As NASCAR’s charter battle continues to dominate the sport, a newcomer has quietly yet unmistakably stolen a share of the spotlight. The IHRA Stock Car Series, a brand-new tour geared toward grassroots racers, is suddenly the talk of the short-track world.
But it isn’t just the rulebook that has people paying attention; it’s the man funding it. The series is being launched by a businessman whose companies work with major Elon Musk–led ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI.
With that kind of backing, the message is clear: this isn’t just another local racing series. It’s a grassroots project with deep pockets and serious ambition, one that could even rival giants like NASCAR.
New Challenger in Stock Car Racing With Elon Musk-Affiliated Funding
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is making a bold move into stock car racing with the launch of its new IHRA Stock Car Series, led by Ohio entrepreneur Darryl H. Cuttell. Cuttell, who runs the electrical-mechanical firm Darana Hybrid, brings a reputation for ambitious ventures and deep-pocketed backing to the grassroots racing scene.
Cuttell’s new IHRA Stock Car Series is designed for the grassroots Saturday night warriors, focusing on driver skill over high-dollar tinkering. Unlike the usual Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model setups, the series relies on Limited Late Model and Pro Late Model rules, with both classes running spec AFCO shocks, no bump stops, no coil binding, and no fancy spring tricks, keeping the playing field even and wallets intact.
The series rulebook is tight. Minimum age limits are set at 14 for PLMs and 16 for Late Model Sportsman, keeping the door open for young guns ready to cut their teeth. The officials are making the series old-school; digital dashboards are out of bounds.
Not to mention, the tires are strictly event-locked, meaning each must come from either the current or previous IHRA meet, with all codes verified against official records. Teams now get just two sets per weekend, one for practice and one for qualifying and race day, so there’s no spinning your wheels trying every trick in the book.
In short, it’s a back-to-basics formula where racing smarts and true racecraft matter more than a money-burning tech war.
Father-and-son series directors Tim and Daniel Horton stress that the rules are carefully thought out. While tweaks aren’t entirely off the table, it will take strong arguments to change what’s already set.
“Nothing is off the table,” said Daniel (via ShortTrackScene.com). “But we’ve chosen these rules for the racers and are trying to save them some money. The AFCO shock is a great package and retails for $400.”
He added, “We want to get them off bump stops, which a lot of these races are on, only because that’s what’s used at the next level. Our racers generally don’t have access to a pull-down rig, and we used the Late Model Sportsman name because we want this to be a throwback to the late 90s, early 2000s era for these cars.”
Since its announcement, racers have been skeptical about the Series’ payouts. Still, despite operating at an estimated $1.2 million loss in its inaugural season before sponsorship, Cuttell’s deep pockets make the prize money genuine.
The Ohio-based entrepreneur may be well-known in business, but motorsport is where his passion lies. A true thrill-seeker at heart, he once hit 242 mph in a powerboat at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.
Last year, he acquired the IHRA Drag Racing sanctioning body, several tracks, and multiple tractor-pulling and powerboat series, thereby cementing his reputation as a bold and uncompromising presence in the racing world, one that could potentially rival NASCAR‘s dominance.
