Located just 20 miles from Greensboro, it’s a busy place with around 90 events per year. Recent schedules have included tractor pulls, demolition derbys, drifting competitions besides drag racing. It even is the location of the Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Course this Saturday. It features a series of obstacles of strength, balance and endurance where athletes are tested to their limits. 

But, it is the commitment to the grassroots, Sportsman drag racing which make the IHRA a great fit for Piedmont Dragway.

Founded in 1957, Piedmont Dragway has a deep history in the sport. When Richard Petty took a hiatus from NASCAR over a dispute with the Hemi engines, he engaged in a series of match races at Piedmont with Pro Stock legend Ronnie Sox. The track also played host to high-profile match races between drag racing legends Roy Hill and IHRA Hall of Famer Rickie Smith in the 1990s.

The drag strip continues to play host to major events including the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering and FuelTech and the Big Dog Shootout Series, which features a strong, loyal following and includes a $20,000-to-win All-Star event. “The Carolina Kid” Travis Harvey was the 2023 Big Dog Shootout champion.

The IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering and FuelTech saw Michael Paschal score the Top (Box) victory with Scott Macy the runner-up. In a battle of Ford Mustangs, William Roberts was the Mod (No Box) winner and Carson Robbins was the other finalist. Forrest Radford took the Junior Dragster win with Landon Burnette taking runner-up honors.

Piedmont Dragway is part of Division 9 (Raiders) in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries program. Track representatives at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals for 2023 included: Bubba Paschal, Ernie Humes and Burnette.

With so much great racing and other events, the IHRA is proud to continue its partnership with Piedmont Dragway. You can learn more about this legendary track by clicking here to check out their Facebook page.