Take a look at this, Kye Kelley Hunts for $75,000 Prize at the 2026 U.S. Street Nationals!
When January arrives, most of America slows down under cold weather and snow. But in Bradenton, Florida, the drag racing world ignites. The 2026 U.S. Street Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park are shaping up to be one of the most explosive weekends in modern doorslammer racing — and at the center of the storm stands Street Outlaws legend Kye Kelley.
With more than $300,000 in total payouts and a massive $75,000 Pro Mod prize on the line, this event is not just another race. It is a career-defining moment for the man known as the “Nola Nightmare.”
Bradenton Becomes the Hottest Track in America
The U.S. Street Nationals, presented by M&M Transmission, open the 2026 eighth-mile season from January 22 to January 25. This race is the second jewel in the prestigious Drag Illustrated Winter Series Triple Crown, making it one of the most important early-season stops for elite Pro Mod teams.
January conditions at Bradenton are what racers call “horsepower heaven.” Cool air, low density altitude, and legendary track preparation create perfect circumstances for record-setting runs. Teams from across the country arrived weeks early, testing relentlessly and pushing their equipment to the edge.
This is not street racing under flashlight starts — this is full-scale professional warfare.
Jason Harris and the Million-Dollar Dream
Every great race needs a villain, and this weekend’s final boss is PDRA World Champion Jason Harris.
Fresh off a dominant win at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, Harris qualified number one and claimed a $50,000 payday in his iconic “Party Time” 1969 Camaro. But the stakes now go far beyond a single trophy.
Harris is the only driver still alive in the Jerry Bickel Race Cars Clean Sweep Challenge. If he qualifies number one and wins at Bradenton, then repeats the feat at the World Series of Pro Mod, he becomes eligible for a staggering $1 million bonus.
That kind of pressure turns champions into something even more dangerous.
Every competitor in the pits knows it: stopping Jason Harris is now everyone’s mission.
Kye Kelley: From Street King to Pro Mod Contender
Standing directly in Harris’s path is one of the most recognizable names in drag racing culture.
Kye Kelley, the man who helped put New Orleans street racing on the global map, arrives ranked fifth in Winter Series points and hungry for another statement win.
For years, critics claimed Street Outlaws racers could not survive among the Pro Mod elite. Kelley answered them with trophies.
He already owns victory at Bradenton, having won the 2024 Snowbirds, and few drivers are more dangerous on the starting line. In modern Pro Mod racing, where cars run side-by-side in the 3.50-second zone, races are often decided by reaction time — and that has always been Kelley’s strongest weapon.
While Harris battles the weight of a million-dollar dream, Kelley races with something just as powerful: momentum and respect.
A Field Loaded With Killers
This year’s Pro Mod class is stacked from top to bottom.
Brazilian star Sidney Frigo sits second in the Winter Series standings. Multi-time Pro Boost champion Kevin Rivenbark holds fourth. With reigning champion Ken Quartuccio stepping back to focus on business, the door is wide open for a new king to rise.
Street racers. Track champions. International contenders.
This is not just a race — it is a clash of cultures.
Weekend Format and Key Race Times
The U.S. Street Nationals deliver four full days of high-stakes action:
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Thursday: Final testing and first qualifying sessions
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Friday: Two more Pro Mod qualifying sessions at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
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Saturday: Final qualifying at 2:30 p.m., eliminations begin at 7:00 p.m. under the lights
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Sunday: Eliminations resume at 10:30 a.m. until a champion is crowned
Few experiences in drag racing rival nighttime Pro Mod eliminations in Florida — flames shooting from headers, engines echoing through the grandstands, and reaction times measured in thousandths of a second.
Beyond Pro Mod, fans will witness:
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True 10.5 racing for $40,000
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Lil Gangstas battling for $20,000
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FuelTech Radial Outlaws, X275, Pro275, and more
Non-stop horsepower from sunrise to sunset.
Why This Race Matters for Kye Kelley and 2026
For Kye Kelley, this weekend is about far more than money.
A victory at Bradenton would:
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Deliver a massive $75,000 payday
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Propel him up the Winter Series standings
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Send a message to the entire No Prep Kings and Pro Mod paddock
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Establish him as a legitimate championship threat in 2026
Momentum in drag racing is everything. One win can define an entire season.
And if that win comes by defeating the reigning world champion chasing a million-dollar bonus, it becomes legendary.
Final Thoughts: A Weekend That Could Define Careers
The storylines could not be better written.
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Jason Harris chasing history and a million dollars
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Kye Kelley hunting respect, dominance, and another major trophy
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A stacked field of killers ready to steal the spotlight
The 2026 U.S. Street Nationals are not just opening the season — they are setting the tone for the entire year.
One man will leave Bradenton holding a giant check, a trophy, and the momentum of a champion.
The only question left is simple:
Will it be the Pro Mod king… or the Street Outlaws hunter?
