IHRA Launches Exciting Triple Crown x2 Event at Darana Raceway Maple Grove Park

The International Hot Rod Association has shifted the 2026 Triple Crown finale to Darana Raceway Maple Grove Park, turning September 10–13 into a two-race doubleheader to resolve scheduling conflicts.

The move replaces a planned return to Darana Memphis Motorsports Park. Compressed calendars left insufficient weekends to host every stop there in 2026.

The season still opens June 19–20 at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, before the back-to-back Maple Grove events decide the titles.

Maple Grove’s first race features Thursday qualifying and Friday eliminations. The second runs Saturday qualifying and Sunday eliminations, sustaining four straight days of competition.

IHRA positions the weekend as a flagship show, with quarter-mile speeds beyond 340 mph from Top Fuel and Funny Car.

A $1 million Triple Crown bonus rewards any driver sweeping all three events, spanning Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Mod, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, and IHRA Pro Stock.

Additional headliners include Top Fuel Motorcycle, Nitro Harley, Fuel Altered, Outlaw Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Earlier uncertainty around the calendar, highlighted by the IHRA Triple Crown delay, underpinned this consolidation. IHRA leadership, led by president Dustin Farthing, targets stability and scale.

Single-day tickets cost $40, with online discounts. Weekend passes are $100, giving access to the entire doubleheader program.

High demand is expected, so early purchases are advised. Concentrating two Triple Crown races at one venue intensifies jeopardy and should sharpen competitive execution across classes.

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Miles Carter

Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.