Bill Bader Jr., the second-generation track owner from Norwalk, Ohio, has watched what many describe as the train wreck of the International Hot Rod Association from a distance.
The uncertainty surrounding the remainder of the IHRA season has prompted one of drag racing’s most respected track operators to publicly offer a potential path forward via social media for sportsman racers left wondering whether they will have a place to compete.
In an open letter released Thursday, Bader, president of Norwalk Raceway Park, acknowledged the frustration and disappointment rippling through the drag racing community following the IHRA’s recent struggles. More importantly, he pledged that if the organization is unable to fulfill the balance of its schedule, his team is prepared to organize a championship-caliber destination for displaced sportsman competitors.
Bader’s message focused less on criticism of the IHRA and more on the racers and tracks that have long formed the foundation of the sport.
“Sportsman racers and the tracks they call home every weekend are the backbone, the heart, and the soul of drag racing,” Bader wrote. “Without them, there is no show, no culture, and no sport.”
The letter arrives at a time when hundreds of racers have been left in limbo after a series of cancellations and uncertainty surrounding the remainder of the IHRA season. Many competitors have invested months of travel, entry fees and preparation while pursuing championships that now appear increasingly uncertain.
For Bader, the issue is personal.
He pointed to the legacy of his father, Bill Bader Sr., who purchased Norwalk Raceway in 1973 with the vision of creating a facility centered on sportsman racers. Long before the Ohio facility became known for hosting national events, Bader said his father believed grassroots competitors were the true lifeblood of drag racing.
That philosophy, he wrote, continues to guide the family’s operation today.
Bader praised the racers who spend weekends towing trailers across the country, investing their own money and relying on family members and friends in the pits. He also recognized independent track owners whose facilities serve as the weekly gathering places for local racing communities.
Rather than offering promises he believes cannot be kept, Bader outlined what his group could realistically provide if called upon.
He said any replacement championship effort would be built on three principles: financial stability and transparency, a first-class experience that gives sportsman racers the respect they deserve, and an event celebrating the heritage and community that have sustained grassroots drag racing for generations.
Bader also made it clear his team would not attempt to match the payouts previously announced by IHRA, saying unrealistic financial guarantees are not a responsible way to operate an event.
Instead, he emphasized certainty.
His message promises racers an event that is financially sound, transparent and guaranteed to take place rather than one built on unsustainable commitments.
The letter closes on an optimistic note, expressing confidence that drag racing has overcome difficult periods before and will do so again if the community remains united.
BILL BADER’SÂ
An Open Letter to the Drag Racing Community: Preserving the Heart of Sportsman Racing
By Bill Bader
Recent events surrounding the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) have been nothing short of tragic, leaving a community of passionate racers feeling uncertain and leaving the sport of drag racing at a profound loss.
Drag racing is more than just a sport; it is a shared passion, a community, and for many of us, a family way of life. When an institution that so many relied on falters, the impact hits home across every pit area in the country.
“Sportsman racers and the tracks they call home every weekend are the backbone, the heart, and the soul of drag racing. Without them, there is no show, no culture, and no sport.”
This sport’s identity is deeply personal to me. My father was, at his core, a sportsman racer. When he bought Norwalk Raceway back in 1973, he didn’t set out merely to build a business—he set out to build a sportsman-friendly racetrack. Long before being in the headlines for hosting national events, he understood a fundamental truth that has guided our family and our team ever since: sportsman racing is the bedrock of drag racing.
The grassroots racers – the ones hauling trailers through the night, spending their hard-earned dollars, and thrashing in the pits with family and friends – are the reason this sport exists. The track owners and their families, sometimes generations of families, who have made this sport their life’s work – are the reason this sport exists. They are not an afterthought; they are the entire foundation.
It breaks my heart to see our sportsman community left in limbo regarding the balance of their season and events this year and beyond. You work all season, sacrifice time with your families, and pour your heart and savings into earning a shot at a championship. You deserve certainty, respect, and a stage that honors your dedication.
If the IHRA is ultimately for whatever reason unable to deliver on the balance of their season as they previously stated they would, I want to make one thing clear: our team is prepared to step up.
We are actively rallying a team of dedicated people who care deeply about the health of this sport to ensure that sportsman racers have an event – and a championship destination – that everyone can be proud to participate in.
I want to be completely candid with you. We cannot replicate the regional and national payouts previously promised. Delivering on unrealistic guarantees that put events at risk is not how we operate. But what we can promise is this:
1) Integrity & Stability: An event that is financially sound, transparent, and guaranteed to happen.
2) A First-Class Stage: A premier experience that treats sportsman racers with the prestige and respect you deserve.
3) A Community-Driven Celebration: An atmosphere where the racing is fierce, the hospitality is genuine, and the legacy of sportsman drag racing is honored.
Drag racing has weathered tough storms before, and it always comes back stronger when the community unites. Whatever happens next, please know that you are not forgotten or alone. We are standing by, working hard, and ready to deliver a solution that honors your effort and keeps the spirit of sportsman racing thriving.
We look forward to seeing you at the track, helmet in hand, ready to do what we all love most!
