50th Rattler 250 At South Alabama To Pay $50,050.50 to Win in 2026

South Alabama Speedway owner John Dykes, along with United Auto Racing Alliance President Ricky Brooks, announced today that the 50th Anniversary Hardee’s Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway will pay $50,050.50 to the 2026 winner. The first Rattler was held in 1974 as Twin 50s won by Phil Wendt and Dennie Rewis. The 2026 Rattler 250 weekend will be March 20-21, 2026, and will once again feature the UARA National Super Late Models, as well as the UARA Pro Late Models, UARA Sportsman and more. Following this coming year’s special purse, the winner’s share will return to an impressive $25,000 to win in 2027.

“The Rattler 250 has grown in prestige since the first races held in 1974 and we wanted to honor the 50th running the best way we knew how and what better way than to pay the winner $50,000,” said South Alabama Speedway owner John Dykes. “This race and this track are a labor of love for me and my family, and I hope that has shown through in all these years. We really enjoy working with Ricky [Brooks] and the UARA and can’t wait until March to host the highest paying Late Model race in the country.”

The UARA National Super Late Model Series began in 2022 with an aim to host a nationwide series focused on major events for “blue-collar” racers. The goal being to not break the racers’ backs with unnecessary fees and costs and to give them a chance to be featured on a nationwide scale. The Rattler 250 became a UARA-sanctioned event in 2023, largely in part, due to sharing the same philosophy.

“When John [Dykes] and his family allowed us to sanction the Rattler it really gave UARA the vote of confidence it needed to show racers and fans we were for real,” said UARA President Ricky Brooks. “The Rattler has always been a special race and John wanted to make the 50th extra special. The fans and drivers have always supported this event, and we believe this could expose it to even more folks in 2026. The UARA is thankful and honored to once again be a part of this special race.”

The final UARA National Super Late Model race of the year will be the 10th Anniversary Bill Bigley, Sr. Memorial 128, November 28-29 at the Freedom Factory and will pay $30,000 to win. With nearly 50 entries to date, the Bigley Memorial promises to be one of the biggest short track events of the year.

The complete 2026 UARA schedules for all divisions, including the new UARA Pro Late Models, is nearing completion and will be released in the coming weeks. For more information on the UARA please visit uararacing.com. For questions and information on the 2026 Rattler 250 please visit southalabamaspeedway.com.

-UARA Press Release
-Photo credit: Will Bellamy/Racing America