HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — The International Hot Rod Association is pleased to announce that Paige Hamlin has been named the IHRA Director of Track & Racer Relations.

Hamlin brings enthusiasm, experience, and a true passion for bracket racing into the new role. She has worked with some of the top promoters in the sport including Tommy Phillips, Luke Bogacki, Coalburg Promotions, Great American Bracket Races, and Final Call Promotions, and on major events such as the Great American Guaranteed Million, the World Footbrake Challenge, and the Million Dollar Race.

She even promoted her own major event, the Rudd Racing Engines Six Shooter Showdown at Xtreme Raceway Park, in April. Hamlin, a 2012 graduate of the University of Texas-Arlington with a focus on marketing, also serves as social media manager for Xtreme Raceway Park. She previously held a similar role with Drag Champ to help spotlight the Sportsman racer.

“Bringing Hamlin on board immediately gives our Sportsman program not only a shot in the arm, but she also brings the latest and greatest ideas to the forefront,” IHRA President and CEO Larry Jeffers said. “Paige comes highly recommended to us for several reasons, but probably the biggest reason is her vision of where the sport is going.”

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House Springs, MO – The International Hot Rod Association has its 2023 plans coming into place featuring the continuation of some of the IHRA’s most popular programs.

The IHRA Summit SuperSeries program remains the most prestigious championship in all of the bracket racing with drivers and tracks throughout North America participating. Champions in the Top (Box) and Mod (No Box) classes win a prize package which includes an Ironman trophy, championship ring, gold card, and a $20,000 check. The runner-up in those classes receives a $7,000 prize with prize packages throughout.

The Junior Dragster champion receives $10,000 to win and $4,000 goes to the runner-up. The Sportsman champion is awarded $7,000 to win and $4,000 for the runner-up. There are prizes for each round. Click here for a list of the 2022 prize packages.

In addition, all those who qualify for the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals receive $300 in tow money and pay NO ENTRY FEE.

IHRA members who have qualified in 2022 will be competing at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals, October 12-15 at Holly Springs Motorsports.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — Kuhnle Motorsports Park is coming back with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) in 2023.
The Kuhnle Brothers purchased the former Thompson Raceway Park and did a massive rebuilding project. However, one thing they kept the same in 2022 was IHRA sanctioning. Seeing how good it worked with Sportsman-friendly programs like the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, they have renewed for next season.

It goes along with the 243-acre facility being one of the most racer-friendly venues in the country.

Nicknamed “Ohio’s Thunder Capital,” the Kuhnle Brothers put new walls up and repaved in the shutdown area. They’ve made much more pit area with paved roads throughout. The lighting has dramatically improved over 100 LED lights, along with huge new electronic scoreboards.

Besides other items to help the racers like new fencing, they have 17, yes that’s correct, 17 staging lanes. Continue reading →

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — Kentucky Dragway returned to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) in 2022. The Clay City, Kentucky track will remain a part of the IHRA family in 2023.

After a successful year back in the IHRA fold, Aaron and Carrie Sipple decided to renew their sanctioning agreement for the 42-acre facility which first opened in 1963. There are plenty of greats races on the Kentucky Dragway schedule including the recently completed 27th Mopar  Southern Classic, this weekend’s Kentucky Car Wars and the upcoming KEN-MOR Bluegrass Nationals, a historic bracket race in its 52nd year.

There’s plenty of great family history with Aaron, son of the late John “Doc” Sipple, a well-respected chiropractor and racer. Doc won the 1999 Top Dragster title at the IHRA Northern Nationals. He finished second in the 1996 point standings and also recorded a pair of top-10 point finishes in Top Fuel in the early 2000’s.

In addition, Doc was the 1997 IHRA Track Operator of the Year when the Clay City, Kentucky facility was known as Mountain Park Dragway. With a combination on-track success and his compassion care off it, Doc won the Sportsman of the Year, the IHRA’s Most Prestigious Award in 2002.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Summit SuperSeries World Finals are just weeks away October 12-15, 2022 at Holly Springs Motorsports.

It’s the largest championship in bracket drag racing with thousands of IHRA member racers starting the season with the goal of becoming a world champion in either Top (Box), Mod (No Box), Sportsman or the Junior Dragster class.

A racer can qualify by either winning an IHRA Summit SuperSeries track championship at a participating IHRA member track or by winning an IHRA Summit Team Finals main event class and meeting the eligibility requirements. Click here for more detailed information.

All IHRA World Champions receive an Ironman Trophy, championship ring and gold card. The Top (Box) and Mod (No Box) champions win $20,000 and the runner-up in those classes receive a $7,000 prize. The Junior Dragster champion earns $10,000 and the Sportsman champion receives $7,000.

All competitors receive $300 in tow money and pay NO ENTRY FEE. Prize money is available throughout the rounds.

George Simpson (Top), Tim Pace (Mod), David Bigham (Sportsman) and Keaton Hudson (Junior) were 2021 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Champions. Click here for a printable flyer.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — Ozark Raceway Park has a storied past and is looking towards a bright future.  The Rogersville, Missouri facility, located less than an hour from Arkansas and an hour and a half from Kansas, is currently in his 45th year of operation. It features a 1/4-mile strip which has hosted some of the biggest names in drag racing.

“Big Daddy” Don Garlits qualified No. 1 in Top Fuel for the 1978 Ozark Nationals, a race which Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen led the Funny Car field. Those two and Pro Stock legend Lee Shepherd were professional class winners at the 1979 Ozark Nationals. More recently, Scott Palmer set a track record of 264.55 mph in his Top Fuel dragster in 2020.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — Xtreme Raceway Park, the premier 1/8-mile drag racing facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has signed a new sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association for the 2023 season.

The track conveniently located off Interstate 45 in Ferris, Texas was named the IHRA Division 4 (Renegades) Track of the Year in 2019. One of the nicest facilities in the country, the track features multiple 82-inch televisions throughout the facilities, a great racing surface and number of safety features. A modern racing venue, there are clean showers and reasonably-priced concessions.

Brent Lancaster (Top), Kevin Martin (Mod), Brad Baxter (Sportsman) and Kevin Martin (Junior) were IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals representatives in 2021.

A more extensive look at Xtreme Raceway Park will be coming soon.

HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — Welcome home, Wilkesboro Dragway.  While much attention has been paid to the revival of nearby North Wilkesboro Speedway, the historic North Carolina drag strip has recently signed a sanctioning agreement to return to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

The buzz around motorsports has brought much excitement to the mountain community.
“It was an added bonus. We had no idea that was going to take place when we decided to make the move,” said track operator Paul Salvatore, who moved to North Carolina full-time in February. “It’s been great for the entire community.”

Carrying on a tradition first started by the Ellis family who opened the track in 1955 and passed on to different owners throughout the years, Salvatore has shown he’s one willing to work hard to get the job done. He was cutting trees Wednesday in preparation for this weekend’s races.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO— The decision to join the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has turned out to be a great fit for Gleason Raceway Park.

The Northwest Tennessee track, formerly known as Tater Town Raceway, was purchased ironically by the Northup family out of Idaho in 2021. They did massive work at the drag strip and decided to run under IHRA sanction in 2022.

It has worked out fabulously to be part of the IHRA Summit SuperSeries program, the largest and most prestigious championship in all of bracket racing.  Gleason Raceway Park is sending a team to compete in the IHRA Division 2 (Heatwave) Summit Team Finals at Holly Springs Motorsports on Sept. 29 through Oct. 2.

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HOUSE SPRINGS, MO — The Ironman trophy is the ultimate prize for IHRA-member racers.  It symbolizes the best of the best at International Hot Rod Association special events like the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Hagerty and Moser Engineering, the IHRA Ironman Classic, the IHRA Summit Team Finals and the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. It is an enduring symbol of IHRA’s continued commitment to grassroots, Sportsman racing.

IHRA President Larry Jeffers is continuing the tradition with all these events in 2023 and beyond. With the focus on Sportsman racing, there are no plans to bring back Nitro or Pro Mod racing.
IHRA-member racers will have multiple opportunities to win Ironman trophies this weekend.

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