The International Hot Rod Association has promoted Dustin Farthing to President of Sponsorships and Sports Marketing, giving the multi-time world champion a senior commercial role across the entire IHRA platform.
The appointment, announced on May 9, 2026, expands Farthing’s remit beyond the IHRA Pro Watercraft Racing Series, where he has served as Managing Director since its launch last December. In the new role he takes responsibility for sponsorship development, partnership growth, sports marketing and strategic brand integration across all IHRA disciplines.
IHRA has simultaneously posted for a national sponsorship sales team, with Farthing leading the recruitment effort directly. The positions are commission-based and focused on corporate partnership sales across what IHRA describes as a multi-discipline platform spanning drag racing, offshore powerboats, F1 tunnel boats, personal watercraft, stock cars, drag boats, tractor pulling, bull riding and live entertainment.
From racing to the boardroom
Farthing has competed professionally since 1995 and has accumulated more than 27 national and world titles across stand-up and runabout classes, making him one of the most decorated personal watercraft racers in the history of the sport. He is a 2009 UIM World Champion and has held multiple World Finals titles spanning three decades.
He races as number 79 under the Monster Energy Yamaha Farthing Racing banner, a team he owns and which now fields his sons Deven and Talan alongside him. His commercial relationships, most notably a partnership with Monster Energy spanning more than 17 years, gave him a foundation in sponsorship that few active racers can match.
Farthing has spoken publicly about the fragmentation in professional watercraft racing. Inconsistent rules, poor visibility and limited prize money drove his decision to take on a promotional role rather than simply compete.
The IHRA platform
IHRA has undergone substantial expansion since 2025. The Fairfield, Ohio-based organisation acquired Powerboat P1 USA offshore operations, added American F1 tunnel boat racing with a $500,000 prize fund commitment, and launched the Pro Watercraft Racing Series with a minimum $250,000 prize purse. The addition of stock cars, tractor pulling and live entertainment events has repositioned IHRA from a traditional drag-racing body into a broader motorsports and entertainment operation.
Farthing’s job posting described the sponsorship opportunity across the platform as representing hundreds of millions of dollars in potential corporate partnership value. Enquiries for the sales roles have been directed to [email protected].
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
