Leah Martin has issued a full statement following her dismissal as president of the International Hot Rod Association last Sunday during the IHRA Thunder on Cocoa Beach offshore event, describing a decision she says came without warning and was apparently made the night before it was delivered.
Martin confirmed that she had met with IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell earlier that same Sunday, with no indication of what was coming. She later learned that a meeting had taken place the previous evening at a hotel, at which the decision had been reached.
Leah Martin, statement published Monday, May 18, 2026:
Yesterday, I was informed that my time with the IHRA has come to an end. The conversation and circumstances surrounding it were unexpected, especially after meeting personally with Darryl just a couple of hours earlier with no indication that a change was coming. I was later informed that a meeting had taken place the night before at a hotel room regarding the decision.
As difficult as today has been, I remain incredibly proud of everything we worked to build. I poured my heart, time, energy, and countless hours into this sport and this organization because I truly believed in the vision and the future of racing. Like many in this industry, those commitments often came at the expense of personal and family time, but I believed the mission was worth it.
I am grateful for the racers, teams, sponsors, volunteers, fans, and industry partners who supported me along the way and who continue to work every day to grow the sport we all love.
While this chapter did not end the way I anticipated, I am excited to refocus my efforts on the projects, organizations, and opportunities where I know I can continue making a positive impact. I genuinely wish everyone involved nothing but success moving forward.
Martin had been named IHRA president in December 2025, the first woman to lead a major US motorsports sanctioning body. Six months later, during the Thunder on Cocoa Beach offshore race in Cocoa Beach, Florida, she was out.
Tommy Thomassie has been confirmed as the new IHRA president. Andrew Hubble will take responsibility for the offshore programme going forward.
Thomassie’s return carries its own context. Powerboat News reported his resignation in April, when he stepped down as EVP and Director of Powerboating less than 100 days into the role, citing what he described as “a split in our collective vision and execution.” He returns at a higher level than the one he left.
The dismissal created immediate disruption at the race weekend. Martin’s husband Justin, who served as IHRA safety director, disembarked from the pace boat when he learned of the firing, causing a delay of around 15 minutes before the Super V and Extreme race could start. Among the competitors sitting on that start line was Cuttell himself, racing with throttleman Steve Curtis in the Offshore Racing Services USA MTI.
The Cocoa Beach event was also the concluding round of a formal safety assessment being conducted by Italian rescue specialists Bergamo Scuba Angels, who had been engaged by IHRA to evaluate and advise on the series’ on-water safety operations. Their written report was due to be submitted to the championship’s ownership on completion of the Cocoa Beach round.
Martin’s departure adds another name to a list that has grown substantially since Cuttell acquired the IHRA brand in December 2024. Drag Illustrated, which carried Martin’s statement in full, noted that those who have come and gone include Kenny Nowling, Rich Schaefer, Christian Byrd, Michael Tedesco, Josh Peake, Scott Woodruff, Alan Reinhart and Brett Underwood. Woodruff, who served as the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer of Drag Racing, was himself fired via text message earlier this year.
The 89 entries at Cocoa Beach represented a record fleet for the IHRA offshore series. That backdrop makes the timing of the departure all the harder to explain.
Powerboat News has contacted Tommy Thomassie directly and is seeking comment. This article will be updated if a response is received.
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.
