The ROCK Revival Rejuvenates Southeast Gassers Association 2026 Season

August 7, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

At Knoxville Dragway in late June, with lights ablaze, the rain began to fall along with the light upon the Southeast Gassers Association RAM Clutches Nationals. That moment pushed SEGA drag racing into its summer break, awaiting its completion at the Bowl4Life Foundation Rock Revival at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina. By the end of the two-race weekend, fans and the track were thrilled by the heads-up, clutch dumping, wheel lifting, and gear jamming action.

Friday action at a Southeast Gassers Association event is usually reserved for test and tune. But at Rockingham Dragway on July 31^st, the first hit at the track in over a decade for SEGA was for a win light as the remaining eliminations for the RAM Clutches Nationals were to be completed. The action in B/Gas round one, which fired up the Friday evening action, along with A/Gas round one, looked like the first hits off the trailer of the backside no-prep action of the great Rockingham series Dig Or Die. By round two, the SEGA competitors got a grip of The Rock and the passes were some of the best of the season thus far.

Competitive highlights for the RAM Clutches Nationals showcased new finalists and winners along with championship implications. The Super Stockers, number one and two in points, paired up in one half of the semi-final matchups. Jerry Dean, the multi-time defending champion and points leader, faced Rob Walden, the number two competitor who won the last SEGA event, defeating Dean. After starting line negotiations involving illuminating staging bulbs, it was Dean advancing to the final. That final would have Tony Nowasadski in his 56’ Chevy Public Enemy Super Stocker waiting for a shot to defeat Dean as only the third driver to appear in a SEGA Super Stock final in 2026. In the Chevy versus Chevy battle, it was Jerry Dean back to winning ways while extending his points lead.

In C/Gas it has been a story of former champions battling it out between the 2024 champ, Todd Oden, and the 2025 champ, Jerren Perdue. They both would win their way to the semi-finals, with the expectation to see them both in the final once again. Jerren Perdue dispatched Randy Kiefer in his Pontiac wagon. Todd Oden dispatched himself by a red light that gave Tony Tatgenhorst the win-light. Tony, in only his second career SEGA final, would have to defeat the defending champ to earn his first career victory. Again in a Chevy versus Chevy battle between wagon and two-door Chevy II varieties, it was Tony Tatgenhorst earning his first SEGA event championship in his Wasted Wages gasser powered by its Ross Racing Engines powerplant.

For B/Gas competitors, the top competition would set the final between two Tennessee natives for the RAM Clutches Nationals that began at Knoxville Dragway. Michael Oden, an Alabamian, did try to stop Ted McKee in the semi-finals, but Ted and the Rocky Top Missile were on target, turning on the win light. The number two qualifier, Charlie Lee, in his Mustang gasser known as Tennessee Charlie, had a bye into the final due to the ladder. In a rematch of the Bama Brawl final at Holiday Raceway, where Charlie Lee won his first outing of the season. This time it was Ted McKee besting Charlie Lee for his third win of the season, starting a streak with back-to-back wins.

The quickest and fastest cars in SEGA are the A/Gas cars, and they have all been chasing Ben Christopher in his Happy Daze Chevy II gasser. In the semi-finals, those doing the chasing were Leslie Horne up against Ken Rainwater and then Greg Stelse in The Joker head-to-head with Ben. Ken Rainwater, the 2025 B/Gas champion, is gaining performance with his A/Gas combination each race, but it wasn’t enough to best multi-time A/Gas champion Leslie Horne. In the Greg and Ben pairing, certainly The Joker is no joke, but it was Ben outdriving Greg to make his fourth straight final of 2026. In another rematch from Holiday Raceway, this time Leslie didn’t red-light, but he still didn’t complete the circuits for the win-light in his lane against Ben, who earned his third straight victory.

Friday night’s test and tune session along with the completion of the RAM Clutches Nationals was just the beginning for SEGA and Rockingham Dragway. On Saturday, August 1^st, the premier gasser organization contested the originally scheduled standalone race in Richmond County, North Carolina, the Bowl4Life Foundation Rock Revival.

Super Stock had three rounds of eliminations on Saturday race day to complete to crown an event champion. Dominator Dean continued his number one qualifying streak that dates back seasons at this point. Jerry marched through the field with a first-round bye, then put Tony Nowasadski on the trailer for the second time for the weekend. In the final, it would be Rob Walden in his Strych 09 Chevy Impala back in the ultimate round, creating the familiar match-up for Super Stock. The familiar theme that has been in Super Stock continued on as Jerry Dean in his Last Rebel II Chevy II won over Rob Walden, who was in the 6.70s while Jerry was able to stop the clocks with a win-light and a 6.38 elapsed time. It is Jerry’s fourth win in 2026.

The C/Gas category saw an upset to the Perdure-Oden stranglehold on the category with Tony Tatgenhorst earning that first SEGA win. The category would continue to see upsets with one side of those dueling former champions. Todd Oden had his woes in qualifying, damaging rear-end components. In his first-round matchup against Heath Adams in the Rusty Bullitt gasser, Todd would have more attrition matters arise with a broken transmission causing him to lose round one. That blew open the door for Jerren Perdue to take a clear points lead in race five, and he capitalized on it to the point of advancing to the final round. The number one qualifier for the category was the winner on Friday, Tony Tatgenhorst. He won his round one match-up against Allen Lovelady, then took his bye run in round two. His semi-final round pitted him and Heath Adams in a rematch of the 2025 Championship Finals final round at Shadyside Dragway, where Heath earned his first SEGA win over Tony. Again, it would be Heath firing true for the win over Tony. In the final, you had Jerren Perdue, the number two qualifier, up against Heath Adam, the number five qualifier. Jerren Perdue, in his Ghost Of Fulton’s Past Chevy II station wagon, continued to haunt the C/Gas competition, defeating Heath with a 6.08ET to a 6.24ET. Jerren has appeared in every final thus far in 2026 and earned his second win to this point in the season at The Rock.

Top competitors in B/Gas are easy to see with Charlie Lee and especially Ted McKee. The top performance continued for Ted McKee, qualifying number one, earning the round one bye, and then rocking on all the way to the final round in dominant fashion. Charlie Lee had noticed the loss of steam with each pass made on the weekend. The second-round matchup he had against Brad Wimberly in the Southern Sizzler would be his last of the weekend and possibly for the entire season, noting significant internal engine damage. Brad would lose in the semi-final round to Daniel Haynes in The Patriot Ford Falcon gasser, making an appearance in his select race capacity. Ford versus Chevy in the final with Ted up against Daniel, the 2024 category champion who is a threat each time he is behind the wheel, no matter the category or car. The former champion launched everything he had at the current points leader, but it wasn’t enough as Daniel drove to a 5.70ET to Ted’s 5.65ET. Ted in the Rocky Top Missile with his Freeman power has the points lead, has stretched it, and looks nearly unbeatable at the moment.

This SEGA fifth race of 2026 may have showcased a turning point in A/Gas drag racing. Ben Christopher certainly has been showcasing immense performance, making every final and having three straight wins. He continued that performance, qualifying number one with a 5.17ET in comparison to second-place qualifier Barry Adler in the Iron Eagle, clocked at a 5.24ET. Ben motored his Happy Daze gasser with Jason Line power through his first-round bye earned by qualifying number one and then past Greg Stelse in round two. His fifth straight final round appearance was in reach, but Ken Rainwater, who took out Greg Porter and Leslie Horne, proceeded to stop the Ben Christopher daze over A/Gas with a hole shot win. Set to face Ken Rainwater in his first A/Gas final was a competitor that is no stranger to A/Gas finals, Kenneth Phillips. He had advanced past Dean Jonas, Quian Stott with a new Falcon gasser dubbed Executioner III, and number two qualifier Barry Adler. This race day showcased that Ben can be stopped outside of the finals, familiar competitors with a new competitive ride, a competitor poised to win with a new combination, and a winning familiar face. Kenneth Phillips in his Corvette gasser, the Silver Streak II, defeated Ken Rainwater in the Instigator Chevy II.

By the end of the double‑feature weekend, fans were treated to drag racing in its purest form—real cars with four-on-the-floor manuals, naturally aspirated engines, and drivers relying on skill rather than electronic aids. That competition and that show is Southeast Gassers Association drag racing, which produced fans wanting more. For SEGA’s first time back to Rockingham Dragway and Richmond County, North Carolina, for the first time in over a decade and the first time earning points as a championship series, it was truly a rocking time for the Bowl4Life Foundation Rock Revival. Expect more for SEGA and Rockingham in 2027.

THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION REMAINING 2026 SCHEDULE

8/22 Farmington Dragway – Mocksville, NC.

9/12 Greer Dragway – Greer, SC.

10/9, 10 Gulfport Dragway – Gulfport, MS. (Double Feature)

10/31 Shadyside Dragway – Shelby, NC.

ABOUT SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION DRAG RACING

The ROCK Revival Rejuvenates Southeast Gassers Association 2026 Season

THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION REMAINING 2026 SCHEDULE

8/22 Farmington Dragway – Mocksville, NC.

9/12 Greer Dragway – Greer, SC.

10/9, 10 Gulfport Dragway – Gulfport, MS. (Double Feature)

10/31 Shadyside Dragway – Shelby, NC.

ABOUT SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION DRAG RACING

Our mission is to bring back the authentic drag racing from the 1960’s and to put on a show the whole family will love. The 1960’s produced some of the most exciting times in drag racing history and we are doing our best to preserve that time at the track. Our cars represent the gassers of that era as closely as possible. This means exciting wheels up launches, drivers banging gears with their four speeds, as well as the car’s appearance while sitting in the pits. Follow the Southeast Gassers Association on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.

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SELF-MADE: How Tanner English Conquered Summer Nationals with Home-Built Team

August 7, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

SELF-MADE: How Tanner English Conquered Summer Nationals with Home-Built Team

CONCORD, NC (Aug. 7, 2026) — With one car, one engine and nothing but his own willpower pushing him out into the summer heat, Tanner English has conquered the DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

And the best part? He did it all on his own accord. His talents. His people. His operation.

The 33-year-old from Benton, KY, hoisted the first edition of the Hell Tour’s pitchfork trophy as champion of dirt Late Model racing’s most grueling challenge, becoming the first driver from the “Bluegrass State” to win the Series’ points championship. In 23 Feature starts, English tallied four wins, 19 top fives and 21 top-10 finishes enroute to the overall points title and three weekly championships.

The two-time Midwest Auto Racing Series (MARS) Late Model champion was never an unfamiliar face to the Summer Nationals since making his debut in 2008. English took on the entire schedule for his first time in 2021 driving the Riggs Motorsports No. 81E and went on to compete in the national Late Model ranks for two other teams in the years following.

But after a sudden notice of his release from Coltman Farms Racing last December, English was left without a ride or a plan for 2026. So, he stepped up and rebuilt his own team in his own race shop, set his sights on the Hell Tour and walked away with one of the brightest accomplishments of his career.

“It’s pretty cool to be able to do it and put my name on that trophy,” he said. “That’s something we can always look back on and say we did. At the time, nobody was better than us. Maybe from race to race, they won the battle, some of them. But we won the war.”

After a successful sophomore season as part of the Coltman Farms Racing stable in 2025, which produced four Feature wins and the team’s first-ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory at Highland Speedway in August, English was preparing for a third campaign with the Georgia-based operation when he received word of his release following the annual Gateway Dirt Nationals event in December.

“It was all a surprise to me,” English said. “So, I had no plans whatsoever.”

There he stood, in his newly built race shop at his residence in Benton, IL, with no ride and no plan. With the start of the new season only a handful of weeks away, the typical year-end ride swaps and team changes were mostly complete, and English was left on the outside looking in.

“I kinda waited and tried not to make any moves or invest any money right off the bat because I thought the phone would ring,” English said. “But it didn’t.”

So, he picked up the phone himself and began putting pieces together. With only his personal connections and the limited resources he had in his shop, English began considering taking the path ahead solo.

“I got pretty discouraged there for a little bit. And then I thought, ‘If I’m going to do it, I might as well do it myself,’” English said. “I can’t fire myself. I mean, I guess I could… but you’ve got a lot more job security when you’re doing it yourself and can decide more things and be more hands-on on the decision making and do what you think needs to be done, and where money is best spent.

“I just figured if there’s a time to do it, I might as well do it now.”

While the national circuit competition raged on in Florida, English spent January and February working at home, preparing an older car to get back on track with.

“I did have this 2016 Rocket (Chassis) that was my dad’s, and we busted it out at Duck River (Raceway Park) in March and won our first race out,” English said. “That kinda kicked me into gear, and I went all-in right there. I started doing a lot more things, started getting more serious and trying to get the ball rolling on everything.

“I was no-doubt working hard up to that point, but I knew I had to win that to even have a shot at making this work.”

The $6,000 victory check had helped to revitalize his operation and set the tone for the rest of his spring schedule. His second-quarter slate included mostly regional and some national-circuit races, producing several top-five and top-10 finishes. Soon, English was loading up the trailer with a brand-new race car and a new plan, at least for a few weeks.

“We started with a new AK Racecar this year,” English said. “I think I had only raced 15 or 20 times before Summer Nationals started, so I really hadn’t gotten a lot of races in. I needed to consistently race just to figure out what these cars needed and what I needed to do to get better. I figured what better way to do it than race every night.”

He decided on a tentative plan for the first week of Summer Nationals, and saw success from the start, posting five consecutive podium finishes and claiming the Week 1 points championship.

“Even though we had a pretty good start to the year, I was still in the negatives, and I just thought, ‘What better way to do it? This is a good way to make some money in a short amount of time and also get better,’” English said. “After those first two races, my head was a little bit above water and I could breathe a little bit and just start racing, get serious and free up some decisions and stuff like that.”

On the heels of good results to start, English decided to stay on the trail. Eleven races in, he had amassed 10 top-five finishes, but no wins yet. A silent frustration built with every missed opportunity.

But finally, after leading all 30 laps at Farmington Empire Speedway on July 1, he broke through for his first Summer Nationals win of the season and seventh of his career.

“I knew it was coming; you can’t run second and third so many times and not win,” English said. “We just tried to just not change what we were doing and not make big swings, and we knew it would come eventually.”

English went to Victory Lane three more times before the summer was out and remained a model of consistency, accruing 17 podium finishes and only two results outside the top 10, both of which were DNFs. Though the typical grind of the Hell Tour can wear down and deplete equipment, English remained resourceful and stuck to his strategy to make it to the end.

“It’s a low-cost deal, which is what a lot of people don’t realize — 30-lap races, so we’re going through… like, there were some times we’d run our right-rear tires three nights in a row,” English said. “That’s what a lot of people don’t understand. It’s not that big of a deal on that level. You can make it big — you can spend a lot of money if you want to, but you don’t have to.”

In the end, English was proud of his accomplishment — not only for his own operation, but for his family as well. Especially his father — the 2002 DIRTcar Late Model national points champion, Terry English.

“[Terry’s] proud, you can tell,” English said. “This has a lot to do with him, too. He put in a lot of work, a lot of time, and sacrificed a lot this summer just to go out there and do that with me. I can’t thank him enough. He and I were the only ones with perfect attendance. We had a lot of people come in and do a week here or there — my brother did two full weeks and my nephew did three. But my dad was there for the whole time.”

Though the sun has set on the Summer Nationals’ 40th anniversary tour, English’s 2026 campaign is far from complete. He’s got plans to go after the yearlong DIRTcar Late Model championship — a feat that would be the proverbial cherry atop the DIY sundae he devoured this year.

“[Terry’s] won the national (DIRTcar Late Model) championship, and I’d like to do that, too,” English said. “We’re gonna give it a shot anyways, at the end of the year here, just to say we tried and try to catch (Jason) Feger. But it’s going to be tough — he’s got a lot of good wins.

“I’d like to get on the list with dad, and my father-in-law also — Rodney Melvin. He’s won a few also, so I’d like to be on that list with them and have some kind of a dynasty deal there. That would be cool.”

The trophy shines bright, the wins are memorable, and the career rejuvenation he went through this summer was an experience he’ll never forget. But above all else, English’s Summer Nationals championship will be remembered for what it said about a self-run operation.

It’s his own. And he likes it that way.

“I felt like I’ve built three operations from the ground up, and it always ended with me having nothing,” English said. “I’d really like to stick this out and see what we can do. It may last another year, you never know — you can have a terrible year right after a good year.

“But this has been a statement that anything’s possible, and if you put your mind to it and work hard enough, you can do it.”