Summit Motorsports Park owner and operator Bill Bader, whose father famously helmed the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) during what many would consider its most successful era, spoke out on Thursday in gracious support of sportsman drag racers whose plans have been impacted or potentially jeopardized by recent developments within the sanctioning body.
In the days following the IHRA’s sudden cancellation of all remaining Outlaw Nitro Series national events — along with its boat racing and stock car ventures — the organization announced a relocation of the sportsman-only, invite-only World Finals e.t. bracket race from the former Memphis Motorsports Park, to Darana Motorsports Park (formerly GALOT) in Dunn, North Carolina to the weekend of November 5-7. However, as questions as to the financial health and immediate future of the IHRA continue to be raised, uncertainty over the scheduled regional Team Finals and the World Finals linger.
Should sportsman racers be left without a place to assemble after investing the season at their local tracks accumulating points, Bader wishes to step in and fill the gap.
“Recent events surrounding the IHRA have been nothing short of tragic, leaving a community of passionate racers feeling uncertain and leaving the sport of drag racing at a profound loss. When an institution that so many relied on falters, the impact hits home across every pit area in the country.
“Sportsman racers and the tracks they call home every weekend are the backbone, the heart, and the soul of drag racing. Without them, there is no show, no culture, and no sport. This sport’s identity is deeply personal to me. My father was, at his core, a sportsman racer. When he bought Norwalk Raceway back in 1973, he didn’t set out merely to build a business — he set out to build a sportsman-friendly racetrack. Long before being in the headlines for hosting national events, he understood a fundamental truth that has guided our family and our team ever since: sportsman racing is the bedrock of drag racing.
“The grassroots racers – the ones hauling trailers through the night, spending their hard-earned dollars, and thrashing in the pits with family and friends – are the reason this sport exists. The track owners and their families, sometimes generations of families, who have made this sport their life’s work – are the reason this sport exists. They are not an afterthought; they are the entire foundation.
“It breaks my heart to see our sportsman community left in limbo regarding the balance of their season and events this year and beyond. You work all season, sacrifice time with your families, and pour your heart and savings into earning a shot at a championship. You deserve certainty, respect, and a stage that honors your dedication.
“If the IHRA is ultimately for whatever reason unable to deliver on the balance of their season as they previously stated they would, I want to make one thing clear: our team is prepared to step up. We are actively rallying a team of dedicated people who care deeply about the health of this sport to ensure that sportsman racers have an event – and a championship destination – that everyone can be proud to participate in.
The IHRA, led by businessman Darryl Cuttel, committed to a sizable $300,000 total purse for the World Finals, drawing significant interest from bracket racers at sanctioned tracks across the country. Bader is quick to point out that a recalibration of the figures is necessary to conduct an economically viable event.
“I want to be completely candid with you. We cannot replicate the regional and national payouts previously promised. Delivering on unrealistic guarantees that put events at risk is not how we operate.”
Bader went on to share promises that he can uphold, that have long been the core of his family’s philosophy and legacy: integrity and stability, a first-class experience that treats sportsman racers like stars, and a community-driven celebration. As he puts it, “an atmosphere where the racing is fierce, the hospitality is genuine, and the legacy of sportsman drag racing is honored.”
“Drag racing has weathered tough storms before, and it always comes back stronger when the community unites,” he added. “Whatever happens next, please know that you are not forgotten or alone. We are standing by, working hard, and ready to deliver a solution that honors your effort and keeps the spirit of sportsman racing thriving.”
Bader is, of course, no stranger to hosting major bracket racing events — his family’s annual Halloween Classic routinely draws 1,000-plus entries, awarding more than $100,000 in total payouts.
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