With rumors circulating for months about a long-awaited championship points purse, International Hot Rod Association confirmed its 2026 plans with a sweeping announcement that formalizes a national championship, introduces a lucrative Triple Crown and locks in a finalized Outlaw Nitro Series schedule.
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The 2026 Outlaw Nitro Series will feature eight national events and a season-long championship across all Nitro categories, backed by a $9 million purse dedicated exclusively to Nitro competition. IHRA officials positioned the structure as racer-first, emphasizing sustainability, safety and meaningful payouts rather than a paid-team model.
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The season opens March 19–21 at Dorana Motorsports Park, followed by April 9–11 at Virginia Motorsports Park. The tour continues May 7–9 at Montgomery International Dragway, July 9–11 at Milan Dragway, and July 23–25 at Empire Dragway.
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August 13–15 sends the series to Dragway 42, before October 8–10 at Heartland Motorsports Park. The season concludes with a World Finals scheduled for October 22–24, with the location still to be announced. Notably absent from the finalized calendar is the long-rumored return to Atlanta Dragway.
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For the first time in nearly two decades, IHRA will award a championship points purse. Top Fuel and Funny Car champions will each earn $200,000, with runners-up receiving $75,000 and third-place finishers $50,000. Outlaw Pro Modified will pay $25,000 to the champion, while Pro Mod and Mountain Motor Pro Stock champions will each earn $100,000.
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The newly unveiled IHRA Triple Crown consists of three standalone events at historic facilities: May 22–24 at Maple Grove Raceway, June 18–20 at National Trail Raceway, and Sept. 10–12 at Memphis International Raceway. All classes will compete to the eighth mile, except Top Fuel and Funny Car, which will race to 1,000 feet.
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Across the three Triple Crown races, $4.362 million will be paid out, with a $1 million bonus per class for any driver sweeping all three events. Individual race purses are substantial, with Nitro winners earning $150,000 per event and payouts extending through first round, including $5,000 just to qualify.
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IHRA also announced Pro Mod Mania, scheduled for June 5–7 at Milan Dragway, featuring a $275,000 Pro Modified purse. In total, IHRA projects $13,653,900 in payouts across all professional classes in 2026, underscoring a renewed commitment to championship racing at historic venues with racers firmly at the center of the business model.
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