The Southeast Gassers Association returns to Tennessee this weekend, bringing its signature brand of nostalgia-fueled drag racing to Knoxville Dragway for the Ram Clutches Nationals on June 26-27. As the fourth stop on the 2026 championship tour, the event marks the series’ only visit to the Volunteer State this season and promises something fans don’t often see heads-up gasser racing under the lights.
For competitors, Knoxville has long been more than another stop on the schedule. The historic eighth-mile strip has earned a reputation for rewarding consistency while exposing even the smallest mistakes. Drivers know a strong performance here can shape the remainder of the championship chase.
This year’s event arrives with a noticeable change in format. After competitors battled extreme temperatures during the previous round at Brainerd Motorsports Park in Ringgold, Georgia, series officials shifted racing into the evening hours to improve conditions for racers, crews and spectators alike.
The decision transforms Knoxville Dragway into a throwback spectacle. As the sun sets, the staging lanes fill, the Christmas Tree glows against the Tennessee sky, and vintage gassers launch hard with front wheels climbing skyward in pursuit of victory. While SEGA has occasionally raced at night because of weather or special scheduling, a full evening program remains a rarity and is expected to provide one of the most memorable atmospheres of the season.
Championship battles are also beginning to take shape.
In A/Gas, Ben Christopher and the Happy Daze machine continue to set the standard, entering Knoxville with momentum on their side.
The C/Gas division has produced one of the season’s closest rivalries. Jerren Perdue has consistently kept his white Chevrolet wagon near the front of the field, while Todd Oden’s unmistakable 1958 Chevrolet Del Ray continues to prove that size doesn’t slow down performance when the lights turn green.
Super Stock has belonged to Jerry Dean and the Last Rebel II Chevy II through the opening rounds, though Rod Walden’s Chevrolet Impala remains within striking distance as the championship battle tightens.
In B/Gas, hometown favorite Ted McKee hopes Knoxville’s home crowd can provide a little extra motivation. Driving the aptly named Rocky Top Missile, McKee will look to defend his turf while challenging the division’s front-runners.
Despite familiar names leading each class, SEGA competition has a reputation for producing surprises. One perfect reaction time, one flawless gear change or one better pass off the starting line can completely reshape the championship picture before the night is over.
Action begins Friday at 5 p.m. Eastern with a SEGA-exclusive test-and-tune session, followed by live entertainment after racing concludes. Admission is $20.
Championship racing takes center stage Saturday, with qualifying beginning at 5 p.m. before eliminations determine the weekend’s winners beneath the Knoxville lights. Saturday admission is $25, while a weekend pass is available for $35.
For fans of vintage drag racing, the formula remains refreshingly simple. No electronic starting-line advantages. No handicaps. Just authentic 1960s-style gassers leaving together on the green, racing heads-up to the finish line with horsepower, reaction time and driver skill deciding who reaches the winner’s circle.
Â
THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION 2026 SCHEDULE
6/27 Knoxville Dragway – Knoxville, TN.
8/1 Rockingham Dragway – Rockingham, NC.
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.
