Photos by BME Photography, Roger Richards
Three drivers from the International Hot Rod Association’s final full-time Fuel Funny Car season in 2008 are set to reunite at the revived IHRA’s Outlaw Nitro Series opener at National Trail Raceway, located outside of Columbus, Ohio.
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The IHRA’s most recent Funny Car champion Terry Haddock, multi-time IHRA champion Dale Creasy Jr., and consistent contender Jack Wyatt—are the only participating figures from the 2008 campaign—are listed among the entrants for the upcoming event. The IHRA discontinued the category at the end of 2008, leaving Haddock without the chance to defend his title or carry the traditional No. 1 on the side of his car.
“It’s pretty cool, huh?” Haddock said, reflecting on finally getting to represent the championship. “It’s been a long time. So we’re going to go out there and try to do our best and run good and put on a good show.”
Haddock, who clinched the title during the division’s final year, said he never dwelled on not being able to defend his championship. “The sport’s full of ups and downs. We were blessed to win that championship, and the way things happened, we didn’t get to go defend it.”
After nearly two decades, Haddock is eager to take on the role he missed in 2008. “It’s pretty awesome that we’re going to get the chance to go defend it, but so much has changed since then,” he said.
Haddock noted improvements in his team’s performance, saying that the decision to only race when funded has allowed the operation to stabilize and improve. “For my whole career, I would just race and race and race, and I would hope somebody would notice,” he said. “It ended up leading to more black eyes than good opportunities.”
Joining Haddock is Dale Creasy Jr., who led the 2008 standings before a midseason crash in Edmonton, Alberta, sidelined him indefinitely. “We were lucky enough to win two championships [2006, 2007] and on our way to our third, and then I got hurt,” Creasy said.
Creasy returns to IHRA competition hoping the series’ revival offers more parity and opportunity for racers like himself. “We’ll be more competitive there, and I’m just looking forward to it,” he said. “We’ve been struggling all year.”
His memories of IHRA include not just victories but a community-focused atmosphere. “It was just a different atmosphere,” he said. “We needed an option, and this is a great option for us.”
The 2008 title chase saw a tight battle between Haddock, Creasy, and Wyatt, with Creasy winning three of the first five events before his accident. “It took them two or three races to catch us after I got hurt,” he said. “We were in a position to do very well for the third year in a row.”
Creasy recalled a mechanical failure that severely injured him, which altered his career. “One of the couplers on the driveshaft broke and got trapped in there and took the transmission off the back of the bell housing,” he said. “It just spun around and beat my legs up.”
Doctors later had to reconstruct part of his leg, inserting a rod and repairing bone fractures. “I didn’t know I was going to have a leg when I woke up,” Creasy said.
He downplays the idea of being a marquee name in the new IHRA era, focusing instead on preparation and performance. “I told my guys, ‘We’re going there to qualify. Anything after that is a bonus,” he said.
Jack Wyatt, another key contender from 2008, also returns for the new season, adding further continuity between the IHRA’s past and present. Wyatt finished seventh in the final points standings that year and was in contention during the early stretch until finances forced him to park.
“I’m really excited because in 2006, I was runner-up to Creasy by just seven points or something like that and runner-up in 2007, too,” Wyatt said. “I was actually running with him again in 2008. He got injured, and I ran out of money. I had no sponsor so I couldn’t go to any more races. So I was done.
“I’m excited to see the IHRA coming back. I got unfinished business there. They’re not going to give you a championship this year, but I’m excited for it to come back and give us a place to race again. I really love the format.When you come there and you only run on Friday for qualifying and the eliminations on Saturday. Now my volunteer crew guys that are only coming out for a few races, they can go again because they just can’t go to very many races. So that works out good for them too.”
Alongside these veterans, several new and returning drivers appear on the pre-entry list for the Outlaw Nitro Series opener. Competitors include Joey Haas, Dave Gallegos, Alex Barker, Jody Austin, Mike McIntyre, and Del Worsham.
Worsham, the 1992 IHRA Funny Car champion, was on the entry list provided to CompetitionPlus.com. He brings significant credentials to the IHRA stage, signaling increased interest in the revitalized series. His presence, along with the established IHRA veterans, reflects both respect for tradition and renewed hope for the category.
The original 2008 final points list underscores the depth of that era’s field. Haddock led with 748 points, followed by Andy Kelley and Matt Hagan. Creasy, despite missing several events, managed to place eighth with 392 points, while Wyatt held seventh with 406. Also appearing on the list of drivers who finished in the top ten were NHRA winners Paul Lee and Daniel Wilkerson.
Though many of the names from that season have moved on, the return of Haddock, Creasy, and Wyatt represents a symbolic restart for the class and the sanctioning body. With new ownership and infrastructure, the IHRA hopes to build fresh momentum while honoring its roots.
The IHRA’s Outlaw Nitro Series, according to stakeholders, aims to deliver more than just nostalgia. It’s designed to reestablish IHRA as a platform for grassroots nitro racers to compete on a national stage.
For Haddock, the upcoming event is not just a race but a chance to finally fulfill what fate once denied him. “We’ve really worked hard to refine our program and clean it up, and the car runs real well,” he said.
The event at National Trail Raceway is scheduled to kick off the IHRA’s new season, and for many in the field, it represents not only a competitive opportunity but a return to unfinished business.
