International Hot Rod Association - Member Track News

Eagle Field Runway Drags Brings IHRA to California

2024-04-23T16:36:27-05:00

FIREBAUGH, CA — International Hot Rod Association member tracks now stretch coast-to-coast with the addition of Eagle Field Runway Drags.

There are tracks from the Carolinas to this California facility nearly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Rocky Phillips, the drag racing coordinator at Eagle Field, started hosting the events at the World War II Army Air Base in October 2009.

They started the races hoping to attract the HAMB organization, which was running an annual race at Mo-Kan Dragway in Missouri. That didn’t transpire, so Phillips booked a 1964 and earlier race at the former military base. Now, it has expanded where they’re running different classes of race cars.

“We’re doing bracket racing now and we have four categories — Gasser (’66 and earlier), Mean Street, Open Comp and Junior Dragsters,” Phillips said. “We have two big events per year which are a celebration of drag racing. We will be changing the Mean Street to Sportsman and the Open Comp to Modified.”

They also feature five classes of heads-up racing.

Eagle Field was constructed in 1942, just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Joe Davis owns the property and some of the non-racing events include fly-ins. Phillips got to know about the property through his employer moving equipment from Eagle Field for a fly-in at the Fresno airport.

Phillips later met with Davis and started the Eagle Field Drags. The track features concrete walls and there are restrooms and showers on property. There is plenty of room for recreational vehicles, while the Lions Club and a local Mexican restaurant serve as food vendors. For those staying the weekend, music and dancing are offered on Saturday nights.

Now, the addition of IHRA sanction gives racers a chance to take advantage of membership benefits.

“I’m proud to be an IHRA member and start that on the West Coast,” Phillips said. “It gives us some clout and support.”

Phillips looks forward to working with other West Coast tracks and putting together a shootout near the end of the year. One of the neat events is a celebration of old-school drag racing, an evening where they use a flagman at the start.

It’s a part of Eagle Field’s mission to help fans and racers relive the glory days of drag racing. The main event on Friday pays tribute to former Fremont Dragway starter Eves Tall-Chief, who died in 2020.

“We call it ‘Flag Start Friday’ and do it for fun to remember Chief,” Phillips said. “It’s fun and exciting, but otherwise, we race with the tree.”

Click here to check out the Eagle Field Facebook page and learn more about this facility. To become an IHRA member, click here to visit our membership or call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our friendly IHRA membership coordinator Heather Roth can take you through the process of getting you on track.

Interlake Dragway Extends Longtime Partnership with IHRA

2024-04-08T19:06:43-05:00

GIMLI, MB, Canada — Good news for drag racers in Midwestern Canada as Interlake Dragway and the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) have extended their longstanding partnership through a new sanctioning agreement.

The only sanctioned 1/4-mile drag strip in Manitoba, which features Darryl and Brandy Wruck as facility managers, recently released its 2024 schedule. The schedule includes IHRA Summit SuperSeries bracket racing, DRAM Gamblers Race, Quick 16 and Nostalgia Drags.

“We have Quick 16 races between $8,000 and $10,000 to win,” Darryl said. “Last year if you didn’t go in the eights, you weren’t in the Quick 16’s and this year if you’re not in the 7.9’s, you won’t get in. Those are really huge for us, along with the Nostalgia races.”

The Nostalgia races are popular since some of the best racers in Western Canada have cut their teeth at Interlake Dragway. The list includes two-time IHRA World Pro Mod champion Kenny Lang, injected Nitro car champions Doug Douchette and Clif Bakx and Canadian Hall of Famer Ken Murray.

Still, the best part of being track operators for the Wrucks are watching their kids race. They include their 25-year-old son who races Darryl’s personal car, a 1968 Pontiac LeMans which makes 3,500 horsepower. Their 19-year-old daughter races a Super Comp dragster, powered by a Chevy big-block engine. She has gone from a car making over 900 horsepower to over 1,800 horsepower.

With 235 acres, the property located 45 minutes from Winnipeg also includes a Mudbog, a 1-kilometer go-kart track, a 1.3-mile road-racing course for cars and bikes and a 2-kilometer motocross track. Interlake Dragway features a full concession stand, washroom facilities with showers and plenty of parking and camping on site.

It also plays an important part in Canadian history with the Gimli Glider. It was a domestic passenger flight in 1983 from Montreal to Edmonton with the Boeing 767 forced to make an emergency landing on the drag strip after a refueling error. It resulted in no serious injuries to the 69 occupants and only minor damage to the aircraft. The plane was later repaired and used until it was retired in 2008.

More recent on-track history saw Mike Hawco repeat as Box champion in the track’s 2023 IHRA Summit SuperSeries point standings. Other champions who made the 2,000-mile plus trek from Manitoba to compete at the IHRA World Finals in Mississippi were: Cole Butler in No Box, Fred Pratt in Sportsman and Gavin Hawco in Junior Dragster.

There is great dedication amongst the Interlake racers and the staff that keeps the facility going with races from May to September. Click here to check out this great venue at the Interlake Dragway Facebook page and keep up with the latest news at the track.

Jackson Dragway LLC Announces Plans to Host No Prep Warz in May

2024-04-03T18:06:26-05:00

JACKSON, TN — Get your tickets now as the tire squealing, heart pounding excitement of No Prep Warz is coming to Jackson Dragway LLC on May 17-18.

Track owner Don Baskin and top drag racing promoter Larry Jeffers have teamed up to bring the newest No Prep series in the country to the IHRA-member track. Adding to the excitement of this huge event, fans can purchase the Warzone VIP package which gives them closest access to the starting line (including an up-close and personal look at the All-Stars), entry two hours before general admission gates open and free parking.

The Larry Jeffers family of companies which include LJ1 Oil Products, Extreme Racing Oil, Larry Jeffers Race Cars, Bullet Racing Engines and International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), along with presenting sponsor Darana Hybrid as well as other partners TMF Metal Solutions and Baron Racing from Joplin, MO help make these races possible. Baskin is also a key supporter of drag racing as a major IHRA partner with Don Baskin Trucking LLC and Jackson Dragway.

A thrilling two-day show begins Friday, May 17 with Big and Small Tire Shootouts, All Star “High Stakes” Gambler, 6.0 and 7.0 Index Gamblers and Grudge Racing.

The schedule for Saturday, May 18 includes the All Stars Main Event, Small Tire Clash and Outlaw Big Tire races. There are also 6.0 and 7.0 Index and Daily Driver races with FREE entry for IHRA members.

It is highly recommended that racers and crew members order their passes early online. Visit the ticket page at the FOAT here at https://thefoat.com/558761

Roxboro Motorsports Park to Host 65th Annual Easter Bash This Weekend

2024-03-26T17:21:36-05:00

TIMBERLAKE, NC — Roxboro Motorsports Park continues a great holiday tradition with the 65th annual Easter Bash this weekend.

The prestigious three-day event begins with a Friday test-and-tune along with $1,000-to-win Gamblers races for the Top and Footbrake classes.

Saturday is highlighted by both the Classic Gear Jammers and an IHRA Ironman Classic. This special Ironman race pays $4,000-to-win and $800-for-runner-up in both the Top and Footbrake classes. There are also races for Sportsman, Motorcycle and Junior Dragsters as drivers in all bracket classes compete for the prestigious IHRA Ironman trophies.

There’s more great bracket racing Sunday counts as part of the first two IHRA Summit SuperSeries points races of the season at the historic North Carolina track.

Sunday features the 4.70 Outlaws with an $11,000 total payout to go along with the great bracket racing. Gates open at 9 a.m. with Easter activities at 10 a.m. and racing to start at 12:30 p.m.

Top and Footbrake racers can enter Saturday and Sunday for $70 per day or $150 for the whole 3-day weekend. It’s $50 entry per day for Sportsman, Motorcycle and Juniors. Spectators are $20 per day or $50 for the 3-day weekend.

This is just the first of multiple big events throughout the 65th anniversary season. There are High Winding Gear Jammer races, Big Tire, Small Tire events and big-money bracket races.

Click here to check out the track’s Facebook page for updates on the Easter Bash and other Roxboro Motorsports Park events. For the racers, click here to become an IHRA member and participate in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries points program.

Classic Darlington Dragway Sign Gets Facelift

2024-03-16T14:51:42-05:00

HARTSVILLE, S.C. — Normal track maintenance led to the refurbishing of a historic sign at Darlington Dragway.

As workers trimmed overgrown juniper trees, track president Jeff Miles added they needed to do something with the sign that listed the names of IHRA event winners, particularly from the IHRA Winter Nationals.

“It actually has all the names from 1977 to ’93,” Miles said. “We got digging around it and figured how to move it. Now we’re going to move the sign, put flag poles around it and put our Sean Serra Memorial beside it. We wanted to make a shrine so everyone can appreciate the history.”

Serra, a successful big-money bracket racer, died tragically as a passenger in a highway crash in 2022. He was just 27 years old. As for the sign, it has been cleaned up and painted with the names of event winners through 1987.

Tom “Mongoose” McEwen won the Funny Car class at the 1977 IHRA Winter Nationals. Other Funny Car legends who are listed on the sign include Dale Pulde with four wins, Kenny Bernstein with three wins, Raymond Beadle with two wins and Ed “Ace” McCulloch with one.

Top Fuel, or the sign calls it “Pro Dragster,” shows Paul Longnecker and Clayton Harris as winners in 1977 and ’78. They’re followed by 17-time World Champion “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and Richard Tharp, who won back-to-back IHRA Winter Nationals in 1980-81. Connie Kalitta, Joe Amato, Jeb Allen and Jim Barnard are other fearless men who sped down the track to take home trophies.

Harold Denton is the first winner listed on the Pro Stock side with his 1977 victory. Names like Warren Johnson, Roy Hill, Lee Shepherd, Rickie Smith and Ronnie Sox also adorn the sign along with other greats like Lee Edwards, Billy Ewing and Darrell Alderman.

Once, the sign is fully restored to include the winners up until 1993, it will show Bernstein capturing the Top Fuel title in 1991. The IHRA Winter Nationals at Darlington actually ran until 2000 when Paul Romine captured the Top Fuel victory. The Funny Cars competed until 1992 with Tom Hoover the winner. Steve Spiess won the Pro Stock class in 2000.

The Pro Mods ran from 1990-2000 with IHRA Hall of Famers Scotty Cannon and Shannon Jenkins capturing Ironman trophies. Ed Hoover won the race in both 1990 and 2000, and record-setting racer Bill Kuhlmann was the 1994 winner. That history plays well as Darlington Dragway will feature a blast from the past when the Pro Mods headline the IHRA Hot Rod Classic on May 2-4.

“I don’t know of another track that can match Darlington’s history,” Miles said. “It had the first 5-second Pro Mod, the first 200 mph Top Sportsman. There’s just so much history here.”

As a South Carolina native, Miles has a deep appreciation of the facility and its history. That’s why it was so important to him to have the sign restored.

“Ever since I came here, I wanted to do something with the sign,” he said. “You would be amazing once I posted the photo on Facebook how many people didn’t even realize it was out there.”

Miles looks forward to more history in the making as Darlington is hosting such events as the IHRA Hot Rod Classic and IHRA Division 9 (Raiders) Summit Team Finals in 2024.

“So many people are talking about the Hot Rod Classic. Then, we have 10 IHRA points races and the IHRA Summit Team Finals,” he said. “We have a full slate of great races this year.”

Click here to check out the Darlington Dragway Facebook page for more exciting news at the legendary track.

South Carolina Motorplex, IHRA Extend Sanctioning Agreement

2024-03-07T18:45:16-06:00

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina Motorplex and the International Hot Rod Association are teaming up once again to bring great bracket racing to the Lowcountry.

Under the ownership of Candice Roberson and Jesse (J.P.) Williams, the Neeses, S.C, track hosted multiple outstanding events in 2023. The trend continues as South Carolina Motorplex is scheduled to host an IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering on April 27.

The 150-acre property near Interstates 26 and 95, is also home to the South Carolina Mudplex. But, it was the 1/8-mile drag strip where the home team won the IHRA Division 9 (Raiders) Summit Team Finals in 2023. Madison Krupa led the way with her Junior Dragster victory and Billy Dunn was runner-up in the Sportsman class.

As for their own family, Roberson’s parents were drag racers so she’s been around the sport her whole life. Williams has been a top motorcycle rider for Hayabusa, while the children they raise, compete in Junior Dragsters.

Roberson’s background also includes working with the local chamber of commerce and South Carolina Motorplex hosts other events like concerts in addition to racing, which also includes the South Carolina Mudplex.

The venue has heated and cooled restrooms and shower houses as well as RV hookups available for yearly spots or for specific events. The local Hampton Inn also offers special discounts to racers and spectators. There’s also popular food items like pizza and ice cream in the concession stands.

Friday Night TNT and grudge racing is scheduled this week and IHRA Summit SuperSeries bracket races are slated for March 16-17. There’s a huge grudge racing event, March Grudge Madness on March 30. Great racing at the Motorplex and Mudplex is scheduled through November.

Click here to check out the South Carolina Motorplex Facebook page and keep updated as future events are announced.

Upgrades Take Place at IHRA Member Tracks Throughout the Offseason

2024-03-07T10:36:25-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, Mo. — The work doesn’t stop when the race engines shut down.

Owners and operators at International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) member tracks throughout North America have been busy getting their facilities ready for the 2024 season. Many have made major commitments to ensure their racers have the best drag strips possible.

The IHRA has highlighted a few of these over the past two weeks starting with Edinburg Motorsports Park which held its season opener March 1-2. There was a massive project at the South Texas facility including a crew from Total Venue Concept doing a track profile grind and total track upgrade. They worked hard to make the drag strip level and smooth for the racers all the way down the quarter-mile.

Muncie Dragway in Indiana has focused on safety with a major upgrade. They’ve been installing concrete walls to replace the guardrails on both sides of the race track. It’s a huge investment, but one the racers will surely appreciate when the IHRA Summit SuperSeries fires up.

Another Indiana facility, Bunker Hill Dragstrip, has been making the efforts to take care of their racers as well. They’ve been hard at work on a concrete burnout box in recent weeks and have constructed new ticket booth.

Gleason Raceway Park In Tennessee has upgraded both its timing system and purchased a new tractor well before the track hosts an IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering on May 11.

Bonne Terre Drag Strip in Missouri had Mass Traction do a 200-feet scrape and grind to remove all the old rubber and the original broom finish. Mass Traction is consulting Bonne Terre throughout the cleaning and building processes.

There are others throughout the IHRA family of tracks who’ve done similar projects to get ready for the 2024 season. Capitol Raceway in Maryland has put up new light poles. Kil-Kare Raceway in Ohio, Custom T’s Motorsports Park in Virginia and Roxboro Motorsports Park in North Carolina are others who have done big projects during the offseason.Thunder Valley Dragways in South Dakota has paving work scheduled in May before the Memorial Day weekend event.

We appreciate the efforts and investments of all the IHRA member tracks to take care of the racers and give them great venues to compete at. Any other tracks which would like to have their upgrades highlighted, please contact us as we love to share the good news.

For the racers, make sure you have your IHRA membership up to date and are ready to compete in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, the most prestigious championship program in bracket racing. Click here to visit the IHRA membership center or call 85-JOIN-IHRA where our friendly membership coordinator Heather Roth will take you through the process of getting you on track.

IHRA Gives Tracks Chance to Make Extra Money, Attract New Racers

2024-02-15T14:20:34-06:00

HOUSE SPRINGS, Mo. — There has never been a better time to be an International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) member track with chances to make extra money and attract new racers to your facility.

The IHRA Summit SuperSeries remains the gold standard for grassroots, Sportsman racing programs with over $275,000 in payouts and prizes last season. With over two decades of history, it’s the most prestigious national championship in all of bracket racing. After racing at the local tracks, it culminates with the popular IHRA Summit Team Finals and the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering.

Extreme Racing Oils have taken care of all sanctioning fees for IHRA member tracks once again, meaning you pay nothing to be part of this program. Tracks can also add value by hosting an IHRA Ironman Classic. The IHRA also offers other programs like the IHRA Hot Rod Classic and IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering and FuelTech.

Reaction to the news the IHRA Hot Rod Classic is returning in 2024 has been overwhelming. Fans across the country have expressed great excitement about the return of the ground-pounding Pro Mods, awesome racing for Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Quick Rod, Super Rod, Hot Rod classes and heads-up racing with Real Steel N/T. Each of these events also feature exciting 64-car shootouts for the Box and No Box classes.

For a second straight year, eligible winners of IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering and FuelTech gain entry into the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals in conjunction with entering at least two other IHRA races. Current IHRA membership is required.

Member tracks without a Hot Rod Classic or Sportsman Spectacular this season, but interested in hosting one of these events in 2025, please contact your division director.

In addition to the great racing, tracks will soon be distributing tickets for a chance to win a new Ford F-150 crew cab XLT sport truck with 4-wheel drive estimated at $60,000 from Morrow Brothers Ford. The truck is being built by Ford for the IHRA with tickets sold exclusively by IHRA-member tracks.

“Events like the IHRA Hot Rod Classic and IHRA Sportsman Spectacular bring excitement to the track’s current racers and attract new ones to their facilities,” IHRA Owner and CEO Larry Jeffers said. “Then, you have the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, the truck giveaway and our team always thinking about new ways to add more value, what a great time to be an IHRA member track.”

For those facilities which would like to become an IHRA-member track, contact IHRA President Mel Roth at mel@ihra.com or call 636-376-7622.

Crossville Dragway to Offer IHRA Summit SuperSeries Program in 2024

2024-02-14T17:34:38-06:00

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Crossville Dragway is ready to take full advantage of the International Hot Rod Association Summit SuperSeries program in 2024.

While the Tennessee drag strip is a longtime IHRA member track, this year it’s stepping up a commitment with a strong bracket racing program which includes Box, No Box, Sportsman and Junior Dragster in a series known as Crossville’s Mountain Madness. There’s also a plan to send a team to participate in the IHRA Summit Team Finals.

It has been welcome news to the track’s racers with the chance to participate in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering. Over $275,000 in payouts and prizes were awarded to racers in 2023.

“I’ve always been with IHRA and had great customer service with them,” track owner Michael Newcome said. “They’ve always been ‘Johnny on the spot.’ But this year, we’re doing a bracket program and plan to race in the team finals. It seemed to make a lot of people happy that we’re doing that.”

The track has some good history in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries as David Bigham, representing Crossville Dragway, won the Sportsman title at the 2021 World Finals.

As for Newcome, he has owned the track for seven years and gained a great reputation among his fellow track owners as one good to work with. He’s been great to coordinate schedules where they aren’t scheduling big events on top of each other. His track certainly stands out with a familiar green paint you easily see when one passes by on Interstate 40.

Newcome had the entire track ground to take out some minor bumps and dips. Then, he had Total Venue Concepts come by and work on the track surface, making it a terrific place for the racers to power down the track.

Besides the bracket racing, they have heads-up radial racing and a good No Prep series. They even hosted the Outlaw Diesel Series in 2023 where multi-time champion racer Van Greer took home the victory. Outside of drag racing, they also host a demolition derby and tractor pulls.

The concessions are considered top notch as people come to the track Friday nights just to get hamburgers. On the hot days, the racers appreciate that the restrooms are air conditioned.

He still has a passion for the track and the sport. He also likes the accessibility of IHRA officials including IHRA CEO and Owner Larry Jeffers and IHRA President Mel Roth.

“When I’ve needed something, there’s an immediate response,” Newcome said. “We’re excited about this year and ready to get going.”

You can keep up with the latest Crossville Dragway news by clicking here to check out the track’s Facebook page.

Wichita Raceway Park Returns to IHRA Family With New Vision

2024-02-12T17:36:44-06:00

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Keith Starr has a vision for Wichita Raceway Park and the International Hot Rod Association plays prominently into that role.

Starr, who has been involved with WRP the last six years, took over as owner of the 1/8-mile drag strip in North Texas in January. He has specific plans in the short term and some exciting ideas long range for a track just 13 miles from the Oklahoma state line.

“The biggest thing is continuous improvement,” Starr said. “We’re about having old values with new technology. I was raised where a man’s word is more important than his signature. We want a reputation for a good, consistent preparation of the surface and providing a fair place to race.”

While the track has a great following for No Prep and Index racing, he wants to build up the bracket racing program.

The best way is through the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, the most prestigious national championship in all of bracket racing. Last year, there were over $275,000 in payouts and prizes awarded at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering.

“I’ve got people out of the wood work saying they’re glad to have bracket racing back,” Starr said. “Everybody has been on board with IHRA. When IHRA offered the opportunity to become a member track at no charge, that made it very appealing.”

Starr has been busy working at WRP on upgrades, maintenance, mowing and such. In 2020, Starr purchased all the equipment from North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas, including the cleaning Zamboni, tire drags, concrete barriers, light poles and restaurant equipment.

That’s not all. There has been a lot of infrastructure spending including a new return road and concrete staging lanes. He’s upgraded the sound system and lighting, and has also purchased a new safety catch net and plenty of traction compound.

Using his background as a software engineering, Starr plans to have a system where the video feed can switch to different points like on national broadcasts of drag racing. It will give the racers multiple points of view of their runs. Starr even has ideas for Fantasy Racing to get the spectators more involved.

“Some of these things might be off the wall and could even fail, but I’ve never feared failing,” Starr said. “We have a futuristic looking tree, we might use during test and tunes. We will have an automated driver entry with a barcode. We want to bring cutting edge technology to the track like a robotic sprayer for the lanes. We want to add things that make it more fun and adds more value.”

Much like IHRA Owner Larry Jeffers has an open line of communication, Starr encourages the racers to also offer their ideas for the track. Some might not be doable, while others might be something they’re willing to try. Most important, he’s willing to entertain their ideas and look at drag racing in a different way.

The IHRA certainly welcomes Wichita Raceway Park to the family. Check out the WRP website here for the 2024 schedule and other exciting news.