Mustang Week Texas 2026 Presented by Monster Energy and Late Model Restoration returns to Galveston on April 14 through April 18, bringing five full days of Mustangs, motorsports, and community to the Texas coast. From cruise-ins and car shows to track time and drag racing, Mustang Week Texas is built around one thing: celebrating Mustang culture at every level. Among all the action-packed into the week, one event stands out as pure controlled chaos and nonstop energy, Smoke Show: Fords vs. The World presented by Summit Racing.
Smoke Show takes over Mustang Week Texas on Friday, April 17 with testing and Saturday, April 18 for the full competition, delivering two nights of tire smoke, engine noise, and all-out burnout competition. Hosted at Moody Gardens, Smoke Show is where Mustang Week brings in top-level pro burnout drivers from across the country and turns them loose in front of one of the most passionate crowds in the Mustang world.
For 2026, Smoke Show: Fords vs. The World raises the bar once again with more than 20 invited pro drivers and a massive $15,000 in prize money on the line. First place will go home with $10k, $4k for second, and $1k for third. These are purpose-built burnout machines driven by competitors who know exactly how to ride the limiter, control wheel speed, and put on a show that keeps the crowd on its feet. This is where horsepower, driver skill, and aggression all collide under the lights.
The Fords vs. The World format adds another layer of intensity, placing Ford-powered machines head-to-head with challengers from outside the brand, turning every burnout into a battle for pride. Ford fans show up loud, ready to defend the Blue Oval and their title, while the non-Ford competitors arrive hungry to earn their first Burnout King title at Mustang Week. The result is an atmosphere that feels more like a main event than a contest, with each run pushing the limits further than the last.
Last year’s burnout events set the tone for what Smoke Show has become. Archie Waller in his blown Ford Ranger earned the top spot and secured the win for the Ford class.
In second place, Colin Thomas ran his blown Ratrod as part of the World Class, earning second place overall.
Rounding out the top three, Colt Thompkins quickly became a fan favorite in his yellow Supercharged 3V S197 Mustang Convertible.
Last year, the pad was packed, the smoke hung thick in the air, and the crowd stayed locked in from the first burnout to the final run. Drivers brought their best, fans brought the energy, and the event quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of Mustang Week Texas.
That momentum carries straight into 2026, with more drivers, higher stakes, and even bigger expectations. If you’re game with the burnout scene, the name Zach Pennock might ring a bell. Zach, along with Kyle Hogue, and Jonathan Waterfield are taking on the challenge this year stepping up for Team Ford.
On the other side of the competition, names like Ray Asbury and the Pizza Planet truck plus Travis Burks and his Sho Me Furniture Car take the reigns of Team World in their quest to earn their first Burnout King title at Mustang Week Texas.
If you think you have what it takes to take on the pro’s and be crowned the burnout king of Mustang Week Texas 2026, throw your hat in the ring by completing the form here.
What makes Smoke Show special is not just the cars or the prize money, but the atmosphere. Nighttime burnouts under the lights, music pumping, engines at redline, and cars disappearing in clouds of smoke create a sensory overload you cannot replicate anywhere else. It is raw, loud, and unapologetically Mustang Week.
If you are attending Mustang Week Texas, Smoke Show: Fords vs. The World is not something you want to hear about secondhand. Whether you are a diehard Mustang loyalist or just someone who appreciates extreme automotive performance, this event delivers two nights of pure spectacle. Grab your tickets, get to Moody Gardens early, and be there when the smoke rises and the bragging rights are decided.
