Larry Larson will defend his $75,000 King of the South Small-Tire Invitational crown at Shadyside Dragway in Shelby, North Carolina, from May 21-24.

Last year he won the Ronnie Buff Memorial final by 0.004 seconds, edging Lyle Barnett’s Tommy Youmans-owned Salvage Title Mustang in his Harts Charger-powered ’66 Chevy Nova.

The victory arrived despite limited small-tire experience, underlining execution and adaptability against a seasoned field.

He now faces a faster baseline. By his assessment, many contenders have found three to four tenths since last spring.

The class has accelerated into the 3.90-second window, tightening margins and exposing any setup inefficiency on 28×10.5 tires.

Larson highlights rising threats, including Russell Stone, Cory Reed, and Kyle Canion, all showing clear performance gains in recent months.

Momentum followed his title defense preparations. He added a $40,000 True 10.5 victory at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, opening the Drag Illustrated Winter Series.

The 2026 event retains a 64-car small-tire invitational and a broad support program to stress versatility and racecraft.

Supporting classes include the 26×8.5 Knight of the South, Lil’ Gangstas, SC Raceworks Street Racer 6.30 Index, Bracket Misfits 16-car, and the IHRA Teen Championship.

Friday features the $7,500 Kettle Kings Concessions Practice Tree Shootout, an execution test that rewards reaction-time discipline ahead of eliminations.

Fans can watch testing via Spoold Media on Thursday and Friday, with eliminations carried by FloRacing on Saturday and Sunday.

Shadyside’s compact setting amplifies tension. Capacity crowds last year prompted a Saturday gate closure by the fire marshal.

Larson values the venue’s character, describing it as a long-standing backwoods track where local support translates directly into pressure on the start line.

Tickets are available at the gate: $20 for testing days, $35 for each elimination day, or an $80 four-day King Pass.

With a faster field and refined programs, repeating a 0.004-second margin appears unlikely, but Larson enters prepared to protect his crown under heavier fire.

Visual Summary

James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.