The landscape of straight-line racing in the United States is changing. Rapidly. With the return of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) in 2025, no longer is the [currently] 74-year-old National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) the only major league game in town.
Like NHRA, IHRA has several series it sanctions. Like NHRA, IHRA has several dragstrips for which it has assumed ownership. The latter group’s most recent acquisition, announced during the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Indianapolis this past week, of Maple Grove Raceway set drag racing enthusiasts aghast.
The track was purchased in 2022 by the Koretsky family, who all live in the greater Philadelphia area, the closest major city to the Mohnton, Pennsylvania facility. The family has been upgrading the circuit ever since that time, resulting in turn-away crowds for recent NHRA national events. Kenny Koretsky, aka “Captain Chaos” has been an avid NHRA supporter most of his adult life. His sons Kenny Jr. and Kyle, followed Kenny’s love of the sport, with Kyle venturing into Pro Stock competition, but he had to give that up in order to take on added duties in family business enterprises like Maple Grove.
The recent news that the track has been sold could be a reaction to Kenny Koretsky’s health, according to those closest to the change of ownership. There had been stories about Koretsky having a bad crash this past summer, but the always-private racer and businessman has kept this information, well, private.
When the IHRA Maple Grove Raceway purchase was announced in Indianapolis, the sanction’s president, Darryl Cuttell indicated IHRA did not want to get in the way of the track’s scheduling for the upcoming year, one that includes the start of NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship six-race playoffs.
As a spokesman for IHRA, former NHRA Pro Stock racer Larry Morgan indicated the sanction needed to find an East Coast circuit for its signature IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series, which is bleeding some Top Fuel and Funny Car racers from NHRA’s upcoming, year-long 75th anniversary season. After IHRA made its Friday afternoon announcement of their Maple Grove purchase, NHRA countered the next morning by announcing the Street Outlaw exhibition series it is undertaking next season.
While Larry Morgan explained the IHRA purchase of Maple Grove shouldn’t affect NHRA’s Countdown plans for its upcoming season, he emphasized Friday afternoon that IHRA doesn’t want to create issues for NHRA in its scheduling: “We want to play fair with everybody,” Morgan said. “When we bought Columbus (Ohio) National Trail Raceway, we offered them the Jeg’s All-Stars and they chose not to. We don’t have a problem with them.”
The volleys and thrusts continued. Early Monday morning, December 15, NHRA announced it would move its initial playoff race in the six-contest Countdown to the Championship, from Maple Grove Raceway to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, with the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at the Martin, MI dragstrip. The event on September 18-20 serves as the 15th of 20 events during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.
This decision marks the inaugural event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, the fourth new venue where NHRA intends to race in 2026. In fact, the sole repeating venue in 2026 is In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, acknowledged as one of NHRA’s historic racetracks.
“Hosting an NHRA national event underscores our continued commitment to excellence, safety and delivering unforgettable motorsports entertainment,” stated Jason Peterson, the track’s vice president of operations. “We are honored to welcome the NHEA, its competitors, sponsors and fans, and we look forward to showcasing our facility, our staff and our passionate racing community that makes this region so special.”
This decision means NHRA’s playoffs will begin at two new facilities: the Great Lakes Nationals in Martin, MI is followed by NHRA’s trip to historic Rockinghgam Dragway for the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock. The other two new venues hold their races in May: South Georgia Motorsports Park hosts NHRA on May 1-2, while the Mission Foods series visits Maryland International Raceway the final weekend of May, May 29-31.
Glen Cromwell, NHRA president acknowledged, “We are thrilled to welcome U.S. 131 Motorsports Park to the NHRA national event schedule in 2026. It’s an historic milestone for the facility and it’s another terrific way to celebrate our 75th anniversary season,” he said. The track’s dedication to its racers and fans, and its enthusiasm as a new NHRA Member Track makes it an excellent addition to the national tour, and we look forward to launching the Countdown there in 2026.”
A couple of hours later, IHRA responded and countered with its own statement about the racing it expects to conduct at Maple Grove Raceway. its leadership, IHRA said, had “engaged the National Hot Rod Association with the intent of maintaining continuity for racers, teams, fans and the facility. While the existing NHRA contract did not permit assumption upon closing, NHRA received a standard notice related to due diligence during the acquisition process. That notice was followed by direct communication from IHRA leadership, expressing a clear desire to continue hosting the event and to work collaboratively toward a path forward. Ultimately, a collaborative solution was not pursued,” IHRA’s statement said.
“At its core, a sanctioning body exists to serve racers, fans and the tracks that give them a place to compete,” declared Cuttell, IHRA’s owner. “That responsibility extends to supporting Sportsman racers in eery region of the country, not just select markets. Events at facilities like Maple Grove Raceway consistently deliver sold-out attendance and meaningful economic impact for the surrounding community. While collaboration was not achieved in this instance,” he said, “IHRA remains committed to acting in the best interests of racers, fans and host communities nationwide.”
IHRA’s president, Leah Martin noted, “I personally reached out to NHRA leadership because I believe collaboration matters. While I was disappointed by their decision, our focus remains on the future. When organizations are willing to collaborate around a common goal, the entire sport is elevated. IHRA remains committed to supporting racers in every region of the country and strengthening the communities that host our events.”
ETA: The original lead photo was of a different track mislabeled as Maple Grove. That has been corrected as has Kenny Koretsky’s nickname.
Who wrote this? Kenny Koretsky’s nickname is Kaptain Kahos! Also, the picture at the top isn’t Maple Grove. It’s Bandimere Speedway, out side of Denver, Colorado! Nothing like totally fucing up the most important story in the world of drag racing this century!
Pat, you’re not being censored. Everyone’s comments get held because we get so much spam. You were right on both counts, and we’ve corrected the photo (which was initially mislabeled) and the King vs Captain type! Thanks for your passion!
I got a package today from my baby sister Teresa. With a brand new and unwrapped MGR t shirt! She lives a mile from the track. I grew up there, literally! If the Koretsky’s needed help, they should have called me! I could run that place myself! NOW? I think it’s all over. NHRA kicked Maple Grove and the Keystone Nationals to the curb! In one friggen day!