Muscle Cars Invade Las Vegas for MATSLV

Muscle Cars at the Strip 2026 is gearing up to be one of the most exciting weekends of the year for fans of American muscle cars. Taking over Las Vegas Motor Speedway, March 27-29, the event brings together racers, builders, and enthusiasts for three full-throttle days of action and atmosphere. There is something for everyone at MATSLV, so if you’re in the Vegas area and like cars, you’d better not miss this. (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR HUGE DAILY GALLERIES!)

Car Show/Celebrities/Music

Though it takes place at a dragstrip, MATSLV isn’t just about drag racing (though there’s plenty of it). In the car show area, you’ll also see some really nice muscle cars, classics, customs, and modded cars from Mopar, Chevy, Ford, and even a few orphaned brands. Whether you like them old or new, you’ll be able to see them all in one spot, right in the center of the event on Friday and Saturday.

And this isn’t some stodgy car show; there is plenty for the participants to do, including visiting with celebrities like Garage Squad‘s Joe Zolper, Joe “Dominator” Woods from Street Outlaws, TV host Joe Santiago, and legendary automotive designer Peter Brock. Those who just want to sit can enjoy music on the main stage.

While you are there, be sure to pop over to the swap meet to find a bargain on those hard-to-find pieces you lack on your project. If you don’t find what you need there, head over to the Vendor Midway. Chances are, one of the vendors can help you out. If it’s engine-related, stop by and see Ken Sink at the Edelbrock Group tent; he’ll be there all weekend, and he can even give you a code for a 10% show discount!

Autocrossing Muscle Cars/Trucks/Jalopies

If you head north from there, follow the sound of screeching tires to the autocross hosted by Racing Byrds. It’s one of the biggest course layouts you’ll ever see. The speeds are high; it’s not uncommon for some purpose-built, high-horsepower muscle cars and trucks to crack 80 mph in places while negotiating some of those technical bits that catch some drivers off guard.

The cool part is you can even sign up for a ride-along. If you’ve never been in one of these machines, it is a must-do activity. Also, back again this year is the ever-popular Jalopy class, for those low-budget builds that still want to have fun and compete. Oh, and you won’t want to miss autocross under the lights on Friday and Saturday evenings – not only does it make for epic pictures, but it also throws in an extra challenge for the drivers. Autocross concludes Saturday evening.

Drifiting

If you thought the autocross area would be silent on Sunday, you would be sorely mistaken. Things will actually get cranked up to eleven, with Vegas Drift shredding tires all day. As if there weren’t enough smoky burnouts on the dragstrip, on Sunday, the drifters will be lost in the haze of burning rubber.

Drag Racing Muscle Cars

Of course, there’s drag racing. All three days until they are down to one in each class. If our count is correct, there will be 23 classes competing. Friday’s Battle of the Brands is always a crowd favorite, as the Big Three whittle their way down to the top of their brands before taking on the winners from the other brands. Another favorite class is Officers vs. Outlaws, while Pro Mods are sure to fill the stands every round. For a list of all the classes, visit MATSLV’s website.

But Wait, There’s More Muscle Cars at the Strip!

EG Nation will land in the desert on Thursday afternoon. We’ll be out there covering it all, from the dragstrip to the autocross course and everything in between. We hope you can make it to the rowdiest muscle car party in the West, but if you can’t, be sure to check back to this post daily for fresh photo galleries and highlights from each day below—you won’t want to miss any of it.