The 2026 Yellowbullet Nationals marked the competition debut of Keith Haney Racing’s newest weapon, “The Gladiator,” a brand-new Quarter-Max Race Cars build, and the new combination showed its potential right out of the gate.
The weekend went extremely well for a brand-new car and combination. The only issue the team encountered came during Q2, when the engine wasn’t oiling properly, causing the car to slow down. Rather than take any chances, the KHR team went to work and swapped engines before Q3, getting The Gladiator back and ready to make another run.
When eliminations began, Haney and The Gladiator were ready.
In the opening round, Haney cut a .020 light and charged to a3.619 at 207.69 mph. It was just the sixth pass ever on The Gladiator, and the 3.619 was one of the best runs in Keith Haney Racing history.
“To go 3.619 on only the sixth pass in this car is amazing,” Haney said. “That’s one of the best runs we’ve ever made in the history of Keith Haney Racing. To do that on only the sixth pass with a brand-new Quarter-Max car tells me we have something special here.”
Unfortunately, Haney’s opponent, Chuck Ulsch, was nearly perfect on the starting line, cutting a .001 reaction time and running 3.621 at 208.30 mph to take the win on a holeshot.
While the win light didn’t come on for Haney, the performance made a statement. In only six passes, the Gladiator was already producing some of the best numbers in Keith Haney Racing history.
For Haney and the entire KHR team, the Yellowbullet Nationals weren’t the ending they wanted, but as the debut of The Gladiator, the weekend proved exactly what this new program is capable of.
This story was originally published on September 10, 2026. 
