2026 Funny Car Fever Report (Race #2 of 5)

2026 Funny Car Fever Presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports

CIFCA rolled into Redding Motorsports Park for race two of the 2026 season, bringing 11 Blown Alcohol Funny Cars to battle for an 8-car elimination field. The weekend delivered tight qualifying, big starting-line moments, broken parts, and a father-versus-son final for the Funny Car Fever crown.

Mike Troxel Sr. made his return to CIFCA after a short hiatus and wasted no time putting on a show, taking home the Mike’s Transmission Burnout Contest win. The Outta Time team made the haul from Oregon and qualified #10, but after the burnout on their second qualifying attempt, an injector gasket was sucked in and they were forced to abort the run. A tough break, but they are expected to be back for the next one. During qualifying, Chris Bates made a pass in the Family Tradition Funny Car, but the team continued to fight gremlins. A bad trans brake solenoid kept the car from backing up after the burnout, ending their shot at making the field. In qualifying, James Maher set the pace and earned the System 1 #1 Qualifier Award with a 5.940. Ken Breneisen followed closely with a 5.944, and Rick Alvarado locked into the #3 spot with a 5.948. Kevin Sarginson qualified #4 in the Bad Intentions Mustang II, while Tony Trimp put the Rough-N-Ready ’65 Mustang in the #5 spot with only one qualifying hit as he was pulling double duty in CIFCA and 7.0 Pro. Jim Maher slid into #6, with Todd Ross and Shaun Bryan rounding out the 8-car field.

Eliminations opened with Rick Alvarado taking on Todd Ross, and Ross wasted no time making a statement. Ross was perfect on the tree with a .000 reaction time to Alvarado’s .380. Alvarado ran the quicker number with a 5.978, but Ross used the starting-line advantage to take a huge holeshot win with a 6.147. That pass also earned Ross the Enderle Best Reaction Time Award. Next up, Kevin Sarginson faced Shaun Bryan. Sarginson left first with a .038 light to Bryan’s .084 and carried it through the finish line, taking the win with a 6.090 to Bryan’s 6.548.

Then came Jim Maher and Ken Breneisen. Breneisen left too soon, going red by -.030 and handing the win to Maher. Maher was .079 on the tree and ran a 5.942, while Breneisen posted a 5.991. The final pair of round one was a rematch of the Kool April Drags final: James Maher versus Tony Trimp. Maher was out first with a .018 light, while Trimp was right there with an .046. At the stripe, Maher got redemption with a 5.941 to Trimp’s 5.969, winning by a margin of .056.

The semifinals kicked off with Jim Maher against Kevin Sarginson in a pair of 1974 Mustang IIs. Maher’s car packed a 504 KB Hemi, while Sarginson’s Bad Intentions entry carried big block Chevy power.

Maher left first with a .050 reaction time to Sarginson’s .090 and drove it to the win with a 5.905. Sarginson was right there but went just a little too quick with a 5.877. Maher’s run also earned him the CP-Carrillo Best Package Award. On the other side of the ladder, James Maher was set to face Todd Ross, but Ross broke after the burnout when a torque converter bolt snapped. James took the solo into the final, cutting a .072 light and running 5.922 on the big end.

The final round was a family showdown: James Maher in the 1984 Ford Tempo against Jim Maher in the 1974 Mustang II. Jim got the starting-line advantage with a .019 light to James’ .025, but the Mustang II went straight into tire spin and forced Jim to lift. He still clocked a 6.484, but James drove clean and straight to a 5.987, turning on the win light. With the victory, James Maher won the 2026 Funny Car Fever presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports and took home a special Diamond 75th Anniversary Wally.

A big thank-you goes out to Jennifer and Tony Trimp and everyone at Redding Motorsports Park for hosting the California Independent Funny Car Association. Next up, CIFCA heads to Battle at the Beach at Samoa Dragstrip in Eureka, California. June 26-27, 2026. See less