technology Raceway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and Darana Raceway for 2026," said Dwight Ausmus, Small Tire Pro Stock steering committee member and 2025 class champion. "The teams at these renowned racing venues are known for their hospitality and for hosting some of the most popular and well-run events in the country, and we are thrilled to be part of their shows."

See the full 2026 schedule below:

• March 19-21 – South Georgia Motorsports Park
• May 22-23 – World Wide Technology Raceway
• July 10-11 – Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
• September 11-12 – Darana Raceway
• October 23-25 – Luas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

For more information, click here.

Veteran sportscaster Allen Bestwick will serve as lead commentator for Trans Am Series broadcasts in 2026.

Bestwick made his Trans Am debut hosting a one-hour live broadcast of the series' pre-season test at Sebring International Raceway.

A native of Newport, Rhode Island, Bestwick's career in motorsports announcing began at the age of 16 at Seekonk Speedway, after which he became a play-by-play announcer for the Motor Racing Network. With more than 40 years of experience behind a microphone, Bestwick has covered many of the most prestigious events in sports, such as the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, US Open, Wimbledon and the British Open. In addition to his work in NASCAR on NBC, TNT and ESPN, he is one of the lead track announcers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bestwick has also served as play-by-play announcer for the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), in addition to doing work in college basketball and Professional Bull Riders broadcasts.

Bestwick will host broadcasts for 12 National Championship races each for the TA/GT classes and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. This season will also see the debut of the TA Sprint Championship, which will contest five 50-mile races at four venues, beginning at the Trans Am Series' Sebring season opener.

For more information, visit gotransam.com.

NASCAR presented team owner and motorsports innovator Jack Roush with the Bill France Award of Excellence, recognizing his decades-long impact on the sport and his ongoing commitment to competition, innovation and leadership at the highest level of stock car racing.

The Bill France Award of Excellence is NASCAR's most prestigious honor, reserved for individuals who have made significant, lasting positive contributions to the sport. Though the award was first given in 1953, it is not given annually, underscoring its prestige. With this recognition, Roush becomes the first individual to receive the Bill France Award of Excellence twice, adding to his previous honor in 2001.

"For decades, Jack Roush has helped move NASCAR forward while staying true to what makes the sport special," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France. "He has built championship-caliber teams and developed generations of drivers and leaders. Jack's legacy extends far beyond victories, leaving a mark throughout the sport and reflecting the enduring impact this award was created to honor."

Roush, inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019, founded Roush Racing, now Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, in 1988 and quickly established it as one of the sport's most influential organizations. His teams have earned multiple NASCAR national series championships and amassed 331 combined victories across NASCAR's three national series.

Known as "The Cat in the Hat," Roush gained a reputation for identifying and cultivating driving talent, including Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, and Greg Biffle. With a background in mathematics and engineering, his meticulous approach to competition and innovation has helped define the modern era of NASCAR. The honor also comes during the 50th anniversary of Roush Industries, marking five decades of technical excellence and leadership in motorsports and beyond.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Image courtesy of NASCAR.

Coca-Cola Consolidated, the nation's largest Coca-Cola bottler, today announced a multiyear partnership designating Coca-Cola as the official soft beverage and water sponsor of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Through the partnership, Coca-Cola Consolidated will serve as the official partner of the Indy 500 Red Carpet and will participate in multiple community activations, including Indy 500 Porch Parties and Bike to the 500.

"Coca-Cola Consolidated has been our neighbor and a part of the community for generations," INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. "Sharing a Coke with fellow race fans will once again be a Race Day tradition."

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coca-Cola Consolidated serves more than 13,700 businesses in Indiana and has more than 1,300 employees working in nine facilities across the state.

For more information, visit ims.com.

Paul Lee Racing has announced veteran tuner Jon Schaffer as its crew chief for the team's Nitro Funny Car entry in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Schaffer will lead the team alongside longtime consultant John Medlen and assistant crew chief Seth Randall.

Schaffer brings years of top-level nitro Funny Car experience to the team and will play a key role in continuing the momentum built during a standout 2025 campaign. Team owner and driver Paul Lee finished the season sixth in the NHRA Funny Car points standings, marking a career-best result, and captured his first career Funny Car victory at the Phoenix NHRA event.

"We're building on something special from last year," said Lee. "The momentum we created in 2025 gives us a strong foundation, and bringing Jon Schaffer on board is a fresh start that raises the bar for our entire program. Jon's talent, experience and approach fit perfectly with what John Medlen, Seth Randall and our team are building. I'm excited about where this can take us."

A longtime Paul Lee Racing crew member, Randall steps into the role of assistant crew chief, continuing his progression within the organization and adding continuity to the team's leadership structure.

For more information, visit mcleodracing.com.