Drag Illustrated, Melling Performance, and promoters Tom Gunner and Michael Poland have teamed up to deliver the Lil Gangstas Championship Series presented by Melling Performance for the 2025-26 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service, race officials announced today. The points champion at the end of the three-race series will earn $10,000 and a sponsorship package from Melling.
For over 75 years, Melling has been manufacturing and providing customers with the newest cutting-edge performance engine parts. Melling is a leading manufacturer of aftermarket oil pumps and related products. The Melling Performance line has BILLET Aluminum and Cast Iron oil pumps, camshafts, valve train, and timing components. Their goal is to continually analyze the high-performance engine parts market to be able to provide their valued customers the parts they need.
“Melling is looking forward to an outstanding 2026,” said Cale Risinger, Aftermarket and Performance Product Manager. “As a company, Melling will be celebrating its 80th year in business and is one of very few family-owned companies remaining in the engine parts industry. We are excited to be sponsoring one of the fastest growing classes in drag racing, on one of the biggest stages in drag racing. We are also excited to announce that the Lil Gangstas points champion at the Winter Series will be receiving a Melling sponsorship for the remainder of the 2026 racing season.”
Lil Gangstas is currently one of the hottest classes in drag racing, featuring heads-up racing on a pro tree, running on a 5.30 index but with the clocks off. Tommy Hoskinson is the current points leader after his $20,000 final-round victory over Gage Burch at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks.
For Gunner and Poland, having a highly respected company like Melling on board for the DI Winter Series is another step in the effort to bring their unique grassroots-style brand of drag racing to a mainstream audience.
“I remember as a kid watching drag racing and seeing the Melling logo on dang near everything,” said Poland. “All these years later, it’s an honor to have a company that has been behind the racers for decades involved in what we are doing. Having Melling on board for this Lil Gangstas Championship Series is another step for Melling to keep supporting all forms of racing.”
Risinger agrees with that statement, praising the duo for not only promoting the working-class drag racers, but celebrating them. At a time when costs are seemingly skyrocketing across the board, helping those drivers and teams that don’t have unlimited budgets is what will allow the sport continued growth and success.
Cale Risinger
“Melling feels that grass roots-style racing such as Lil Gangstas is very important to the future of motor sports,” Risinger said. “More affordable forms of racing such as Lil Gangstas levels the playing field and allows a larger number of competitors to participate and be competitive. People are far more likely to show up to events knowing they have a chance to win the event, even though they might not have the most expensive car on the property. Giving more participants the ability to race and be competitive is a great thing for the sport of drag racing, and can only lead to its continued growth.”
The next race in the Lil Gangstas Championship Series presented by Melling will take place January 23-25 at the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission. The final event will be at the World Series of Pro Mod February 26-28.
For more information on Melling’s parts and services, visit www.melling.com.
For tickets to the U.S. Street Nationals, visit
https://tickets.thefoat.com/BradentonMotorsportsPark/US+Street+Nationals+Presented+by+M%26M+Transmission/tickets/id-U93VjbT5hYtO/
The post Melling Performance Partners With Drag Illustrated Winter Series to Launch Lil Gangstas Championship Series first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
