The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has been on a financial roll after being taken over in December of 2024. Since Darryl Cuttell bought the organization, it’s held races throughout 2025 and made several track purchases. This tornado-like spate of acquisitions isn’t the first time motorsports has been invaded by a single entity sworn to make life better. But the speed with which Cuttell and his Darana Hybrid company have acted could be cautionary.
Some people that have worked within the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) framework have decided to cast their lot with Cuttell and IHRA, as well as continuing to compete in NHRA. In the manner that the operator conducts his business, on the face of it, joining IHRA hasn’t seemed a bad idea. After all, when former champions like Del Worsham race an IHRA Funny Car as well as competing with NHRA, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary season in 2026 with 20 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events, it’s time to take a step back and consider whether Cuttell is planning to cut NHRA off?
From the start, Darryl Cuttell was keen on acquisitions. By the beginning of March, IHRA had already closed on owning National Trail Raceway in Ohio, Maryland International Raceway, Milan Dragway in Michigan, Dragway 42 in Ohio, Darlington Dragway in South Carolina, Galot Motorsports Park, North Carolina and Kil-Kare Raceway in Ohio. Some of these tracks have added the Darana name to make the affiliation recognizable
He was also keen on “making drag racing fun again” for both fans and racers. IHRA will not, like NHRA, continue on as a strictly straight-line enterprise. The sanction has either acquired or resurrected a number of diverse group of entities, and will focus on making all of them viable. That intent computes to restoration of many of its new acquisitions, facility upgrades, expanding fan amenities and the addition of entertainment to go along with racing activities.
During the early December PRI show, NHRA had its large booth in the area between massive convention floors, easy to get to and filled with racers and interviewers throughout the three-day convention last month in Indianapolis. IHRA, on the other hand, had its main operations at the show towards the rear of one of the large halls, together with partner activation around the huge convention area. IHRA’s announcements came at different places on the floors, making it difficult to find them to get information.
Still, it was IHRA that had the most information to share, as Cuttell ramped up his acquisitions during the show and throughout the month of December. The group announced scheduling for all ten of its series and made note of new partnerships. And that action hasn’t abated since the show went on. At that time, most of the talk was about the sale of Maple Grove Raceway to IHRA and NHRA’s move to US 131 Motorsports Park to begin its six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. That event was initially scheduled for Maple Grove, which celebrated its 40th NHRA event last September; once the track was purchased by IHRA, NHRA felt the need to move.
By the close of 2025, IHRA was in full acquisition mode, having brought ten very diverse dragstrips over the course of the past 12 months. Most of them are in the center and east coast of the United States and include a December 31 announcement of Rockingham Raceway – not the dragstrip, the circle track – Heartland Motorsports Park, Memphis International Raceway, Maple Grove Raceway, Milan Dragway, Kil-Kare Raceway, National Trail Raceway, Piedmont Dragway, Galot Motorsports Park and Dragway 42.
In addition to straight-line racing, IHRA will be holding personal watercraft events, stock car races, F1 powerboat events and has acquired the World Drag Racing Alliance to bring more sportsman activities to events. The group has also announced big purses for its stock car series ($2 million total), allied with the Pro Pulling League and is promoting both two- and four-wheel competition among its 10 series. It’s hired – and fired – some good people, acquiring the talents of Pro Stock NHRA winner Larry Morgan as well as Scott “Woody” Woodruff, who is the COO of IHRA after many years working with both Jeg’s and Elite Motorsports.
What will this mean to competitors in both IHRA and NHRA in 2026? They’ll have to make choices as there may be overlaps in events. Whether the IHRA’s goal of adding more excitement to straight-line race weekends, as well as ancillary events over a race weekend, will take away from NHRA’s 75th anniversary season remains to be seen. One thing for sure: there will be more races to attend and watch and/or stream in 2026.
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