After an incredible debut in 2024, the King of the South small-tire invitational at Shadyside Dragway in Shelby, North Carolina, is set to make history once again. Featuring a 64-car field, the event returns for its second year on May 23-25, featuring more prize money and an expanded lineup of support classes as part of the 8th annual Ronnie Buff Memorial.
Last year, event organizers Corey Stamper, Seth Buff, and Zach Buff envisioned a race that would merge two different worlds: no-prep and radial racers competing together on a “lightly prepped” surface. The result? A final six showdown between three no-prep and three radial drivers and the highest single-day crowd in the history of Shadyside. After the success of 2024, they wasted no time in planning the 2025 edition, determined to raise the stakes even higher.
“When we went into the event last year, we didn’t really know what to expect because no one’s ever tried this,” said Stamper. “It’s not no prep, it’s not radial prep. You’re taking racers from both and trying to meet in the middle. I was sitting there wondering, ‘How’s this going to work out?’ Then the rounds started and I was like, ‘You can’t ask for it to be better than that.’ But we know we’re only as good as our last event. We paid $50,000 last year, and we knew we had to go bigger. That’s when we decided to make it $75,000 to win this year – the biggest payout ever for a 28×10.5 slick race.”
The 64-car field will once again be filled by invitation only, with selected drivers receiving a coveted “Golden Ticket” signifying their inclusion. Within a week of announcing the 2025 event at PRI (Performance Racing Industry) in Indianapolis, more than 250 drivers inquired about a spot. Stamper has already begun sending out invites, with more to come. He says his team heavily weighs previous accomplishments and consistency, as well as those who have supported him in the past, when constructing a field of cars that will be as competitive as possible. First-round losers will also be entered into a second-chance race, giving them an extra opportunity at winning some cash.
“Honestly, the response has been insane,” Stamper said. “There’s hundreds of races a year, but everybody wants that golden ticket. I’ve got 250 names in front of me, and I can only take 64. Sometimes I have to turn the phone off, and just look away for a minute, because it’ll run you ragged in your mind trying to figure it out. You’re nothing unless you get that golden ticket, because that means you’re one of the best people on 28×10.5 slicks. People want that bragging right.”
In addition to the small-tire main event, King of the South will be bringing back the hugely popular Lil’ Gangsta’s class, which runs on a 5.30 index. Last year, the class only ran on Saturday – but due to the incredible response from racers, Lil’ Gangsta’s will compete in three separate races on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in 2025.
“Honestly, Lil’ Gangsta’s right now is the biggest growing small tire class there is,” said Stamper. “We took notice of that last year. Those guys had so much fun…they were betting, throwing down. I told Seth, ‘The sky’s the limit with that class.’ We’re going to have them all three days and that’ll push those guys, I think.”
Another new feature this year will be Baby Gangsta’s, which features a rule set nearly identical to Lil’ Gangsta’s, but running on a 6.30 index. The class, which will run on Saturday only, aims to provide an entry point for a wider range of racers.
“You can go buy a modern muscle car – Challenger, Mustang, Camaro – do a couple of modifications, and you’re in that mid-six second range,” Stamper said. “I think that’s going to be one of the bigger draws in the event. We’re always talking about getting the younger generation involved in drag racing and keeping it growing. A lot of guys now, your younger generation, they won’t bracket race. But Baby Gangsta’s is still heads-up racing – we just cap it to where they’re not coming out and getting ran over.”
With more money, more classes, and more action, the 2025 King of the South small-tire invitational is poised to be one of the biggest events of the year, with three days of non-stop racing.
Friday, May 23: Open testing and the first-ever Lil’ Gangsta’s Friday Night Shootout (free entry, $1,000 to win).
Saturday, May 24: King of the South qualifying and first round, along with Lil’ Gangsta’s (5.30 index), Baby Gangsta’s (6.30 index), and bracket classes – Top (Super Pro) and Mod (Pro).
Sunday, May 25: King of the South eliminations continued, Second-Chance race eliminations continued, Lil’ Gangsta’s, and final rounds of bracket classes.
This story was originally published on February 5, 2025. 
The post King of the South Set for Second Event at Shadyside Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.