Chad Isley Punches His Ticket to Las Vegas for Sixth World Championship Opportunity
BYRON, Ill. — Chad Isley is headed back to the championship stage.
Isley captured the Sportsman Wild Card Race at Byron Dragway on September 27, earning a trip to Las Vegas and the opportunity to compete for a World Championship at the Summit Racing Equipment ET Bracket Finals presented by Hoosier at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For Isley, this won't be unfamiliar territory. It will mark his sixth opportunity to compete for a World Championship, but his first with Las Vegas serving as the championship destination.
And Isley brings an impressive championship résumé with him.
Across his previous championship opportunities, Isley has already earned two World Championships and two Runner-Up finishes. Now, the driver of the familiar Chevrolet Vega will have another chance to add to that record when he heads west to represent the North Central Division as the Sportsman Wild Card Entry!
A Big Day at Byron Dragway
The Sportsman Wild Card Race offered competitors a significant prize: win the race and earn the opportunity to race for a World Championship in Las Vegas.
Isley answered the challenge, working his way through the Sportsman field and finishing the day in the Byron Dragway winner's circle.
The Wild Card victory wasn't the only hardware Isley collected.
As part of the NHRA.tv Challenge, Isley also earned one of the special NHRA 75th Anniversary Diamond Wally trophies awarded to NHRA.tv Challenge winners during the anniversary season.
That made for a memorable combination — a Diamond Wally for the trophy case and a ticket to Las Vegas with another World Championship on the line.
A New Destination, A Familiar Opportunity
Although this will be Isley's sixth opportunity to race for a World Championship, 2026 will mark the first time he gets that opportunity in Las Vegas.
With two championships and two runner-up finishes already on his résumé, Isley has shown throughout his career that he knows how to perform when a championship is at stake. This time, he'll take that experience to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and try to bring another title home to the NHRA North Central Division.
From Byron Dragway to Las Vegas, there is now one more chapter left to write in Chad Isley's 2026 season.
Congratulations to Chad Isley on the Sportsman Wild Card victory, the NHRA.tv Challenge 75th Anniversary Diamond Wally, and a sixth opportunity to compete for a World Championship.
Next stop: Las Vegas.
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