Notebook by Bobby Bennett, Allie Hartman; Photos by Todd Dziadosz, Robert Richard
RACE NOTEBOOK – THE IHRA’S RETURN IS OFFICIALLY COMPLETED
1- THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING – In a thrilling turn of events, Mike McIntire claimed his first nitro Funny Car victory Sunday in the IHRA Nitro Outlaws event at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio.
The win, which followed a series of successful races in the IHRA nostalgia days, left McIntire in a state of disbelief and excitement. He notched his first Funny Car win via a holeshot over veteran Del Worsham.
“I don’t know how to feel,” he said. “You know, this is crazy. It’s a lot to take in.”
The transition from racing in the Nostalgia Funny Car ranks to a fuel Funny Car has been monumental for McIntire.
“Yeah, it’s huge. It’s huge,” he emphasized. “These things are a lot of work and everybody worked their butts off and it’s just… it’s crazy. I have no words right now,” he said, adding thanks to his team for its hard work.
The race against an established veteran such as Worsham gave the win even more significance for McIntire.
“I mean, how cool is that? He’s a legend and, yeah, it’s just been an amazing weekend,” he said.
McIntire and Worsham were neck and neck in the final from start to finish, but McIntire’s better launch gave him a 4.166-seconds, 293.41 mph run that nipped Worsham’s 4.160, 305.56. The victory convinced McIntire to state that he plans to return to Darana Raceway for another IHRA event.
“Oh, it’s going to be great. I cannot wait to give that thing (an IHRA Ironman trophy) a big kiss,” McIntire said.
2- BEATING YOUR FRIENDS MAKES IT HARD TO WIN – Scott Palmer finished what he started in Top Fuel, claiming the victory after qualifying No. 1 for eliminations. The win was both fulfilling and emotionally complicated.
As he rolled up behind Del Worsham at the top end, Palmer described the moment as “the best feeling in the world.”
Palmer’s victory came with heartfelt sentiments, especially with regards to his competitor and favorite Top Fuel driver, Krista Baldwin. Palmer ran around Baldwin’s 4.125, 293.28 final round run with a 3.958, 314.24.
“I hated to win. I wanted Krista to win, but also wanted us to win,” Palmer admitted, reflecting on the bittersweet outcome. He added, “It’s like mixed emotions, but I’m damn sure happy to be here for sure.”
The race itself was a nerve-racking pass. Palmer recalled the tension at half track, but wasn’t sure until he crossed the finish line.
“Honestly, she was so close that I could tell she was over there ’til about half track,” Palmer said. “I could actually almost … I’m pretty sure I could see her front wing. I could tell she had kind of faded away. They put a couple cylinders out, so luckily, this thing did its job.”
Despite struggling with his performance throughout the weekend, Palmer managed to keep his focus in check throughout what turned into a two-day raceday instead of Saturday’s planned one-day event. The approach of late-night dew Saturday forced the final rounds of pro action to be moved to Sunday morning.
“I have not drove good this weekend at all, so I was just nervous,” Palmer recalled. “I was honestly focused on trying to do the right thing myself.”
Palmer said he wasn’t worried about having a case of nerves in the final despite not having raced in several months. He added that he and his team felt like beginners all weekend.
“We just haven’t got in the rhythm yet, so I’m glad to skip a weekend,” he said, “and then have another race pretty quick, so we can just keep the momentum going.” He added that he will enter the IHRA event at Milan (Mich.) Dragway set for July 23-26.
Palmer said he planned to celebrate with “a lot of Coors Light … probably a couple shots of Wild Turkey. That’s for Evel Knievel.”
Holding the Ironman trophy was a moment of genuine pride for Palmer. Although he had earned one before, he felt that this win was different.
“I’ve actually held one before, but… it was kind of a match race,” he said. “So this one, I feel like we earned it.”
3 – NO MAD MEN IN THE BUILDING TODAY – In a thrilling return to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) circuit, Frankie “Mad Man” Taylor claimed victory in Outlaw Pro Mod. Although he had an impressive run of 3.726, 199.64, a slow run wouldn’t have made much difference since Mike DiDomenico could not get his car out of the water box.
The win was particularly meaningful for Taylor, who has had an on-and-off relationship with the IHRA, largely due to financial constraints. He credited his friend Richard Patterson and PMS Excavations for their support that allowed him to participate in the race.
“Man, this is great,” Taylor said. “I raced IHRA on and off, but especially my buddy Richard Patterson, he would help us go and stuff like that. So to thank PMS excavations … You know, he’s the one that got me into the IHRA stuff. I just could never afford to do it. And then now they’ve got this big payout, and you just got to come try it.”
IHRA is allowing for a 32-car Outlaw Pro Mod field, but capacity was not reached at this event. Taylor anticipates that the field will see more competitors in the near future as the revamped IHRA gets more races under its belt.
“I’m telling you, next race, you’ll probably fill that 32-car field because it’ll be a whole lot of people there,” he predicted.
Despite the excitement of the win, Taylor noted that his car didn’t perform up to its usual standards.
“It’s slow as hell,” Taylor said, laughing. “This car is a 3.50 car, and we slowed it down. And we’re happy we went a .69 – that’s crazy for us. But, I mean, for .70 over, I mean, that’s in the air; it’s not great this weekend. And so to do what we did, we’re excited.”
When asked about his competitors, Taylor displayed his competitive spirit.
“Man, hopefully we keep doing this, and they get all sick and get butt hurt. I’d like to make everybody butt hurt,” he said with a grin.
Looking ahead, Taylor plans to celebrate his victory by returning home to prepare for the next race in Milan.
“We’re flying home tomorrow,” said Taylor. “We’re going to get some more parts, and we’re gonna come out even better for Milan.”
4 – GETTING OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY – In a weekend marked by challenging weather and intense competition, Jerry Tucker emerged victorious, securing a hard-fought win at the first IHRA Nitro Outlaw event. The triumph came after Tucker outran Chris Powers’ 4.122, 174.26 with his own 4.120, 174.89 in a tight drag race.
“Hey, it’s been a rough weekend,” Tucker acknowledged post-race. “This is the IHRA guys. They put on a good show, and they don’t have a lot of luck with the weather and all, but they kept it together and the racetrack was perfect. The people were great, and it all worked out.”
The race concluded successfully despite challenges, with Tucker proudly among the competitors who expressed gratitude to his supporters. He was clearly excited to host the Ironman trophy.
“Hey, I’m pumped,” Tucker exclaimed. “Man, old Frank (Gugliotta), we just put this deal together and it’s awesome.”
Throughout the weekend, Tucker and his team overcame multiple challenges.
“Really, we just didn’t need to get in our own way,” Tucker said. “If we didn’t beat ourselves, we were going to be fine. And we thought we had the car, and we thought we had the performance, we just didn’t need to do anything silly.”
Mechanical reliability was another focal point for Tucker’s team. Although the car had been performing well throughout the season, lingering power shortcomings posed difficulties.
“The car’s been good all year,” Tucker proclaimed. “We’ve just had some struggles with the power. We’ve been real hard on engines and all, and we’ve had this motor together more times than you can even count, and we’ve finally checked all the boxes.”
4A – THE REST OF THE BEST – During the first final of the day, Jason Dietsch parked his Factory Stock car in the winners circle. His 2018 Ford Cobra Jet ran a 7.798, 175.39, to turn on the win light against Taylor Dietson.
On the alcohol ladders, Jackie Fricke got it done in her Top Alcohol Dragster, and Stan Sipos did likewise underneath the shell of his Top Alcohol Funny Car. Fricke’s 5.520, 267.53, final-round run in Top Alcohol Dragster run beat Mike Coughlin’s 5.606, 262.74. Sipos’ 5.505, 264.03 bettered Phil Esz’s 5.496, 262.28.
The 500-inch Pro Stock class provided seasoned driver Larry Morgan with another win. Morgan had the victory before the tree even turned green as Derrick Reese went red, but he proceeded to log a 4.451, 162.90.
The Pro Nitrous win went to No. 2 qualifier Tony Wilson. He ran an impressive 3.790, 201.64 – the second quickest run of eliminations – to pick up the win over Dale Brinsfield’s wheelstanding and off-the-throttle 4.106, 148.31.
In the Nitro Harley ranks, Bob Malloy took the victory, running a 5.340, 204.01, to take down the 5.491, 193.29, of multi-time national champion Jay Turner.
5 – THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS NATIONAL TRAIL RACEWAY – Darryl Cuttell finalized his purchase of National Trail Raceway in April, and has since renamed the historic drag strip Darana Raceway as part of a naming-rights deal with his company, Darana Hybrid.
The track, which opened in 1964, remains one of the Midwest’s premier drag racing venues. Cuttell’s team has already invested in upgrades, including a full concrete grind of the racing surface and improved bleacher seating.
Fans will find a wider variety of concessions this season, along with official merchandise at the Darana Raceway Pro Shop. The facility is positioned to continue hosting national-level events and supporting a robust bracket racing program.
“The IHRA is great. I think (IHRA owner) Darryl Cuttell is taking it to the glory days and making it bigger and better than ever,” said Jay Livingston, who stayed on in his role as team manager at the track.
6 – BLAME IT ON THE RAIN – Just moments after Tod Parker parked his Funny Car in the sandtrap during the first round of Funny Car eliminations, the skies opened up in a thunderstorm consistent with the history of National Trail Raceway – now Darana Raceway – over the years.
The aftermath resulted in widespread flooding from the pits. For Top Fuel driver Will Smith, that meant an opportunity for a pit-side barbecue.
“We brought the grill out, fired it up, and we had dinner,” said Smith. “The rains were so hard, and it just filled up, but we said, ‘grab the grill’ and all ate pretty well.”
With a lake forming in the venue and the track reflecting like glass, elimination strategies may look different for drivers. Track drying and prep could change the parameters of this quarter mile strip, but Will Smith planned to go about the day as normal.
“Our guys will go take a look at the track when they get close to being done, whether they have to scrape or whatever they’ve got to do,” Smith explained. “They’ve got a great group of guys working on the track out here, so I know whenever the track is ready for us to go back up, we’ll be in tip-top shape. There’s no question about that.”
The Hebron, Ohio, area has a history of unpredictable weather, and sideways thunderstorms are nothing new to the drag strip’s crowd. Thankfully, the ugly weather held off Friday during qualifying.
“We made a really good half-track run yesterday,” declared Smith. “We were planning to go all the way, but it shook the tires pretty hard out there, and I lifted. Unfortunately, we didn’t make the late run last night, but we’ve got data from that one run. We’ve made a few changes.”
7 – THIS USED TO BE HER PLAYGROUND – Shirley Muldowney, drag racing’s first female Top Fuel winner and four-time world champion, returned this week to the track where she made history nearly 50 years ago.
Muldowney appeared at Darana Raceway alongside longtime rival Don Garlits to promote the International Hot Rod Association’s revival.
“This track was really good to me – short, but good to me,” Muldowney said. “I think I won it four times.”
The Hebron, Ohio, track was the site of her first professional victory in 1976, when she defeated Bob Edwards to become the first woman to win an NHRA Top Fuel event. Muldowney went on to win at the track again in 1977 (Clive Skilton), 1980 (Larry Brown) and 1982 (Lucille Lee), and each season culminated in a world championship.
In 1982, Muldowney also became part of another milestone when she was part of the first all-female Top Fuel final at the same venue. “That’s a special win, that’s one I remember,” she said, recalling her opponent’s failed attempt to play mind games before the race. “(Team owner Marc Danekas) came out a loser in more ways than one, so that did my heart good that day.”
Only Pro Stock legend Bob Glidden, who won at the track seven times, and Top Fuel’s Larry Dixon Jr. have won at Hebron more than Muldowney.
Muldowney’s souvenir stand had a steady flow of drag racing fans seeking to purchase promotional items such as T-shirts and posters.
Throughout her career, Muldowney has remained one of drag racing’s most visible figures, interacting with fans at NHRA and now IHRA events.
“Well, I do have fans all over,” Muldowney noted. “We had a lot of requests for us to come to the initial opening, and they’re trying hard, they really are, and I won’t fault anyone that tries hard.”
Muldowney, now 85, remains a pioneering figure in motorsports. Her career broke barriers for women and earned her induction into multiple halls of fame.
Her history at Hebron remains a cornerstone of that legacy, where she proved herself against the best in the sport and left her mark on drag racing history.
7B – DISCO DEAN DISHES – Street Outlaws star Disco Dean loves the IHRA program. What he doesn’t love is the social media criticism of the series. He believes the series is putting forth an effort worthy of respect.
“Everybody at home, there’s been many things said about IHRA in the past,” he said. “First of all, IHRA has had a bad name for a long time. Darryl (Cuttell) comes in and saves this thing and invests $60 million in the matter of a couple weeks, buys a bunch of tracks, puts some of the best equipment, repaves this.
“He’s doing all this for us, the racer. Guarantees the payout. Kenny Underwood wins, Quick Rod, Hot Rod. Five thousand dollars to win, 11 cars. Troy Williams is here. Some of the best bracket racers in the world are here racing. He is doing this for us, the racer. He’s here for the long term. So, what you guys got to understand is there is more than one racing organization in this world that we can all coincide, whether it’s NHRA, IHRA, Speed Promotions, No Prep racing, what I do. It doesn’t matter. But this guy is here for the long haul.
“He’s here for us, the racer. … He feeds us food, he brings us ice, gets everybody water, got everybody in nice gear. Everybody got their own hotel rooms. This is legit. So, what it’s going to take is these racers that are home, on their keyboards, talking s***, not here, not paying entry fee, not coming to race. We’re here to get the money. And you better get on before you get s*** on is what’s going to happen because everybody’s going to jump on this IHRA train really soon. They’re going to see that Darryl means what he says, and we’re going to be racing for big money.”
8 – THE POLITICS OF DRAG RACING – It’s not often you see drag racing and senators in the same sentence, but here at IHRA’s comeback a West Virginia state senator, Mark Maynard, was working on Jack Wyatt’s Funny Car.
“I happened to be speaking with Jack, and I’ve been involved with drag racing all my life,” said Maynard. “I live about 200 miles away from Columbus, and Jack wanted to know if I could come here and help him out, and I was like, ‘Sure’.”
Sen. Maynard’s story in drag racing began before he was in office, and has continued to unfold throughout his political career.
“I worked for Jim Head from ’06 to the end of the 2010 season,” said Maynard. “I helped John Bojec in 2014, the same year I was running for the Senate. I did the Vegas race, then went home, won the election, and then came to Pomona as the Senator-elect.”
As for the driver of the car, Jack Wyatt, he has his own book in IHRA racing.
“We used to run a lot of IHRA for years, I’ve run Top Alcohol Funny Car, I was a crew guy on Doug Herbert’s car when we won the IHRA world championship, then we ran nitro,” Wyatt said.
Not only does he have a history in the series, but he has also achieved a successful storyline, including being the runner-up for the IHRA title twice. Wyatt was ready to go as soon as the IHRA rebirth was official.
“I said, ‘I got to go back.’ This is where I live and where my heart’s at,” Wyatt proclaimed.
Beyond success, Wyatt noted that the IHRA feels more like a family-type deal, making this weekend a great opportunity for Sen. Maynard and Jack Wyatt to collaborate.
“They’re so happy to have us here, and it’s just a different atmosphere,” Wyatt said.
8B – SCOTT PALMER AND HIS 3.7 SECOND BULL – Professional Bull Riders (PBR) has partnered with Top Fuel racer Scott Palmer this weekend to make two worlds collide. Drag racing and bull riding aren’t exactly in the same category of sports, though, so what made PBR choose drag racing and Columbus?
“I think for one thing, the location,” said Palmer. “The location of where these races are at has fallen into their lap for some of them. Some of the big cities are good for some of the shows, but as far as the people they deal with on a day-to-day basis, like cattle contractors and cowboys, they are down-home normal cowboys and cowgirls.”
According to Palmer, his special guests here this weekend from PBR are known for some of the best bucking bulls, and they live in Ohio.
“It has just worked out good for PBR,” explained Palmer.
Because of the obvious thrill that both bull riding and drag racing can produce, PBR and professional racing circuits draw a similar fan base.
“It’s the same person, but I would say 75% of the PBR fans have never been to a drag race,” Palmer claimed. “There’s a lot of people that are diehard PBR fans, and they pack the stadiums with 30,000 to 40,000 people a day for three days in a row in big towns.”
Fighting to stay on an angry bull brings in such a consistent crowd that PBR is joining the racing world just to show its support.
“They have attendance that’s out of this world, and they’re not actually looking for more fans,” Palmer explained. “We’re just representing them, we’re not trying to get them.”
With IHRA just coming back, Palmer’s goal is to draw a bigger crowd to its events. He believes that working with PBR can help with that.
“We need their fan base, and they’re willing to work with me and do promotions,” Palmer said. “I think that will help drag racing in general across the board, not just IHRA.”
The unity between PBR and drag racing makes “I did 3.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu” from Tim McGraw’s song “Live Like You Were Dying” hit a little closer to home.
Palmer’s nod to that was “hold my beer.”
“We ride some wild machines,” admitted Palmer. “We’ve had a lot of bull riders sit down in these Top Fuel cars and just say, ‘This is terrifying’. It’s definitely an intimidating sport, but a lot of people don’t know we exist. We need to get out there and find these fans and get them in here.”
Considering Ohio is a central location for PBR, it is also worth noting that there is a PBR Bar and Smokehouse in Columbus. Palmer received the special treatment there Friday night, however, he and the team opted for a more traditional experience.
“These people rolled out the red carpet and took care of us, which obviously we are a down-home Top Fuel team,” Palmer lightheartedly said. “Us having a VIP section, we all ended up at the bar anyway. It was awesome, we had a great time.”
9 – DEL WORSHAM, THE PAST IHRA CHAMPION – Drag racing veteran Del Worsham has decades of experience in both the NHRA and IHRA, so returning to IHRA is nothing new for him.
“I spent a lot of time in 1992 (in IHRA), but by the end of 1992, they had abolished the Funny Car category, and that kind of put an end to it,” Worsham explained.
In 1992, Worsham walked away with two wins (Bristol and Rochester) and the IHRA championship.
His involvement with IHRA didn’t completely end with the collapse of the Funny Car class. He returned to race a Top Fuel car for a few events in 1995 and again in 2006. Considering his success, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to see Worsham’s name on the Funny Car entry list for IHRA’s new Nitro Outlaw Series opener.
“There’s always a little bit of doubt only because my dad hasn’t been feeling real well,” Worsham said. “So that was probably the biggest thing, whether or not I could leave home long enough.”
What really pushed Worsham over the edge to choose this specific race was its location.
“When I heard they were coming to Columbus and Darryl (Cuttell) had taken possession of this track and he was really putting a lot of effort and a lot of resources and manpower into what he was doing, it seemed like he had a pretty good plan,” said Worsham. “I’m like, ‘Man, if somebody has that much passion about drag racing, so do I, so I will come out here and support him.’”
Many drivers, like Warren Johnson, have said that they used to race IHRA to learn how to turn the win lights on. Worsham’s IHRA history was more for survival than learning.
“You get in even more competition. Tracks are a little bit trickier, and financially it paid well,” explained Worsham. “So, I went to IHRA just to keep the money rolling, and I had no sponsors, so I raced strictly off of prize money. Just to keep cash flowing, IHRA was a big part of what I did.”
Although driving is nothing new for Worsham, he hadn’t piloted his nitro Funny Car since 2023. He has been busy renting the seat out while continuing to tune the car.
“It’s fun to be back in the car. Really haven’t been in the car much lately,” Worsham noted. “I made a Funny Car few runs in 2023, a couple Top Fuel runs in 2023, Funny Car Chaos in 2021, and in 2019 I raced Qatar.”
10 – WELL, THEY ARE CONSISTENT – Dwayne Rice, a mainstay in Mountain Motor Pro Stock racing since 1998, captured the Top Sportsman title Thursday during the International Hot Rod Association’s divisional event as the sanctioning body returned under new leadership.
Rice, who typically competes exclusively in Mountain Motor Pro Stock, entered the Top Sportsman field on a whim after confirming his car was eligible. “We like racing, and it was one of them things,” Rice said. “We decided we’d come over here and see what we’d do.”
Rice qualified No. 2 in the eight-car Pro Stock field but also worked his way through the Top Sportsman rounds to take home the win. His Pro Stock program remains anchored by veteran crew chief Terry Adams, who was a former Mountain Motor Pro Stock standout.
The 26-year veteran of the Mountain Motor ranks said his car’s consistency made it easier to switch to a dial-in category like Top Sportsman. “Mountain Motor car is pretty consistent, so dial-in is not really a big issue,” Rice said. “As long as you get down the racetrack every time, that’s where Terry comes in.”
Rice began his career in NHRA Competition Eliminator and IHRA Modified Eliminator before moving to the large-displacement Pro Stock cars in the late 1990s. Despite a sport-wide shift from Chevrolet wedge engines to Chrysler Hemis over the years, Rice stayed committed to his Chevrolet combination.
“I’m kind of stubborn. I stayed with the Chevrolet wedge, and we’ve been a long time working it out,” Rice said. “It’s been the fastest one since 2004. Everybody else said it can’t be done and here we are.”
Adams, who joined Rice’s operation three years ago after being approached by chassis Jerry Bickel, has brought stability and experience to the team. “He’s good to me, and I try to do my best for him,” Adams said.
Adams said Rice initially took months to follow up after their first contact, but once they struck a deal the pairing has been productive. “I figured he’d done forgot about me,” Adams said. “But anyway, he called me and we done a deal and we tried it for a while. This is our third or fourth year together.”
The return of IHRA’s divisional series provided Rice with an opportunity to enjoy a nostalgic moment as well. “Brings back memories,” he said, recalling his days in Modified Eliminator running a clutch car and bottom-bulb racing.
Rice and Adams crossed paths earlier in their careers, though not as competitors. “Nah, he done quit and went professional on me by then,” Rice said with a laugh, noting that by the time he entered the Mountain Motor class, Adams was already racing at the NHRA level.
Reflecting on the evolution of Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Adams said today’s cars are a completely different animal compared to the machines of his era. “Oh, it’s light years different. No comparison,” Adams said. “Our cars back then was like a super gas car compared to Pro Stocks today.”
Adams also noted the increasing costs and specialization in modern Pro Stock. “Used to, if you had a little bit of money and just a little bit of talent, you could race on your own,” Adams said. “But those days are over. Never be back.”
The highlight of Rice’s weekend was his unexpected run through Top Sportsman, showing that even after nearly three decades behind the wheel, he’s still eager to climb in the car whenever the chance arises.
“It’s kind of fun,” Rice said after his win.
QUALIFYING NOTEBOOK – IT WAS A LONG, BUT MEMORABLE DAY IN IHRA’S RETURN
1. SCOTT PALMER, THE PEOPLE’S NO. 1 QUALIFIER – Scott Palmer was both good and spectacular in Friday’s qualifying sessions at National Trail Raceway. Palmer may not have had a perfect run in either session, but ultimately, his efforts were good enough to land the No. 1 position going into Saturday’s Top Fuel eliminations.
“We probably pushed a head gasket out down there, but you know it’s so hot down here and it’s been hot everywhere,” said Palmer. “It’s just tricky conditions when it’s hot like this.”
Palmer and his team collectively decided to make a few changes to his 12,000-horsepower machine after the first qualifying session in hopes of improving during the second qualifying opportunity.
“We took some fuel away and slowed the clutch down,” Palmer explained. “Usually it puts a hole out, but I can’t really tell if it put a hole out there or not.”
Palmer found himself during the run pondering a quick decision as to whether to let up on the throttle or continue pushing on.
“To be real honest, I thought about lifting at the eighth mile because I thought I felt a hole out,” Palmer admitted. “My foot eased off the gas, and when I went back down I knew it would not be good.”
This time, Palmer got away with little damage.
“It actually didn’t hurt anything,” Palmer said. “It blew a spark plug out of the hole, so we ended up lucky.”
Palmer is confident that his car has more to offer, even with the sun beating down on the track elevating the track temperature.
“I think it would’ve run an .87 or .88 if the plug didn’t go out, so we’re happy with that after the trouble we’ve had,” Palmer said.
Although the Top Fuel pilot was not thrilled by his first run, when his car was shut off before the run, he was determined to make his second run better for a bigger reason.
“We looked like beginners on the first run,” Palmer declared. “After all the work these people have put into putting this event on, we wanted to make a decent run down the track.”
In the end, Palmer gave the day’s performance a thumbs up despite the fireworks in the lights.
“You know, we all compare ourselves to other runs, but in these conditions on this day, that was a good run.”
2. TURN THE LIGHTS OUT, THE PARTY IS JUST BEGIN – Mike McIntire knows his Funny Car, and he knows what it likes.
That’s why the Ohio-based driver went to the top of the charts with a 4.073-second elapsed time at 309.34 miles per hour. That gave him the No. 1 spot over Terry Haddock.
“It was fast. When it’s dark, it’s real fast,” McIntire said. “These things are fast during the day and at night, it’s a whole different beast. You got the flames up by the side windows and it’s dark. She was cruising. It was a good run.”
McIntire expects a strong day in Saturday’s eliminations, which are scheduled to begin in the heat of the day.
“It’s going to be hot again,” McIntire said. “We got to figure that out, and hopefully we go some rounds.”
3. IT’S A MAD, MAD WORLD – Frankie “The Mad Man” Taylor saved his best for last Friday night.
Taylor went to the top in Outlaw Pro Mod with a 3.699, 199.91. He is followed by Mike DiDomenico, who led the first session with a 3.732, 203.12. Tom Blinco was third with a 3.777, 200.05.
There was a scary moment as Paul Diagrepont lost control of his supercharged 1969 Corvette, and smacked the wall before crossing over in front of Jason Lee. He exited the car under his own power, and no injuries were reported.
Initial qualifying sheets listed Lee as the low qualifier, and as of this posting have not been revised, but video evidence shows Diagrepont struck the timing cone ahead of Lee, apparently affecting the timing.
4. HUFFMAN SETS THE MMPS PACE – Jeremy Huffman secured the No. 1 qualifying position in Mountain Motor Pro Stock with the quickest side-by-side run of the night, posting a 4.129 at 174.57. He edged out Dwayne Rice, who settled for second with a 4.138 at 172.63.
“We’re pretty excited,” Huffman said after clinching the top spot. “We weren’t sure what to expect coming up here at IHRA. Never been on an IHRA-prepped track, so we were pretty soft in that first run, and we struggled with some ignition stuff earlier with the FuelTech. We’ve had some crank-trigger issues, and got that all fixed up and seem to have it coming in the right direction now.”
Cory Voss locked in the final spot in the eight-car field with a 4.204, earning a first-round matchup against Huffman in Saturday’s eliminations.
“It’s very tight racing,” Huffman said. “We’ve got a good group of 14 cars here, a lot of good racers. It’s really tight racing. The driver’s really got to be on his game and be on the tree, because I think the top four or five are all within, like, .03. It’s pretty exciting when it’s good, close racing.”
Other opening-round pairings include Rice facing Cowger, John DeFlorian taking on Elijah Power, and Trevor Tucker matching up with Tony Pontieri.
5. WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW? – When Josh Peake and Doug Foley Jr. accepted their leadership roles at the International Hot Rod Association, neither envisioned themselves steering a major sanctioning body. But both say their deep roots in the sport and willingness to lead from the trenches make them uniquely suited to guide the IHRA into its next chapter.
Peake, who became IHRA president in April following a managerial change, said his path from starting-line official to the executive office has been humbling.
“It’s funny, I texted with a friend of mine that was around with us at IHRA forever, and the first race I ever worked as an official getting paid was, I was like 16 years old,” Peake said. “It was a Super Chevy show at Bristol, and they used to use a lot of the old IHRA officials back then for that. But it was funny, he made a comment ‘from the water box to the president.’ It’s pretty good, I guess. It’s definitely an honor.”
Peake believes his years working trackside prepared him for the challenge better than someone with a purely business background. “I’m not really sure how qualified I am, but I definitely think it means a lot, obviously, to be very diverse in what you can know and work in different areas,” he said.
When pressed about whether he prefers making tough race-day calls or public speaking, Peake was candid: “I don’t really like talking on the microphone, so I’d rather make a tough decision on the racetrack.”
Peake’s leadership style comes down to stepping up whenever and wherever he’s needed. “A lot of times you do what you got to do,” he said. “And I’m just glad that I’m able to do it because we had some things going on earlier this week, and it goes back to … just being able to step up or move over to do whatever it takes to get it done.”
Foley, the IHRA’s executive race director, said he didn’t set out to become an official, either, but his family’s racing heritage and his own experience managing tracks gave him a strong foundation.
“This is my third year with IHRA, so it’s not my first rodeo,” Foley said. “Haven’t been doing it forever. I ran Motor Mile for a little while, so I’ve been on the business side of this. … I like racing a whole lot, but working at the race track and getting paid to show up and do some cool stuff, it’s better than paying.”
Balancing his role as an official while watching his father, Doug Foley Sr., compete has been unusual but meaningful. “I think I’ve seen him twice since he’s been here in two days,” Foley said. “So there’s just so much going on that you don’t get to spend any time with him anyways, so it’s all good.”
Still, Foley acknowledged the pride he feels seeing his father race at an event he’s helping run. “I love seeing him, love hanging out with my family,” he said. “But it’s definitely different, that’s for sure. Obviously this being the first race we’re having, watching my dad go down the track at an event that we’re running is going to be pretty special.”
Both Peake and Foley Jr. emphasized that their success won’t hinge on titles or resumes but on work ethic and determination.
“Honored is an understatement,” Foley said. “And to Josh’s point, we might not be the most qualified, I guess, but we’re going to outwork anybody out there, and we’ve got a lot of drive in this. This is something that we want to do for a long, long time, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Peake and Foley have quickly established a culture of leading by example as the IHRA returns to the national stage. Their approach mirrors the grassroots ethos of the series’ early days, when officials were as comfortable getting their hands dirty as they were making executive decisions.
Under Darrell Cuttel’s ownership, the rejuvenated IHRA is seeking to rebuild its reputation with a full national series, focusing on accessibility and an authentic drag racing experience. For Peake and Foley, that means being visible, engaged and accountable on and off the track.
For now, both men are focused on the season ahead, knowing the job will require long hours, tough decisions and constant adaptability, but neither seems daunted.
As Peake put it, “You just do what you’ve got to do.”
6. IHRA FORMAT WORKS JUST FINE FOR BALDWIN – Krista Baldwin doesn’t mind watching others have fun. But this weekend, she’s planning to hoard it all to herself. Baldwin is hopping back into her Top Fuel dragster this weekend at the first race of the IHRA Nitro Outlaw Series.
Baldwin hasn’t driven her race car, which she affectionately describes as Cheetah Baby, since March, though she has rented her car out for multiple events.
“I’ve been watching Spencer Massey drive my car, and believe me, it’s so hard to watch him take my little Cheetah Baby down the track,” Baldwin said.”
The driver might not have been the same, but the performance of the car has been consistent largely because the crew has been the same.
“I’m excited to be with my team again. Not that I wasn’t before, but it’s different when you’re just the team owner. It’s cooler when you’re the driver, let me tell you,” she said.
It was only a matter of time before Baldwin grew tired of spectating, considering she’s a third-generation nitro racer whose father, the late Bobby Baldwin, and grandfather Chris Karamesines all ran at the top of drag racing’s food chain.
Baldwin has a family connection to IHRA, considering her grandfather competed in the series in its last season before it ceased open competition at the end of 2008.
“I’m excited because this resurgence of IHRA is really enlightening,” she said. “I’m excited to see where it’s going to go, and I’m here for it.”
Baldwin understands the sport lives on cubic dollars.
“Anytime we get to burn nitro on a weekend is awesome, and the fact that our payouts are going to be good and we get to hoist an Ironman at the end of the day, that’s really inspiring,” Baldwin explained.
For a team such as Baldwin’s that races on a tight budget, the IHRA’s wallet-friendly approach – as friendly as nitro racing can be on a wallet – is one that helps smaller teams such as hers by limiting qualifying to one day and two sessions, and an eight-car field on race day.
“I think it’s awesome,” Baldwin said. “It’s straight up run what you’ve brung. The work that happens at the shop is going to be a testament to this race. The more effort that you are able to put in prior to this is what’s going to win here this weekend. With just two (qualifying) runs, it’s going to be cut-throat. You better be on your game, and you better have two perfect passes.”
Having only two qualifying runs may be a more budget-friendly approach, but it certainly doesn’t take any competitiveness out of the equation.
“I think the best part is that the cars that are here, we’re all good friends. I’m literally racing my friends,” she said, “and that’s probably the best part of the whole weekend.”
7. HEY, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR! – For most of the year, Brian Corradi is known as the championship-winning crew chief for NHRA Top Fuel driver Antron Brown. But on an off weekend, Corradi finds solace at his hometown dragstrip, racing his own cars and enjoying the sport from a different perspective.
“Yeah, it’s a hometown race for me, coming out and playing with a couple of cars I have,” Corradi said while standing near the starting line.
Corradi, who has quietly built a personal collection of race cars, brought two machines to the track for competition — a Pro Modified entry driven by Matt Sackman, and a COPO Camaro Stocker he recently purchased and drove for himself.
Coarradi, who once worked for the late Don Schumacher, a team owner with a penchant for having large teams, said he has no plans to mimic his former employer in the same manner.
“Don Schumacher of doorslammers,” Corradi smiled and quickly dismissed the notion. “No, I’m not going to try to do that. Just having a little fun on the weekend when I’m not working.”
Corradi was behind the wheel of the COPO and said the experience was humbling. “I called Antron last night and I told him I will never say anything to you about your driving, ever,” Corradi admitted.
His first outing in the car as a driver yielded a win in the opening round, which he called a good start.
“I won the first round today,” Corradi said. “So I am in the second round, so I did well.”
But in the Pro-Am competition Wednesday, the results were not as positive. Corradi said he and his team were still sorting out the setup after an early exit.
“Didn’t do well,” he said. “Well, two-step, no two-step. So I did the best I could with it, so I had to figure that out. We changed everything. I’m just going to have to man up and give it some. I called Kyle, the guy who drove the car last, and he said, ‘You might have to pull it in there with a little bit of RPM instead of coming from a dead stop to hit it.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do that.’ And I did. It was fine.”
Corradi has yet to drive the Pro Modified, but he said that opportunity may come soon, depending on his schedule and the right conditions.
“I think it’s just a timing thing,” Corradi said. “As soon as it comes available for me to be away for a weekend, and the conditions are right for me to go out, that’ll be it. Could be soon, could be in a year, don’t know.”
Corradi hinted that a trip south could be in the cards during the winter months, perhaps as soon as this year.
“Maybe this winter, now that I’ve got my feet wet with it,” he said. “Maybe this winter. We’ll see what happens in Bradenton if I take it down there and the weather down there, but we’ll see.”
8. A HOMECOMING OF SORTS FOR THIS TOP FUEL RACER – For Doug Foley, this weekend’s International Hot Rod Association race feels like a homecoming. The veteran drag racer, who got his start in IHRA competition before moving to a part-time NHRA schedule, said stepping back into the pits at an IHRA national event rekindled familiar feelings.
“I don’t know, I must be lost,” Foley said with a smile. “I think my last IHRA race was 2007, I believe. And I don’t know, it didn’t take long, we were here 15, 20 minutes and we had that same old-style feeling again. So just great competitors – people we raced with literally 20 years ago – and we’re looking forward to having a good show.”
Foley, who has raced at many of the sport’s biggest venues, admitted he never expected to see the IHRA return to the Hebron, Ohio, venue at this level. “No, I definitely didn’t,” he said. “This is a pretty nice facility. I’ve been here for a day now and kind of looked it over, and I think this is a place that we could run some pretty good numbers.”
The event marks another example of the sport’s shifting landscape, as IHRA rebuilds its national series alongside NHRA’s established platform.
“That’s true,” Foley said when asked about the surprise of seeing two national events at facilities traditionally tied to one series. “So I guess the tables have turned. But regardless, giving all these race teams an option and giving them the ability to race for larger purses for sure, so it’s always good to have multiple places to race.”
Foley said he sees room for both series to co-exist and thrive, providing opportunities for racers at all levels. “Yeah, that’s the way it should be,” he said. “I mean, what other business is there that there’s one, you know? So it’s good to give people an option. When they’re on the West Coast and these guys are on East, it gives people a place to race, have some fun, and this is a great family type of atmosphere.”
That atmosphere was on full display for Foley this weekend, as his son is race director. “For my kid to be in the tower right now, helping in running this event, while I’m down here racing is pretty unusual, but cool,” he said.
While many of his longtime competitors, like Clay Millican and Bruce Litton, were absent, Foley said the current roster still features plenty of talent. “Yeah, we definitely need those guys so I could go head to head with them,” he said. “But you know what? Let’s not shortchange Scott Palmer and Krista Baldwin, though. They’ll fill those spots and we’ll go out there. We’ll go head to head. Lex (Joon) is here. There’s quite a few teams here.”
Foley added that he’s already been in discussions with IHRA owner Darryl Cuttel about how to keep building momentum and supporting the teams that keep the series alive. “It’s about just understanding what all the teams are going through and help them so we can start to get bump spots and just grow it,” he said.
For Foley, the weekend is about more than just racing. It’s about reconnecting with a community that helped launch his career, supporting a series on the rise, and ensuring the next generation of racers has a place to compete. “This is where we cut our teeth,” he said. “And now it’s our turn to help it grow.”
9. MR. SEVEN-TIMER DROPS HINTS – Seven-time IHRA Alcohol Funny Car champion Mark Thomas was a familiar face walking through the pits, taking in the sights of a revitalized sanctioning body he once dominated. Thomas, who won 29 of 63 final rounds during his career, didn’t rule out the idea of returning to the track — and even floated the possibility of racing something nitro-powered.
It’s been a long time since 2008, when IHRA dropped its open professional competition, and for Thomas, who retired at the end of 2007, he never figured he’d see it return.
“I told myself I was not going to come down here, and then I couldn’t stay away because I love IHRA,” said Thomas, who is from Lewisville, Ohio. “I think that, boy, if Bill Bader’s smiling in heaven, this has got to be a good reason why. For so many of us, I’ve not missed an IHRA race in 24 years. This is to me the funnest place to race. It’s where normal or semi-normal people — I’m in Scott Palmer’s pit area, so I have to say semi-normal — can race a bunch of guys and ladies and have a good time. I think this is wonderful.”
Thomas, a farmer who became one of the most prolific drivers in IHRA history, acknowledged the urge to race again has been growing.
“Boy, I had promised my wife when I quit that the answer would be no,” he said. “But I definitely am thinking hard about it. I don’t know what I’d be racing. I’ve always said I want to race a nitro Harley, but it would probably be something with nitro.”
The visit to the Hebron track marked another chapter in a career filled with highlights, including the honor of having a grandstand named for him at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk. That tribute, he said, remains one of his proudest achievements.
“Well, that’s so cool,” Thomas said of the grandstand bearing his name. “I have always told Bobbie Bader and Debbie Bader that someday I’m going to go there and there’s going to be some NHRA superstar’s name on there, but they said my name will stay up there forever. To me, that’s incredible. I’m just another guy from down the street, just a kid with a dream back then, and thank God enough people supported us and made it work. Then once you start winning, people like you more, and it’s very fun.”
Thomas said he’s already thinking about how to reconnect with his longtime sponsors and perhaps launch what he jokingly referred to as “the old guy tour.” “Now I’m trying to figure out ways to get all the old sponsors back onboard and start up the old guy tour,” he said with a laugh.
Though he hasn’t competed at a professional level since his retirement, Thomas said he remains deeply connected to the drag racing community and never missed an IHRA event from the time he made his professional debut until he retired. He credited the series’ grassroots feel and camaraderie for keeping him close to the sport even in retirement.
For now, Thomas remains a spectator, walking the pits, catching up with old friends, and soaking in the atmosphere of a series he helped define. Whether he straps back into a race car remains to be seen, but his presence alone underscored the enduring influence he’s had on the IHRA and its racers.
As Thomas put it while smiling at the familiar chaos of a busy pit area, “It’s wonderful.”
10. FUND CREATED FOR INJURED DRAG RACER – Top Sportsman racer Dave Blaney was injured Wednesday during the IHRA Pro-Am event leading up to the rejuvenated IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series.
Blaney remains hospitalized in intensive care after suffering burns to his hands, feet and legs when his 1963 Corvette exploded during second-round qualifying.
“Thank you for all of the prayers, as they are desperately needed right now, period,” read a statement posted to Blaney’s social media account Wednesday. “Marvin is in intensive care from the two horrific explosions that destroyed his race car and almost took his life. His angels were watching over him. Please keep the prayers coming.”
Safety crews removed him from the vehicle and transported him to a local medical facility for further evaluation.
God Speed Ministries reported Blaney is alert and able to communicate through hand and face gestures despite severe burns to his hands. He remains on a nasal feeding tube and an oxygen tube as a precaution to protect his lungs during recovery.
Led by Renee and Gary Bingham, God Speed Ministries said it opened the “Bridge the Gap Fund” this week to assist the Blaneys with medical and recovery expenses. “Every penny you give goes to them weekly — no delays, no extra fees,” the organization said Thursday in a statement.
Supporters can contribute through the website www.GodSpeedMinistry.com. “Please share this so others can help too,” the statement added. “Thanks on behalf of Marvin.”
GodSpeed Ministries has served the motorsports community for more than 20 years, providing chaplain services, counseling and financial assistance to racers and their families in need. The group said it will continue to provide updates on Blaney’s condition as his treatment progresses.
