The IHRA looks to be in shambles. Days after the COO and VP of Advertising were let go, there have been further reports of unpaid dues and more firings. The series seems to be in a serious financial crisis, and this might have been triggered by the major expansion they were going through. While IHRA’s future remains in question, a new vendor claim has added more fuel to the fire.

Internal turmoil in the IHRA ramps up

Speaking on anonymity, a vendor claimed that the International Hot Rod Association has an overdue payment of $2,500, showing the dire position the series could be in. Another individual claimed that they were let go through a short email. This has been the highlight of the series in the past few days.

On the 5 of March, screenshots floated on the internet, revealing how the executives were fired through text messages. Chief Operating Officer Scott “Woody” Woodruff and Vice President of Advertising Brett Underwood were both let go from their positions, reportedly through phone calls and text messages.

What has come out to be more surprising is the timing of these firings. The IHRA was preparing to challenge NASCAR in one way or the other. They had been making quite a few acquisitions of tracks, including the Rockingham Speedway. They aimed to “restore the true essence of grassroots stock car racing” through their new series, but that plan is now in doubt.

As of now, Doug Foley Jr. has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Understandably, there could be a lot of major structural changes coming through for the series. However, the official updates have been limited.

As mentioned earlier, a vendor claimed that the IHRA has an outstanding $2.5k payment. If this is indeed true, the series could be in major trouble regarding the future. There is a possibility that they might consider rescheduling their new stock car series. However, there is no official confirmation regarding this.

IHRA’s new stock car series

The International Hot Rod Association has always differed from NASCAR in terms of racing. However, earlier in November 2025, they announced their own stock car racing series, named the ‘IHRA Stock Car Series’. Understandably, this could have been a threat to the France family and their national-level stock car racing competition.

The series was designed to be cost-effective, to make racers use more strategy than more spending to make their way into the higher ranks.

“We’re bringing stock car racing back to its roots,” said Darryl Cuttell. “This is racing that rewards driver skill, smart setups, and teamwork—not massive budgets. It’s exactly the kind of competition fans love, and competitors deserve.”

Currently, there is not a very clear path for young and aspiring stock drivers to make their way to NASCAR. Technically, the introduction of a new grassroots series would’ve been beneficial for the overall motorsports development in the country.

But it currently seems that the International Hot Rod Association made quite a few major decisions without solving a major cash flow issue. This appears to have imbalanced their books, and hence, the firings. Currently, it is tough to comment on the situation the series might find itself in the near future, but it certainly does not look good.