IHRA: Maryland International Raceway sets the standard

Monday, 23 May 2016


Steven Cole Smith / Image by Maryland International Raceway
This is one in a series of profiles on the 100 IHRA member tracks across the U.S. and beyond.
If the weather cooperates, Maryland International Raceway might rewrite the record books after the IHRA President's Cup Nationals Fueled by Sunoco takes to the track June 17-18 – thanks to its newly repaved track.
IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRSE) acquired the track in 2014; their family of companies includes the IHRA, the International Drag Bike League and four tracks (Maryland, Memphis, Cordova and Palm Beach). IRSE and track officials worked hard to get a new surface – geotextile overlay fabric with laser-leveled asphalt – down in early May, and so far, reviews have been stellar.
Founded in 1966, MDIR had been owned and operated since 1990 by Royce and Linda Miller. It has been an IHRA member track since 1992. The track is located in Mechanicsville, Maryland, about 50 miles south of Washington, D.C., and has a large and loyal following for its weekly shows. There are plenty of special events on the calendar, too, including motorcycle and import shows.
One sign of a well-managed track is a comprehensive website and an active Facebook page, and Maryland International Raceway has both: online at mirdrag.com, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/RaceMDIR. The schedule is packed with events from March to November, essentially ending the season with its Haltech World Cup Finals, with an "Imports versus Domestic" theme.
The track also has its own on-site radio station, WMIR 89.9 FM. For racers, there's a variety of fuels offered on site, as well as nitrous refills.
For more information on the track or on the IHRA President's Cup Nationals, check out the website or call the track at (301) 884-RACE.