When no-prep racing first became wildly popular, the Big Tire class was what many fans traveled to see. However, in recent years, small-tire racing has become the must-see show in the world of no-prep and light prep events, and we are absolutely here for it.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]
Fans can find a small-tire race – typically running on 28×10.5 slicks – nearly every weekend, and many times more than one. While there might be some concern with oversaturating the market, certain events have separated themselves in terms of raising the bar for racers and fans. Those include events such as the $50,000-to-win King of the South, War in the Woods (over $20,000 to win), Small Tire Gangsta’s, and the Dig or Die “Dig Days” backside race.
Race promoter and Spoold Media owner Corey Stamper has arguably helped push the small-tire racing scene as much as anyone, and he believes part of the success stems from giving everyone a chance to realistically compete.
“The front-side world opens it up more for your higher-budget teams,” says Stamper. “At some of our events, horsepower becomes a factor. You’re seeing more tube-chassis cars, more guys coming in with Hemis or big blocks, all these bigger builds. Meanwhile, these backside races really open it up for your smaller and mid-budget teams. You don’t have to go as fast; you don’t need all that horsepower. You’re on the crappiest surface you can get, and you’re just trying to get down.”
The creation of the L’il Gangsta’s class has also helped push participation and excitement. Running on a 5.30 index, it gives teams that might not be quite ready to run in an unlimited-style class a chance to progress.
“I push L’il Gangsta’s hard,” Stamper says. “It allows the guys that don’t necessarily have unlimited budgets and horsepower to still go heads-up racing within a controlled environment. This class has opened up a door of options that is crazy. I feel like that’s something that is really needed, because no matter how you write the rule set, a bigger budget team can still move in. Having a cap really keeps it in control, because it doesn’t matter how much money you’ve got in your car – you still have to go 5.30.”
The racing aspect is only one side of the proverbial small-tire coin, however. The flip side to that is the atmosphere at these tracks. Held at smaller venues as opposed to massive national event-level facilities, the vibe is hard to put into words; it’s something that simply has to be experienced.
“For King of the South, we had 4,000 people on Saturday night at Shadyside Dragway,” says Stamper. “It was the track’s highest-attended event ever. It’s about getting back to the roots of having a ‘cool’ race. The stands are packed, you’ve got fans going down the fence line all the way to the eighth mile, the starting line is packed with people betting and having a good time. It’s a rush for the racers. You can’t get that type of environment at a big facility.”
Stamper says he has met many fans at these small-tire races that had never been to a track before, and now they’re coming back for other events. It’s grassroots drag racing that is growing the sport for both racers and fans – what could be more exciting than that?
This story was originally published on November 11, 2024. 
