Rumor Mill – Competition Plus

RUMOR MILL: IS IHRA SNIFFING AROUND NEW JERSEY?

Bobby Bennett — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:03:22 +0000

The expansion chatter surrounding the IHRA isn’t slowing down.

Following its recent acquisition of Atlanta Dragway and Virginia Motorsports Park, there’s growing industry talk that the sanctioning body could be eyeing another strategic move.

This time, the whispers are pointing north.

Multiple sources suggest IHRA officials have at least explored conversations tied to New Jersey — a market with deep drag racing roots and a passionate fan base. Whether that means acquisition, partnership, or something more exploratory remains unclear.

Nothing confirmed. Nothing announced.

But when expansion momentum starts building, it rarely stops at two, five, ten, or whatever the number is at now.

Stay tuned.

FTI RUMOR MILL: LUCAS OIL WORLD CHAMPION EYEING TAILOR-MADE BLOWN-ALCOHOL PROGRAM?

Bobby Bennett — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:48:18 +0000

There’s legitimate noise rolling through the sportsman pits.

Multiple sources indicate a longtime NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world champion is preparing to step away from carburetors and gasoline in favor of a supercharged, alcohol-burning combination.

This isn’t a hand-me-down deal, either.

Word is the car will be tailor-made specifically for the veteran — built around his preferences, driving style, and decades of experience. That alone suggests this isn’t a curiosity move. It’s a calculated one.

The bigger question now: does the body lift, or stay planted on a doorslammer-style chassis?

No official confirmation yet. But when folks start whispering at the same time, something’s usually coming together.

Stay tuned.

RUMOR MILL: IS IHRA PLANNING THE FIRST TRUE GLOBAL DRAG RACING SERIES?

CompetitionPlus Staff — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 22:00:58 +0000

Earlier this season, a newly energized International Hot Rod Association quietly planted a flag on foreign soil, officially taking control of its Australian property and, in the process, igniting far bigger conversations than a single acquisition. While the IHRA has spent much of the year methodically snapping up racing facilities and rebuilding its domestic footprint, whispers around the pits and in sanctioning-body boardrooms suggest something far more ambitious may be taking shape. A world series with stops in Europe and the Middle East as well?

Those rumors point toward a bold, once-unthinkable idea: an honest-to-goodness global drag racing series. Under the leadership of Darryl Cuttell, the IHRA is rumored to be exploring a schedule that would stretch beyond U.S. borders, linking American events with international stops and turning drag racing into a truly worldwide championship rather than a regional export.

RUMOR MILL: U.S. 131 MOVEMENT STIRS NEW SANCTIONING QUESTIONS

Bobby Bennett — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The movement of racetracks between sanctioning bodies appears far from finished. CompetitionPlus.com is hearing renewed rumblings that U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, long regarded as one of the crown jewels of Michigan-based facilities, may be the next piece on the board.

Sources familiar with the discussions say the track — a cornerstone venue during the Bill Bader IHRA era and more recently part of the WDRA structure — has drawn interest from NHRA for potential future alignment. Nothing formal has surfaced, but multiple voices close to the situation indicate the conversations are active enough to merit attention.

U.S. 131’s history is no small part of the intrigue. The Martin, Michigan, facility once anchored the Popular Hot Rodding Nationals through the 1970s and ’80s, routinely packing the property with one of the sport’s most loyal fanbases. The track’s modern schedule of packed independent events suggests that enthusiasm hasn’t waned.

What remains unclear is how any shift would take shape. The NHRA calendar is historically difficult to adjust, and adding a new national-event-level stop isn’t done lightly. But if whispers are accurate, 2027 has been floated as a possible target window should all parties choose to move forward.

There’s also the broader context. With IHRA reinventing itself, and NHRA exploring strategic markets, the sanctioning landscape is experiencing more movement than it has in years. U.S. 131’s reputation, infrastructure, and turnout potential make it one of the few tracks capable of altering that balance.

CompetitionPlus.com will continue following the angles as they develop. For now, the notion of Martin landing on an NHRA weekend sheet remains a question — but one that insiders say shouldn’t be dismissed.

RUMOR MILL: WHO’S IN LINE TO FILL THE CORNWELL TOOLS SEAT AT JFR?

Bobby Bennett — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:07:39 +0000

Sources close to the situation indicate that the departure of the Prock family from John Force Racing — a story CompetitionPlus.com chronicled as it developed — has created one of the most-watched vacancies in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. With Cornwell Tools expected to remain on a Funny Car, the question now shifts to who will strap into the open seat.

What we’re hearing is that JFR is reportedly already deep into discussions for 2026, and the early whispers suggest two prominent names are in the mix — both of whom once raced for the same team owner in a previous chapter of their careers. If that duo is indeed on the board, it raises an intriguing question: Is JFR aiming for a four-car lineup, or will this come down to a three-car organization with these two as the leading candidates?

Those familiar with the ongoing talks say team leadership has been actively evaluating multiple configurations, including a scenario where a pair of veteran drivers could reunite under the JFR umbrella. Their resumes, combined with existing manufacturer alignment and sponsor appeal, reportedly make them strong fits for a Cornwell-branded entry.

There’s also chatter that JFR’s long-standing preference for fielding cars with championship potential is shaping the final decision. One version of the rumored plan suggests the team might expand, while another points toward a leaner three-car roster with one clear front-runner for the open seat and the second candidate being positioned elsewhere in the organization.

For now, nothing is confirmed. But the dynamic inside JFR appears to be shifting, and multiple sources indicate options remain wide open as evaluations continue. We’re told the speculation is expected to end at the upcoming PRI Show, where clarity on the Cornwell Tools Funny Car question may finally emerge.

As always, CompetitionPlus.com will stay on top of every development as this storyline progresses.

RUMOR MILL: IHRA’S QUIET POWER PLAY GAINS STEAM WITH NEW ATLANTA DRAGWAY REVELATIONS

Bobby Bennett — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:00:09 +0000

The more layers that get peeled back from the IHRA’s growing “news onion,” the more this story brings quiet but serious intrigue. Word circulating through reliable channels suggests that on the IHRA’s rumored ten-race 2026 schedule, four of the facilities were on the NHRA tour in 2000, while only two appeared on the IHRA slate that same year. That twist alone is raising eyebrows across the sport.

The newest breadcrumb came with IHRA’s surprise announcement of its Stock Car series, which quietly listed Race 8 for Oct. 17 in Memphis, Tenn. The timing is notable: just weeks before the sanctioning body’s season-ending drag racing event — also reportedly at the former Memphis Motorsports Park. If true, it marks a bold double-dip into a facility long considered dormant.

But the track generating the most industry buzz? Atlanta Dragway. Left for dead after its 2021 closure and sale, the storied Commerce, Ga., facility appears to be far from finished. Sources tell CompetitionPlus.com that the situation in Banks County may be far more favorable for a return than previously believed.

Based on what we’ve uncovered, the property is still zoned for racing — meaning no rezoning hearings, no bureaucratic hurdles, and no lengthy county process to navigate. All that would be required to reopen is a business license. And that’s where things get even more interesting.

We’re told influential locals have been in direct, regular communication with the IHRA, and county leadership is reportedly enthusiastic about a revival. Sources say officials have even been on-site to inspect the grounds and meet with representatives, signaling a level of cooperation not seen since the track’s heyday.

Nothing is official. Nothing is confirmed. But the whispers are getting louder, the puzzle pieces are aligning, and the IHRA appears poised to make moves that could reshape the Southeast drag racing map.

Stay tuned — this one’s heating up.

RUMOR MILL: PROCK FAMILY’S EXIT FROM JFR TAKES A SHARP TURN

Bobby Bennett — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 04:03:57 +0000

For most of the season, whispers have followed the Prock family like tire smoke — the kind of persistent chatter that suggested their time with John Force Racing was winding down, possibly to launch a program of their own. On Friday, those whispers found traction.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned that John Force Racing was formally notified from sources within the team of the Procks’ intention to depart the organization, ending one of the most successful modern pairings in nitro racing. The timing wasn’t shocking — but the alleged destination is.

Sources close to the situation tell us the Procks are expected to align with a Funny Car operation that once carried deep ties to John Force himself. If true, the move would send ripples through the class and potentially reshape the 2026 landscape.

Additional details are guarded tightly, but those familiar with the situation say more dominoes could fall before the end of the year. Stay tuned — this storyline is gathering horsepower.

RUMOR MILL: IHRA EYES SHOCKING RETURNS FOR COMMERCE AND MEMPHIS

CompetitionPlus Staff — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:26:08 +0000

Sources close to the IHRA tell CompetitionPlus.com the sanctioning body is moving quickly toward announcing that the long-shuttered facilities in Commerce, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn., will be part of its ten-race national-event schedule next season. Insiders say IHRA President Darryl Cuttell has surrounded himself with construction and operations professionals who are prepared to tackle the extensive work required to revive both tracks.

Atlanta Dragway’s 2021 shutdown was treated as permanent after NHRA sold the property and local developers looked to the future without drag racing. The idea of Commerce returning to the national spotlight was considered unrealistic given the region’s booming commercial growth and the belief that the Southern Nationals’ home was gone forever. Any move to reopen it would upend years of industry assumptions.

Memphis International Raceway followed a similar script when IRGSE closed the gates in 2022. The property was widely expected to be repurposed for non-motorsports use, and few believed the multi-use complex would ever host another sanctioned event. Its reappearance on an IHRA schedule would amount to one of the sport’s most unexpected comebacks.

Those tied to the discussions say more announcements may be on the horizon — developments they claim will “shock even the people who think they already know everything.” Whether those surprises involve additional tracks, expanded partnerships, or structural changes within the series remains tightly guarded.

For now, the possibility of Commerce and Memphis returning under the IHRA banner is enough to set off industrywide chatter. If these revivals materialize, the 2026 season could rewrite expectations for where the sanctioning body is heading and how aggressively it intends to reshape the national drag-racing landscape.

RUMOR MILL – A THIRD FORCE FUNNY CAR IN THE MIX FOR 2026

Bobby Bennett — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 20:17:21 +0000

The NHRA pits are buzzing with talk that John Force Racing could expand to three Funny Cars in 2026 — with a female driver who doesn’t share the Force surname.

No official confirmation has surfaced, but multiple sources suggest the addition would join reigning title contender Austin Prock and 2012 world champion Jack Beckman, signaling a renewed push by the powerhouse organization.

Speculation also points to a returning crew chief familiar with the team from past championship seasons.

The team has declined comment, staying true to its tight-lipped approach to future plans. Still, talk around the pits and online shows no sign of slowing, as fans and insiders debate who could fill the seat and when the news might break.

RUMOR MILL: COUGHLIN AND KB RACING PART WAYS?

Bobby Bennett — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:09:00 +0000

The rumor mill is heating up again—this time surrounding Pro Stock rookie Cody Coughlin and his future with KB Racing.

Talk began circulating late last week that Coughlin has parted ways with the powerhouse operation following a first round loss at the NHRA FallNationals in Ennis, Texas.
CompetitionPlus.com has reached out to Coughlin for confirmation but has not yet received a response.

Interestingly, his name still appears on the NHRA entry lists for both Las Vegas and Pomona, but multiple sources have indicated he may not compete in either event.

Sources also indicate that a move to Elite Motorsports is apparently not in the cards for the rookie drag racer.

Coughlin’s first season in the class has been respectable, with 10 round wins, a No. 1 qualifier, and a final-round appearance to his credit. He currently sits eighth in the championship standings.

As always, this remains in the rumor category until confirmed. Stay tuned to CompetitionPlus.com for updates as this story develops.