It’s a combination that has been down some rocky roads over the last decade or so.
But, for Kenny Nowling, besieged by controversy dating back to his ADRL days, assuming the leadership of the IHRA provides what he feels is an opportunity to reinvent himself and restore one of the more innovative race series in drag racing history. And, for the IHRA which was purchased by Larry Jeffers, it remains despite multiple efforts to sink the ship.
Nowling’s first move is returning to the IHRA’s glory days and the first is in returning to the classic IHRA globe logo, the one in place when the then Bristol, TN.-based race series provided a serious challenge to NHRA,
The association will also use the hashtag #IHRAReturntoGlory for its social media posts.
“Everywhere I go, the people I see have a love for the original IHRA and what it was all about,” said IHRA President Kenny Nowling. “We listened to our track partners, racers, and fans. The desire to go back to the original logo is overwhelming.”
The announcement pays tribute to IHRA’s founding by Larry Carrier in 1970, with the first national events held in 1971. Andy Carrier, Larry’s son, expressed his delight over the return of the iconic logo.
“That’s wonderful. I’ve been watching a lot of the old IHRA races on YouTube and the nostalgia makes you proud,” said Carrier. “When Bill Bader Sr. was still alive, they did a tribute to dad and they gave us plaques with the old logo on it. That was very special to the family.”
Carrier supports the direction of the IHRA under Nowling’s leadership, particularly the return of the original Ironman trophy.
“When I read that Kenny had taken over, I thought that was awesome,” said Carrier. “I think Kenny has the will and know-how to bring the IHRA back to where it was. The Ironman represents IHRA racing and always has.”
The IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals will return to Holly Springs Motorsports Park on Oct. 23-25, 2025, marking its fourth consecutive year at the venue.
In addition, the IHRA announced a major realignment of its divisions for the 2025 season to provide a fairer format for the Summit Team Finals.
The Division 1 Team Finals are scheduled for Oct. 2-5 at Darlington Dragway, while Division 2 Finals will take place Oct. 9-12 at Rocket City Dragway.
Division 3 Team Finals are set for Sept. 18-20 at Quaker City Motorsports Park, with Division 4 Team Finals at Holly Springs Motorsports Park from Sept. 11-14.
The Southwest tracks are now designated as Division 5, with their Team Finals scheduled for Sept. 25-28 at Xtreme Raceway Park.
For updates on the new lineup of tracks for each division, visit IHRA.com and check out the IHRA Facebook page throughout next week.
