Atlanta Dragway will be in action again, now that the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has completed its purchase of the facility in Commerce, GA, once the home of NHRA’s Southern Nationals. Announced February 18th, shortly after Banks County okayed the usage of the facility as a racetrack once again, this purchase brings back a facility that first opened to racing in 1976 on the site expected and graded to be an airport.
Atlanta Dragway closed after its 2021 season and the future of the property was uncertain until the local community and its leaders worked to resume straight-line motorsports activities. The Banks County Commission unanimously approved the way for the track’s reopening just a week ago.
The county’s commissioners welcomed IHRA. “On behalf of Banks County I want to welcome IHRA and express our appreciation for their investment in Atlanta Dragway. This facility has long been an important part of our community’s identity and economy. We are encouraged by IHRA’s commitment to revitalizing the property and preserving its legacy for racers and fans alike,” said Taylor Griffith, one of the county’s commissioners.
The commission recognized the financial impact racing can have on the county’s businesses and tourism. They also recognized the community pride that goes with having this facility open and thriving: “We look forward to working alongside IHRA to ensure Atlanta Dragway continues to be a destination that benefits our citizens while honoring the rich racing history that so many families here cherish, Griffith continued.
With this acquisition, IHRA completed its schedule for the sanction’s 2026 Outlaw Nitro Series schedule. As Darryl Cuttell, IHRA owner stated, “Atlanta Dragway has a long history in the sport, and we’re proud to bring it into the IHRA family. Our goal is to invest in historic tracks, support racers at every level and build strong relationships with the communities around our facilities. Hosting the Outlaw Nitro Series World Finals is just the beginning of what we plan to build here.”
As Cuttell explained, the final stop on the Outlaw Nitro Series will be at Atlanta Dragway October 22-24, that event having been listed as TBA for its location when IHRA first released schedules for all of its series during the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in December. In addition to establishing Atlanta Dragway as a national-level racing destination, IHRA expects the track to serve as a key Southeastern hub for sportsman competition, national events and community-focused programs.
IHRA isn’t the only straight-line racing series making mid-week news. On February 18th, Jasmine Salinas announced her NHRA and IHRA plans for the upcoming season. Salinas, who ran a partial campaign in Top Fuel last season due to financial concerns, intends to race in at least 10 events in the NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, as well as competing in select IHRA Top Fuel competitions. She’ll start her year with NHRA, competing in the 57th Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, which take place March 5-8 at Gainesville Raceway in Florida.
Salinas and her Scrappers team are piecing together a schedule that will work with her limited budget, even as they pursue a longterm financial partnership. After leaving the series while sitting fifth in the 2025 standings following the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals was tough for the Bay Area racer. Still, she wasn’t deterred and worked to gain added funding to continue her career.
“Cutting our season short last year was really tough, but I’ve learned a lot,” Salinas explained. “Driving a Top Fuel dragster isn’t the job; driving a Top Fuel dragster is the reward and the job is everything else you have to do to get there! I’m really hungry for that first win, and that takes more seat time, which is why I’m going to compete in a few IHRA events in between the 10 NHRA Mission Foods series races we plan to run. Every lap counts as we continue to seek full-time funding,” she declared.
Salinas will have a veteran of more than three decades in the sport as her crew chief. Todd Okuhara is leading the Scrappers Team this year with the help of assistant crew chief Adem Cave and car chief Cole Fergen. Okuhara most recently worked with Bob Tasca III and has wide experience tuning both Top Fuel and Funny Car engines. For many years he was the director of racing for Don Schumacher Racing, at one time one of the largest fleets of nitro-burning machines in the sport.
“This crew is no joke,” Salinas said. “I’ve been very fortunate to work with several high-caliber crew chiefs like Rob Flynn and Joe Barlam during my short time in Top Fuel. Now being able to add Todd Okuhara to our crew is very exciting and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from him.”
Veteran Top Fuel driver Doug Foley has decided to change caps as he steps from the drivers seat to tackle the team owner role for Foley Lewis Racing. The team named Gary Pritchett as driver of the team’s dragster in 2026, NHRA’s diamond anniversary campaign. “We are going to do a driver swap in 2026,” Doug Foley said. “I am going to get out of the seat – and I just felt like we could be better all the way around [with this change]. I kind of wanted to focus more on just taking the team to another level, and so I decided to get out of the seat.”
The veteran NHRA Top Fuel competitor has won quite a few IHRA races. He said the move allows him to focus on strengthening the organization both competitively and commercially. “I just didn’t feel like our team was at the level it could be, and that’s my goal to fix that.” The team intends to compete in both NHRA and IHRA events this year with the hybrid schedule providing opportunities for Foley Lewis Racing to grow, while continuing a competitive presence across both sanctioning organizations.
Gary Pritchett should be familiar to fans of straight-line racing. A former Top Alcohol Dragster competitor and longtime Top Fuel crew member, he earned his Top Fuel license under guidance from crew chief Doug Kuch in 2015. “Doug Kuch actually got me my Top Fuel license back i 2015 in Charlotte; this is coming full circle and I feel like all the stars are kind of aligning,” Pritchett said. “I’m really excited for the opportunity – I got the opportunity I’ve been waiting on my whole life!”
NHRA’s Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown series has nine national event appearances on its 2026 calendar as its two-time world champion Mark Pawuk goes for the hat trick of three in a row. The series kicks off at Gainesville Raceway March 5-8, joining the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as NHRA begins its 75th season of operation. Last year the Factory Stock Showdown class competed in eight events; this year the series adds a ninth race to its calendar.
The show begins with the 57th Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals and continues at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway with the four-wide race April 24-26. Then it’s on to Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago May 14-17, followed by races at Bristol Dragway (June 12-14) and fan- and racer-favorite Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH June 25-28. From there, the FSS crew takes a summer break, resuming with Labor Day’s Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
As NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins its Countdown to the Championship at US 131 Motorsports Park, they’ll be joined by the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown class on September 18-20, then two weeks later the class races at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis the first weekend of October.
The final race for this tour is also the series finale, closing out the 2026 campaign at Texas Motorplex October 14-18 as part of that track’s week-plus Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA FallNationals. The class competes with muscle cars from Chevrolet, Ford and Stellantis. Chevrolet’s COPO Camaro, Ford’s Cobra Jet and the Dodge Challenger Drag Paks are competing for Wally trophies.
In 2025, Pawuk earned his second straight title on the strength of two event wins, in Norwalk and at Bristol. He was runner-up in Charlotte, holding off a strong charge from Jason and Taylor Dietsch, who won a combined four races. The class’ popular Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Bounty Program returns this year for a sixth campaign. The program places a “bounty” on the winner of the previous event.
2026 FLEXJET NHRA FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE
March 5-8: 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
April 24-26: 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, N.C.
May 14-17: 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago
June 12-14: 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.
June 25-28: 20th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
Sept. 2-7: 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis
Sept. 18-20: Inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals, US 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Mich.
Oct. 2-4: 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis
Oct. 14-18: 41st annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas
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