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<\/p>\nStrange Engineering has doubled down on its long-standing commitment to grassroots drag racing, officially signing on as the title-rights sponsor of the 2026 Lil\u2019 Gangstas Event Series \u2013 a partnership forged at the 2025 PRI Show in Indianapolis and one that solidifies Strange\u2019s role at the heart of one of drag racing\u2019s fastest-growing movements.<\/p>\n
For the Lil\u2019 Gangstas brand \u2013 built by Michael Poland and Tom Gunner, a.k.a. \u201cJimmy Dale\u201d \u2013 the deal represents both validation and momentum. What started as a grassroots, people-first class has rapidly evolved into a coast-to-coast phenomenon, driven by authenticity, accessibility, and an unmistakable sense of community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lil\u2019 Gangstas brand is what it is because of the people behind it that make Jimmy and myself look great,\u201d said Poland. \u201cStrange Engineering took a chance on two young kids trying to find their way into this sport a couple of years ago, and for Jeff and Jake to double down with Lil Gangstas shows their commitment to continuing to grow the sport of drag racing. We\u2019re excited to continue to push the people\u2019s class \u2013 Lil\u2019 Gangstas \u2013 and Strange Engineering to their limits into 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dale echoed that sentiment, underscoring what the partnership means to racers on the ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that Strange Engineering has stepped up to be our title sponsor for the year shows how much they believe in the most grassroots class in all of drag racing,\u201d said Gunner.<\/p>\n
At the center of the deal is Strange Engineering \u2013 one of the sport\u2019s most respected legacy brands and a company whose identity has always been rooted in supporting racers at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrassroots racing has always been the lifeblood of drag racing and the backbone of my company,\u201d said Jeff Stange, owner of Strange Engineering. \u201cThe passion, the energy, the vibe that Jimmy and Poland bring to racing is personally motivating for me. When you see what these guys bring to an event, you can feel the brotherhood, the competition, and the excitement it breeds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stange also emphasized the responsibility legacy brands carry in ensuring the future of the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs one of the few legacy family brands left, I feel a strong sense of obligation to help younger generations keep the sport enjoyable and reinforce the sense of family and community,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s incredible what Jimmy and Poland have built in such a short time. These guys work their asses off. The live events are inspiring to watch, and I\u2019m just glad to help when needed and be a small part of what they\u2019re building. This stuff gives me a lot of motivation and continues to fuel my passion for drag racing.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the 2026 season on the horizon, the message is clear: wherever Lil\u2019 Gangstas goes, Strange Engineering will be riding shotgun \u2013 supporting racers, backing events, and investing in a class that represents the purest form of drag racing competition.<\/p>\n
From small-town tracks to major venues across the country, the Strange Engineering Lil\u2019 Gangstas Event Series is poised to carry its grassroots ethos coast to coast in 2026, reinforcing that the future of drag racing isn\u2019t just fast \u2013 it\u2019s built on people, passion, and community.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published on February 5, 2026. <\/p>\n
The post Strange Engineering Named Title-Rights Sponsor of 2026 Lil\u2019 Gangstas Event Series<\/a> first appeared on Drag Illustrated<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Strange Engineering has doubled down on its long-standing commitment to grassroots drag racing, officially signing on as the title-rights sponsor of the 2026 Lil\u2019 Gangstas Event Series \u2013 a partnership forged at the 2025 PRI Show in Indianapolis and one that solidifies Strange\u2019s role at the heart of one of drag racing\u2019s fastest-growing movements. For […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102996"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102996\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}