The IHRA rolled into Darana Raceway-Hebron in Hebron, Ohio, this past weekend to kick off the first race of its Triple Crown series. Five professional classes will compete throughout the three-race championship, battling for massive payouts and the possibility of a $1 million bonus awarded to any driver who can sweep all three events.
The classes included in the IHRA Triple Crown are Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Mod, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, and Pro Stock. Teams across all five categories turned out in force, producing some of the largest fields seen since the IHRA’s revival under the ownership of Darryl Cuttell.
The next IHRA Triple Crown event will be a doubleheader at Maple Grove Raceway on September 10–13, 2026.
Tripp Tatum Scores Big Top Fuel Win
The quickest class on the property featured 15 nitro-burning dragsters fighting for a spot in the eight-car field.
Shawn Reed led qualifying with a strong 3.767-second pass at 332.35 mph.
Reed advanced to the semifinals, where he faced No. 4 qualifier Gary Pritchett. Pritchett left the starting line first, and that advantage proved critical. Despite Reed posting the quicker elapsed time, Pritchett’s holeshot victory came courtesy of a 3.793 at 327.03 mph versus Reed’s 3.789 at 329.67 mph.
The win moved Pritchett into the final round against No. 2 qualifier Tripp Tatum.
Both teams had posted consistent runs throughout eliminations, setting the stage for a highly anticipated final. Pritchett once again got the starting-line advantage, but Tatum drove around him to secure the victory and the $150,000 payday.
Tatum ran 3.764 at 328.47 mph to defeat Pritchett’s 3.859 at 274.39 mph.
Paul Lee Opens Triple Crown With Funny Car Win
Fourteen Funny Cars showed up looking to capture the first Triple Crown victory and remain eligible for the $1 million bonus.
Dale Creasy Jr. continued his qualifying prowess by earning the No. 1 spot with a 3.962 at 319.15 mph. The run also stood as the quickest elapsed time of the weekend in Funny Car competition.
When eliminations began, Del Worsham and Paul Lee worked their way through the field to reach the final round.
Lee had been the more consistent car throughout the event, and that consistency paid off. He left the starting line first and never looked back, recording his quickest pass of the weekend with a 3.973 at 326.32 mph. Worsham posted a solid 4.018 at 323.04 mph, but it wasn’t enough to stop Lee from claiming the $150,000 victory.
Jason Harris Runs The Table In Pro Mod
Jason Harris continued his remarkable hot streak in Pro Mod competition.
Harris qualified No. 1 with a 3.595 at 209.69 mph and combined razor-sharp reaction times with consistently quick passes to advance to another final round. No. 2 qualifier Jacob McNeal also worked his way through the field, setting up a showdown between the two quickest cars at the event.
McNeal gained an early advantage on the starting line, but Harris quickly erased it behind the wheel of the Harold Denton-themed Party Time Camaro.
Harris delivered the quickest and fastest run of the weekend, recording a 3.567 at 210.58 mph to defeat McNeal’s 3.599 at 205.95 mph and take home the $100,000 winner’s purse.
John DeFlorian Dominated Mountain Motor Pro Stock
Mountain Motor Pro Stock once again delivered some of the best side-by-side racing of the weekend. As the only naturally aspirated class in the Triple Crown, Mountain Motor Pro Stock also remains the only category requiring a driver-operated manual transmission and clutch.
A total of 26 cars attempted to qualify for the 16-car field. Class veteran John DeFlorian led qualifying and remained the benchmark throughout eliminations.
DeFlorian and Jeremy Huffman consistently posted the quickest elapsed times and strongest reaction times, making their eventual final-round meeting seem inevitable.
When the tree dropped, Huffman responded with an outstanding .002 reaction time and appeared poised for victory. However, DeFlorian drove around him on the top end to secure the win.
DeFlorian posted the low elapsed time of the weekend with a 4.052 at 177.30 mph, while Huffman ran a strong 4.076 at 175.99 mph. The margin of victory was just .006 seconds.
Taylor Dietsch Scores Pro Stock Payday
Nine factory hot rods battled for the eight-car field and the opportunity to win the first Triple Crown Pro Stock event.
Multi-time class winner Taylor Dietsch secured the No. 1 qualifying position with a 4.908 at 147.54 mph. The final round featured a father-versus-son matchup between Taylor and Jason Dietsch.
When the tree dropped, Jason encountered trouble when he struck the tires. Taylor capitalized and cruised to the victory with a 4.865 at 148.66 mph and brought home the $20,00 purseh. Jason coasted to an 8.018 at 76.40 mph.
Additional Class Results
Top Alcohol Funny Car
No. 1 Qualifier: Phil Esz — 5.468 at 257.73 mph
Winner: Phil Esz
Runner-Up: Stan Sipos
Top Alcohol Dragster
No. 1 Qualifier: Jeffrey Chatterson — 5.254 at 272.40 mph
Winner: Rachel Curl
Runner-Up: Jeffrey Chatterson
Fuel Altered
No. 1 Qualifier: Jody Austin — 3.593 at 213.57 mph
Winner: Jody Austin
Runner-Up: Kevin Kinsley
Outlaw Pro Mod
No. 1 Qualifier: Bubba Stanton — 3.534 at 213.17 mph
Winner: Jason Scruggs
Runner-Up: Mike DiDomenico
HEMI Shootout
No. 1 Qualifier: Anthony Rhodes — 8.359 at 159.80 mph
Winner: Anthony Rhodes
Runner-Up: Steve Comella
Nitro Harley
No. 1 Qualifier: Bob Malloy — 4.084 at 188.68 mph
Winner: Ryan Peery
Runner-Up: Bob Malloy
Top Fuel Motorcycle
No. 1 Qualifier: Larry McBride — 3.853 at 207.85 mph
Winner: Mitch Brown
Runner-Up: Bob Malloy
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