29/05/2026
๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ป๐ป๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ, ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป.
The hottest May Day since records began also produced some scorching on track action in the second round of the 2026 Funny Car Cup.
Qualifying saw Dale Leeks Hawk Racing Fuel FC secure the number one spot with a series of consistent passes, topping the order with a 4.494 second run. Kevin Chapman, returning to the class, put the Thermoreg International Ltd car into second place with a 4.773.
John Spuffard Showtime Racing claimed the number three position, while previous champion and current points leader Kevin Kent West Ten Motorsport endured persistent traction issues throughout qualifying. Kent eventually secured his place in the field with a pedal-assisted 6.32-second pass to stay in the show.
Jason Phelps also returned to action over the weekend behind the wheel of the Elsom Motorsport - One Bad Texan AA/FC . The team experienced several issues during the weekend but managed to complete a checkout pass in Q4 that they appeared pleased with, although it was not enough to qualify for Mondayโs eliminations.
Round one saw the top two drivers in the championship standings face off, with Dale Leeks defeating points leader Kevin Kent after Kent once again ran into problems early in the run. Leeks laid down another consistent 4.491-second pass at a new career-best speed of 288.06mph to advance to his second successive final.
Leeksโ top speed of the event only stood for around three minutes, however, as Spuffard stormed past Kevin Chapmanโs early lead to record a 4.746 at a huge 291.32mph. Chapmanโs 5.513/139.92mph was not enough for the win, but it was encouraging to see both Kevin and the Thermoreg team back in action and making progress.
There was plenty at stake heading into the final. A victory for Leeks would secure the points lead, while a win for Spuffard , combined with low ET and top speed of the event would move him into second place and within touching distance of the lead.
Spuffard delivered in style, recording a stunning 4.183-second run to take victory, alongside a remarkable 300.76mph pass. That made him only the third driver to break the 300mph barrier in the 1000ft era, having also been the first to achieve the feat over the quarter-mile distance. Although no stranger to the winners circle in Funny Car this is Spuffard's first win in the Funny Car Cup Series and second for the Showtime team.
Leeks and the hawk racing team played their part though, posting another personal best with a 4.433/275.91mph effort, earning the Hawk team their second runner-up finish of the season. And also being a part of the quickest and fastest side by side funny car race over 1000ft in European History
Heading into round three of the series, the top three teams are separated by less than a round of racing. With reigning champion Steve Ashdown and the Undertaker team also expected to return, the championship battle could hardly be more exciting.
The Funny Car Cup Returns for the third and Penultimate Round of the series at Bug Jam July 24th-26th
Written by Chris Hobson.
