40th Annual Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series Show N Go Celebrates Four Decades of Muscle Car Racing at BIR
- Brainerd International Raceway
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Event: BIR Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series 40th Annual Show N Go
Date: July 3rd-5th, 2026
Location: Brainerd International Raceway
Next Race: 38th Annual Muscle Car Shootout September 4th - 6th 2026
Photo Credit: Eagle Eye Photography
There are few events at Brainerd International Raceway that carry the history, tradition, and legacy of the Show & Go.
Forty years ago, a single event called Show & Go launched what has become one of the Midwest's premier muscle car racing traditions. That one event has grown into today's three-race Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series, featuring the Show & Go, GSTA Muscle Car Shootout, and Street Car Showdown. The Muscle Car Shootout joined the schedule 38 years ago, and 17 years ago the addition of the Street Car Showdown transformed the three events into a season-long championship series.
Before the series championship existed, competitors raced for individual event wins and Top Ten jackets awarded to those who competed throughout the season. Today, racers continue that same tradition while battling for series championships, but the Show & Go remains the event where it all began.
The 40th Annual Show & Go also coincided with America's 250th Anniversary celebration, making for a memorable Fourth of July weekend filled with outstanding racing, spectacular fireworks, and another chapter in one of BIR's longest-running traditions.
Despite forecasts calling for rain throughout the weekend, Friday delivered warm temperatures and dry conditions, allowing racers to complete a full day of time trials and qualifying.
Saturday afternoon brought a brief rain shower that threatened to end the day, but the best drag crew in the business quickly went to work and had the racing surface dried and race-ready in short order. Their efforts allowed qualifying to be completed before attention shifted to one of the signature traditions that separates the Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series from any other event.
Several competitors saved their best runs for the final qualifying session.
In Outlaw Pro Mod, Lucas Mlinar drove Ray Friesen's '69 Camaro to the No. 1 qualifying position with a 4.028-second pass while also recording the fastest speed of qualifying at 189.55 mph.
The battle in Lakeside Cabinets & Woodworking Outlaw, came to a head in the last session where Paul Gibbs appeared poised to earn the top spot with a 7.997 before Cole Scofield answered in the final session. Scofield improved dramatically to a 7.658 at 181.79 mph to claim both the No. 1 qualifying position and top speed.
One of the weekend's biggest stories came in Zack Novak Construction 660 OS. Troy Bednarz debuted the newly rebuilt Last Call, a 2017 Camaro which had undergone a complete reconstruction following last an on track incident in 2025. After progressively improving through qualifying, Bednarz capped the comeback by earning the No. 1 qualifying spot with a 4.258 at 193.77 mph.
Wayne Bellanger topped Norm's Tire Sales 660 LS qualifying with a 4.962, while Dallas Nestvold posted the fastest qualifying speed at 147.09 mph.
Jason Geiger claimed the Redline Performance & Fabrication King Street No. 1 qualifier with a 7.264 and the class's fastest speed at 197.36 mph.
Everything Automotive Real Street Unlimited saw Zach Lawrence pilot the "Hoopdee," his '89 Mustang, to the No. 1 position with a 7.651, while Jesse Nelson recorded the fastest speed at 186.43 mph in his '70 Chevelle.
Bob Wallin swept qualifying honors in Real Street Natural, earning both the No. 1 qualifying position with an 8.596 and the fastest speed at 155.79 mph.
Following qualifying, competitors in the Redline Performance & Fabrication King Street, Everything Automotive Real Street Unlimited, and Real Street Natural classes lined up for the required Saturday Night Cruise.
Each vehicle completed four laps around BIR's legendary 3.1-mile road course—a 12.4-mile street cruise—with headlights and taillights illuminated and flashers operating throughout the drive. After completing the cruise, each vehicle underwent a mandatory five-minute hot soak before being required to restart under its own power to remain eligible for Sunday's eliminations.
The evening concluded with a spectacular fireworks display celebrating America's 250th Anniversary, providing a fitting finish to Saturday before eliminations began Sunday morning.
Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted racers Sunday as eliminations got underway.
Outlaw Pro Mod
The semifinal round guaranteed a Canadian winner, and the final featured Lucas Mlinar against Jon Kreviazuk and his '77 Dodge pickup.
Kreviazuk gained the starting-line advantage, but Mlinar was able to chase him down before the finish line. Despite shredding the blower belt, Mlinar held on for the victory with a 4.17-second pass, earning his second Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series victory of the season.
Lakeside Cabinets & Woodworking Outlaw
The Outlaw final featured a battle between the top two qualifiers as Cole Scofield squared off against Paul Gibbs.
Although Gibbs used a tremendous reaction-time advantage to leave first, Scofield drove around him before the finish line in his ProCharged 2011 Dodge Challenger, posting a 7.743 at 180.14 mph to Gibbs' 8.074 at 169.49 mph. The margin of victory was less than nine hundredths of a second.
Zack Novak Construction 660 OS
The storybook weekend continued for Troy Bednarz and Last Call.
After qualifying No. 1 in the newly rebuilt Camaro, Bednarz defeated Cole Carpenter's Agent Orange Mustang in the final after Carpenter encountered transmission problems and was unable to make the run.
Norm's Tire Sales 660 LS
The final featured the top two qualifiers, but Dallas Nestvold collected the victory in his 2008 Corvette when Wayne Bellanger suffered a fuel pump failure on the line and was unable to stage. The win marked Nestvold's second victory of the 2026 season.
Redline Performance & Fabrication King Street
One of the weekend's most memorable moments came in the opening round when Mike Smith and Mike Sterling—both competitors who have raced in all 40 Show & Go events—met in eliminations for the first time ever.
The match up was especially fitting during the 40th anniversary celebration. Although both racers had been part of every Show & Go since the beginning, they had never faced each other in eliminations until this year's event.
Sterling eventually reached the final, where mechanical issues prevented him from making a pass against Steve Carson. Carson claimed the King Street victory in his '68 Chevy Nova.
Everything Automotive Real Street Unlimited
Top qualifier Zach Lawrence completed a dominant weekend by defeating Eric Brandt after Brandt spun the tires at the starting line. Lawrence eased his Mustang to his first Real Street Unlimited victory.
Real Street Natural
Bob Wallin backed up his No. 1 qualifying effort with a victory over Jeff Saucier, using both a reaction-time advantage and an 8.659 pass to secure the win.
Strip Eliminator Winners
SE-1: Brooke Mado defeated Justin Olson.
SE-2: Drake Schiffner prevailed over Nathan Gaffer in a double-breakout final.
SE-3: Dan Hyttsten earned the victory after Bob Peterson fouled out turning on the red light.
ME Tools Truck Eliminator: Lonnie Ellenson used a reaction-time advantage to defeat Michael Bombich.
Manual Transmission: Jerry Reitmeier claimed the win after Mike Hed broke out trying to overcome an outstanding .020 reaction time.
ICE
14.00 Index: Anna Tesar defeated Jessica Purdham.
13.50 Index: Steve Koktary topped Chad Swanson.
13.00 Index: Doug Bernhardt defeated Todd Larson.
12.50 Index: Bradley Munter defeated Steve Johnson.
12.00 Index: R.J. Laase used a .011 reaction time to defeat Bobby Halverson.
11.50 Index: Zach Ellingson prevailed over Jeremy Young in a double-breakout final.
11.00 Index: Darwin Hansen defeated Russ Storms in another double-breakout finish.
10.50 Index: Kevin Hemingway Jr. edged Dan Boddy after in a double break out win by .003.
10.00 Index: Nathaniel Rutz defeated Bruce Morley in one of the closest finishes of the day, with Morley taking just .002 at the stripe while breaking out.
9.50 Index: Eric Dethlefs defeated Pat Huebner despite Huebner's outstanding .002 reaction time.
ICE Cube Index Eliminator
With all ten index classes complete, the winners advanced to the ICE Cube "Index Class Eliminator, Can You Beat Everyone?" run off.
The final featured 12.00 Index winner R.J. Laase against 9.50 Index winner Eric Dethlefs. Dethlefs used a reaction-time advantage to force Laase into a breakout, capturing the ICE Cube championship and the title of overall Index Class Eliminator winner.
#KwikTrip #lakesideCabinetsWoodworking #RedlinePerformanceFabrication #EverythingAutomotive #ZackNovakConstruction #NormsTireSales #AcmeTools
The 40th Annual Show & Go added another memorable chapter to one of BIR's longest-running traditions while moving the championship battles another step closer to their conclusion.
The final stop of the 2026 Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series comes Labor Day weekend with the GSTA Muscle Car Shootout. The season championships will be decided, class champions will be crowned, and racers will have one final opportunity to battle for a Muscle Car Series title.
The GSTA Muscle Car Shootout is always one of the most anticipated weekends on the BIR calendar, bringing together some of the best muscle cars and competitors in the region for one final championship showdown.
We'll see everyone back at BIR Labor Day weekend for the exciting conclusion of the 2026 Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series.
The BIR Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series is fueled by the racers, families, businesses, and partners that continue to invest in grassroots drag racing across the Midwest. BIR proudly thanks the 2026 class sponsors helping support competition and racer opportunity throughout the season.
Kwik Trip – Muscle Car Series Title Sponsor
Kwik Trip has become a staple across the Midwest by providing clean stores, quality fuel, fresh food, and outstanding customer service at locations drivers can count on every day. From their well-known bakery and hot food offerings to convenient grab-and-go options and dependable service, Kwik Trip continues to be a favorite stop for racers, travelers, and families across the region.
Lakeside Cabinets & Woodworking – Outlaw
Lakeside Cabinets & Woodworking is a premier provider of custom cabinetry and woodworking solutions, specializing in high-quality craftsmanship for kitchens, bathrooms, and custom home projects. With a reputation for excellence and attention to detail, Lakeside transforms spaces with beautifully designed and functional cabinetry. Lakeside Cabinets & Woodworking
Zack Novak Construction Inc – OS 660
Zack Novak Construction Inc. is a trusted name in the construction industry, specializing in residential and commercial building projects, renovations, and custom construction solutions. With a strong commitment to quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction, Zack Novak Construction has built a reputation for excellence in the region. Zack Novak Construction Inc
Norm’s Tire Sales – LS 660
Norm’s Tire Sales has been a trusted name in the industry, providing high-quality tires, wheels, and automotive services to keep racers and everyday drivers on the road with confidence. Whether you're looking for performance tires or expert service, Norm’s Tire Sales has you covered! Norm's Tire Sales
Everything Automotive – Real Street Unlimited
Everything Automotive is a full-service automotive shop dedicated to keeping vehicles running at peak performance. Specializing in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades, and custom modifications, they provide expert service for racers and everyday drivers alike. Whether you need routine maintenance or high-performance enhancements, Everything Automotive has you covered! Everything Automotive
Redline Performance & Fabrication – King Street
Redline Performance & Fabrication is a business dedicated to high-performance automotive builds, custom fabrication, welding, and dyno tuning. With a passion for speed and innovation, Redline provides top-tier services for racers and performance enthusiasts looking to push their vehicles to the next level.
Acme Tools – Truck Eliminator
Acme Tools has been a trusted name in the tool industry for over 75 years, offering a vast selection of power tools, hand tools, equipment, and accessories from the most trusted brands. Whether you're a professional contractor, DIY enthusiast, or motorsports competitor, Acme Tools provides the high-quality tools and expert service needed to get the job done right. Acme Tools
A huge THANK YOU to all of our sponsors for their continued support of BIR and the Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series. Be sure to support those who support racing!
The Kwik Trip Muscle Car Series at Brainerd International Raceway brings together some of the Midwest’s fastest street cars, drag-and-drive style competitors. With heads-up classes, index racing and dial in bracket classes for three action-packed holiday weekends each summer. Combining competitive drag racing with the unique street cruise tradition, the series delivers a true street car experience while showcasing high-horsepower racing, close competition, and some of the region’s most diverse performance vehicles.
From seasoned racers chasing championships to first-time competitors making passes down the quarter-mile, the Muscle Car Series continues to be one of the premier grassroots performance racing programs in the Midwest, bringing together racers, crews, families, and fans throughout the summer racing season.
Brainerd International Raceway (BIR), located in Brainerd, Minnesota, is one of the Midwest’s premier multi-discipline motorsports facilities. Home to the NHRA Nationals, BIR hosts drag racing, road racing, drifting, autocross, performance driving experiences, and grassroots motorsports events throughout the season.
The facility features a championship drag strip, multiple road course configurations, dedicated drift infrastructure, and destination camping that has made BIR a motorsports tradition for generations of racers and fans.
For schedules, tickets, racer information, and event details: https://www.birmn.com
