IHRA Official Scott Woodruff Says He Was Fired by Text, Then Called Out Leadership on Facebook

It only took one text message and a Facebook post to set off the latest controversy inside the International Hot Rod Association. Longtime racing figure Scott Woodruff says he was let go from his position with the series via a simple text message from IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell, and he didn’t hold back once he went public about it.

A Blunt Send-Off

Woodruff’s post didn’t mince words about how the departure went down. “This seems like a productive way to end a relationship,” he wrote, making clear he disagreed with the decision and signaling he had more to say about problems he saw brewing within the series.

He didn’t stop at criticizing how he was let go. Woodruff also questioned the direction of IHRA leadership more broadly, specifically taking aim at the qualifications of the people now steering the organization. “Why would anybody bring someone with no drag racing experience to lead the charge,” he wrote, arguing it would be tough to get good results without leadership that understands the sport from the inside, including the day-to-day realities of running events, driving ticket sales, and supporting racers.

He didn’t detail specific incidents behind that frustration, but the tone was unmistakable: “I have done all I can do,” he wrote. “Without competent people in place success will be a mile away… and out of reach.”

Still a Racer’s Send-Off

Even with the criticism, Woodruff closed his statement with a message aimed squarely at the people who make up the sport rather than the organization’s leadership. “Best of luck IHRA fans, racers and partners… I did the best with what I had,” he wrote. “Thanks for the time at helm… best of luck.”

That combination, pointed criticism of leadership paired with a genuine goodbye to the racing community, is a reminder of how personal these jobs tend to be. Officials inside sanctioning bodies are frequently racers themselves or come up through the sport, and when a departure like this turns public, it tends to resonate well beyond the person involved because of how tightly connected everyone in the paddock actually is.

What Happens Next Is Anyone’s Guess

As of now, the IHRA hasn’t publicly addressed Woodruff’s version of events or the circumstances of his exit, and it’s not clear whether any leadership changes will follow. What is clear is that the post has already spread fast across drag racing’s social media circles, with racers and fans debating what it might mean for the organization’s direction going forward. Whether this turns into a bigger shakeup or fades as an isolated dispute likely depends on whether IHRA leadership responds at all.

About the Author

Shawn Henry

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Shawn Henry has spent years writing about cars, and it shows—not in a resume kind of way, but in how he talks about them. He's the type who'll notice the weird trim option nobody remembers and actually know why it mattered. At Backfire News, he covers pretty much the whole spectrum: off-road trucks and trail builds, performance cars, racing, and the collector market. He's comfortable getting into the technical weeds, but he never forgets that most people read about cars because cars are fun, not because they want a spec sheet. His beat runs from classic and collector vehicles to overlanding culture, modified performance builds, new automotive tech, and the industry news that actually affects what ends up in your driveway. Mostly, though, Shawn thinks the best car stories are about people—the builds they pour money into, the road trips, the communities that form around a shared obsession. That's the stuff he likes writing about, and it's what you'll find in his work here.

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