The Stick Shift Record Continues to Be Re-Written – Sean Madden Set New Eighth-Mile Mark with a 4.21 at 174 MPH in ‘Django’ Corvette at US60 Dragway!
Unlike a lot of the classes and categories we witness on hundreds of tracks around the world, the Stick Shift contingent is usually governed by one rule: a manual transmission in the transmission tunnel.
In some cases, including the popular Outlaw Stick Shift ranks, the stick shift is regulated to a clutch activated H-pattern design shifter, a 10.5-inch width rear tire, no full tube chassis, and no big block engine platforms. No fuel regulations, no weight limits. Just see who can shift their way to the finish line first.
Just a week ago, Joel Grannas broke the H-pattern Stick Shift record that has stood for two years, wheeling his 2JZ-powered Mustang to a 6.490 at 222 mph pass. One week later, Sean Madden added his name to the Stick Shift record book in Kentucky.
The Two-For-One – After Two Years Of Planning, Brian Acton Makes the Change from Proven Turbocharged LS Combo to a Naturally-Aspirated Big Block Chevrolet For Hot Rod Drag Week!
The Street Race / Limited Street / 8.50-second based classes are among the most popular at drag and drive events, and there have been some familiar rides, and drivers, since the concept got its rule set at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2012.
When it comes to people that have mastered the category, Brian Acton and Jay Blanchard are in the top of the class. With multiple wins to their credit, including two Sick The Mag orange helmets from Gear Vendors Overdrive Sick Week, another from the Motion Raceworks Sick Summer, and three straight wins at The Circuit, Acton and Blanchard continue to be top contenders.
But recently, news broke that no one was expecting: the ’70 Chevrolet Nova was changing engines for Hot Rod Drag Week 2026, and going from turbocharged LS to naturally aspirated big block! We needed the details, and between Acton and Blanchard, details emerged, as well as some testing results to prepare for Drag Week.
Route Revealed for Edelbrock Sick 66, and You Can Be a Part Of It
The official route for Edelbrock Sick 66 has been revealed! A total of 1444 miles, tracing Route 66, will make for the ultimate 100th anniversary celebration of the Mother Road.
The Road Less Traveled in Michigan - an Inside Look on Aydan Bailey Forging a New Path to Successfully Defend His Title at the 2026 Sick Michigan Miles Presented by Driven Racing Oil!
One year ago, the usually quiet and reserved Aydan Bailey had a smile on his face during the award ceremony of the first Sick Michigan Miles presented by Driven Racing Oil. After a solid week of battling with Evan Uerkwitz, Aydan emerged with his first class title, as well as his first overall win, in five years of drag and drive competition.
But when the ’57 Chevy wagon known as ‘The Deuce Box’ returned to home base after that event, Aydan knew the engine was the limiting factor to pursuing the goals of a 4-second eighth-mile pass, and 7-second performances on the full quarter-mile distance. One year later, and several nights with not much sleep, Aydan emerged with his second-straight victory from Sick Michigan Miles.
Want to Race Your Street Car in Las Vegas? A New Level of “Street” Could Be in the Works for the Street Car Super Nationals, and Sick The Magazine Needs Your Help!
Many race series and classes that include ‘street’ in the name did start with either a car that could’ve been a streetable car, or a car that could pass for a streetable looking car. And although some of them have moved into a pure race car class, Tom Bailey and Sick The Magazine are looking into bringing the ‘street’ back to the popular Street Car Super Nationals (SCSN) event.
Bailey and SCSN promoter Mel Roth recently discussed adding a class to this year’s event, being held November 19th-22nd, 2026 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, that encapsulates the drag and drive vibe – and we need to hear if you’re interested!
The Stick Shift World Record Is Reset After Two Years – Joel Grannas Clocks 6.49 Pass in New 2JZ-Powered Fox Mustang Build During Test Session at Bradenton Motorsports Park!
The increasingly hot topic in racing the past few years has been stick shift cars, and although there are several classes with strict rules, the one that has gotten the majority of the attention is the Outlaw Stick Shift contingent.
With minimal rules based around the use of a H-pattern manual transmission, and in most cases, a foot-activated clutch, 28-inch tall x 10.5-inch width tires, the elapsed times started falling a few years back, where 6-second runs started to become a little more commonplace.
One of the veterans of the Outlaw Stick Shift wars is Joel Grannas, who got his Mark IV Supra down to a 6.63 at 212 mph pass during The Reunion event at Bradenton Motorsports Park (BMP) in early 2025. Recently, Grannas returned to BMP with a new ride, and made a big statement in the stick shift world.
The Fight to the Finish – Aydan Bailey Wheelies His Way to Overall Win on an Unpredictable Final Day of the Driven Racing Oil Sick Michigan Miles!
It was so good, we had to bring it back for a second helping – Sick Michigan Miles presented by Driven Racing Oil returned to the land of ten thousand lakes for an epic seven days in Michigan.
To keep things fresh, the Sick The Mag added a new track, new routes, and new checkpoints from the first edition of the event. The competitor list expanded to 223 entries on Day One, and after five days, a couple hundred rides returned to Mid Michigan Motorplex to say “we completed Sick Michigan Miles,” finalize their averages, and crown winners.
A Wild Day Two of the Driven Racing Oil Sick Michigan Miles At Northern Michigan Dragway Brings Lead Changes, Thrashes, and Some New Category Frontrunners!
Following a record-setting Day One of Sick Michigan Miles at Mid Michigan Motorplex, over 200 competitors and a couple hundred Sick Warders rolled over 200 miles on their odometers to reach Kaleva, Michigan and Northern Michigan Dragway.
Regarded by many as a hidden treasure of a track with tons of acreage with dozens of bracket cars scattered in the tree-covered pit areas, Northern Michigan Dragway would play host to the second day of racing action, and action there was!
Nothing ‘Mid’ About Day One at Sick Michigan Miles Presented by Driven Racing Oil, as Some of the Quickest Performances in Event History Are Delivered at Mid Michigan Motorplex!
One year ago, Tom Bailey’s idea of showcasing his home state of Michigan came to fruition with the first Sick Michigan Miles presented by Driven Racing Oil. Despite our best efforts, Mother Nature rained down on Mid Michigan Motorplex, a track most competitors wanted to tackle.
One year, the Ledfords are getting their shot by hosting the second edition of Sick Michigan Miles, as well as the 223 competitors that made it through tech. After some hints that some solid performances could be in the works based on Day Zero runs, competitors and enthusiasts watching from the fenceline and grandstands were eager to see what the track held in store for Day One.
Chuck Marlatt Leads The Way in Sick Michigan Miles Testing
Sick Michigan Miles Presented By Driven Racing Oil is underway with tech and testing taking place today at Mid-Michigan Motorplex.
Melling Performance, a Family-Owned Michigan Business, Celebrates 80 Years in 2026 – Joins Sick The Magazine for Multiple Events, Including Sick Michigan Miles!
When asked about automotive history, a common answer of where to look is Michigan, a place where numerous automotive assembly plants were built, and where the big three (Ford, GM, and Mopar) still have operations. Millions of automobiles have come out of Michigan, by companies still in business, as well as those that have shuttered their doors.
The automotive aftermarket and performance industry is also strong in Michigan, with one business, Melling Engine Parts and Melling Performance Parts, celebrating eighty years since they were founded in 1946.
Frank Webb Turns Up The Performance For His Shot at the Top Spot at Sick Michigan Miles Presented by Driven Racing Oil!
You can’t keep a former class winner down for long, and Frank Webb has been battling hard to get back to quick time slips and winning ways. After winning class at the 2024 edition of Sick Summer presented by Motion Raceworks, Webb found the struggle bus in 2025.
But this season we’ve seen him start to rebound back, and the ’78 Ford Fairmont has made some strong impressions. After 6-second performances at Street Car Braggin Rights, and a class runner-up at Speedfest, Webb comes into the Driven Racing Oil Sick Michigan Miles with some momentum, and a mission.
The Third Annual Olympic Streetcar Shootout in Complete- A Cavar Double-Up Leads the List of First-Time Winners in Washington!
The Olympic Streetcar Shootout, making the move from their past June dates to a new August date in 2026, completed their third year based in the picture-perfect Northwest area of the US.
Based at Bremerton Raceway, the three-day format put competitors on the track for Friday, August 7th for a pair of time slips required by the close of racing. Saturday, August 8th would put the cars and drive to the test of the streets, with miles and a quartet of checkpoints. Sunday would be back on the track, where another pair of time slips was required to compute the final average, and crown six class champions, the most in the event's history.
The 2026 Edition of Roadkill Nights – Racing on Woodward Avenue in Michigan – Concludes With Slocum, Diehl and O’Malley Claiming First Time Wins in Michigan
The popular MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge has followed a similar pattern for more than a decade, racing on Woodward Avenue with everything from high horsepower big tire and small tire rides. Dodge has also fostered and hosted several grudge-style races, including the Direct Connection Grudge Match.
Several familiar names would take to the street in Pontiac, Michigan for their chance at legal racing on Woodward Avenue, as well a possible class win and a big check. And at the end of the day, a trio of first-time winners would claim bragging rights on a Saturday afternoon.
Billy Hoskinson, Tess Wood and Tony Politano Team Up on a Stick Shift Ford Mustang to Tackle Sick Michigan Miles Presented by Driven Racing Oil, August 17-23, 2026!
With over a decade of experience, and winning, in the no-prep arena, Billy Hoskinson started to branch out a few years ago to tackle more ‘street car friendly’ classes. His first drag and drive experience came at the 2024 edition of Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, where he finished the week with a big block 1955 Chevrolet.
Since then, he’s done a few more drag and drive events, as well as entering his familiar Chevrolet S-10 pick-up in the Street Car Shootout class at Street Car Braggin Rights.
But the Ohio native will try out a new approach for his fourth drag and drive event, as Billy will be joined by Tess Wood (a.k.a. Miss Midnight Maverick) and Tony Politano to embark on the Sick Michigan Miles event, presented by Driven Racing Oil, in a 1985 Ford Mustang giveaway car!
Top Speeds On the Salt – John Ens and Nick Taylor Take a Pair of Camaros to Bonneville Speedweek on a Quest for 200-Plus MPH Runs!
Since 1948, the Bonneville Salt Flats in Northwestern Utah has hosted the Speedweek event, a gathering of hundreds of enthusiasts to see who can navigate the salt to set class records, and possibly join multiple MPH clubs, including the 200 MPH club.
To go into Bonneville with hopes of achieving a record, and possibly joining the 200 mph club, requires preparation and a solid ride. One of those rides is the Keith and Tonya Turk-owned 1980 Chevrolet Camaro, and they were joined by a host of familiar drag and drive names, as well as a second Camaro, for a week on the salt and pursuit of a class record.
From Flipping Cars to Rolling Hot Dogs – Jon and Kayleigh Whittle Will Pilot the Sick BBQ / Hot Dog / Ice Cream Truck on Driven Racing Oil Sick Michigan Miles!
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 out the call for possible teams for Motion Raceworks Sick Summer, the enthusiasts answered in a big way! Not only did we get a bunch of requests for Sick Summer, but a good chunk of applications also mentioned interest in Sick Michigan Miles presented by Driven Racing Oil, or the Edelbrock Sick 66.
From the stack of entries for Sick Michigan Miles, Jon and Kayleigh Whittle were selected to drive the Sick BBQ – Hot Dog – Ice Cream truck. And although they didn’t have the event on their 2026 bingo card, for Jon it is a chance to return to Michigan, as well as share the experience with his wife.
For the Sixth Year, Miles of Mayhem Hosts a Six-Day Drag and Drive in Canada - Pat Myker’s Fourth-Straight Class Win Leads the Winners List
The drag and drive event listing started small, but in 2015, there were multiple events for the first time, including one in Canada. In 2026, there are five drag and drive events scheduled in Canada, including Miles of Mayhem.
For the sixth year of Miles of Mayhem, a solid mix of new entrants, as well as proven winners, gathered at Rad Torque Raceway in Nisku for the start of a six day adventure across Canada.
The End Of An Era – After 22 Years, Mike Copeland Will Close The Doors to Diversified Creations in Michigan, and Sell Off Everything – We Get An Exclusive Look Inside!
To say Mike Copeland has a love affair with everything automotive is an understatement. From working for some big names, to creating some amazing rides, to owning multiple businesses, even working at a lot of events, Mike has done it all.
Now, after over four decades working with cars, and a little over twenty-two years running Diversified Creations, Mike will close the doors at the end of August, 2026. In this article, we discuss what led Mike to create his business, what’s next, and get an exclusive look inside Diversified Creations.
Heads Up Hustle Combines Drag and Drive Through Ohio and Michigan, with Eliminations Racing On the Final Day – Drag and Drive Vets Jon Moore, Jeremy Ortiz, and Jay Grabiak Among Eleven Class Winners
Getting their start in 2023, Heads Up Hustle blends the traditional ingredients of a drag and drive, with eliminations-style racing on the final day for competitors that survive the event. For the fourth edition of the event, eleven class winners would be crowned.
The 2026 edition of Heads Up Hustle would also be the first one to utilize a track outside Michigan, as the event would start at Dragway 42 in Ohio, before heading to the event’s original host track in 2023, Milan Dragway, then back to Dragway 42 for the final day’s activities.