Even before being promoted to President of the National Hot Rod Association, Glen Cromwell knew what his team would need to do to grow drag racing on an upward trajectory. It is called the ten-step theory and was put into action two weeks ago.

There is no official ten-step theory or plan per se, but it was on full display at the NHRA Division 4 season opener at No Problem Raceway just outside New Orleans in Belle Rose, La.

As he strolled through the staging lanes, Cromwell would take roughly ten steps and stop to engage various sportsman racers in competition. He might be the highest-ranking member of the NHRA staff, but he was a drag racing fan on this day.

Cromwell was merely putting his actions where his words were when he accepted the presidency in January 2023. Sources within the organization have said Cromwell's edict was from that day forward, NHRA must grow from the grassroots level instead of utilizing a trickle-down method.

"If you look at it from the NHRA standpoint, our member tracks and sportsman racers are incredibly important to us, not today, but for the future," Cromwell said. "I think it's important that the NHRA leadership shows their support, comes to these divisional events, ET Finals, and works closely with our member tracks to see what we can do to help them, make things better for them. And listen to our sportsmen racers.

"They have a voice, and that's a very, very important voice to us, and we want to make sure that we're here, and we're listening, and we give them a great place to race for the future."

It's not hard to understand why the leader of NHRA's drag racing charge feels that way. Cromwell served for two years as the NHRA's Division 7 director, working closely with the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. In 1999, he was moved into a national marketing role and, with his promotion into a leadership role with NHRA, completed a full graduation from grassroots to a top-level executive.

Cromwell's attendance at No Problem Raceway was two-fold; he was there to interact with the Lucas Oil Series racers as well as to support his team's first female divisional director - Mady Ayesh.

"I can relate well with our division directors," Cromwell said. "I want to come out here and support them. Maddy's doing an incredible job. We want to make sure we're out here supporting her. We've got a lot of new division directors that have joined the team, and we want to make sure we're here, and with my background, it helps us understand a divisional race and what it is and what it takes to get it done."

As Cromwell sees it, being out in the field pressing the flesh is very "Wally Parksish."

"It goes from Wally Parks' vision that the grassroots is an incredible part," Cromwell said. "That's really what started our sport, and I know that we need to build our business from the pyramid - I think it's important that our grassroots programs are strong and from my background, and really it's just not me. It's our team at the NHRA, our whole leadership team, our whole company believes in supporting our grassroots initiatives, and I'm proud of them."

As Cromwell puts it, "You'll see more of the NHRA's executives out on the divisional level."

They might even jump in and assist if needed.

Glen Cromwell report to the burnout box.

"I would do it," Cromwell said. "In a heartbeat."