And let’s be honest — for them to pull off a six-race schedule, five with nitro and one with doorslammers, deserves more than a passing nod. Each event improved as the season went on. The fans will eventually show up. Wisely, they chose to develop the entertainment first.
Different isn’t bad. Different is healthy. The IHRA has taken its share of heat for daring to be different, but its effort to put more butts in the stands should be applauded, not mocked.
No, the IHRA isn’t where it wants to be yet. But every movement starts with a decision to stop copying and start creating.
The “good ol’ days” people love to reminisce about? Those were built on multiple sanctioning bodies — NHRA, AHRA, IHRA — all chasing the same dream. They always competed, and rarely they cooperated. The difference was, back then, they at least tried to avoid stepping on each other’s schedules.
Today, overscheduling is a way of life. Everybody wants a piece of the same weekend, the same audience, the same attention span. It’s easy to forget that drag racing only wins when the sport itself grows, not when one logo “beats” another.
A rising tide really does lift all boats. Two healthy sanctioning bodies make drag racing stronger.
I want to see both NHRA and IHRA become wildly successful — so much so that their combined growth pushes drag racing to levels none of us could have imagined.
We’re still fighting a battle that started between two men who aren’t even here anymore. Wally Parks and Larry Carrier are long gone, yet the rivalry they built continues to divide fans and the team members of each series who should be celebrating the same sport. It’s time to stop.
There’s room for more than one sanctioning body. There always has been.
Scott Woodruff — IHRA’s self-described “make-stuff-happen” man — gets it. He’s not chasing titles or corporate polish. He’s chasing progress.
And so is NHRA President Glenn Cromwell, in his own way. Both men have proven they can make things happen, and if they can find common ground, drag racing’s future will be brighter than its past.
BOBBY BENNETT: TWO PATHS, ONE PURPOSE: WHY NHRA AND IHRA MUST COEXIST FOR DRAG RACING
Drag racing fans can be a fickle bunch. They clamor for change, yet revolt when they get it.
For years, many have called for competition to challenge the NHRA’s long-standing dominance. Then, when someone like the rejuvenated IHRA steps up with a fresh idea, those same voices complain because it doesn’t match their personal vision of what drag racing ought to be.”
That contradiction has been part of this sport’s DNA for decades. But in 2026, drag racing stands at a rare crossroads — two major sanctioning bodies, each carving their own lane, each vital to the sport’s future.
The IHRA’s decision to run eighth-mile across all national events wasn’t a stunt. It was a business move — a deliberate choice to build a product that fits its audience, not chase NHRA’s.
They’re not pretending to be the “major leagues.” They’re aiming to be a high-energy entertainment experience that just happens to include drag racing. For that, they deserve credit.
And let’s be honest — for them to pull off a six-race schedule, five with nitro and one with doorslammers, deserves more than a passing nod. Each event improved as the season went on. The fans will eventually show up. Wisely, they chose to develop the entertainment first.
Different isn’t bad. Different is healthy. The IHRA has taken its share of heat for daring to be different, but its effort to put more butts in the stands should be applauded, not mocked.
No, the IHRA isn’t where it wants to be yet. But every movement starts with a decision to stop copying and start creating.
The “good ol’ days” people love to reminisce about? Those were built on multiple sanctioning bodies — NHRA, AHRA, IHRA — all chasing the same dream. They always competed, and rarely they cooperated. The difference was, back then, they at least tried to avoid stepping on each other’s schedules.
Today, overscheduling is a way of life. Everybody wants a piece of the same weekend, the same audience, the same attention span. It’s easy to forget that drag racing only wins when the sport itself grows, not when one logo “beats” another.
A rising tide really does lift all boats. Two healthy sanctioning bodies make drag racing stronger.
I want to see both NHRA and IHRA become wildly successful — so much so that their combined growth pushes drag racing to levels none of us could have imagined.
We’re still fighting a battle that started between two men who aren’t even here anymore. Wally Parks and Larry Carrier are long gone, yet the rivalry they built continues to divide fans and the team members of each series who should be celebrating the same sport. It’s time to stop.
There’s room for more than one sanctioning body. There always has been.
Scott Woodruff — IHRA’s self-described “make-stuff-happen” man — gets it. He’s not chasing titles or corporate polish. He’s chasing progress.
And so is NHRA President Glenn Cromwell, in his own way. Both men have proven they can make things happen, and if they can find common ground, drag racing’s future will be brighter than its past.
Fans love to talk about the Hatfields and McCoys. But that story doesn’t have to repeat itself. As Woodruff said recently on the CompetitionPlus POWER HOUR, NHRA and IHRA can coexist — and they will coexist.
History shows cooperation is possible. In the old days, behind the headlines of rivalry, there were quiet conversations between Steve Gibbs and Ted Jones — discussions about how to make drag racing better for everyone.
That same spirit can exist again. A strong NHRA and a strong IHRA don’t cancel each other out; they elevate the sport together.
If NHRA runs 1,000 feet, fine. If IHRA runs eighth-mile and that’s what their racers and fans want, fine. The rulebook differences don’t matter nearly as much as the passion that drives both sides of the tree.
At the end of the day, drag racing is drag racing. It’s fire, noise, and speed — whether the letters on the wall read NHRA or IHRA.
So show up. Support both. Cheer for the sport, not just the logo. Because the only thing worse than two sanctioning bodies fighting for the future would be a world where neither survives.
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BOBBY BENNETT: TWO PATHS, ONE PURPOSE: WHY NHRA AND IHRA MUST COEXIST FOR DRAG RACING
Drag racing fans can be a fickle bunch. They clamor for change, yet revolt when they get it.
For years, many have called for competition to challenge the NHRA’s long-standing dominance. Then, when someone like the rejuvenated IHRA steps up with a fresh idea, those same voices complain because it doesn’t match their personal vision of what drag racing ought to be.”
That contradiction has been part of this sport’s DNA for decades. But in 2026, drag racing stands at a rare crossroads — two major sanctioning bodies, each carving their own lane, each vital to the sport’s future.
The IHRA’s decision to run eighth-mile across all national events wasn’t a stunt. It was a business move — a deliberate choice to build a product that fits its audience, not chase NHRA’s.
They’re not pretending to be the “major leagues.” They’re aiming to be a high-energy entertainment experience that just happens to include drag racing. For that, they deserve credit.
And let’s be honest — for them to pull off a six-race schedule, five with nitro and one with doorslammers, deserves more than a passing nod. Each event improved as the season went on. The fans will eventually show up. Wisely, they chose to develop the entertainment first.
Different isn’t bad. Different is healthy. The IHRA has taken its share of heat for daring to be different, but its effort to put more butts in the stands should be applauded, not mocked.
No, the IHRA isn’t where it wants to be yet. But every movement starts with a decision to stop copying and start creating.
The “good ol’ days” people love to reminisce about? Those were built on multiple sanctioning bodies — NHRA, AHRA, IHRA — all chasing the same dream. They always competed, and rarely they cooperated. The difference was, back then, they at least tried to avoid stepping on each other’s schedules.
Today, overscheduling is a way of life. Everybody wants a piece of the same weekend, the same audience, the same attention span. It’s easy to forget that drag racing only wins when the sport itself grows, not when one logo “beats” another.
A rising tide really does lift all boats. Two healthy sanctioning bodies make drag racing stronger.
I want to see both NHRA and IHRA become wildly successful — so much so that their combined growth pushes drag racing to levels none of us could have imagined.
We’re still fighting a battle that started between two men who aren’t even here anymore. Wally Parks and Larry Carrier are long gone, yet the rivalry they built continues to divide fans and the team members of each series who should be celebrating the same sport. It’s time to stop.
There’s room for more than one sanctioning body. There always has been.
Scott Woodruff — IHRA’s self-described “make-stuff-happen” man — gets it. He’s not chasing titles or corporate polish. He’s chasing progress.
And so is NHRA President Glenn Cromwell, in his own way. Both men have proven they can make things happen, and if they can find common ground, drag racing’s future will be brighter than its past.
Fans love to talk about the Hatfields and McCoys. But that story doesn’t have to repeat itself. As Woodruff said recently on the CompetitionPlus POWER HOUR, NHRA and IHRA can coexist — and they will coexist.
History shows cooperation is possible. In the old days, behind the headlines of rivalry, there were quiet conversations between Steve Gibbs and Ted Jones — discussions about how to make drag racing better for everyone.
That same spirit can exist again. A strong NHRA and a strong IHRA don’t cancel each other out; they elevate the sport together.
If NHRA runs 1,000 feet, fine. If IHRA runs eighth-mile and that’s what their racers and fans want, fine. The rulebook differences don’t matter nearly as much as the passion that drives both sides of the tree.
At the end of the day, drag racing is drag racing. It’s fire, noise, and speed — whether the letters on the wall read NHRA or IHRA.
So show up. Support both. Cheer for the sport, not just the logo. Because the only thing worse than two sanctioning bodies fighting for the future would be a world where neither survives.
John Doe
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BOBBY BENNETT: TWO PATHS, ONE PURPOSE: WHY NHRA AND IHRA MUST COEXIST FOR DRAG RACING
Drag racing fans can be a fickle bunch. They clamor for change, yet revolt when they get it. For years, many have called for