- International Hot Rod Association
The International Hot Rod Association also known as IHRA is the 2nd largest
drag racing sanctioning body after theNHRA .The Carrier Era
The IHRA was formed in November 1970 by businessman Larry Carrier. Throughout this period the organization was operated primarily in the south-eastern
United States from its headquarters inBristol, Tennessee . The IHRA initially followed the NHRA's professional class structure ofTop Fuel ,Funny Car andPro Stock until the 1984 season when it decided to drop the premier Top Fuel category, an arrangement that only lasted three years before the class was reinstated for the 1987 season. Carrier is also credited with initiating drag racing's, now ended, long-term sponsorship association with theR.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company 's Winston brand.1988-98
IHRA headquarters briefly moved to
Waco, Texas in 1988 after it was purchased by Texan racer and track operator Billy Meyer who made many changes to the organization, some of which proved controversial amongst racers such as completely restructuring the sportsman classes overnight. Another radical change came as a result of Meyer's ownership of theTexas Motorplex , considered then to be the premier drag racing facility in the world. The Motorplex had previously been the NHRA's flagship track but for 1988 it hosted two IHRA national events and was the site of Top Fuel's first 4 second run byEddie Hill . Other changes included the addition of a 'junior' Pro Stock class forsmall-block andV6 engines, named Factory Modified, which lasted until the end of the 1990 season. However, financial failure meant that Meyer's reign lasted just one year before the association was again sold on.In 1990 an all new class,
Pro Modified , was introduced which has since become a feature at IHRA events and has become one of drag racing’s most successful classes enjoying popularity in bothNorth America andEurope . During this period Pro Modified became the IHRA's main asset in its recovery from the 1988 season that had nearly destroyed it.However the
nitromethane poweredFunny Car class was dropped for the 1991 season only the be reinstated for 1992 before being dropped again, not to return until 2006.Bill Bader and Clear Channel
In 1998 the organization was purchased by Bill Bader who significantly expanded the promotion in the Great Lakes from his headquarters in
Norwalk, Ohio . He sold the IHRA toClear Channel Communications , but remained as president until his retirement in October 2004. The headquarters remain in Norwalk, which was once the site of the IHRA's flagship World Nationals event.Outside the Continental USA
In addition to tracks in 30 states in the continental United States, IHRA oversees tracks in Canada, Hawaii, and Aruba. Despite the "international" in its name the IHRA was for years based solely in the
United States . However, in recent years the organization has made significant inroads north of the border. The IHRA's first major event inCanada was a one-off in 1992 atToronto Motorsports Park inCayuga, Ontario but it wasn't until later in the decade that Canadian events became the regular fixtures they are today.The IHRA is now the premiere motorsports sanctioning body in Canada, holding three national drag racing events. Two events are hosted in the province of Ontario (Toronto and Grand Bend) and one in Alberta (Edmonton).
In addition to Canada, there are IHRA tracks outside the Continental USA in Hawaii (Hilo Dragstrip), Alaska (Alaska Raceway Park), and Aruba (International Raceway Park Aruba).
External links
* http://www.ihra.com
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.