By [Jim Foose/Speedway Action Magazine] March 6, 2026
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) was supposed to be the comeback story of the decade. After years of languishing in the shadow of the NHRA, the “new” IHRA—under the aggressive ownership of Darryl Cuttell—spent 2025 and early 2026 on a buying spree that would make a Silicon Valley venture capitalist blush. From the historic gates of Maple Grove Raceway to the dormant asphalt of Memphis and Atlanta, Cuttell’s vision was clear: own the tracks, own the series, and own the future of sportsman racing.
But as the 2026 season kicks into gear, the engine is beginning to smoke.
The sudden, high-profile dismissals of Chief Operating Officer Scott “Woody” Woodruff and Vice President of Advertising/Publications Brett Underwood have sent shockwaves through the pits. For an organization that just completed the acquisition of the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and added massive facilities like Atlanta Dragway and Heartland Motorsports Park to its portfolio, these departures raise a chilling question: Is the IHRA’s foundation strong enough to support the weight of its own ambition?
The Text Message Heard ‘Round the Drag Strip
Scott Woodruff wasn’t just an executive; he was the face of the IHRA’s “racer-first” rebranding. A veteran with decades of experience at JEGS and Elite Motorsports, Woodruff was hired to bridge the gap between Cuttell’s high-level vision and the gritty reality of track-level operations.
His exit, however, was anything but professional. Reports confirm that Woodruff was notified of his firing via a text message from Cuttell—an move that has been widely criticized across the industry as “hotheaded” and “unprofessional.”
“I was very truthful about where we were as a sanctioning body,” Woodruff told Competition Plus following his dismissal. According to Woodruff, the friction began when he raised alarms about the organization’s internal infrastructure—specifically a racer registration system that was reportedly failing to function for the very competitors the IHRA claims to prioritize.
“I explained the situation, I explained the consequences, and I explained reality,” Woodruff added. “And nobody seemed to care.”
Woodruff wasn’t the only casualty. Brett Underwood, brought in to resurrect the iconic Drag Review magazine and spearhead advertising efforts, was also relieved of his duties. Their departures follow a revolving door of leadership that has seen figures like Kenny Nowling, Rich Schaefer, and Alan Reinhart exit the organization in under 18 months.
The Real Estate Gamble
The leadership vacuum comes at the worst possible time. The IHRA is currently sitting on a mountain of real estate that requires more than just a “Grand Reopening” sign to be viable.
While the purchase of established tracks like Maple Grove and Piedmont Dragway provided immediate credibility, the acquisition of “zombie tracks”—facilities like Memphis International Raceway and Atlanta Dragway that have been dormant for years—requires astronomical capital investment.
- Atlanta Dragway: Closed in 2021, the facility needs significant modernization to meet the safety standards for the high-octane “Outlaw Nitro Series” World Finals scheduled for October 2026.
- Memphis (Millington): Largely dormant since 2022, the 400-acre site is a massive reclamation project.
- Heartland Motorsports Park: A historic venue, but one that comes with its own set of infrastructure challenges and a need for a sustainable year-round business model.
When Woodruff mentioned “the people that don’t know what it takes to be involved with the sport,” many industry insiders took it as a direct shot at the current ownership’s understanding of the thin margins and high overhead of running a national sanctioning body.
A House Divided?
IHRA President Leah Martin has attempted to frame the moves as part of a natural evolution. “Often you don’t finish the race with the same team you start with,” Martin stated, announcing the promotion of Doug Foley Jr. to the COO role.
Foley, a respected second-generation racer, undoubtedly brings “street cred” to the position. However, he inherits a fractured internal culture and a base of member tracks (now numbering 117 following the WDRA merger) that are beginning to worry about the stability of the parent organization.
The IHRA’s move to mandate eighth-mile racing across all classes for 2026—a move spearheaded by Woodruff before his exit—was already a polarizing decision intended to save racers money and improve safety. Without Woodruff there to sell that vision to the skeptics, the IHRA risks alienating the “old guard” of the sport at the same time they are struggling to fix their basic digital registration systems.
The Bottom Line
Darryl Cuttell has proven he has the checkbook to buy the sport’s history. The question remains whether he has the temperament to manage its future.
The firing of Woodruff and Underwood suggests a leadership style that favors absolute loyalty over “uncomfortable truths.” In the high-speed world of drag racing, ignoring the warning lights on the dashboard usually leads to a spectacular—and expensive—engine failure. For the sake of the hundreds of tracks and thousands of racers now under the IHRA umbrella, the industry is hoping Cuttell finds the right tune-up before the 2026 season goes up in smoke.
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