Southeast Gassers Association returned to Rockingham Dragway for the first time in more than a decade, and the nostalgic gassers wasted little time reminding fans why this series remains one of drag racing’s purest forms.
The Bowl4Life Foundation Rock Revival produced a double-feature weekend packed with clutch dumps, gear changes, wheelstands and championship drama, while also allowing SEGA to finish the rain-delayed RAM Clutches Nationals that began at Knoxville Dragway.
Friday’s action opened with eliminations rather than the traditional test-and-tune session. B/Gas and A/Gas competitors made their first passes down The Rock in more than 10 years, and after a round of getting acquainted with the surface, the competition quickly found its rhythm.
Jerry Dean continued his dominant run in Super Stock, defeating Rob Walden in the semifinals before meeting Tony Nowasadski in the final.
Dean, the multi-time defending champion, used his Last Rebel II Chevy II to return to the winner’s circle, beating Nowasadski’s ’56 Chevy. The victory extended Dean’s championship lead.
Dean was just getting started.
Saturday’s Rock Revival finale produced another familiar Super Stock final between Dean and Walden. Dean again came out on top, stopping the clocks at 6.38 seconds to Walden’s 6.70s in the Strych 09 Chevy Impala.
The win marked Dean’s fourth of the 2026 season.
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Tony Tatgenhorst broke through for his first SEGA victory Friday in C/Gas, defeating defending champion Jerren Perdue in the final with his Wasted Wages Chevy II wagon.
Saturday delivered a new story.
Todd Oden, the 2024 champion, sustained rear-end damage during qualifying, and a broken transmission ended his day in the opening round. That opened the door for Perdue to move up in the championship standings.
Perdue took advantage.
After advancing through the field, he met Heath Adams in the final. Driving the Ghost of Fulton’s Past Chevy II wagon, Perdue posted a 6.08-second pass to defeat Adams’ 6.24.
Perdue has now appeared in every C/Gas final this season and owns two victories.
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Ted McKee continued to look like the man to beat in B/Gas.
McKee won the unfinished RAM Clutches Nationals Friday at the wheel of the Rocky Top Missile, defeating Charlie Lee in the final. It was McKee’s third victory of the season and his second straight win.
He carried that momentum into Saturday.
McKee qualified No. 1, earned a first-round bye and marched through the field before meeting former B/Gas champion Daniel Haynes in the final. Haynes pushed the points leader hard, but McKee held on with a 5.65-second pass to Haynes’ 5.70.
McKee’s performance stretched his championship advantage and continued what has become a dominant stretch in B/Gas.
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A/Gas provided one of the weekend’s biggest surprises.
Ben Christopher arrived at Rockingham on a roll, having reached every final in 2026 and won three straight. He continued the streak early Saturday, qualifying No. 1 with a 5.17-second pass in the Happy Daze Chevy II.
But the streak ended in the semifinals.
Ken Rainwater stopped Christopher with a hole-shot victory, setting up a final against Kenneth Phillips. Phillips had worked his way past Dean Jonas, Quian Stott and No. 2 qualifier Barry Adler to reach his first A/Gas final of the season.
Phillips completed the upset in the Silver Streak II Corvette, defeating Rainwater’s Instigator Chevy II for the victory.
For Christopher, it was the first time all season he failed to reach the final. For Phillips, it was a return to the winner’s circle at exactly the right time.
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The weekend marked SEGA’s first championship points event at Rockingham Dragway in more than a decade, and the response from both competitors and fans made the return memorable.
There were no electronic driving aids, no modern turbocharged combinations and no shortcuts. Just naturally aspirated engines, four-speed transmissions, clutch management and drivers trying to put everything together at the starting line.
That is the Southeast Gassers Association.
And after two days of racing at The Rock, it was clear the fans wanted more.
If this weekend was any indication, SEGA and Rockingham Dragway may have plenty more to write about when the series returns in 2027.
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THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION REMAINING 2026 SCHEDULE
8/22 Farmington Dragway – Mocksville, NC.
9/12 Greer Dragway – Greer, SC.
10/9, 10 Gulfport Dragway – Gulfport, MS.(Double Feature)
10/31 Shadyside Dragway – Shelby, NC.
