06/18/2026
𝗦𝗘𝗚𝗔 𝗥𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝘁-𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱
Action at the historic Brainerd Motorsports Park was every bit as hot as the June weather with the Southeast Gassers Association’s Rumble in Ringgold, presented by Harbin’s Mechanical Services. The extreme conditions pushed SEGA competitors to the limit as they wrestled their old school, naturally aspirated four speed gassers—machines built to mirror 1960s-era drag racing as closely as possible. This third stop of the SEGA championship season, rescheduled from its original date, delivered several career and season firsts while also helping to solidify the early favorites in the 2026 championship hunt.
In hot and challenging conditions, the quickest and fastest competitors in SEGA showcased that the new Brainerd Motorsports Park surface was certainly suitable for A/Gas racers. Four racers out of the fourteen stopped the clock in the 5.30s seconds range, with Ben Christopher being the number one qualifier at a 5.31 elapsed time. All the top four qualifiers would advance to the semi-finals, except the defending event champion, Barry Adler. In his round one match up against a fellow Barry in the Chevelle Red Wagon, Barry Adler had the pace in his Iron Eagle Corvette with a 5.39ET but it was a hole shot for Barry Lynn at a 5.52ET. The only outlier of the top four qualifiers into the semi-finals was Leslie Horne in the Chick Magnet 1955 Chevy gasser. He defeated Barry Lynn in his second-round pairing to face Ben Christopher in the semi-finals. Though Leslie was able to muster his best elapsed time of the day at a 5.33 ET, it wasn’t enough to stop Ben advancing to the finals, who went low elapsed time of race day with a 5.23ET. The other semi-final pair was Kenneth Phillips, making his first appearance in his Silver Streak II Corvette gasser for 2026, against new A/Gas competitor but 2025 B/Gas champion Ken Rainwater. Ken, in his Instigator gasser, continued the great performance that put him in the top four qualified cars, but it was Kenneth Phillips dipping into the 5.20s with a win-light to advance to the final round. For the final round, the number one and two qualified cars meet each other, who had just run in the 5.20s in their semi-final victories. The expectation was high that it would be a fender-to-fender battle to the finish-line stripe, but Kenneth had issues on the launch, allowing Ben Christopher to streak on to a win. Ben has appeared in all three finals thus far in 2026 and, with this win, just completed his first-ever back-to-back win. Ben, the team, with the Jason Line powerplant in the Happy Daze gasser, has clearly established themselves as the frontrunner.
With the win in B/Gas at the last race at Holiday Raceway and rolling into Brainerd Motorsports Park as the defending event champion for the category, eyes were on Charlie Lee in his white with red racing stripes Mustang to perform remarkably well. In qualifying, he continued performing, slotting in the second spot, being one of just three cars that were able to reach the 5.60s in elapsed time. In round one, he dispatched Zak Hall in the Home Grown gasser in a return to SEGA competition. For his second round match-up, Charlie Lee was able to wheel his gasser to a 5.72ET whereas Mark Jones, in his Mini Kwik II 1937 Chevy gasser, clocked in with a 5.98ET. Clearly, the performance was with Charlie, yet the win-light was with Mark, the eighth-place qualifier who was able to defeat his round one opponent and round two opponent with massive hole shots. In the semi-finals, Mark’s rumble through the ladder would be settled as Wayne Swafford advanced to the final round. To oppose Wayne in the final would be the number one qualifier, Ted McKee. In his Rocky Top Missile, Tennessee orange Chevy gasser Ted appeared in his third final in a row with a season opener win. It must have been Wayne trying to gain all the edge he could, being just a bit behind on performance, to illuminate the red light, giving Ted McKee the win. Ted earned his second win on the season while facing a different opponent in each final that he has appeared in, being all thus far in 2026 – he has a clear points lead in a very competitive SEGA category.
Already in just three races within C/Gas, it is clear that we’ve got the Perdue & Oden show on display. Jerren Perdue, the 2025 champion, and Todd Oden, the 2024 champion, have appeared in the two previous finals, with each claiming a win. That performance didn’t stop at Brainerd Motorsports Park as Todd qualified number one with Jerren in the second spot, both stopping the clocks at a 6.06ET. When the finals were called, the C/Gas final again had Jerren Perdue in his Chevy wagon and Todd Oden in his 1958 Chevy Del Ray for the third straight race. The winner was a known matter as Todd Oden rolled through the water box, poised for his final burnout of the race. Jerren Perdue dropped a valve in his semi-final win and couldn’t make the call to compete for a second win in a row. Even without an opponent in the other lane, which had been the norm for Todd on race day with a competition single in round one and then a bye run in round two, only facing an opponent in Heath Adams in the Rusty Bullet in the semi-finals, he sent it to the delight of the fans that attended on a hot day in north Georgia. Todd Oden earns his second win on the season in 2026 and has showcased that a complete turnaround of his program from the abysmal start in 2025 is real.
Super Stock is dominated by Jerry Dean in the Last Rebel II. He came into Brainerd Motorsports Park with a seven-race win streak since his last loss, which was in a final round. A number one qualifier streak that may never be matched in SEGA drag racing. That streak, which he added to the tally, going number one with a 6.40 ET, whereas the second-place qualified car could only muster a 6.78ET. The eight-car field was once again chasing Jerry, who charged through the competition all the way to the final round—where he was ultimately edged out, leaving Brainerd Motorsports Park with a runner‑up finish. The last time that Jerry lost, seven races ago, it was at this very track. Who beat him in that final to be the only other winner in SEGA Super Stock in 2025? That would be Rob Walden in his Strych 09 Chevy Impala, and in 2026, he does it again. In an almost carbon copy final, just flip the lanes they were in, it was Rob Walden to the stripe first as Jerry Dean lost traction at launch. It was Rob’s 6.76ET to Jerry’s 7.10ET to conclude Super Stock. Rob Walden, a Georgia native, defends his home turf and his event championship in The Rumble In Ringgold.
Despite the postponement and the blistering heat at Hot Ringgold, the event delivered big moments: a new season-first winner emerged, and another driver captured back-to-back victories for the first time in his SEGA career. And while the weekend offered its share of breakthroughs, it also made one thing clear—early championship favorites in each class are now firmly taking shape. The Rumble in Ringgold, presented by Harbin’s Mechanical, once again brought the spirit of drag racing’s glory days roaring back to life with the unmistakable authenticity of the Southeast Gassers Association. With Brainerd Motorsports Park now in the rearview, SEGA turns its sights northward to Rocky Top for the fourth race of the 2026 championship season at Knoxville Dragway.
THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION REMAINING 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.
ABOUT SOUTHEAST GASSERS ASSOCIATION DRAG RACING
Our mission is to bring back the authentic drag racing from the 1960’s and to put on a show the whole family will love. The 1960’s produced some of the most exciting times in drag racing history and we are doing our best to preserve that time at the track. Our cars represent the gassers of that era as closely as possible. This means exciting wheel-up launches, drivers banging gears with their four speeds, as well as the car’s appearance while sitting in the pits. Follow the Southeast Gassers Association on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.
Photos for SEGA by James Hall.
