Bring Your Yugo, Your Dragster, Or Your Dad’s GTO, Just Don’t Bring Traction Control
About this episode
Scott Strege from the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge shares insights about their inclusive drag racing events across Texas and Oklahoma, welcoming everything from street cars to full-blown dragsters. The club offers bracket racing for all skill levels and recently introduced a class for electric vehicles. Racer Yolanda Vasquez talks about her passion for racing and the growing presence of women drivers. The discussion highlights the fun, family atmosphere, affordable entry fees, and the goal of keeping racing safe and off the streets. Details on upcoming events, locations, and how to join or watch are also covered.
Ready to trade street chaos for time slips and trophies? We sit down with the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge (TMCCC) to unpack how bracket racing turns every kind of car—and every kind of driver—into a contender. From bone-stock commuters and diesel workhorses to full-on dragsters, the series builds a fair fight around consistency, reaction times, and smart dialing. If you can pass tech, you can stage, and the family-friendly vibe means you’ll head home by mid-afternoon with a few runs, a grin, and maybe a new obsession.
TMCCC president Scott Stregel walks us through the series’ footprint across Texas and into Oklahoma, explaining why most classes run the eighth mile while select street categories stretch to the quarter at tracks like Ennis and Thunder Valley. He also shares a big step forward: a dedicated EV class. We dig into what that means for safety, fire suppression, and the surprising advantage electric cars bring in bracket consistency. The message is clear—racing has room for the future, and structure makes it safer for everyone.
Driver Yolanda Vasquez brings the heart of the show with her story: growing up at the strip with her dad’s ’68 GTO, learning the tree, and now running a Challenger Scat Pack to a 7.70 eighth. She proves you don’t need a trailer queen to win; you need reps, focus, and a love for the craft. We round it out with practicals: how $40 gets you at least three passes, how to join a team or start one, where to find the schedule and rules at tmccc.org, and why women now account for a remarkable slice of the grid. Plus, we drop a fresh review of the 2026 Mazda 3 sedan—powerful, polished, but ready for a tech refresh—and touch on a shake-up in F1 broadcast coverage that U.S. fans will notice.
If you’re curious about getting off the street and onto the strip, this is your roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a legal outlet for speed, and leave a review telling us what you’d bring to the tree.
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Dodge Challenger Scat Pack
""What uh what year is that uh challenger? It's a 16 uh Scat Pack.""
The Dodge Challenger Scat Pack is a fast and sporty car that looks like old muscle cars but has modern parts. The 2016 version is one of the newer ones people like to race and drive for fun.
The Dodge Challenger Scat Pack is a performance-oriented variant of the Dodge Challenger muscle car, known for its powerful V8 engine and sporty features. The 2016 model is part of the modern generation of Challengers that blend classic muscle car styling with modern technology.
cold air intake
""Have you done any modifications to it? No, just uh cold air intake and exhaust, but that's about it.""
A cold air intake is a part that helps the car's engine get cooler air, which helps the car run better and faster.
A cold air intake is an aftermarket or factory part that replaces the standard air intake system to bring cooler air into the engine. Cooler air is denser and can improve engine performance and efficiency.
exhaust
""Have you done any modifications to it? No, just uh cold air intake and exhaust, but that's about it.""
The exhaust is the part of the car that lets out the smoke from the engine. Changing it can make the car sound cooler and sometimes go faster.
The exhaust system directs combustion gases away from the engine and can be modified to improve performance, sound, and efficiency. Aftermarket exhausts often reduce backpressure and enhance engine output.
drag race event
"This is a drag race event. So what is it that Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge?"
A drag race is a race where two cars go straight down a track to see which one is faster. It's all about who can get to the finish line first.
A drag race event is a type of motorsport where two vehicles compete to be the fastest over a short, straight distance, usually a quarter-mile. The focus is on acceleration and speed in a straight line.
bracket racing
"Okay. Uh it's basically bracket racing. Um, we have a bracket or a class uh for everything, starting with uh your basic street car, uh your grocery getter, um, all the way up to your full-blown race car."
Bracket racing is a way to race cars that might be very different in speed. Each car guesses how fast it will finish, and the goal is to be as close to that time as possible without going faster.
Bracket racing is a drag racing format where competitors are grouped into classes based on their expected elapsed times, allowing cars of different performance levels to compete fairly. Racers try to run as close as possible to their predicted time without going faster, which is called 'breaking out'.
1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass
"So we can take in other words, what you're saying there is that we could take the 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass, whatever, cutlass or you know, Olds 88 or whatever it is, and we could race it in a bracket."
The 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass is a car from the early 1990s made by Oldsmobile. People like to race these cars because they are easy to work on and can be made faster.
The 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile, a now-defunct General Motors brand. It was popular in its time for its balance of performance and comfort, and remains a common choice for classic car enthusiasts and bracket racing due to its availability and modifiability.
eighth-mile drag racing
"Are you eighth mile or quarter mile? We are eighth mile for the most part. Uh we go to a quarter mile track in Innes, and we go to a quarter mile track up in uh Oklahoma, but quarter mile is is uh relegated to just the street car classes."
Eighth-mile drag racing means racing cars over a shorter distance than usual, just one-eighth of a mile. It’s like a quick sprint for cars that are set up to go fast over a short distance.
Eighth-mile drag racing is a drag race format where the race distance is one-eighth of a mile (660 feet). It is shorter than the traditional quarter-mile and often used for certain classes or vehicles geared for shorter sprints.
quarter-mile drag racing
"Are you eighth mile or quarter mile? We are eighth mile for the most part. Uh we go to a quarter mile track in Innes, and we go to a quarter mile track up in uh Oklahoma, but quarter mile is is uh relegated to just the street car classes. Okay, so there's three classes that race quarter mile."
Quarter-mile drag racing means racing cars over a distance of one-quarter of a mile. It’s the usual length for drag races where cars race side by side to see who is faster.
Quarter-mile drag racing is the traditional drag race distance of one-quarter mile (1320 feet). It is the most common distance for drag racing events and is often used for street car classes and other categories.
rear-end gears
"Yes. And you don't want to get out there changing rear-end gears in the middle of the hot summer. Correct."
Rear-end gears are parts inside a car's back axle that help control how fast or slow the car goes. Changing these gears can make the car faster or slower depending on the race.
Rear-end gears refer to the gear ratio in the differential of a vehicle's rear axle. Changing these gears affects acceleration and top speed, and is often adjusted for drag racing to optimize performance for specific track lengths or conditions.
octane
"Soyouputhigheroctaneintheracecar,yougotahigherelectricityoctane."
Octane is how strong the fuel is to keep your engine running smoothly without knocking or pinging. Higher octane means the fuel can handle more pressure before causing problems.
Octane is a measure of a fuel's ability to resist 'knocking' or premature combustion in an engine. Higher octane fuels allow engines to run at higher compression ratios or boost levels without damaging knock.
fire extinguisher
"IwouldIwouldimaginethattheywouldhave,youknow,foamtypeuhfireextinguishersandandstufflikethat. Thatseemstobethebiggestconcern. Isiftheycatchonfire,howareyougonnaputitout? Right. Um,Iknowthefoamistheonlythingthat'sgonnawork."
A fire extinguisher is a tool that sprays stuff to stop fires. Race cars use special ones with foam to put out fires quickly and keep people safe.
Fire extinguishers are safety devices used to put out fires, especially important in race cars where fire risk is higher. Foam-type extinguishers are effective on various types of fires including fuel and electrical fires.
Chevrolet F-550
"I mean, I one time a couple of years ago, we were in uh Abilene, and there was a guy racing, racing, mind you, a Chevrolet uh equivalent to like an F-550 um diesel."
The Chevrolet F-550 is a big, strong truck used mostly for work like carrying heavy stuff. Sometimes people use trucks like this in races or special events.
The Chevrolet F-550 is a heavy-duty commercial truck variant from Chevrolet's medium-duty truck lineup, often used for industrial and commercial purposes. It is less common in racing but can be modified or used in various motorsport contexts.
dragster
"He's got a full-blown dragster. Um anything in between."
A dragster is a special kind of race car made to go really fast in a straight line for a short distance. People use them in drag races, which are quick races from a standing start.
A dragster is a specialized race car built for drag racing, designed for maximum acceleration over a short distance, typically a quarter mile. They are lightweight and have powerful engines optimized for straight-line speed.
traction control
"And you can turn off the traction control, Scott. Exactly. Yolanda's grinning at everyone. She doesn't even know what that is. Yeah. You know how to turn the traction control off in the Challenger?"
Traction control is a feature in cars that stops the wheels from spinning too much when you press the gas. This helps keep the car steady and safe, especially on wet or slippery roads.
Traction control is an electronic system in cars that helps prevent wheel spin during acceleration by adjusting engine power or applying brakes. It improves vehicle stability and safety, especially on slippery surfaces.
Mopar
"So you're a Mopar, you're a Mopar racer. Yes. Well, there's no more Pontiac, so I had to convert to Mopar."
Mopar is a name for parts and cars made by Chrysler and its brands like Dodge. People who like these cars often call themselves Mopar fans.
Mopar is the parts, service, and customer care division of Stellantis, historically associated with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles. It is also a cultural term referring to American muscle cars and enthusiasts of Chrysler-based vehicles.
fire jacket
"I'm running a six-second car and I don't have a helmet and a fire jacket, I'm not racing. Period."
A fire jacket is special clothing that helps keep you safe from fire if your car catches fire while racing.
A fire jacket is a flame-resistant racing suit or jacket worn by drivers to protect against burns in case of fire during a race.
helmet
"I'm running a six-second car and I don't have a helmet and a fire jacket, I'm not racing. Period."
A helmet is a hard hat you wear on your head to keep it safe when you race cars.
A helmet is a mandatory piece of safety equipment for racing drivers, protecting the head from injury during crashes or accidents.
rollbar
"I'm running a six-second car and I don't have a helmet and a fire jacket, I'm not racing. Period. Or a rollbar."
A rollbar is a strong bar inside a car that helps keep you safe if the car flips over during a race or crash.
A rollbar is a safety feature installed in cars, especially race cars, designed to protect the driver in the event of a rollover accident by reinforcing the vehicle's structure.
window tint
""It's called Sick Rides Window Tent and Auto Detail. So we do, of course, window tent, you know, ceramic coating, car wraps, PPF.""
Window tint is a dark film put on car windows to make it harder to see inside and to keep the sun from making the car too hot.
Window tint refers to a thin film applied to car windows to reduce glare, block UV rays, and increase privacy. It can also help keep the car interior cooler.
car wraps
""It's called Sick Rides Window Tent and Auto Detail. So we do, of course, window tent, you know, ceramic coating, car wraps, PPF.""
Car wraps are big stickers put on cars to change how they look. You can make your car look different colors or designs without painting it.
Car wraps are large vinyl graphics or decals applied over a vehicle's paint to change its appearance without permanent paintwork. They can be used for advertising, customization, or protection.
ceramic coating
""It's called Sick Rides Window Tent and Auto Detail. So we do, of course, window tent, you know, ceramic coating, car wraps, PPF.""
Ceramic coating is a special shiny layer put on cars to protect the paint and keep them looking nice for a long time. It also helps keep dirt and water off the car.
Ceramic coating is a liquid polymer applied to a vehicle's exterior that chemically bonds to the paint, providing a durable protective layer against scratches, UV damage, and contaminants. It enhances gloss and makes cleaning easier.
PPF
""It's called Sick Rides Window Tent and Auto Detail. So we do, of course, window tent, you know, ceramic coating, car wraps, PPF.""
PPF is a clear, tough sticker put on cars to stop scratches and little dents from hurting the paint. It keeps the car looking new longer.
PPF stands for Paint Protection Film, a clear polyurethane film applied to a vehicle's painted surfaces to protect against scratches, chips, and minor abrasions. It helps maintain the car's appearance over time.
Formula One
"Our Formula One fans will not see a familiar face this year as the coverage of the world's biggest race series comes to Apple TV in the States as an American racing veteran."
Formula One is a type of car racing where very fast and special cars race on different tracks around the world. It's the top level of car racing with the best drivers.
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA. It features the fastest and most technologically advanced race cars competing in a global series of Grand Prix events.
Apple TV
"Our Formula One fans will not see a familiar face this year as the coverage of the world's biggest race series comes to Apple TV in the States as an American racing veteran. ... This year, Apple TV will provide American viewers both with Sky feed featuring David Croft and Martin Brundle..."
Apple TV is a way to watch shows and sports on your TV using the internet. Now, it shows Formula One races live.
Apple TV is a digital media player and streaming service platform by Apple Inc. It has recently acquired rights to broadcast Formula One races in the United States, providing viewers with live streams and commentary.
Sky
"Sky, which is the network on that, released coverage plans for the broadcast talent of 2026, and Patrick's name was noticeably absent. ... Sky featured Danica uh alongside Formula One champions as veterans, pre-race analysts..."
Sky is a TV company in Britain that shows lots of sports, including Formula One races. People in the US can now watch their coverage too.
Sky is a British media and telecommunications company known for its sports broadcasting services. It has historically provided Formula One coverage in the UK and its feed is now part of the broadcast package for American viewers.
Mazda3
"Timenowforthishour'scarreview. 2026Mazda3. Thisisthefour-doorcompactsedan. Theydomakeahatchbackbutforgetthat."
The Mazda3 is a small car made by Mazda that you can get as a sedan or a hatchback. The 2026 model is the newest version and is known for being fun to drive and good on gas.
The Mazda3 is a compact car produced by Mazda, available in sedan and hatchback body styles. The 2026 Mazda3 continues Mazda's tradition of combining sporty handling with efficient performance in a small package.
trim level
"Available trim levels the S, the SELECT and the S Preferred along with the Carbon Edition all-wheel drive the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus..."
Trim levels are different versions of the same car that come with more or fewer features. The higher the trim, the more things the car has, like better seats or fancy screens.
A trim level is a version of a car model that offers a specific set of features and options. Different trims range from basic to fully loaded, affecting price and equipment.
miles per gallon (MPG)
"23 miles per gallon city 32 highway for a combined at 27 I got 25.2 miles per gallon over 525 miles..."
MPG tells you how many miles a car can go using one gallon of gas. A higher number means the car uses less gas and is cheaper to drive.
Miles per gallon (MPG) is a measure of how far a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel. It is used to indicate fuel efficiency, with higher numbers meaning better fuel economy.
six-speed automatic transmission
"2.5 liter four cylinder engine 227 horsepower 310 pound feet of pork uh pork torque 310 pound feet of pork transmissions six speed automatic 23 miles per gallon city 32 highway..."
This is the part of the car that changes gears by itself so you don't have to do it. It has six different gears to help the car drive smoothly and use less gas.
A six-speed automatic transmission is a gearbox that automatically changes through six gear ratios as the vehicle moves, optimizing performance and fuel efficiency without driver input for shifting.
Honda Civic
"Competitors the Honda Civic starts at 24695 this is just so weird to me when I started looking all this stuff up I'm going wait a minute they're all within you know a thousand dollars of each other Toyota Corolla starts at 22925 and the Hyundai Elantra starts at 22625..."
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people like because it is reliable and uses gas well. It is a good choice for everyday driving and is often compared to similar cars like the Mazda3.
The Honda Civic is a popular compact car known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and practicality. It is often compared to competitors like the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla in the compact sedan segment.
Hyundai Elantra
"Competitors the Honda Civic starts at 24695 this is just so weird to me when I started looking all this stuff up I'm going wait a minute they're all within you know a thousand dollars of each other Toyota Corolla starts at 22925 and the Hyundai Elantra starts at 22625..."
The Hyundai Elantra is a small car that is affordable and has many modern features. It is similar to other small cars like the Mazda3 and Honda Civic.
The Hyundai Elantra is a compact sedan offering modern features and competitive pricing. It competes with the Mazda3, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla in the compact car segment.
Toyota Corolla
"Competitors the Honda Civic starts at 24695 this is just so weird to me when I started looking all this stuff up I'm going wait a minute they're all within you know a thousand dollars of each other Toyota Corolla starts at 22925 and the Hyundai Elantra starts at 22625..."
The Toyota Corolla is a small car that is very reliable and uses gas well. Many people buy it because it is a good value and easy to own.
The Toyota Corolla is a compact sedan known worldwide for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and value. It competes in the same segment as the Mazda3 and Honda Civic.
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