International Hot Rod Association - All IHRA News

IHRA Will Be Exhibitor at Next Week’s PRI Show in Indianapolis

2024-12-05T15:09:38-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — Be sure to visit the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) display at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show in Indianapolis next week on December 12-14, 2024.

We can’t wait to see our track partners, marketing partners and racers. We will be at booth No. 5067 where you can come by and speak with IHRA officials including IHRA Owner & CEO Larry Jeffers, IHRA President Kenny Nowling and others.

The PRI Trade Show is the most influential business event in auto racing. There are 1,100 exhibiting companies with 70,000 attendees from all 50 states and 70 countries.

We will have new special banners to celebrate the 2024 IHRA SuperSeries World Champions. There is also some exciting news coming up on membership.

Stop by and pay us a visit at the PRI Trade Show as it’s always a pleasure to see those who are at helping us achieve #IHRAReturnToGlory.

IHRA Holding Fun Contest to Name Divisions

2024-12-03T18:50:58-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — Racers, we’re bringing more fun back to our sport.

The International Hot Rod Association is asking for your input with the names of the eight IHRA divisions. Would you like to keep the existing nickname for your division or does it need to be changed it to something that better represents the excitement seen at your individual IHRA Team Finals?

It takes all of us working together to achieve the goal of our hashtag #IHRAReturnToGlory! The open dialogue with IHRA track partners and racers is key to that. For too long, your creativity has been an untapped resource and we can’t wait to see some of your ideas.

We have talented graphic designers who are ready to use their artistic abilities to create fresh and exciting new looks with logos and mascots. Please respond on our Facebook page as we start gearing up for a fun year of racing.

Look for exciting news about the 2025 season in the coming weeks!

IHRA Division 8 to Feature Great Natural Rivalries

2024-11-30T13:51:47-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — It’s the second Saturday instead of the third, and the race track instead of the football field where the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry first ignites in October 2025.

The newly restructured IHRA Division 8 features tracks from Tennessee and Alabama. Rocket City Dragway in Harvest, AL is scheduled to host the IHRA D8 Team Finals on Oct. 9-11, 2025.

This realignment of tracks is the perfect example of making more even divisions with less travel for the racers with the #IHRAReturnToGlory.

Music City Raceway moves nearly two hours closer to its IHRA Division Team Finals. It also gives a more even distribution of tracks. Knoxville Dragway has the longest trip of any track to Rocket City and even they are just 240 miles away.

Other Tennessee tracks are Crossville Dragway and Ethridge Motorsports Park. Alabama International Dragway and Lassiter Mountain Dragway represent the Yellowhammer State.

Knoxville Dragway was the 2024 IHRA Division 8 Team Champion. Steve Breeding (Top), Chris Blair (Mod), Chester Lay (Sportsman), Corey Lee (Motorcycle) and CJ Handy (Junior Dragster) were individual champions.

Two IHRA SuperSeries World Champions came from the Division 8 tracks. Jordan Johnson from Music City was the Sportsman champion and Grady Lee, who was runner-up at the D8 Team Finals, went on to win the Motorcycle championship.

That concludes our look at the new IHRA division realignment. We can’t wait to see you participate at these great IHRA partner tracks throughout the 2025 season.

Excitement Abounds with IHRA Division 6, Division 7 Tracks

2024-11-29T13:00:39-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — There’s excitement in the air with the lineup of IHRA Division 6 and Division 7 tracks for 2025.

Division 6 features three distinct drag strips in the Midwest, while Division 7 features three California tracks and one in Hawaii.

Humboldt County Dragway in Iowa will once again host the IHRA Division 6 Team Finals on Aug. 21-23. Humboldt County Dragway is the oldest operating drag strip in the Hawkeye State.

Thunder Valley Dragways hosted the IHRA Division 6 Finals in 2024. The South Dakota captured the Division 6 Team championship.

Interlake Dragway represents the great North with the Canadian track located in Aspen Park, Manitoba. The track features an enthusiastic bunch of racers with champions traveling each year to Mississippi for the IHRA SuperSeries World Finals.

Brian Wood from Humboldt won the Top championship in 2024. Other individual champions were: Colton Bierle (Mod), Wade Lardy (Sportsman), Mike Robbins (Motorcycle) and Kaden Crawford (Junior Dragster).

We head West for the Division 7 tracks with the IHRA Team Finals to be held at Mendota Raceway Park with a date to be announced later. Eagle Field Drags and Kingdon Drags in the Golden State are also part of Division 7.

Mendota Raceway Park is located 30 miles from Fresno and attracts racers from San Francisco and Sacramento. Kingdon Drags is right outside Stockton, while Eagle Field began as a World War II Army Air Base. It promises to be a great time when these California racers get together.

The final Division 7 track is Hilo Drag Strip in Hawaii which has great racing through the Hawaii Drag Racing League. We will conclude our look at the new realignment on IHRA.com with the Division 8 facilities.

Happy Thanksgiving from the IHRA

2024-11-28T09:47:14-06:00

The International Hot Rod Association is thankful to our racers, track partners and marketing partners for your continued support of the IHRA.

We’re glad that you’re a part of the IHRA family and we look forward to working with you on both short-term and long-term goals.

You’ve seen our commitment to the grassroots, Sportsman racing. This year’s IHRA Summit Team Finals, the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering and IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser were fantastic events. On that note, we appreciate all that our marketing partners do to support our programs and racers.

Special thanks to the tracks and their staffs which hosted the IHRA Summit Team Finals and other major events in 2024. The staff at Holly Springs Motorsports Park continue to be amazing hosts for the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. We appreciate their efforts to make sure the racers enjoy their time at the most prestigious championship event in bracket racing.

We’re most thankful for the safety of our racers. It is a dangerous sport and we remember those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of speed and competition. Let’s not forgot them and their loved ones as well as all those affected by the devastating storms this year.

Moving ahead, there are exciting announcements as we work on our mission #IHRAReturnToGlory. We look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming PRI show in Indianapolis.

Happy Thanksgiving from the IHRA family to your families. Thanks for all each of you do to make this a great racing organization.

IHRA Division 5 Tracks Ready to Roar in 2025

2024-11-27T14:12:41-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — The IHRA Division 5 has gotten even stronger for the 2025 season with the retention of tracks and additions of others.

Muncie Dragway in Albany, Indiana will serve as the host track for the IHRA Division 5 Team Finals on Sept. 11-13.

It’s one of three great Indiana tracks part of the nine-track lineup. Other great race tracks in the Hoosier State are Bunker Hill Dragstrip and US41 Dragstrip, which hosted the IHRA Division 5 Team Finals in 2024.

A pair of tracks with rich racing traditions move to Division 5 with Kil-Kare Raceway in Ohio and Kentucky Dragway. Two in the Badger State with incredible traditions continue to be part of D5 with Great Lakes Dragaway, voted the most historically significant drag strip in the United States, and Wisconsin International Raceway.

Midstate Dragway, the former Central Illinois Dragway, fills out the terrific lineup of tracks.

Muncie Dragway won the Division 5 Team championship in 2024 with US41 Dragstrip the runner-up. TJ Trench from US41 was the Top winner and Greg Dillman from Muncie was the Mod champion.

Jimmie Barrett, the 2021 IHRA SuperSeries runner-up from Midstate Dragway, was the Sportsman winner. Thomas Bixler from Great Lakes won the Motorcycle title and Owen Zwetow from Great Lakes took the Junior Dragster victory.

We will take a look at the remaining divisions in the coming days on IHRA.com.

Storied History Featured with IHRA Division 4 Lineup

2024-11-26T13:34:11-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — There is a proud tradition associated with the IHRA Division 4 name.

Southwest area racers let us know how passionate they are recently with the IHRA realignment announcement. Nine tracks now are part of this group with the 2025 IHRA Division 4 Team Finals scheduled Sept. 25-27 at Xtreme Raceway Park.

There are six other Texas drag strips included in Division 4 with Little River Dragway and Paris Dragstrip just a couple of hours away. Other Division 4 tracks in the Lone Star State include Amarillo Dragway, Edinburg Motorsports Park, Penwell Knights Raceway and Wichita Raceway Park.

The other two tracks come from the border states of Louisiana with State Capitol Raceway and Albuquerque Dragway in New Mexico.

Xtreme Raceway Park scored its third straight Division 4 Team Finals championship in 2024 with Edinburg Motorsports Park the runner-up.

Scott Wallace, who went on to capture the IHRA SuperSeries World Championship, was the Top champion with 2023 IHRA World Champion Jeromy Hefler the runner-up in a battle of Xtreme drivers.

Jake Howard, the Mod runner-up at the 2024 IHRA World Finals, also represented Xtreme. He was the winner at the D4 Team Finals over Randall Vinyard. Penwell Knights driver Robert Schoemer was the Sportsman winner and Little River rider Chaz Landers was the Motorcycle winner.

Tate Hildebrandt, who won the IHRA SuperSeries World Championship in Junior Dragster, was the winner in that class. Hildebrandt represented Edinburg Motorsports Park at the IHRA Team Finals.

We continue our look at the realignment tomorrow on IHRA.com with Division 5 tracks.

Ohio Tracks Lead Strong Tradition for IHRA Division 3

2024-11-25T15:30:49-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — The strong tradition of IHRA Division 3 continues with the recent International Hot Rod Association realignment.

Quaker City Motorsports Park, which captured its third straight IHRA Division 3 title in 2024, will again serve as the host track for the IHRA Team Finals on Sept. 18-20, 2025.

Other tracks from the Buckeye State add to the strong lineup of tracks. They include Kuhnle Motorsports Park, just 65 miles away from Quaker City and Dragway 42, just 75 miles away. To further show the IHRA trying to make it convenient for the racers, Pacemakers Outlaw Motorsports Park is 115 miles away.

There’s a little more travel for Capitol Raceway in Maryland and Custom T’s Motorsports Park in Virginia, but they’re certainly welcome additions to Division 3. Some of the former Division 3 tracks have been moved to Division 5, which makes better travel for their racers.

Quaker City’s team championship run in 2024 was led by Mark Miller with the win in the Mod class and former IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Champion Joe Tharp Jr. in the Sportsman class.

Brittany Dumonte defeated fellow Dragway 42 racer Lisa Boes in the Top final. Other winners were from Kil-Kare Raceway with Austin Stidham in Motorcycle and Kaiden Travis in Junior Dragster.

We will continue our look at the new realignment tomorrow on IHRA.com with Division 4, which features a bunch of tracks in the Lone Star State.

IHRA Achieves Balance with Division 2 Realignment

2024-11-23T13:08:00-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — One of the goals of the International Hot Rod Association’s realignment was to make its divisions more balanced.

It has been achieved with a look at IHRA Division 2. It remains a strong division with nine different tracks, but it’s leaner and more efficient than the 13-track division in 2024.

Holly Springs Motorsports Park will again host the IHRA Division 2 Team Finals on Sept. 11-13. It’s the perfect precursor to the Northern Mississippi track hosting the IHRA World Finals on Oct. 23-25, 2025.

It brings together tracks from six different states. That includes neighboring states with Centerville Dragway and Newport Dragway from Arkansas, and Jackson Dragway from Tennessee.

Three Missouri tracks are represented with Bonne Terre Drag Strip, Ozark Raceway Park and Skelton Raceway. Beacon Dragway in Paducah, Kentucky and I57 Dragstrip in Benton, Illinois round out those from other states.

Keep checking out IHRA.com and our social media pages with the hashtag #IHRAReturnToGlory for further updates on Division 2 and the other divisions. We will highlight Division 3 next and some of our Northern tracks.

Division 1 Much Stronger Now with IHRA's Realignment

2024-11-22T16:34:52-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO, USA — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) division realignment is highlighted today with the new Division 1.

The restructuring of these divisions will create a better and fairer format with the Summit Team Finals. For example, the new Division 1 now includes a combination of its own tracks and the old Division 9. The IHRA Division 1 Summit Team Finals are scheduled for Oct. 2-5 at Darlington Dragway.

Besides the host facility, seven other track partners are now a part of Division 1. It includes two tracks within 60 miles of Darlington Dragway. Those tracks are Pageland Dragway, just 40 miles away, and 710 Dragway, which is 60 miles away.

Even travel from the tracks located farther distances from the Summit Team Finals site now make sense.

Elk Creek Dragway, the two-time defending IHRA Division 1 Team Champions, remain a part of the new group, 215 miles away from Darlington. It’s also an equal distance for Roxboro Motorsports Park to also make the trip.

Three other North Carolina tracks — Piedmont Dragway, Shadyside Dragway and Wilkesboro Dragway —will be eligible to compete in the IHRA Division 1 Summit Team Finals. They are all within 200 miles of Darlington Dragway.

These moves should strengthen Division 1 and provide a more enjoyable Summit Team Finals for the racers. Check out IHRA.com Facebook page tomorrow when we highlight the Division 2 tracks. #IHRAReturnToGlory