Take a look at this, American Drag Racing Faces Uncertain Future as 12 Major Racetracks Go Up for Sale-Tom Bailey Sounds the Alarm!
The American drag racing community is facing one of its most troubling moments in recent history. With 12 major motorsports properties heading toward auction, growing financial uncertainty surrounding IHRA-related operations, and fears that historic racing facilities could disappear forever, veteran drag racer Tom Bailey is calling on racers and fans to take action before it is too late.
The situation has sent shockwaves through the sport, raising serious questions about the future of some of America’s best-known drag strips. From Virginia Motorsports Park to Milan Dragway and Memphis International Raceway, facilities that have hosted countless races could soon find themselves under new ownership.
But while the headlines focus on financial problems and potential closures, Bailey is doing more than speaking out. He is actively working to bring new life to a Michigan drag strip, demonstrating that protecting the future of drag racing may require racers themselves to get involved.
Twelve American Racetracks Face an Uncertain Future
On October 6, 2026, news emerged that 12 racetrack and motorsports properties across eight states were being offered for sale.
The announcement immediately sparked concern throughout the racing community, particularly among competitors who depend on these facilities for regional events, national competitions, testing, and grassroots racing.
The properties listed for sale include:
- Atlanta Dragway – Georgia
- Dragway 42 – Ohio
- Kil-Kare Raceway – Ohio
- National Trail Raceway – Ohio
- GALOT Motorsports Park – North Carolina
- Piedmont Dragway – North Carolina
- Rockingham Speedway – North Carolina
- Empire Dragway – New York
- Heartland Motorsports Park – Kansas
- Memphis International Raceway – Tennessee
- Milan Dragway – Michigan
- Virginia Motorsports Park – Virginia
According to the auction information discussed in the video, sealed bids must be submitted by November 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Potential buyers may also negotiate purchases before that deadline, while qualified bidders could participate in a subsequent online bidding process.
Importantly, being listed for sale does not automatically mean these racetracks are permanently closing.
A new owner could choose to continue racing operations. However, the uncertainty surrounding future ownership is enough to concern racers, promoters, and fans who have spent decades supporting these facilities.
How Did IHRA Become Connected to This Crisis?
The situation follows an ambitious expansion involving businessman Daryl Catell and companies associated with Darana Motorsports Holdings.
In late 2024, Catell acquired the International Hot Rod Association, better known as IHRA, before expanding his involvement in motorsports through the acquisition of numerous racing properties.
Initially, the expansion appeared to signal a potentially exciting new chapter for American drag racing.
The possibility of substantial investment in racetracks, expanded racing programs, and improved facilities generated interest throughout the industry.
However, according to the account presented in the video and reporting it references, the expansion encountered significant financial and operational difficulties.
Problems reportedly included expensive property acquisitions, management challenges, canceled events, substantial operating expenses, and racing programs that struggled to generate sufficient revenue.
The IHRA professional racing series also reportedly collapsed amid the broader financial difficulties.
What initially looked like an effort to strengthen American drag racing has now become a major source of uncertainty for the sport.
Tom Bailey Reveals His Perspective on the Financial Problems
Few people understand the importance of racetracks better than Tom Bailey.
Known for his involvement in drag-and-drive competition, Sick the Magazine, and some of the most demanding street-car racing events in America, Bailey has built his reputation around racing vehicles that are not only extremely fast but also capable of traveling between tracks on public roads.
Following the auction announcement, Bailey released a video on October 7 discussing the situation and encouraging the racing community to support its local facilities.
His explanation focused heavily on what he believes went wrong with the rapid expansion.
According to Bailey’s account, some properties were acquired through financing arrangements that placed significant financial pressure on operations that were already expensive to maintain.
He also described substantial spending on equipment, vehicles, and machinery that he believed was excessive or poorly suited to the needs of the facilities.
Bailey suggested that revenue from a separate construction and contracting business had helped support the racing operations.
When financial problems emerged in that business, the racetrack investments reportedly became increasingly difficult to sustain.
These are Bailey’s descriptions and interpretations of events, rather than independently established conclusions about the companies’ finances.
Nevertheless, his broader concern is clear: owning a racetrack is expensive, and even popular racing facilities can struggle when operating costs and debt become unsustainable.
A Massive Lawsuit Adds Another Layer of Uncertainty
The racetrack situation has also become intertwined with a significant legal dispute involving companies connected to Elon Musk’s xAI.
According to the reporting referenced in the transcript, entities associated with xAI filed a federal lawsuit in Tennessee on August 4, 2026, against Darana-related businesses, Daryl Catell, and other parties.
The lawsuit alleges contractual violations, overbilling, and fraud involving data center construction projects.
Reported claims seek damages exceeding $500 million, while the defendants have raised payment claims of their own.
These allegations remain contested, and no final court ruling establishing liability is identified in the available material.
Although the lawsuit and racetrack sales have been discussed together, the precise financial relationship between the legal dispute and the proposed property sales has not been conclusively established.
For racers, however, the immediate concern is much simpler: what happens to the tracks when ownership changes?
Could Historic Drag Strips Be Replaced by Industrial Developments?
Perhaps the most alarming possibility involves the land itself.
Many of the properties being offered for sale occupy enormous parcels of real estate.
Milan Dragway reportedly covers approximately 317 acres, while Atlanta Dragway occupies roughly 343 acres.
Virginia Motorsports Park extends across more than 500 acres and includes substantial spectator infrastructure.
That amount of land can attract buyers whose interests have nothing to do with motorsports.
Industrial developers, distribution companies, data center operators, and other businesses may see considerable value in properties that drag racing enthusiasts view as irreplaceable.
This is the possibility that worries Bailey most.
A racetrack can be sold to another racing operator and continue hosting events. But once the racing surface is demolished and the land is redeveloped, bringing the facility back becomes extraordinarily difficult.
There is currently no confirmed evidence in the supplied account that any of the 12 properties has been purchased for redevelopment.
Still, the risk illustrates a major challenge facing motorsports facilities throughout the United States.
For the racing community, losing a drag strip means losing far more than a piece of pavement.
It means losing a place where young drivers make their first passes, families spend weekends together, racers develop their skills, and local motorsports traditions continue from one generation to the next.
Tom Bailey Is Working to Bring Lapeer Dragway Back in 2027
While the broader industry faces uncertainty, Bailey is attempting to make a difference at one Michigan facility.
He has been working on arrangements involving Lapeer Dragway, with the goal of preparing the track for racing activities in 2027.
According to the video, his efforts include dealing with insurance requirements, working through takeover arrangements, and raising money for necessary improvements.
Bailey has also offered merchandise for sale to help support the renovation effort.
The initiative is significant because it represents a practical response to a problem that many racers feel powerless to influence.
Rather than simply criticizing the situation, Bailey is attempting to preserve another place where racers can compete.
However, the available information does not confirm that the takeover has been finalized, establish a complete renovation budget, or provide an officially confirmed 2027 racing schedule.
Even with those uncertainties, the effort highlights the type of involvement that may become increasingly important if more American drag strips encounter financial difficulties.
Sick Week 2027 Sells Out as Drag Racing Demand Remains Strong
Despite the troubling racetrack news, there is also encouraging evidence that enthusiasm for drag racing remains extremely strong.
On October 10, 2026, Sick the Magazine announced that registration spots for Sick Week 2027 had sold out in approximately one minute.
The event, scheduled for February 5–13, 2027, will take competitors through several well-known racing facilities, including Gainesville Raceway, South Georgia Motorsports Park, Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Orlando Speed World.
Sick Week combines drag racing with a demanding road-trip format in which competitors must drive their race cars between participating tracks.
The event also introduces a Sick Sevens category featuring a 7.50-second index.
The rapid sellout demonstrates that racers are still eager to participate in challenging, well-organized events.
However, strong registration demand does not automatically mean that racetrack ownership is financially profitable.
That distinction is important.
Drag racing can have passionate participants, enthusiastic spectators, and successful individual events while still facing serious challenges involving property expenses, insurance, staffing, and maintenance.
The contrast between Sick Week’s popularity and the auction of 12 motorsports properties highlights the complicated state of the industry.
New Drag-and-Drive Events Could Help Keep the Sport Growing
Bailey is also exploring opportunities to introduce drag-and-drive competition to additional established racing events.
In August 2026, Sick the Magazine announced discussions between Bailey and promoter Mel Roth about a potential eight-car drag-and-drive-inspired category at the Street Car Super Nationals.
The event is scheduled for November 19–22, 2026, in Las Vegas.
At the time described in the video, the proposed class remained under discussion, with its final format and participation not yet confirmed.
Nevertheless, the concept reflects an important strategy for the future of motorsports.
Instead of relying exclusively on expensive new facilities or major racing organizations, promoters can develop exciting formats using tracks and events that already exist.
Drag-and-drive competition has become particularly attractive because it combines extreme horsepower, mechanical endurance, street driving, and the unpredictable challenges of multi-day racing.
For spectators, it delivers a different experience from traditional drag racing.
For competitors, it creates opportunities to test both performance and reliability.
And for racetracks, successful events can help attract participants, spectators, and additional business.
Why Losing Local Racetracks Would Hurt American Motorsports
The potential loss of established drag strips would affect far more than professional racing organizations.
Local racetracks form the foundation of the sport.
They provide opportunities for grassroots competitors, bracket racers, small-tire racers, street-car enthusiasts, and aspiring professional drivers.
They also support local businesses, including automotive repair shops, engine builders, performance parts suppliers, transportation companies, and event vendors.
When a racing facility disappears, the surrounding motorsports community often suffers alongside it.
Drivers may have to travel hundreds of additional miles to compete, making participation more expensive and difficult.
Some racers may simply stop competing.
Younger enthusiasts could lose convenient access to organized, controlled racing environments.
And communities that have supported racing for generations may lose a valuable part of their identity.
That is why Bailey’s message extends beyond IHRA, corporate ownership, or the current auction.
His argument is ultimately about preserving the infrastructure that allows drag racing to exist.
What Happens Next for IHRA and American Drag Racing?
The November 17 auction deadline represents an important milestone.
Potential buyers will have an opportunity to acquire properties with long histories in American motorsports.
Some could emerge under ownership committed to maintaining racing operations.
Others may face prolonged uncertainty, additional investment requirements, or possible redevelopment.
At this stage, it would be premature to predict the outcome for individual facilities.
It is also important to distinguish the sale of racetrack properties from the future of IHRA itself. The property listings do not establish that the organization has permanently ceased to exist.
Meanwhile, Bailey’s efforts at Lapeer Dragway and the continued popularity of Sick Week demonstrate that the sport still has dedicated participants and promoters willing to invest time, money, and effort into its future.
The challenge is turning that enthusiasm into sustainable operations.
Final Thoughts: The Future of Drag Racing Is About More Than Horsepower
American drag racing has survived economic downturns, changing automotive trends, rising operating costs, and countless challenges over the decades.
But the possible sale of 12 major motorsports properties presents a different kind of threat.
Unlike a broken engine or a canceled race, the permanent loss of a racetrack can be extremely difficult to reverse.
Tom Bailey’s warning comes at a moment when the sport must confront the realities of land ownership, financial sustainability, and long-term facility preservation.
His efforts involving Lapeer Dragway show that individual racers and promoters can play a meaningful role, even if they cannot solve an industry-wide problem alone.
With the November 17, 2026 auction deadline approaching, the racing community will be watching closely to see who acquires these properties and whether their futures include motorsports.
The biggest question facing American drag racing is no longer just who has the fastest car. It is whether the next generation will still have enough racetracks left to race on.
