The Locked-In Drag Racing Series kicked off its 2026 campaign January 10–11 with a two-day season opener at Famoso Dragstrip, where sunshine and cool high-50-degree temperatures delivered classic winter racing conditions in California’s Central Valley. The stable air and well-prepped surface allowed racers to lean on their combinations as qualifying and eliminations unfolded across a wide range of bracket, index, and heads-up categories.
Local racers made an immediate impact in the bracket ranks, as Bakersfield’s Jan Vanderpool claimed the Bracket 1 No Box victory, while Dave Rudd secured the win in Bracket 2 Box, using consistency and sharp reaction times to stay ahead of the competition.
Heads-up racing took center stage as the weekend progressed, highlighted by a competitive Outlaw Small Tire field. Rich Hoyle emerged on top after a string of strong passes on a surface prepped by track specialist Jim Black, who delivered a notably sticky racing lane that rewarded aggressive setups and confident driving. The high-traction conditions played a key role throughout eliminations, particularly in the power-heavy categories.
In additional heads-up action, Ron McCoy captured the win in N/A 10.5, while Bakersfield’s Danny Crownover added a hometown victory in the Truck class. Matt Marron rounded out the steel-bodied categories with a win in Real Steel, continuing the theme of tight racing and clean finishes.
Index competition proved just as competitive, with Xavier Mendoza taking top honors in 5.35 Index, Dan Jordan earning the 5.80 Index victory, and Matt Flud of Shafter claiming the 6.50 Index win. The weekend wrapped up with Mike Consolo scoring the victory in Modern Muscle, closing out a successful opening round for the series.
With Round 1 complete, the Locked-In Drag Racing Series established early momentum at Famoso Dragstrip, setting the tone for a season built around strong car counts, diverse classes, and a racing surface capable of supporting everything from bracket cars to serious heads-up contenders.
This story was originally published on January 13, 2026. 
The post PHOTO GALLERY: Locked-In Drag Racing Series Launches 2026 With Strong Showing at Famoso first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
