The Southeast Gassers Association will make history this week, bringing its 2026 championship season to a close with an unprecedented three-race weekend at Shadyside Dragway near Shelby, North Carolina.
The Championship Finals presented by Robbins Repairables, scheduled for Oct. 29-31, will feature three full points-paying races in an effort to make up for two events lost to weather earlier this season. The unique format gives competitors additional opportunities to collect championship points while setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the organization’s nostalgia drag racing campaign.
SEGA’s Return to Greer Dragway presented by MAHLE Motorsports was washed out by rain on race day, while the Gulfcoast Nationals presented by ARP Fasteners was canceled ahead of its scheduled date because of a forecast threatening Gulfport, Mississippi, and Gulfport Dragway.
Despite weather repeatedly disrupting the schedule, the organization is determined to finish the season with three days of competition and settle its championship battles on the track.
Thursday and Friday will serve as makeup dates for the two postponed events, while Saturday will follow SEGA’s traditional race-day format.
For the first time in association history, competitors will have three opportunities in one weekend to earn points toward the final standings.
Thursday’s and Friday’s programs will feature a different approach to establishing eliminator fields. Rather than using qualifying results to determine the brackets, competitors will participate in a single chip draw for each race. Each driver will receive one test run before eliminations begin in the championship categories.
On both days, cars are scheduled to hit the track for their test runs at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Saturday’s program will return to the traditional SEGA format, with qualifying scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Eastern, followed by eliminations. The final day will determine the 2026 champions in A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas and Super Stock.
Among the championship contenders, Super Stock and C/Gas appear poised to deliver the most compelling battles heading into the season finale.
In Super Stock, reigning and multiple-time champion Jerry Dean enters the weekend leading the standings in his Last Rebel II Chevy II. However, his advantage is far from comfortable.
Rob Walden has closed the gap to 15 points behind Dean in his Strych09 Super Stocker. Walden arrives with momentum after earning his second victory of the season during SEGA’s most recent completed eliminations at Farmington Dragway in August.
With three races scheduled over three days, Dean will have little room for error as he attempts to protect his lead and add another championship to his résumé. Walden, meanwhile, has an opportunity to turn his recent success into a title-winning finish.
C/Gas offers another tight contest between two drivers familiar with championship success.
Defending champion Jerren Perdue leads the standings in his white Chevy II wagon, The Ghost of Fulton’s Past. Todd Oden trails by 25 points in the Double X 1958 Chevrolet Del Ray, a machine that has carried him to multiple championships, including the 2024 title.
The category has produced a diverse group of winners this season, further complicating the championship picture. Perdue and Oden each have two victories, while Tony Tatgenhorst and Heath Adams have also reached the winner’s circle.
The challenge for both championship contenders extends beyond their direct points battle. With multiple competitors capable of winning, every round could prove significant in determining who leaves Shadyside with the title.
Perdue will attempt to defend his crown, while Oden looks to use the expanded schedule to close the gap and reclaim championship honors.
Among the championship contenders, Super Stock and C/Gas appear poised to deliver the most compelling battles heading into the season finale.
In Super Stock, reigning and multiple-time champion Jerry Dean enters the weekend leading the standings in his Last Rebel II Chevy II. However, his advantage is far from comfortable.
Rob Walden has closed the gap to 15 points behind Dean in his Strych09 Super Stocker. Walden arrives with momentum after earning his second victory of the season during SEGA’s most recent completed eliminations at Farmington Dragway in August.
With three races scheduled over three days, Dean will have little room for error as he attempts to protect his lead and add another championship to his résumé. Walden, meanwhile, has an opportunity to turn his recent success into a title-winning finish.
C/Gas offers another tight contest between two drivers familiar with championship success.
Defending champion Jerren Perdue leads the standings in his white Chevy II wagon, The Ghost of Fulton’s Past. Todd Oden trails by 25 points in the Double X 1958 Chevrolet Del Ray, a machine that has carried him to multiple championships, including the 2024 title.
The category has produced a diverse group of winners this season, further complicating the championship picture. Perdue and Oden each have two victories, while Tony Tatgenhorst and Heath Adams have also reached the winner’s circle.
The challenge for both championship contenders extends beyond their direct points battle. With multiple competitors capable of winning, every round could prove significant in determining who leaves Shadyside with the title.
Perdue will attempt to defend his crown, while Oden looks to use the expanded schedule to close the gap and reclaim championship honors.
The historic format also provides fans with an opportunity to see more racing as SEGA completes its championship tour.
Admission will be $20 Thursday and Friday, with Saturday admission set at $25. A three-day pass will be available for $60.
Fans holding a ticket stub from Saturday’s SEGA event at Greer Dragway will receive free admission to Friday’s race. The stub may also be applied as a credit toward the cost of a weekend pass.
All three days of competition will be livestreamed on the Southeast Gassers Association’s YouTube channel.
Additional information is available at southeastgassers.com and shadysidedragway.com, as well as through the organizations’ social media channels.
After a season repeatedly interrupted by weather, the Southeast Gassers Association will have one final weekend to settle its championship races. With makeup events, traditional qualifying and four titles at stake, the three-day program at Shadyside Dragway promises a historic finish to the 2026 season.
