Drag Racing

Information, Rules, and Classes (DRAFT – 2/15/26)

Location: zMax Dragway – Charlotte Motor Speed Way

Date: August 28-29, 2026

Classes Available:

• Roll Racing – 3 classes, $3,000 purse. Starting from a 40mph roll, (Friday). See Roll Racing information page.
• Street Kings – 4 divisions, Street-Car-Braggin Rights-inspired, $6,000 purse
• True Street – 30 mile cruise + 3 back to back passes + Tremec Stick Shift Shootout
• Open Comp – 32 car field, $1,600 payout
• Test & Tune/Grudge – open format Friday and Saturday

Roll Racing will be contested Friday. Street Kings, and Open Comp will qualify Friday and race Saturday. True Street will be held on Saturday. Test & Tune both days will be available. LIMITED ENTRIES due to demand and time.

How to Register

To participate in Drag Racing at Mustang Week Charlotte:

1. Visit www.mustangweek.com
2. Purchase a Participant Ticket (required for all competitors)
3. Select and purchase your Drag Racing Class Entry and/or Test & Tune/Grudge entry.
4. You may participate in both drag racing and roll racing if you choose.
5. You must also purchase a participant ticket to get access to Mustang Week at ZMAX Dragway.

Registration Packages & Credentials

Your official Mustang Week registration package includes your registration credentials, event materials, and participation information. Registration packages will be mailed in advance (August 7, 2026) prior to the event. If you register after the mailing cutoff date, or purchase at the gate (if available), you will need to pick up your credentials at on-site registration. All competitors must check in and obtain proper credentials before proceeding to tech inspection.

Tech Inspection

All Drag Racing vehicles must pass tech inspection before being permitted to compete. Tech inspection includes a safety check and a class rule check. Once approved, a tech sticker will be applied to your vehicle.

Mustang Week Test & Tune/Grudge

This is a non-payout class where you are just making the best runs you can – it’s more about fun than competition. It’s quarter mile and a .400 pro tree. You can race a buddy or just race the clock. Test and Tune is available on both Friday and/or Saturday. You must pass safety tech, and have a valid US Driver’s license and/or a license for your ET. If you are racing True Street on Saturday, and you want to run on Friday, you’ll need to purchase a test and tune card.

Mustang Week Street Kings

CLASS OVERVIEW

Street Kings is a street-car showdown inspired by the Street Car Braggin’ Rights (SCBR) Shootout and others, built to crown the ultimate street-driven Ford or Mustang. Entry is limited to 75 cars (64 cars qualify). This is a real street-car class. Cars must be licensed, insured, registered, and driven under their own power throughout the event.

Competition begins with three rounds of blind qualifying (scoreboards off). The top 64 qualifiers will be split into divisions based on position: 1–16 King Class, 17–32 Outlaw, 33–48 Hot Sauce, and 49–64 Grocery Getter. King Class runs true heads-up with no breakout. All other divisions will run a breakout set at 0.10 seconds quicker than the #1 qualifier’s best E.T. in that division. Scoreboards on for eliminations.

ELIGIBLE VEHICLES

Open to any and all Ford-bodied vehicles (Mustangs, F-150s, Classics, All Years, etc.). Street Kings is intended to showcase fast real street cars. Officials reserve the right to disqualify any vehicle that violates the spirit or letter of the rules. Must have a valid license plate, current registration, and valid insurance.

VEHICLE

• All vehicles must have a functioning cooling system with a functioning radiator and water pump.
• Operation tail lights and at least 1 functioning headlight
• All vehicles must be driven under their own power at all times, including driving to the staging lanes and back to the pits.
• No push vehicles or tow vehicles. If a vehicle breaks during a run, it can be towed back and if it can be fixed with the understanding that race officials may DQ if this happens repeatedly or is an attempt to skirt the intent of the rules.
• Vehicles can be “hand pushed” in the staging lanes ONLY. (Must be driven to lanes)

TIRE RULES

RWD: Maximum 275mm rear tire on a 15-inch wheel, 325mm tire on a 17-inch wheel or larger, or maximum 29.5 x 10.5 slick.

AWD vehicles (F150, Explorer ST, etc.), maximum tire is is 315 tire on 17-inch wheel, or maximum of a 28×10.5-inch slick.

Prohibited: Wheelie bars, Throttle stops (mechanical or electronic), Delay boxes, Any reaction-time, based electronic aids

RACE FORMAT

• Pro .400 Tree
• Entry is limited to 75 cars, with a 64-car field.
• There will be three rounds of blind qualifying with scoreboards OFF.
• Qualifying is based on elapsed time (E.T.)
• All entries must make at least one run, or if they can only break the beams under their own power, they will be placed in the last position for the class.
• After qualifying, the top 64 cars will be divided into four performance-based divisions

Division / Qualifying Position
King Class / 1–16
Outlaw / 17–32
Hot Sauce / 33–48
Grocery Getter / 49–64

ELIMINATIONS

• Ladder is set in round 1 via Random chip draw. All remaining rounds will be laddered.
• Scoreboards will be ON during eliminations.
• Breakout/Race Rules
  • King Class: True heads-up racing, No breakout
  • Outlaw / Hot Sauce / Grocery Getter: Breakout is set at 0.10 seconds quicker than the #1 qualifier’s best E.T. in that division. Breakout applies throughout eliminations
  • First car to the finish line without fouling or breaking out wins the round.
• Lane choice is determined by the best previous round E.T. (or qualifying E.T. for Round 1).

PURSE & PAYOUTS

Guaranteed Purse: $8,000
King Class: $5,000 Guaranteed
Outlaw / Hot Sauce / Grocery Getter: $1,000 Guaranteed per division
Payout: 75% Winner, 25% Runner-Up

Mustang Week True Street

CLASS OVERVIEW

Mustang Week True Street is a drag-and-drive “style” competition held during Mustang Week Drag Day, designed to test real street/strip performance. Street-legal Mustangs, Fords, F-150s, and Ford-powered vehicles compete for fun, bragging rights, and awards.

EVENT FORMAT

True Street competition consists of:

• A mandatory 30-mile supervised street cruise
• Three back-to-back quarter-mile drag strip passes
• All competitors must complete the cruise under their own power
• Safety rules apply at all times

At Charlotte – True Street runs Saturday. There will be a test session on Saturday morning. In addition, participants may run purchase a Test & Tune and/or Grudge Racing ticket for additional runs on Friday. Drivers must hold a valid driver’s license, and vehicles must be currently registered and insured.

RULES

• Each vehicle will make three (3) quarter-mile passes
• ETs will be averaged from all three
• You must complete all three passes to be eligible for awards.
• Vehicle Rules:
  • Must be street-legal, registered, and insured
  • Functional headlights, taillights, turn signals, and horn
  • Exhaust with mufflers required
  • DOT-legal tires front and rear

AWARDS

• Overall Quickest E.T. Average
  • TRUE STREET – Winner & Runner-Up
  • TRUE STREET Street Class – Winner & Runner-Up
• E.T. Average Awards (quarter-mile)
  • 9.00 Average Winner
  • 10.00 Average Winner
  • 11.00 Average Winner
  • 12.00 Average Winner
  • 13.00 Average Winner
  • 14.00 Average Winner
  • 15.00 Average Winner

TREMEC STICK SHIFT SHOOTOUT

• Open to H-pattern, foot-actuated manual transmission vehicles
• Based on three-run E.T. average
• Top 10 fastest averages receive awards
• Top 4 advance to a four-car heads-up shootout on a .400 Pro Tree
• Lane choice is determined by the competitors. If competitors cannot agree, the staging official will decide lane choice by coil flip.
• Winner wins Trophy + Tremec TKX Transmission

STREET CLASS DIVISION (TRUE STREET)

If your vehicle qualifies, you will be automatically be also entered into Street Class, while remaining eligible for all other awards (Overall True Street, Stick Shift Shootout, E.T. Average awards). This is for vehicles running:

• 200+ treadwear tires on the rear
• Full-size front tires (205mm or wider)

DRIVERS MEETING

• Mandatory attendance in the staging lanes (refer to schedule and listen for announcements)
• Followed immediately by the 30-mile supervised street cruise
• Vehicles must be lined up and ready to leave

TRUE STREET CRUISE

• 30-mile supervised cruise on public roads.
• Only vehicles that passed tech may participate.
• Passengers are permitted.
• All participants are responsible for obeying traffic laws.
• Support vehicles may follow behind the cruise group but must remain behind the escort, are not part of the official competition, and must obey all traffic laws.
• Cruise completion is mandatory, vehicles unable to complete the cruise under their own power, within the allotted time, will be disqualified.
• Vehicles falling behind the trailing escort will be disqualified
• Cool-Down Period – After the cruise, vehicles return directly to the staging lanes for a group cool-down period (approximately 15–45 minutes). During this time:
• You may NOT open the hood. Opening the hood results in DQ from awards (vehicle may still race).
• Trunk or hatch may be opened
• You may refuel, change nitrous bottles, and pack intercooler ice as long as it doesn’t involve opening the hood.
• No tire changes allowed.

RACE PROCESS

• When called to load, competitors must prepare for three back-to-back passes
• Hoods, decklid or trunk, must remain closed until all three runs are completed
• No adding fuel, nitrous, or ice once racing begins.
• .400 Pro Tree
• Courtesy staging encouraged
• Tire pressure adjustments allowed between runs

ADDITIONAL RULES

• Runs must occur in the same order as the first pass
• No intentional delays or extra cool-down time
• Parachute repacking permitted if required, without delaying competition
• Vehicle must start under its own power
• No external battery charging permitted

FINAL STANDINGS

• After all three passes, E.T.s are averaged
• Final standings are determined
• Awards presentation will take place directly after event

Mustang Week Open Comp

CLASS OVERVIEW: Open Comp is open to Ford-bodied vehicles only and is contested over the quarter-mile using a Pro .500 Tree and a 1/10th (.10) breakout format.

• Qualifying: 3-4 Rounds. Starting Friday and possibly Saturday AM (time permitting).
• Eliminations: Saturday
• Field Size: Top 32 qualifiers advance to eliminations.
• Entry Cap: 35 entries

ENTRY & PURSE

• Guaranteed Purse: $1,600
• Winner: $1,000
• Runner-Up: $400
• Semi-Finalists: $100 each

RACE FORMAT

• All Run qualifying
• Laddered eliminations (NHRA Sportsman ladder format)
• Courtesy Stage (encouraged)
• Qualifying is based on positive reaction time only.
• Closest positive reaction time to .000 qualifies #1.
• Any red light (negative reaction time) will be placed at the bottom of the qualifying order.
• The more negative the reaction time, the lower the qualifying position.
• Identical reaction times will be placed in order of occurrence.
• If qualifying sessions are shortened and a competitor does not record a qualifying reaction time:
  • The competitor must choose an index between 8.30 and 15.70
  • Failure to submit an index will result in a 15.70 index assignment.
• Eliminations are Standard Open Comp Format (1-tenth breakout)

ET Limits

The quickest qualifying ET permitted in this class is 8.30, the slowest qualifying ET permitted in this class is a 15.70. There is no ET limit (minimum or maximum) in eliminations.

If all qualifying attempts are:

• Quicker than 8.30 → competitor placed with an 8.30 index
• Slower than 15.70 → competitor placed with 15.70 index

RULES

• Any Ford-bodied vehicle and any engine combo, power adder, or transmission are permitted.
• Trans-brakes, 2-steps, Pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic shifters are OK
• Mechanical throttle stops (not adjustable during the run) are OK
• Dragsters or Roadsters are not permitted (even if Ford-powered)
• NOT PERMITTED: Delay boxes, Cross-over boxes, Any reaction-time–based electronic aids, or any Electronically controlled or adjustable throttle stops

LANE CHOICE

In Open Comp, During qualifying and eliminations, lane choice is the responsibility of the competitors. If the competitors are unable to agree, a staging official will determine lane choice by coin flip.

Overall Rules – ALL CLASSES

For all cars running 9.99 or faster mile, it will be mandatory to have either a diaper or an approved belly pan to race in order to maintain track and racer safety.

The following rules, regulations, and procedures are established to promote fairness, safety, and orderly competition. By entering the event, all participants agree to abide by these rules as well as any supplemental regulations issued by Mustang Week or track officials. Officials reserve the right to interpret, amend, modify, or revise these rules at any time in the interest of safety, competition integrity, event management, or unforeseen circumstances. Any such decisions are final.

All vehicles must comply with applicable NHRA safety standards based on elapsed time (ET) and trap speed. It is the responsibility of each competitor to ensure their vehicle meets or exceeds the required safety specifications for its performance level.

Driver Requirements

All drivers must wear required safety equipment appropriate for their vehicle’s ET and speed classification, in accordance with NHRA guidelines.

A valid government-issued driver’s license is required for vehicles running 10.00 seconds or slower.

An NHRA competition license is required for vehicles exceeding 10.00 seconds ET and/or meeting NHRA licensing thresholds for speed.

Responsibility

It is the sole responsibility of the competitor to ensure their vehicle complies with all class rules, safety regulations, and track requirements prior to competition. Mustang Week and track officials reserve the right to inspect any vehicle, equipment, or safety gear at any time. Failure to comply may result in disqualification without refund.

Entry Information

Mustang Week Charlotte is a rain-or-shine event.

In the event of inclement weather, track cleanup, timing system issues, oil downs, accidents, or other unforeseen circumstances, event officials reserve the right to adjust qualifying procedures, elimination formats, run schedules, or competition structure as necessary to complete the event in a safe and timely manner.

All entries are non-refundable under any circumstances, including but not limited to weather-related delays or cancellations.