NASCAR will soon have competition, well, sort of. The Fairfield, Ohio-based International Hot Rod Association drag racing series announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its reach into a different form of racing, namely, a new stock car series set to begin in 2026.

Known as the IHRA Stock Car Series, drivers will be competing for a $2 million purse for the eight-race series, with events slated at six tracks primarily in the Southeast. The grassroots series is being pegged as “A Return to Authentic Stock Car Racing.”

“We’re bringing stock car racing back to its roots,” IHRA President & CEO Darryl Cuttell said in a statement. “This is racing that rewards driver skill, smart setups, and teamwork, not massive budgets. It’s exactly the kind of competition fans love, and competitors deserve.”

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