The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and Maryland International Raceway (MIR) have jointly announced the cancellation of The President’s Cup Nationals, originally scheduled for August 8-9, 2025.
The announcement was made via MIR’s Facebook page, citing IHRA’s limited access to content and ongoing time constraints as key reasons for calling off the event.
The race was set to be a significant showcase for IHRA’s relaunch efforts and a major attraction on the calendar. However, its cancellation is the latest development in a series of turbulent moves surrounding the sanctioning body.
Notably, the decision comes months after IHRA declared a letter of intent to purchase MIR—a claim that was later denied by track management and criticized for fueling confusion across the drag racing community.
In the wake of that announcement, IHRA has also seen the removal of top executives, including CEO Christian Byrd and President Rich Schaeffer, along with Vice President of Race Operations Alan Reinhart.
While the event has been called off, MIR has stated that plans for replacement events are in the works and will be announced soon. As for IHRA, no formal statement has appeared on its website or social platforms.
This story was originally published on May 13, 2025. 
