Pro Burnout Cars Bring The Smoke To Mustang Week Texas 2026

Attend enough Mustang Week events long enough, and you’ll see that every year, there is one event that rewires the whole week. The one that people are still talking about long after the sun comes up the next morning. In Texas, that moment comes when the lights go on, the engines fire, and Smoke Show takes over.

Mustang Week Texas 2026, presented by Monster Energy and Late Model Restoration, rolls back into Galveston from April 14-18. Five days on the Texas coast, packed with cruise-ins, shows, track time, drag racing, and the kind of parking lot conversations that only happen when thousands of enthusiasts converge in one place. It is all built around celebrating Mustang culture at every level, from daily drivers to full-blown race cars. But when Friday night hits, the focus narrows fast.

First generation mustang doing a burnout. — Alex Kleinhenz represented the old school style with his 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback last year at Mustang Week Texas, and plans to bring an even bigger roast in 2026!

Smoke Show: Fords vs. The World, presented by Summit Racing, is the point where Mustang Week turns the chaos dial all the way up.

Testing takes place on Friday, April 17, while Saturday, April 18, is the main event. Two nights at Moody Gardens, where tire smoke hangs in the air and engines live on the limiter. This is not a casual burnout contest. Mustang Week brings in pro-level drivers from across the country and gives them a pad, a set of rules, and permission to go absolutely all in. For 2026, the Smoke Show gets even more serious with more than 20 invited pro drivers and $15,000 on the line. Ten grand for first, four for second, one for third.

Ford Ranger with inflatable noodle on top doing a burnout. — In a blown Ford Ranger, Archie Waller earned the biggest roar from the crowd and was crowned King of Smoke Show: Fords vs The World at Mustang Week Texas 2025.

These are purpose-built burnout cars, driven by people who understand how to balance wheel speed, throttle control, and pure aggression. Watching a good burnout is one thing. Watching someone who can control the chaos while putting on a show is something else entirely.

The Fords vs. The World format is what really sets the tone. Ford-powered machines line up against anything bold enough to challenge them. Every run feels like a grudge match. Ford fans show up loud and unapologetic, ready to defend the Blue Oval. The World competitors roll in hungry, knowing there is nothing sweeter than taking the Burnout King title at Mustang Week away from Ford on Ford turf. Pride is on the line with every run.

Last year showed everyone exactly what Smoke Show could be. Archie Waller took the top spot in his blown Ford Ranger, locking down the win for the Ford class. Colin Thomas followed with his blown rat rod from the World team, earning second overall. Colt Thompkins rounded out the podium in his yellow supercharged, Three-Valve S197 Mustang convertible and instantly became a crowd favorite. The pad was packed, the smoke never cleared, and the energy was full throttle the entire event.

rusty rat rod doing a burnout on pavement with crowd in background — In a one-of-a-kind blown rat rod, Colin Thomas brought the heat to the competition, earning second place overall.

That momentum is rolling straight into 2026.

If you follow the burnout scene at all, the names start to sound familiar. Zach Pennock is stepping up for Team Ford, joined by Kyle Hogue and Jonathan Waterfield. All ready to defend the Blue Oval honor under the lights. On the other side, Ray Asbury is bringing the Pizza Planet truck, and Travis Burks is rolling in with the Sho Me Furniture car, leading Team World in their push to claim their first Burnout King title at Mustang Week Texas.

What makes Smoke Show special is not just the cars or the money. It is the atmosphere. Nighttime burnouts. Music pounding. Engines screaming at redline, cars disappearing into clouds of smoke, and the crowd presses closer to the barriers. It is raw, loud, and unapologetic, and it feels exactly like what Mustang Week should be.

Yellow Mustang doing a burnout — Securing a podium position for Mustang, Colt Thompkins powered his supercharged Three-Valve Mustang to third place overall in 2025.

If you’re the type who thinks you can hang with the pros, Mustang Week gives you the shot. Entries are open for those bold enough to throw their hat in the ring and chase the Burnout King title.

And if you are attending Mustang Week Texas as a fan, this is not an event you want to hear about secondhand. Get to Moody Gardens early. Find a good spot. Stay until the final run. Whether you bleed Ford blue or just appreciate extreme automotive spectacle, Smoke Show: Fords vs. The World is where Mustang Week Texas goes full throttle and does not look back. Secure your spot to witness the action today by securing your Mustang Week Texas 2026 tickets here.