2026 predictions (6 Viewers)

[Rajunz]

View attachment 16760
I'll go out on a limb here...Remember you heard me say it here first....unless I'm wrong, then deny deny deny....

Nitro FC championship will be down to a fight between Hagen and DeJoria , with Alexis winning the Countdown. Maybe Beckman wins the regular season championship...and Jordan experiences his first FC body launch maybe mid season....4 wides?
Top Fuel will be Kalitta vs Langdon with Shawn being the champ. Regular season could be Leah this time....if they are successful early
Pro Stock will be the KB Titan cars again, toss up each race week and Cory Reed having more finals
PSB will be the VH team running roughshod (what is that anyway?) over Matt Smith's team again. Gaige is going to be hungry again....

Very Spicy Bob.... I like it, I like it a lot!!! And somewhere in there has to be Richard Freeman putting things on BLAST!!

 

[mick]

jim dunn racing reaches an ihra final.
ihra will announce at least one race with increased pro purses, probably alongside a presenting sponsor.
there will be something new with bleachers this year. either along the dragstrip, or elsewhere.
everything else will be about the same.

 

[T.Smith]

Not even close. They go through the lights at 10k. The TAD I work on when I can leaves between 4500-5000.

There are some alky cars leaving at 9000 rpm. Ulf Leanders for sure and I think Shawn Cowie, whoever it was, I witnessed it on the NHRA sportsman TV show.

4500-5000 rpm? Shiiiiiiit, I wouldn't leave that low in my street car.

 

[stitcherbob]

9000rpm ? Yeah that’s all fine and dandy… just do it under load…

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[Chili]

Jaren Mott runs in Top Fuel in Larry Dixons car.

 

[TSK]

There will be at least a half-dozen new threads calling for a return to quarter mile fuel racing.

 

[none]

There are some alky cars leaving at 9000 rpm. Ulf Leanders for sure and I think Shawn Cowie, whoever it was, I witnessed it on the NHRA sportsman TV show.

4500-5000 rpm? Shiiiiiiit, I wouldn't leave that low in my street car.

4500 ? We left that low in 1997

 

[sutton]

4500 ? We left that low in 1997

Marc
If I left in 1997 with the PSI at 4500 that would be at idle.
Larry Sutton---

 

[Randy]

Marc
If I left in 1997 with the PSI at 4500 that would be at idle.
Larry Sutton---

I still have Marc White's 5.50's in 2004 on my computer. He had it at 7,200+/- back then before he let the clutch out. I remember Lee Littlefield coming up to me back then, asking me if I wasn't worried that Marc was going to break something on my car. "Nope."

 

[twostep]

View attachment 16760
I'll go out on a limb here...Remember you heard me say it here first....unless I'm wrong, then deny deny deny....

Nitro FC championship will be down to a fight between Hagen and DeJoria , with Alexis winning the Countdown. Maybe Beckman wins the regular season championship...and Jordan experiences his first FC body launch maybe mid season....4 wides?
Top Fuel will be Kalitta vs Langdon with Shawn being the champ. Regular season could be Leah this time....if they are successful early
Pro Stock will be the KB Titan cars again, toss up each race week and Cory Reed having more finals
PSB will be the VH team running roughshod (what is that anyway?) over Matt Smith's team again. Gaige is going to be hungry again....

Josh Hart could threaten now that he'll be in Brittany's ride and he's a pretty good tree cutter. Can't go with Alexis, although personally I'd like to see the gal win a championship. Nobody tries harder and with more dedication than her. She had a competitive car in 2025; she'll have one in 2026 but unless/until she gets consistent with her RTs she won't get there. I'll go with either Hagen or Prock.

Hard to bet against KB/Titan and VH. Could be Glenn, could be Anderson. Glenn's a bit sharper at the hit.

"Roughshod" is a horse term for shoeing a horse with protruding nail heads for better grip. You're welcome.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

In an effort to achieve full fields at more races, Nhra will come up with several ways to entice more small teams to come to more races. They will announce higher payouts in the pro ranks to make it more appealing financially for all teams to participate. And they will address other cost issues that keep small( and mid level) teams from entering races. I know, I know, alot of you are laughing as you read this BUT they better get off their butts and get more than 12 or 14 top fuelers at their races before more teams migrate over to ihra. I know the brass at nhra aren't stupid and I hope they are going to take this ihra thing seriously.....

 

[Chili]

In an effort to achieve full fields at more races, Nhra will come up with several ways to entice more small teams to come to more races. They will announce higher payouts in the pro ranks to make it more appealing financially for all teams to participate. And they will address other cost issues that keep small( and mid level) teams from entering races. I know, I know, alot of you are laughing as you read this BUT they better get off their butts and get more than 12 or 14 top fuelers at their races before more teams migrate over to ihra. I know the brass at nhra aren't stupid and I hope they are going to take this ihra thing seriously.....

I’m not saying NHRA shouldn’t do anything because I would love to see increased payouts. But let me ask you this. You’re a bottom qualifying part time team. Would you be better off going over to IHRA with two shots at making the 8 car field with 10 other cars or go to an NHRA race, make one pass and be in the 13th spot? Not qualifying pays about the same. If I’m an independent racer, I’m going to go to the races that has less travel and the one that is easier to qualify for. Now if your a independent racer looking to go rounds and potentially win an event, IHRA is definitely the smarter option as long as your sponsor doesn’t care.

 

[Butch]

I’m not saying NHRA shouldn’t do anything because I would love to see increased payouts. But let me ask you this. You’re a bottom qualifying part time team. Would you be better off going over to IHRA with two shots at making the 8 car field with 10 other cars or go to an NHRA race, make one pass and be in the 13th spot? Not qualifying pays about the same. If I’m an independent racer, I’m going to go to the races that has less travel and the one that is easier to qualify for. Now if your a independent racer looking to go rounds and potentially win an event, IHRA is definitely the smarter option as long as your sponsor doesn’t care.

Del was saying at PRI that he's hearing that a lot of racers are going to cross over, now who I don't know. But I'd do the math and decide what was the best odds.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

I’m not saying NHRA shouldn’t do anything because I would love to see increased payouts. But let me ask you this. You’re a bottom qualifying part time team. Would you be better off going over to IHRA with two shots at making the 8 car field with 10 other cars or go to an NHRA race, make one pass and be in the 13th spot? Not qualifying pays about the same. If I’m an independent racer, I’m going to go to the races that has less travel and the one that is easier to qualify for. Now if your a independent racer looking to go rounds and potentially win an event, IHRA is definitely the smarter option as long as your sponsor doesn’t care.

I understand what you’re saying. But what you’re describing leaves out the fact that most racers want to race top quality teams and beat them. Del will win almost every ihra race he enters. He will make some good money but not have top notch competition. I thought this sport was about beating the best.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Except Del doesn't have anything left to prove. He's checked all the boxes and now I think it's more about just having some fun. And making some money!

 

[sammi]

I think the three P's will have something to say about FC, as long as Tasca's funding holds up.

 

[ironpony]

I understand what you’re saying. But what you’re describing leaves out the fact that most racers want to race top quality teams and beat them. Del will win almost every ihra race he enters. He will make some good money but not have top notch competition. I thought this sport was about beating the best.

So like Prock has done the last few years in NHRA ???

 

[J]

Del was saying at PRI that he's hearing that a lot of racers are going to cross over, now who I don't know. But I'd do the math and decide what was the best odds.

Haddock is going ihra full time and maybe some nhra races if funding

 

[Axman]

I think the three P's will have something to say about FC, as long as Tasca's funding holds up.

I don’t see Prock or anyone else being dominant in F/C this season

 

[Joe]

I understand what you’re saying. But what you’re describing leaves out the fact that most racers want to race top quality teams and beat them. Del will win almost every ihra race he enters. He will make some good money but not have top notch competition. I thought this sport was about beating the best.

To some it might be about making some money,getting treated well, buying better parts and getting to the next race. I'll be at 4 IHRA races this year.