The more layers that get peeled back from the IHRA’s growing “news onion,” the more this story brings quiet but serious intrigue. Word circulating through reliable channels suggests that on the IHRA’s rumored ten-race 2026 schedule, four of the facilities were on the NHRA tour in 2000, while only two appeared on the IHRA slate that same year. That twist alone is raising eyebrows across the sport.
The newest breadcrumb came with IHRA’s surprise announcement of its Stock Car series, which quietly listed Race 8 for Oct. 17 in Memphis, Tenn. The timing is notable: just weeks before the sanctioning body’s season-ending drag racing event — also reportedly at the former Memphis Motorsports Park. If true, it marks a bold double-dip into a facility long considered dormant.
But the track generating the most industry buzz? Atlanta Dragway. Left for dead after its 2021 closure and sale, the storied Commerce, Ga., facility appears to be far from finished. Sources tell CompetitionPlus.com that the situation in Banks County may be far more favorable for a return than previously believed.
Based on what we’ve uncovered, the property is still zoned for racing — meaning no rezoning hearings, no bureaucratic hurdles, and no lengthy county process to navigate. All that would be required to reopen is a business license. And that’s where things get even more interesting.
We’re told influential locals have been in direct, regular communication with the IHRA, and county leadership is reportedly enthusiastic about a revival. Sources say officials have even been on-site to inspect the grounds and meet with representatives, signaling a level of cooperation not seen since the track’s heyday.
Nothing is official. Nothing is confirmed. But the whispers are getting louder, the puzzle pieces are aligning, and the IHRA appears poised to make moves that could reshape the Southeast drag racing map.
Stay tuned — this one’s heating up.
