IHRA assembled a staff for the Hot Rod Classic that was second to none. Doug Foley, IHRA Division 1 and 9 Director, ran an efficiently smooth event as race director. He also announced the event with great professionalism and enthusiasm. He did a great job keeping the live crowd and those watching on IHRA-TV informed and entertained with what was happening down the race track.

Longtime track operator Steve Keys has joined the IHRA for our key races. Steve assisted in everything from racer pit parking to running the staging lanes. A true pro, he did everything in a skillful manner. It included handling the chip draw for the no-time cars and making sure everything ran on time.

Nick Bacalis, an employee of Bullet Racing Engines, handled the Pro Mod class from start to finish. He took care of everything from pairings to getting racers to the staging lanes. A huge thank you for Nick in how he handled every task. Tammi Moore worked the IHRA trailer, signing up new members and helping others with their renewals. She also took care of the payouts, greeting racers with a big smile.

Chad Reynolds set up and operated the IHRA-TV channel on YouTube. His work helped IHRA reach hundreds of thousands viewers during the broadcast. He took particular care of the IHRA’s partners and made sure their logos were prominently displayed. If you missed the IHRA Hot Rod Classic, you can catch it from beginning to end on youtube.com/@IHRA-TV.

In the days leading up to XRP’s Hot Rod Classic, Heather Roth made the process easier for several racers. She patiently answered many of their questions and helped them get signed up for memberships prior to the event.

What else can be said about the IHRA Owner and CEO Larry Jeffers? He greeted racers and chatted with them in the staging lanes. He put in the elbow grease and worked the water box all day during Thursday’s test-and-tune. A true jack-of-all trades, Larry served as a handheld camera operator for the IHRA-TV broadcasts Friday and Saturday. Larry was even present in the winner’s circle doing interviews with those who earned the prestigious victories.

The owner of the company has the heart and soul to do whatever it takes to make the IHRA great again.

The same can be said for IHRA President Mel Roth, who set up the FOAT for registration, made sure there was efficient pit parking and put together a run schedule that went off without any major hitches. Mel tried his best to talk to all the racers who participated. He took numerous photos of the racers, their cars and posted them on the Facebook page. He also did Facebook Live videos talking to the racers about their cars, racing history and other fun facts.

Mel and Larry enjoyed their time hanging out in the pits as it created an unforgettable time with the racers who attended the Hot Rod Classic. It’s a memory that both will cherish.

Behind the scenes, Kellie Kopp played an important role handling the travel arrangements for Larry and all the IHRA officials. 

Again, we can’t stress enough how much the efforts from those at XRP and the cooperation of the racers were appreciated. Several racers doubled up on parking spaces to make sure everyone had a place to pit and they were on time for staging. It was truly a team effort from everyone involved to create an amazing event.