Sick Week isn’t just a race — it’s five days of drag-and-drive punishment, highway miles, late-night thrashes, and zero room for excuses. And in 2026, it was especially brutal.
Record cold temperatures in Florida added an entirely new layer of complexity for teams chasing consistency. Tuning windows got tighter. Track conditions changed by the hour. Traction was never guaranteed. On top of that, several big-name heavy hitters were forced to drop out throughout the week as mechanical issues stacked up and the grind took its toll.
This wasn’t a smooth week. It was survival of the toughest.
And through the chaos, our customers showed up ready to fight through adversity, chase records, and bring home class wins.
From stick-shift warriors to 220+ MPH missiles, here’s how the week unfolded.
Reddi Whip Shakes the Field
Devin Vanderhoof and Josh Davis rolled into Sick Week with something to prove — and from Day one at Gainesville Raceway, home of the 2026 NHRA season kick-off race Gatornationals, they did exactly that with a jaw-dropping 6.13 @ 220 MPH set the tone early.
Then on day two they backed it up with a 6.194 at 231 MPH. Their 6.1640 average put the drag-and-drive record — 6.1754, held by Ned Dunphy — officially on notice.
Powered by twin F5 94mm turbos and fed by 600 lb/hr AFIS Injectors, the HCR Innovations “Reddi Whip” was charging toward history before a drivetrain issue ended the run on Day 5.
They may not have crossed the final finish line, but make no mistake — they were the team to beat.
Back-to-Back Stick Shift Domination
Darin Hendricks Racing Enterprises went back-to-back in Stick Shift, proving that last year’s win was no fluke.
Driving his 1993 Mustang Cobra, Darin laid down:
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Best pass: 8.138 @ 176.95 MPH
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Week average: 8.2355 @ 173.81 MPH
Thanks to Nick Larson at Street Shenanigans Performance, Darin made the switch from a blower setup to twin F2 6870 turbos this season, the results spoke loud and clear. Stick shift. Twin turbos. Championship repeat.
Heavy Metal Victory: Alan Whitaker
The Heavy Metal class belonged to Alan Whitaker.
With a dominant 7.00 @ 207 MPH average, Alan secured the class win — nearly three tenths quicker and 11 MPH faster than last year’s Sick Summer performance. That kind of year-over-year improvement doesn’t happen by accident.
Consistency. Grit. The right combination. All fueled by AFIS Injectors.
Pro Street Consistency Wins Championships
Nick Rinehart put together one of the most consistent performances of the event to take the Pro Street win with his 1967 Chevy Nova.
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Week average: 6.81 @ 204 MPH
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Best pass (final day): 6.76 @ 209.7 MPH
After a grueling week of racing and driving, Nick finished strongest when it counted — all fueled by AFIS Injectors.
Leticia Hughes: Fast, Focused & Fearless
Leticia Hughes once again showed why she’s one of the most respected competitors in the pits. Running twin F2 6870 HPT Turbos in Modified, she stayed in quarantine contention until Day 4 before oil pressure issues cut the week short.
Her best hit — 7.52 @ 192 MPH — came early and proved the combo had serious potential. Even when the week didn’t end as planned, the performance and professionalism never wavered.
Personal Bests & Birthday Passes
Robert Lamparek lived the dream all week, improving every single day with a new personal bests in his twin-turbo F-150 powered by an F2 6466 turbo kit from Tru Street Solutions, and protected by HPL Superior Lubricants.
He capped the event with a 9.57 @ 146.5 MPH — his strongest pass yet — and even celebrated his birthday during the event. New personal bests and birthday cake? That’s how you do Sick Week.
The Muskrat Tesla: 8.24 to the Quarter
Robert Freund turned a challenging start into a headline-grabbing finish in Heavy Metal. His big-block Chevy–powered “Muskrat” Tesla stormed to an 8.24 @ 170 MPH quarter-mile run on the final day — one of the wildest passes of the week.
He finished 4th in class with a 9.55 average at 143.89 MPH, proving that when it mattered most, the twin HPT F3 7880 turbos delivered.
Rowdy Radials & 4.60 Action
Kevin Smith had his blue 1979 Camaro “Soccermom” sitting 2nd overall in Rowdy Radials before a cracked engine block ended the week early.
Before the setback, his AFIS Injectors helped him rip a killer 4.61 @ 158 MPH — absolutely hauling. Tough ending, but a strong showing nonetheless.
Unlimited Iron Top 3 Finish
With the help of AFIS Injectors, David Armentrout battled through a stacked Unlimited Iron field to secure a 3rd place finish with a 6.93 average at 201 MPH.
Consistency, horsepower, and resilience defined his week. Drag-and-drive at this level is never easy — and David made it happen.
Lightning Through the Adversity
Steve Shepard embodied what drag-and-drive is all about in his 2003 Ford Lightning. Competing in Street Race 275, he battled transmission issues all week — but never backed down.
On the final day, he let it eat and dropped an 8.57 @ 157.98 MPH pass to show what the truck was truly capable of. Boosted by twin HPT Turbos and protected with HPL Superior Lubricants, Steve proved that persistence matters just as much as performance.
That’s grit. That’s Sick Week.
Sierra Strong: Full-Weight & Flying
Lori Russell rolled into Sick Week with her 4,700-pound 2017 GMC Sierra — full interior, full weight, no excuses.
Running F2 6466 twin turbochargers (with T3 housings), she clicked off a strong 9.46 @ 146 MPH on just 18 PSI on day one. Drag-and-drive in a true street truck isn’t easy, but Lori and Wayne Russell hustled all week and represented the boosted truck crowd the right way.
More Than Racing
Sick Week 2026 wasn’t just about ET slips. It was about:
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Transmission swaps in hotel parking lots
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Oil pressure scares
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Record averages on the line
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Birthday celebrations in the pits
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Championship trophies earned the hard way
From 4.60s to 231 MPH blasts, our customers proved once again that drag-and-drive is the ultimate test — and they’re built for it.
We’re proud to support racers who don’t just show up… they show out.
Here’s to coming back louder, faster, and even more dangerous next year.