Despite a dreary forecast, dedicated and determined Small Tire Pro Stock racers showed up for the Nostalgia Drag Racing League Route 66 Rockabilly Reunion, May 22-23 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
It was the first event of the year for the series for racers who run their cars with naturally aspirated combinations to mid-7s to low-8s in the quarter-mile in a heads-up format, and they were warmly welcomed by Nettie Johnson and the rest of the World Wide Technology Raceway team, and Butch Hill, Doug Duell and the rest of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League team.
Among the racers who made the trip to put down plentiful power in the Prairie State were Jeff Ikard of Toney, Alabama, Dwight Ausmus of LaFollette, Tennessee and David Theisen of Highland, Michigan, who qualified in the first through third spots respectively.
Ikard was strong from the start in his Mustang motivated by a 415 cubic-inch engine recently freshened by Huntsville Engine and drawing fuel from two carburetors by Gary Williams Carburetors.
He led qualifying with an 8.09 and 160 mph while rowing the gears of his five-speed transmission by series sponsor G-Force Transmissions. With his focus on going all the way, he later lined up alongside Ausmus, whose Firebird features a 573 cubic-inch Pontiac by series sponsor BES Racing Engines, carburetor by series sponsor CFM Performance Carburetors and five-speed transmission by Liberty’s Gears, for the final round of eliminations.
As the tree dropped, all eyes were on Ikard, who is consistently running quicker and faster, and Ausmus, who is the reigning Small Tire Pro Stock champion. Down track, the win light illuminated in Ikard’s lane, and he went to the Small Tire Pro Stock Winner’s Circle for the first time with an 8.04 and 160 mph over Ausmus’s 8.11 and 141 mph.
“My car was running well, and it is a blessing and a dream for me to be racing in Small Tire Pro Stock instead of sitting at home wishing I could do it,” said Ikard. “This win just does not feel real yet, and I want to thank my Lord and savior, as well as my wife, Sherry, my team members, Ray Minor and Tommy Graham, Huntsville Engine, G-Force Transmissions and MBE Cylinder Heads. I also want to acknowledge the Nostalgia Drag Racing League for letting us join them. If you are not racing with Small Tire Pro Stock, or following us, you are missing the fun.”
In the week leading up to the event, Small Tire Pro Stock proudly announced that new sponsor Sporthorse Saddlery joined current series sponsors Pen and Paper Strength App, BES Racing Engines, CFM Performance Carburetors, G-Force, Martino Racing Engines, V&J, Inc, Dolce and Clemente’s Italian Gourmet Market and 10K Technology.
With Ikard leading the chase to the season championship, Small Tire Pro Stock will join Nostalgia Drag Racing League again on July 10-11 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana.
“It was great to race against Jeff Ikard in the final round of eliminations, and I congratulate him on the win,” said Ausmus. “We are all happy for him. It was a wonderful weekend with the Small Tire Pro Stock family, though it was a little disappointing that Jeff Ikard’s wife, Sherry, did not send her famous banana bread that we all love so much. Maybe she will for our upcoming race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.”
This story was originally published on May 26, 2026. 
