The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) today announced that it will no longer serve as the promoter of the Sheboygan Midwest Challenge, originally scheduled for Aug. 7–9 in Sheboygan, WI.
In a prepared statement, the IHRA said it was "an extremely difficult decision" for the organization to make, but said that after carefully evaluating the financial position of the business, it would not be moving forward as the event promoter.
"We know this news will be disappointing to our racers, teams, sponsors, and fans," said IHRA President Dustin Farthing. "This decision was not made lightly, and we explored every possible option before reaching this conclusion. We sincerely appreciate the continued support of everyone involved throughout the 2026 season. While we are unable to move forward with promoting the Sheboygan Midwest Challenge, we remain grateful to the City of Sheboygan and all of our partners for their support and understanding."
IHRA had originally intended to complete the 2026 championship season with one final event for racers, teams, partners, and fans. However, the National Championship will conclude based on the results from the most recent championship event at Lake of the Ozarks. National Champions in each class will be determined and officially confirmed using the points standings following that event.
“This is an incredibly disappointing outcome for our community, local businesses, and the many fans who look forward to this event each year," said Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson. "Unfortunately, IHRA could not provide the race operations staffing needed to safely run the boat races, and that shortfall has led to their cancellation. Our team has been working closely with community partners to ensure the block party remains a highlight of the weekend. Our partners are excited to still bring the weekend events that will still give people a great reason to come out, enjoy our local parks and beaches.”
Due to IHRA no longer promoting the Sheboygan Midwest Challenge, the IHRA Pro Watercraft Series event that was scheduled to take place alongside the race weekend will be rescheduled. A new date and host location will be announced in the coming weeks, with additional details to be shared through IHRA's official channels.
IHRA thanks the City of Sheboygan, Visit Sheboygan, local partners, volunteers, sponsors, race teams, officials, and everyone who has worked to support the Midwest Challenge over the years, expressing gratitude for their partnership and dedication to the sport.
Further information regarding the 2026 National Championship standings, as well as updates on the rescheduled IHRA Pro Watercraft Series event, will be communicated directly to competitors and published through IHRA's official channels.