For the Adventure – Laura Vanderhoof and Leslie Davis Will Pilot the Sick BBQ / Hot Dog / Ice Cream Truck on This Year’s Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

For the Adventure – Laura Vanderhoof and Leslie Davis Will Pilot the Sick BBQ / Hot Dog / Ice Cream Truck on This Year’s Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks

It’s become about as much of a staple at Sick The Magazine events as the familiar faces you see on our staff. But the Sick BBQ – Hot Dog – Ice Cream truck that started as a way to keep competitors fed at each track day, has also expanded into a new chapter: living the adventure pf a drag and drive and creating amazing memories for a two-person team.

When we put the call out for volunteers for Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks, the e-mails poured in. And there were a lot of good ones. After considering all the options, it was determined that Laura Vanderhoof and Leslie Davis would take control of the uniquely familiar step van packing hot rod rollers, ice cream coolers, and of course, a nitrous bottle.

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Braggin Rights Stick Shift Class Brings a Wide Variety of Serious Competitors to Next Week’s Speedfest Event at Beech Bend Raceway Park May 28-30th, 2026 – Who Will Emerge the Champion?
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Braggin Rights Stick Shift Class Brings a Wide Variety of Serious Competitors to Next Week’s Speedfest Event at Beech Bend Raceway Park May 28-30th, 2026 – Who Will Emerge the Champion?

The cars in the Braggin Rights' Stick Shift class at the Speedfest event, May 28-30th, 2026 at Beech Bend Raceway Park, promises to be a gear-banging exciting experience!

The inaugural Speedfest event, combines the class structures of Sick The Magazine, Street Car Takeover and Braggin Rights together for the first time.

Braggin Rights creator and promoter Nate Prater has showcased some great competition in multiple classes at his annual event Street Car Braggin Rights (SCBR), with Stick Shift class being one of the highlights.

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All New ‘Sick Sevens’ 7.50-Second Class Shapes Up for Speedfest Event at Beech Bend Raceway Park May 28-30th, 2026 – Who Will Take Home the Coveted Sick The Mag Orange Helmet and $5,000?
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

All New ‘Sick Sevens’ 7.50-Second Class Shapes Up for Speedfest Event at Beech Bend Raceway Park May 28-30th, 2026 – Who Will Take Home the Coveted Sick The Mag Orange Helmet and $5,000?

The fields are starting to shape for the inaugural Speedfest, taking place May 28th through the 30th, 2026 at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This unique event combines the class structures of Sick The Magazine, Street Car Takeover and Braggin Rights together for the first time.

One of the three Sick The Magazine classes on the quarter-mile format is the new Sick Sevens class (7.50 index). The number of cars built with a 7.50-second limited 25.5 SFI chassis / roll cage, as well as those that are close to that performance level, are getting a shot with this new class.

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All In the Family - Nick Taylor Scores Emotional First Win with PEAK Street Car Shootout Victory at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

All In the Family - Nick Taylor Scores Emotional First Win with PEAK Street Car Shootout Victory at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois

As part of a number of their national events each year, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) adds in a special class to showcase. For the last three years at Route 66 Raceway and the Route 66 NHRA Nationals, the NHRA has included the PEAK Street Car Shootout.

Showcasing some of the quickest rides in the drag and drive community, eight competitors were selected for the 2026 event, including the three former winners – Bryant Goldstone, David Schroeder and Tom Bailey – to battle it out for the chance to hold a unique NHRA ‘Wally’ trophy.

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Alex Taylor and David Schroeder Travel Route 66 (Raceway) in Six Seconds on Day One of the PEAK Performance Street Car Shootout at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

Alex Taylor and David Schroeder Travel Route 66 (Raceway) in Six Seconds on Day One of the PEAK Performance Street Car Shootout at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals

Once a year, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) visits Joliet, Illinois and Route 66 Raceway for their Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance.

Part of this event is the PEAK Street Car Shootout, showcasing some of the quickest rides in the drag and drive community, and for the four time in 2026, a select number of competitors were invited to make an appearance in Illinois to determine the champion.

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A First Time for Familiar Names - Alex Taylor, Steve Morris and Val Morris Lead the Winner List from the First Annual Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

A First Time for Familiar Names - Alex Taylor, Steve Morris and Val Morris Lead the Winner List from the First Annual Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!

The Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn, presented by Summit Racing Equipment and powered by Sick The Magazine, closed the book on its first chapter.

Combining two days of testing that also featured the unique Mickey Thompson ‘try and buy’ tire program, with a three-day format drag and drive, the Turn & Burn event had the racing action take place at the legendary Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Ohio.

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Power Couples – It’s a 6-Second 200 MPH day for Nick and Alex Taylor, Along with Steve and Val Morris, to Lead the Day One Results of the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!!
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

Power Couples – It’s a 6-Second 200 MPH day for Nick and Alex Taylor, Along with Steve and Val Morris, to Lead the Day One Results of the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!!

After a couple days of testing at the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn at Summit Motorsports Park, the drag and drive portion of the event got underway on Thursday.

By the end of the day’s racing action, five cars would collect 6-second time slips, before heading out for the street portion of the day’s activities, as well as a pair of checkpoints. And for the racers that got them, they got to share them with family members on site.

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Second Day of Testing at the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn Provides Big Numbers and Some Familiar Rides Hit Summit Motorsports Park to Prepare for Day One of the Drag and Drive Part of The Event!
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

Second Day of Testing at the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn Provides Big Numbers and Some Familiar Rides Hit Summit Motorsports Park to Prepare for Day One of the Drag and Drive Part of The Event!

It started as an idea to expand on Mickey Thompson’s ‘Try and Buy’ program that is done at select times across the US, and ultimately became the combination of tire testing and a first-time drag and drive event for Mickey Thompson and Summit Motorsports Park.

The Turn & Burn overcame Mother Nature’s wrath on Tuesday for a solid day of testing on Wednesday at the Norwalk, Ohio track, ground zero for the three day drag and drive that gets underway today.

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Former Sick Week Winner Gets a Big Boost, as Bill Spangler Returns to Drag and Drive at Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn in Ohio!
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Former Sick Week Winner Gets a Big Boost, as Bill Spangler Returns to Drag and Drive at Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn in Ohio!

As an experienced and successful racer in classes where consistency is key, it was no surprise to see Bill Spangler capture the Dial-Your-Own (DYO) class victory in his 1980 Ford Fairmont known as ‘FUB’ at the first Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022.

But now, after a stint away from drag and drive, Bill is ready to make his return to the street and strip action. But the familiar big block Ford combination under the cowl hood has stepped aside for a modern powerplant and a power adder as well.

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Big Block (Nicky) Bobby - the ‘Uncle Sam’ Camaro Gets a New Heart, and New Goals, for a Campaign Trail Starting at the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Big Block (Nicky) Bobby - the ‘Uncle Sam’ Camaro Gets a New Heart, and New Goals, for a Campaign Trail Starting at the Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn

When we first saw the ‘Uncle Sam’ 1991 Chevrolet Camaro, it looked like a patriotic Pro Stock ride that had been revived to begin a second chapter on the track, and on the street. Nick Taylor made the necessary changes to have it ready for the first Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022.

After completing that event with his first 6-second time slip thanks to a twin-turbo LS and a Powerglide combination, Nick has participated in a variety of drag and drive, no prep and drag racing events. And after both some success and some results that have fallen short of his goals, Nick makes some big changes to Uncle Sam for 2026.

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Building on a Trio of Solid Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks Finishes, Cameron Alley is Ready to Take an Orange Helmet Home From the Sick 8.50 Shootout Class at Speedfest This Month!
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Building on a Trio of Solid Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks Finishes, Cameron Alley is Ready to Take an Orange Helmet Home From the Sick 8.50 Shootout Class at Speedfest This Month!

Some of the toughest competition at the major drag and drive events can be in the Street Race / Limited Street 8.50-second based classes. Some of the more successful in the classes tell tales of testing and getting the data, especially for a variety of weather conditions to run the pass needed to be competitive.

Cameron Alley has been plugging away at the eight-and-a-half second game in drag and drive for a while, and his track record at the Motion Raceworks Sick Summer event reflects the hard work he’s done. Back-to-back second place finishes in 2023 and 2024 gave way to a class win in 2025, and Cameron is hungry for another helmet chance, with his first shot at this month’s Speedfest.

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Level Up – Jamie Doller Acquires a New Camaro Project, with Plans of a 6-Second Drag and Drive Ride On the ‘To-Do’ List!
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Level Up – Jamie Doller Acquires a New Camaro Project, with Plans of a 6-Second Drag and Drive Ride On the ‘To-Do’ List!

A familiar ride in the drag and drive community, Jamie Doller and his 1971 Chevrolet Camaro has participated in several events, capturing the class win in Rowdy Radial at the 2025 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.

But despite having lots of 4-second eighth-mile and mid 7-second quarter-mile performances, Jamie was ready to start collecting quicker and faster time slips. And although he considered cutting up his classic Camaro for a more extensive roll cage to allow for quicker than 7.50-second time slips, he found an alternative, and the ideas are already brewing.

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Cleetus and Team Reveal the Return of the Cheap Car Challenge to This Year’s Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks – New Rules, New Builds – Who Will Emerge the Champion?
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Cleetus and Team Reveal the Return of the Cheap Car Challenge to This Year’s Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks – New Rules, New Builds – Who Will Emerge the Champion?

After competing in the first three Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive events, with familiar cars like ‘Mullet’, ‘Ruby’ and ‘McFlurry’, Cleetus McFarland and crew switched things up for 2025 with their ‘Cheap Car Challenge’ for Sick Week 2025.

The premise was a $7500 budget for each two-person team, and with less than 48 hours to acquire a ride, each of the three teams was at South Georgia Motorsports Park for Sick Week Day Zero.

This time, the basic Cheap Car Challenge idea remains the same, but with a few more rules, and a new starting point: Sick Summer presented by Motion Raceworks. There’s a little more to the budget, more time to get the builds right, and possibly more than just bragging rights on the table.

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Iowa Iron – Tyler List’s Ford Pick-Up is More Than Meets the Eye!
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Iowa Iron – Tyler List’s Ford Pick-Up is More Than Meets the Eye!

At first glance, Tyler List’s 1971 Ford F100 doesn’t scream ‘twin turbo drag truck.’ With its weathered patina and modest stance, it looks more like something you’d see hauling scrap than chasing timeslips. But once the lights drop, this Iowa-built pickup speaks in turbocharged tones — and it has plenty to say. 

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The Unique Drag Racing Culture of Northern Michigan Dragway
Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam

The Unique Drag Racing Culture of Northern Michigan Dragway

Down a dirt road, among the trees, there’s a place to race.

Miles from the city lights, Northern Michigan Dragway has found its way into the hearts of those who yearn for a simpler way to worship acceleration.

The Ledford family has been running Northern Michigan for over 50 years. What was once a subsistence farm was turned into a drag strip in 1970, capitalizing on the mainstream popularity the sport was enjoying at the time. 

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Get Your Own Tire Crew Chief at Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!
Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam

Get Your Own Tire Crew Chief at Mickey Thompson Turn & Burn!

Buying parts that increase your horsepower is a surefire way to lower elapsed times, but what about optimizing what you already have?

Car setup can seem to be a dark art, influenced heavily by opinion. Practical experience, however, is unbeatable. There’s no-one better to offer experience than people who watch thousands and thousands of passes in any given year.

Mickey Thompson’s Turn & Burn event at Summit Motorsports Park on March 5-9, 2026 is going to be a unique opportunity for those of us who can’t afford a full-time crew chief.

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Baber Scores Two Class Titles, Whitaker Backs Up 2025 Victory, and King Claims Richest Lil Gangsta’s Win as Street Car Bragging Rights Crowns Sixteen Class Winners at Rockingham Dragway!
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

Baber Scores Two Class Titles, Whitaker Backs Up 2025 Victory, and King Claims Richest Lil Gangsta’s Win as Street Car Bragging Rights Crowns Sixteen Class Winners at Rockingham Dragway!

Created in 2022 to give street cars an event in the southeast area to participate in, Street Car Braggin Rights (SCBR) has since evolved into a multi-day event with a combination of street car-based classes, as well as pure race classes.

The event returned to Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina for the second year in 2026, and after three days of qualifying and two days of eliminations, champions were crowned in sixteen classes.

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Davis, Whitaker and Cataline Land Top Qualifier Spots, Stefanski Bounces Back from a Cracked Frame, and Several Personal Bests Recorded as Qualifying Wraps Up at Street Car Bragging Rights!
Event Coverage Derek Putnam Event Coverage Derek Putnam

Davis, Whitaker and Cataline Land Top Qualifier Spots, Stefanski Bounces Back from a Cracked Frame, and Several Personal Bests Recorded as Qualifying Wraps Up at Street Car Bragging Rights!

With three days of racing in the books, the fifth edition of the Street Car Braggin Rights (SCBR) is primed and ready for final eliminations today, with three days of qualifying completed.

Despite the warmer than normal temperatures, along with a near 130-degree track surface at times, some competitors have overcome setbacks, while others have posted personal bests, in fifteen classes being contested at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina.

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Second Verse is Better Than the First – Tor Nupen Rebounds from First Sick Week Outing to Power ’68 Chevelle Through the 2027 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive
Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Second Verse is Better Than the First – Tor Nupen Rebounds from First Sick Week Outing to Power ’68 Chevelle Through the 2027 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive

Drag and drive events can be a rewarding experience, as the chance to meet, race and cruise with hundreds of fellow enthusiasts has grown to nearly 50 opportunities each year for the last two seasons.

But the track and street can also find a vehicle’s weak spots, and this means a number of first timers could fail to complete the event. Tor Nupen suffered this fate at his first drag and drive event, the 2025 edition of Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.

But he used it as motivation to better his 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle for a return appearance to Sick Week this year, with his son in the co-pilot seat.

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