The long, winding saga that is the Kenny Nowling-led version of the American Drag Racing League has taken another intriguing turn in recent days, as Nowling, as promised, met with racers at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis on Saturday morning to, among other things, fulfill payments owed to racers from the 2013 ADRL season.

Nowling, who re-assumed the helm of the series he founded earlier this year, spoke in front of a near-capacity audience at the Indiana Convention Center, unveiling a new title sponsorship with RJS Safety Equipment and highlighting the 2017 event schedule. Among those in attendance was longtime racer and drag racing school operator Roy Hill, who is confirmed to be in negotiations to either invest in or purchase the ADRL outright (presumably with Nowling remaining as the CEO).

Nowling re-iterated in the press conference his intentions to repay those racers owed debts from the 2013 season, as alluded to over the last several months. Racers in attendance were presented with a mutual settlement agreement and release, and were issued checks for the full owed amount upon completion of said release.

Dragzine obtained a copy of the ADRL’s settlement agreement (copy above), which includes a number of specific outlines forever discharging Fight Hard MMA, LLC (DBA American Drag Racing League) from any future claims, liabilities, or damages.

Of particular note is a section of the agreement containing verbiage that any discussion, comments, disparaging remarks, or disclosure of the agreement terms are a direct breach of the agreement, and would result in a damage sum equal to $50,000. This, of course, is certain to restrain many racers who signed it from speaking on the record concerning the status of their payments.

At least one racer who presented his checks to the banks this morning claims he learned that insufficient funds existed for depositing or cashing the check. However, just prior to press time, reports that funds had become available have begun to circulate.

In addition to the ongoing situation concerning the 2013 payouts, confirmed is at least one existing judgement against the Nowlings by Roger Henson and Scruggs Farm for nearly half a million dollars pertaining to a previous purchase of the series (documentation of which is public record).

Dragzine is continuing to investigate this story and will have more information when and if it becomes available.