The International Hot Rod Association is adding a new element to its Outlaw Nitro Series this weekend at Darana Raceway in Hebron with the debut of the Outlaw Pro Modified division. The class joins the IHRA’s traditional Pro Modified and Pro Nitrous categories, marking the latest step in the sanctioning body’s effort to diversify its professional lineup.
Outlaw Pro Mod will feature an eight-car field for its inaugural race Friday and Saturday. Veteran driver Frankie “Mad Man” Taylor, who helped organize the class within the IHRA structure, said the early field demonstrates growing interest.
“We’ve been talking about doing the Outlaw Pro Mod class,” Taylor said. “We’ve got an eight-car field this weekend with plans to expand the class during the rest of the season.”
The Outlaw Pro Mod format is built around variety. Unlike other divisions, the rules allow for nearly any engine and power-adder combination, provided basic safety requirements are met.
“Basically, all safety rules are in place, but we just get to run ours a little bit more hopped up — try to go in the 3.40 to 3.50 range,” Taylor said. “There’s no weight limit. You don’t have to add 500 pounds to make it legal. You can run blower with blower, nitrous with blower, turbos with nitrous — whatever combination you want. You can have two power-adders. It’s meant to be a safe, fun, fast class.”
IHRA Owner Darryl Cuttell pushed for the category’s inclusion. Taylor credited Cuttell’s approach in shaping the class into a new attraction for both competitors and fans.
“Darryl’s been wanting an Outlaw class the whole time,” Taylor said. “The plan is to start the class now — this is just the beginning.”
The series will pay a $30,000 winner’s purse, with $10,000 for runner-up, $7,500 to semifinalists, and $2,500 to first-round losers. Ninth and tenth qualifiers will also receive $1,250 each.
“These cars are the kind of wild and crazy Pro Mods fans love,” Taylor said. “Mine’s a C5 Corvette — multicolored, eagle on the front, American flag down the side. That’s what makes this class so exciting.”
The addition of Outlaw Pro Mod comes 35 years after the class concept of Pro Modified first appeared on a national stage. In March 1990, the IHRA hosted its inaugural Pro Modified field at Darlington Dragway in South Carolina. Fifteen nitrous-powered cars made the field, with Ed Hoover defeating Tim McAmis in the final. McAmis later went on to capture the first championship.
The Darlington race featured notable storylines that helped define the early years of Pro Modified. Mike Ashley’s nitrous entry led qualifying, and Wayne Barker’s supercharged Monte Carlo became the lone blower car to qualify. Barker, a paraplegic due to a workplace accident, had his car driven by his brother Stanley, making for one of the sport’s most unique competitor stories.
From those beginnings, Pro Modified developed into a staple of drag racing. The NHRA, IHRA, and multiple independent organizations now run variations of the category. Its blend of power, unpredictable combinations, and accessible appeal has made it one of the most recognized classes outside of nitro categories.
By creating a specific Outlaw version, the IHRA is attempting to build on that tradition while appealing to racers who want fewer restrictions. Taylor emphasized that while performance will be elevated, the focus remains on giving fans variety and keeping the racing safe.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here,” Taylor said. “We’re going to see different cars, different combinations, and that’s what makes people come to the fence. You don’t know what’s coming next.”
The Outlaw Pro Mod division will run alongside the established IHRA Pro Modified and Pro Nitrous fields. While Pro Mod has long been a headliner in IHRA events, officials believe the Outlaw category can generate fresh interest and attract cars that might not otherwise fit existing rules packages.
Miller’s Darana Raceway event will mark the first official appearance of the new class. If turnout grows, the IHRA could expand to 16-car fields at future events. Early response suggests that expansion is likely, as racers have expressed interest in a place where multiple combinations can compete without strict weight penalties or limits on technology.
The 2025 season has already seen the IHRA continue to reshape its national event structure under Cuttell’s ownership. Adding the Outlaw Pro Mod class fits within that framework of experimentation, while still leaning on a category that has deep roots with the sanctioning body.
Taylor said the ruleset will give teams the chance to push their combinations toward runs in the mid-3.40-second range over the eighth-mile. That performance target makes Outlaw Pro Mod one of the fastest doorslammer categories on record, while retaining accessibility through its open entry philosophy.
“You can’t overstate the appeal of letting guys bring what they’ve got and put it on the racetrack,” Taylor said. “There are a lot of creative people in this sport, and now they’ve got a place to show it.”
The IHRA sees the Outlaw Pro Mod division as part of its wider strategy to rebuild and expand its profile after years of transition. In the same way that the Pro Modified class helped shape the sanctioning body’s identity in the early 1990s, the hope is that Outlaw Pro Mod can anchor a new era of participation and entertainment.
Fans attending Darana Raceway this weekend will see the inaugural field compete for one of the largest purses offered in IHRA professional racing. For Taylor, the opportunity is both professional and personal.
“I’ve been around this class since it was just getting off the ground,” Taylor said. “It’s great to see the IHRA put something like this together and give us a place to race.”
