How Darryl Cuttell’s Would-Be IHRA Empire Came Crashing Down

Darryl Cuttell, the new owner of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), bought the struggling drag racing series in December 2024 and is now pointing to Elon Musk as a key reason the organization’s efforts have faltered. Cuttell, 61, is a master electrician and owner of Ohio-based Darana Hybrid, which he says was the lead contractor on Musk’s new data center in Memphis, Tennessee—called the “Colossus.” Cuttell argues Musk’s role in the situation helped derail IHRA’s attempt to elevate the second-tier series to a level that could challenge the dominant, 75-year-old NHRA.