IHRA Turmoil Deepens as Division Directors Depart, Topeka GM Fired, And Sale Talks Revealed

The highly-publicized distress within the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) in recent weeks took on added layers over the weekend. On Friday, at least two of the sanctioning body’s division directors were relieved of their duties, casting more doubt on the IHRA’s promised commitment to sportsman racing and its scheduled division finals and World Finals event. Hours earlier, IHRA Australia and IHRA New Zealand CEO Maurice Allen announced in a prepared statement the pull-back of a planned merging of the satellite organizations with the stateside body.

“In September 2025, we announced IHRA Australia and New Zealand had been purchased by U.S.-based Cuttell Motorsports. Since that time, we have been progressively working in partnership with IHRA in the U.S. to align structures, processes, and systems. Whilst this has been occurring, we have continued to grow IHRA Australia and New Zealand with several new tracks committing to IHRA sanction and conducting successful events. It’s really been business as usual from the outside, whilst we have been working behind the scenes with IHRA in the U.S.

“Like everything, IHRA has been subjected to the political and economic impacts that are occurring worldwide. This has meant significant decisions have been taking [place] across the IHRA group. One of those decisions has been to pause the transition of IHRA Australia and New Zealand into the new entity structure and as part of the broader IHRA Group. Whilst this is disappointing, it will mean our IHRA Australia and New Zealand resources can focus on continuing to deliver outstanding tracks and events, as we have always done. This means there is no change to the IHRA Australia and New Zealand operations that have been in place for several years. This does not mean the future integration into the IHRA group will not occur, but for now it is in everyone’s interests to pause the transition,” Allen concluded.

Additionally, Emily Mawhinney, general manager of Topeka’s Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park, revealed Friday that IHRA CEO Darryl Cuttell had terminated her via email the previous week.

“It’s been one week since I was let go via email from IHRA, and the days at home have been harder than I expected. Like many others, poured my heart and soul into reopening Heartland Motorsports Park,” Mawhinney says. “Even now, my heart is still heavy. But I’m also incredibly proud. Proud of what we accomplished with such limited resources. Proud of the challenges we overcame, and proud of the momentum we built together. So many people supported our efforts, stepped up, and went above and beyond to help us reach our goals. I was truly blessed with an amazing team.”

Perhaps the most significant view into the ongoing breakdown of the organization, however, was made public Saturday in a report from Drag Illustrated, with confirmation by NHRA Pro Stock mega-team owner and businessman Richard Freeman that Cuttell had been actively shopping the series and its physical assets as recently as Thursday, July 23. It was on that day that, per Freeman, who had previously made a formal bid for the assets, Cuttell contacted him to say that everything had been sold to another party.

These revelations come after the IHRA canceled the majority of the seasons’ remaining events across its drag racing, stock, car, and multiple boat racing properties, with racers and outside contractors in all three arenas coming forward about missed payments.

The remaining series under the IHRA umbrella that have continued racing operations are the Professional Watercraft Series and the Pro Pulling League.