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IHRA Renews Agreement With US 13 Dragway (DE)
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US 13 Dragway, the 1/4-mile drag strip in Delmar, Delaware, has renewed its sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).
The historic facility, which opened in 1963, also features a 1/2-mile clay oval known as Delaware International Speedway. For track owner Charlie Cathell, being a part of the IHRA and the Summit SuperSeries makes sense, since the program with track champions qualifying for the IHRA Summit World Finals in Memphis is similar to a program ran decades ago at his dirt track.
“A bracket program was something we had initially in the 70s,” Cathell said. “We were also affiliated with a dirt organization where they had a program if you qualified at your local dirt track, you went to their version of the world finals at Syracuse. It was something good to offer the local racers.
“At the time, we were struggling along with everyone else. Class racing was starting to draw back and the tracks didn’t have the same standards. We were ready to fold the drag strip and I put bracket racing on the table as a solution that might help us all. Bracket racing has been the salvation of a lot for a lot of drag strips.”
Cathell is always looking to better the facility with several safety improvements unveiled before the 2019 season. A common refrain heard at many IHRA member tracks, Cathell said the key to success is the family atmosphere at US 13 Dragway.
“We’re blessed to have what you call Eastern Shore hospitality,” Cathell said. “When you come here to race, if it’s your first race, you’ll find someone over there talking to you and they will do something to help you. Now when you pull on the starting line, they’re going to try to whip your tail.
“But if you’re broke, you have needs; there are people there to help you get in the buy-back program. It’s not just us; it’s what I call our racer family. We’re in the third generation of ownership and third generation of racers.”
For more information, visit the IHRA website to the US 13 Dragway website.
The historic facility, which opened in 1963, also features a 1/2-mile clay oval known as Delaware International Speedway. For track owner Charlie Cathell, being a part of the IHRA and the Summit SuperSeries makes sense, since the program with track champions qualifying for the IHRA Summit World Finals in Memphis is similar to a program ran decades ago at his dirt track.
“A bracket program was something we had initially in the 70s,” Cathell said. “We were also affiliated with a dirt organization where they had a program if you qualified at your local dirt track, you went to their version of the world finals at Syracuse. It was something good to offer the local racers.
“At the time, we were struggling along with everyone else. Class racing was starting to draw back and the tracks didn’t have the same standards. We were ready to fold the drag strip and I put bracket racing on the table as a solution that might help us all. Bracket racing has been the salvation of a lot for a lot of drag strips.”
Cathell is always looking to better the facility with several safety improvements unveiled before the 2019 season. A common refrain heard at many IHRA member tracks, Cathell said the key to success is the family atmosphere at US 13 Dragway.
“We’re blessed to have what you call Eastern Shore hospitality,” Cathell said. “When you come here to race, if it’s your first race, you’ll find someone over there talking to you and they will do something to help you. Now when you pull on the starting line, they’re going to try to whip your tail.
“But if you’re broke, you have needs; there are people there to help you get in the buy-back program. It’s not just us; it’s what I call our racer family. We’re in the third generation of ownership and third generation of racers.”
For more information, visit the IHRA website to the US 13 Dragway website.
