Freedom of War Winners
Chase Womack is the last man standing. After a Saturday program that ground deep into the Texas night and did not crown a champion until nearly 5 a.m., Womack wheeled his blown “Hitman” machine through a stacked Small Tire field to take the $75,000 winner’s share of the $150,000 Small Tire purse at the Freedom of War No Prep at WestX Abilene Raceway. LJ Grissom chased him all the way to the final and settled for runner-up after a breakout run of his own.
The undercard paid all weekend long. Brandy Hubbard banked $10,000 in 2nd Chance Small Tire, matching the True Street winner’s payday, and index and street winners cashed across the board. Full board below.
Class Winner Payout Small Tire – Champion Chase Womack $75,000 Small Tire – Runner-Up LJ Grissom – 2nd Chance Small Tire Brandy Hubbard $10,000 True Street Beau Benham $10,000 True Street – 2nd Chance Kerry Nicholson $1,750 Daily Driver Charley Rich $3,000 8.20 Gary Wood $1,420 7.50 Kale Parson $900 6.40 Tommy Snook $1,950
Winner’s Circle
Calm Before the Storm
Tech is underway at what should be the most exciting no-prep shootout in recent memory. Track owner and promoter Matt Tucker had the entire concrete surface sandblasted, putting teams onto completely bare concrete this weekend. To say it will be a driver’s and tuner’s race is an understatement.
Aerial views of WesTx Abilene Raceway and Friday’s driver’s meeting as the pits fill in ahead of the Freedom of War, July 3, 2026.
WesTx Abilene Raceway is throwing a Fourth of July street fight, and the ante is $150,000.
The Freedom of War lands on the West Texas eighth-mile July 3-4, and the number that matters is this: $150,000 in guaranteed small-tire money. Off the trailer No time trials. No shakedowns. Racer gates open Friday morning, tech closes at 4:30, and the track goes hot at 6. From there it is win or load up.
Over sixty-four cars, first come first serve, will chase a $75,000 top prize on 28×10.5s. True Street runs for $10,000 guaranteed courtesy of Ridgeway Fabrications, Daily Driver pays $3,000, and the Lil’ Gangstas doubles from $5,000 Friday to $10,000 Saturday. Stack index racing, a $5,000 Practice Tree Showdown, Powerwheels racing for the kids and fireworks over the top end Saturday night on top of that, and you have a two-day war worth the drive to Abilene.
This is your home base for all of it. Schedule, payouts, class rules, photos and results, updating all weekend.
Second Round Pairings – Small Tire
The tower sheet is up and the ladder is set for round two. Twenty-five cars survived Friday night’s opening grind on bare concrete, and now the field pairs off – twelve head-to-head battles and one bye standing between this group and the third round. Kevin #521x drew the round-two bye. Pairings below as posted, Left Lane and Right Lane. Results land here the second they come off the tower.
Pair Left Lane Right Lane 1 Jimmy Dale #660 Steven Little #1471x 2 Danny D. #177 Billy Hoskinson #168 3 Russell G. #713 Mike Winder #2431 4 Nathan W. #138 Jose J. #022 5 Jason Cantu #456x Ryan Mitchell #87 6 Gary Jeans #2312 Flaco #409 7 James Daniel #2421 Brennan Dickinson #923 8 LJ #64 Mike Kidman #862 9 Justin A. #6989 Jonathan #2×22 10 Fabian Bell #800 Roy V. #9561 11 Cody Wagoner #73 Andy Wilaby #4646 12 Wyatt Ruthart #4122 Chase Womack #147 13 Kevin #521x BYE
First Round Results – Small Tire
First round is in the books. The Small Tire field ran off the trailer Friday night on bare concrete, and 25 cars advance to the second round. Winners are marked in bold. Names and numbers are still being confirmed – if you can fill in a blank, let us know.
Pair Left Lane Right Lane 1 James Daniel #2421 ✔ Alexis Zarate #1820 2 Spencer #777 Cody Wagoner #73 ✔ 3 TJ #903 Danny D. #177 ✔ 4 Dallas D. #620 Nathan W. #138 ✔ 5 Daniel F. #900 Jose J. #022 ✔ 6 Rowdy G. #1970 Brennan Dickinson #923 ✔ 7 Jordan S. #43x Ryan Mitchell #87 ✔ 8 Cody Hicks #023x Fabian Bell #800 ✔ 9 Russell G. #713 ✔ Danny Mathis #42 10 Brandy #22 Andy Wilaby #4646 ✔ 11 Gary Jeans #2312 ✔ Bones #48 12 Stetson #6776 Jonathan #2×22 ✔ 13 LJ #64 ✔ Brandon #601 14 Jeremy #69 Justin A. #6989 ✔ 15 Jesus #007 Wyatt Ruthart #4122 ✔ 16 Kevin #521x ✔ Kim #0617 17 Roy V. #9561 ✔ Sam H. #1966 18 Mark #2EZ Flaco #409 ✔ 19 Eric #621 Chase Womack #147 ✔ 20 Steven Little #1471x ✔ Todd S. #296 21 Billy Hoskinson #168 ✔ Andy H. #930 22 Jimmy Dale #660 ✔ Toby N. #416x 23 Jason Cantu #456x ✔ Logan G. #870 24 Mike Winder #2431 ✔ Terrance #0820 25 Mike K. #862 ✔ BYE
Weekend Schedule
Friday, July 3
Racer gates 8 AM · Tech 12-4:30 PM · Spectator gates 3 PM · Driver meeting 5 PM · Track hot 6 PM
Running order: 1st Round Small Tire (off the trailer), Alternate Test Pass, 1st Round True Street (off the trailer), Daily Driver (off the trailer), Lil Gangster 5.30, 8.20 Index, 6.40 Index, 7.50 Index
Saturday, July 4
Racer gates 8 AM · Spectator gates 11 AM · Driver meet-and-greet 12-3 PM · Practice Tree Showdown 10 AM-12 PM ($100 buy-in / $5,000 to win) · Powerwheels 3:30 PM · Driver meeting 4:30 PM · Track hot 5 PM · Fireworks 9:30 PM
Running order: Powerwheels, Daily Driver (off the trailer), Lil Gangster 5.30, 2nd Chance True Street (off the trailer), True Street (off the trailer), 2nd Chance Small Tire (off the trailer), Small Tire (off the trailer)
Purses & Payouts
| Class | Guaranteed Purse | Buy-In | Tech Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Tire (off the trailer) | $150,000 guaranteed | $1,000 * | $50 |
| True Street – Ridgeway Fabrications | $10,000 guaranteed | $250 | $50 |
| Daily Driver | $3,000 guaranteed | $200 | $50 |
| Lil Gangster 5.30 | $5,000 Fri / $10,000 Sat | $200 | $50 |
| 8.20 Index | $820 on top | $150 | $50 |
| 7.50 Index | 100% payback | $150 | $50 |
| 6.40 Index | 100% payback | $150 | $50 |
| Practice Tree Showdown (Sat) | $5,000 to win | $100 | – |
| Powerwheels (Mod & Stock) | 100% payback | $25 | – |
Small Tire Payout Breakdown
| Finish | Payout |
|---|---|
| 1st | $75,000 |
| 2nd | $20,000 |
| 3rd | $10,000 |
| 4th | $10,000 |
| 5th | $6,250 |
| 6th | $6,250 |
| 7th | $6,250 |
| 8th | $6,250 |
Class Rules
Small Tire (Off the Trailer)
$150,000 guaranteed · $1,000 entry ($200 non-refundable lock-in) · $50 tech card · 64-car field, first come first serve, 16 on standby
- 28×10.5 non-W
- Steel roof and quarters required unless different from factory (i.e. convertibles)
- Must start from the driver’s seat
- Must be a door car (with doors)
- Must have a driveshaft safety loop
- No added weight past the rear bumper
- No wheelie bars
- Engine diaper or belly pan preferred
- AWD allowed
- First round Friday night; 2nd Chance Small Tire is $300 buy-in for $10,000 guaranteed with BJ Flagging
True Street (Off the Trailer) – Sponsored by Ridgeway Fabrications
$10,000 guaranteed · $250 buy-in · $50 tech card · 2nd Chance True Street $250 buy-in, 100% payback with BJ Flagging
- AWD allowed, must be on DOT radials
- VIN, registered, tagged, plated (no dealer tag)
- No wheelie bars
- No slicks; tires must be 275 DOT radial, 17-inch wheel or larger can run any size DOT radial
- No back-half or aftermarket 4-link
- Must have a working cooling system and charging system
- Factory-appearing dash; must have all body panels (aftermarket hoods okay)
- Back seat delete okay; any fuel
- No added weight past the rear bumper or body of car
- Cannot be pushed to the lanes
- No aftermarket high wings; factory/stock style or carbon fiber wing only
- Fire jacket and helmet required; no shorts
- Engine diaper or belly pan preferred
Daily Driver (Off the Trailer, Fri & Sat)
$3,000 guaranteed · $200 buy-in · $50 tech card
- Must be tagged, titled and insured; factory glass, body panels and frame (fiberglass hood okay)
- Full interior, back seat delete okay; factory-style seats, aftermarket seats okay but must have padding
- Working headlights, turn signals, factory charging system and brake lights
- Factory-style suspension in factory location; if car came with IRS it must remain IRS
- No alcohol or methanol as a primary fuel; can be mixed or blended
- Must have 2 seats (car seats only)
- Factory 4-link or ladder bar must remain factory; no aftermarket 4-link parts
- Exhaust must exit at the rear end or out back
- No slicks; 275 DOT radial, 17-inch wheel or larger any size DOT radial; AWD must be on 100-treadwear radials all around
- No wheelie bars; no exterior weight past the body line/bumper
- No aftermarket high wings; factory/stock or carbon fiber only
- Fire jacket and helmet required; no shorts
Lil Gangster 5.30 Index
$5,000 Friday / $10,000 Saturday · $200 buy-in · $50 tech card
- 5.30 index
- 28×10.5 non-W or 275/60/15 or smaller unless factory-equipped on a 17-inch rim or bigger
- Must be a door car
- No wheelie bars, throttle stops or delay boxes
- No time slips
- AWD allowed
Index Classes – 8.20 / 7.50 / 6.40
8.20: $820 on top · 7.50 & 6.40: 100% payback · $150 buy-in · $50 tech card (each, Friday)
- 8.20, 7.50 and 6.40 index brackets
- No delay boxes
Powerwheels (Saturday)
Modified & Stock · $25 buy-in each · 100% payback
- Off the tree, no gas
- Remote control allowed
- Modified class and Stock class
Matt Sutherland Friday Photo Gallery
Friday from the ground at WestX Raceway – Freedom of War through the lens of Matt Sutherland. Click any image for the full-size version. More coverage rolls in as Saturday runs.
Photo Gallery
Photos: Matt Sutherland. Fresh galleries from this weekend drop in as the racing unfolds.
Parking & Admission
- General admission, spectator side: $30
- VIP fence parking, spectator side: $20 per car + $30 per person
- Pit-side parking (excluding racers): $50 per car + $30 per person
- RV daily parking (no racecar): $100
- Power: $75
- Kids 12 & under free
All credit card transactions include a $5 convenience fee. WesTx Abilene Raceway, 5601 W. Stamford St., Abilene, Texas. More at waraceway.com.
This story was originally published on July 2, 2026. 
