Joey Barber is proud of what he and his wife, Misty, have accomplished since they took over the reins of Atmore Dragway in Atmore, Alabama in June of 2022. “That first fall was a rough time to get momentum going with a lot of rain and wind, but we have worked hard and put some improvements in the track regardless and are looking forward to the 2023 season.”
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“This is my old track and my hometown area; I want to make this a big part of our community again the way it was. My dad worked with the original owner, Monterey Owens, back in the day, so there are many memories here for me,” added Barber.
The dragstrip has a strong Alabama history when it opened in 1976 and has hosted a wealth of very historic racing events. Under the banner of Native Entertainment Racing, LLC, the Barbers have created a solid racing schedule with a spread of heads-up, bracket racing, and specialty racing shows planned for their first complete racing season.
“We have the Southern Shakedown Gassers a couple of times per season and they always draw a good crowd,” says Barber.” We expect that to grow to about 50- to 60-Gassers at upcoming events.
Barber continues, “I want to thank friends like TJ Pruitt with the Drag Coverage website, who helped with work with some Pro Modified events, plus friends Duane Conrad and Keith Costner, who have been a big help. They have me get the thing going and standing behind me with the crazy ideas I have.”
Buffalo Valley Dragway, just about an hour’s drive East of Nashville, is the home for many central Tennessee racers. Historically known as Middle Tennessee Dragway, the Huddleston family has owned and operated the track since its inception.
Current owners Gary and Theresa Huddleston remember the name change, “Most racers and fans over the decades have always referred to the track as ‘Buffalo Valley. Around the year 2000, we decided that the track would be better recognized as such.”
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At just nine years old, Gary remembers a family trip to a dragstrip once operated in Smithville, Tennessee. The combination of his father, a devout gearhead, and the family’s property totaling several hundred acres, back in 1965 led him to forsake some farmland to build his dragstrip.
Gary and Theresa have been operating the Huddleston track for the past 40 years and have updated the strip continuously. Gary adds, “It was one a 1,000-foot track, but we revised it to 1/8-mile many years ago.”
In recent times, the Huddlestons repaved the staging lanes, plus the pits are paved for the most part. “We used to do a $5K race once a month, but now we concentrate on Saturday night test and tune, trophy races, grudge races, and “King of the Valley” gamblers races,” describes Huddleston. “With that being said, it has been more popular for racers with this format.”
Taking great pride in their reputation as a “hooking track,” the Huddlestons will now work with WDRA sponsor Renegade Racing Fuels and convert to their traction compound. “The deal they offer us as a WDRA member is exceptional, so maybe we can work the track bite a little harder.”
Of course, the family is now entering the stretch of operating Buffalo Valley for almost 60 years. Approaching retirement age, Gary and Theresa are still determining where the track may go. Whatever they decide, Buffalo Valley Dragway has been a staple for Tennessee drag racing, well, since drag racing existed. If you want to visit the hallowed drag racing grounds, historians and racers alike may want to spend a Saturday evening there to take it all in.
Buffalo Valley Dragway
buffalovalleydragway.com
(931) 858-2422
680 Rock Springs Rd
Buffalo Valley TN 38548
Coastal Plains Dragway has been operating in Jacksonville, NC for over 50 years, owned by the Humphreys family since the beginning. Charles Myers got his start racing at the track but then moved to California to work with NHRA. After putting in time with Nitrous Supply and with Texas Motorplex, his dad became ill and was diagnosed with cancer and Charles returned home in 2021.
“Dad lives about an hour from where we are in Jacksonville. Since I actually won my first race at this track, I wanted to come back, take the knowledge and experience I have gained and pay them back for how I started,” Charles says. “I’ve been friends with Ronnie Humphreys for many years,” Charles remembers. “To be able to come full circle is really cool.”
The competition for racers in North Carolina is stiff, with 17 dragstrips in the state, more than anywhere else in the country. So, when Coastal Plains received the North Carolina Motorsports grant, they were able to use it for multiple improvements.
“We’ve updated the timing system,” Charles says. “We put in a new PortaTree system in. We have new scoreboards. We’ve completely redone the top of the tower and converted it into a nice suite. We’ve completely updated our control room as well. And, we’re in the process of adding new lighting and have a new PA system.”
Another improvement included fixing the concrete on the back end where the burnout box was. “At the end of the year, the plan is to put down new asphalt at 300 feet,” Charles says. “We now have new scrapers, and we have a contract with Goodyear to get our rubber. It allows us to control what goes down on our surface and the traction has never been better.”
There have been some growing pains, with rain delaying the timing system upgrade. “We’re trying to eliminate some of the downtime and make the experience better for the racers and fans,” Charles comments. “We have concert quality speakers now, so the fan experience is better than it’s ever been.”
Coastal Plains Dragway
coastalplainsraceway.com
(910) 347-2200
4744 Richlands Hwy.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
With 2023 being their 50th anniversary, they’re also working to add some special events to the schedule, with September 11 being their ‘Never Forget the Fallen’ Shootout. “The Humphreys family is very aware of community and the Museum of the Marine. We like to honor our guys and we give back as much as we take in.”
The biggest fight this year has been against the rain, losing 80% of scheduled races to the wet stuff. So, they’ve had to get creative with the WDRA points program. “We’ve created a challenge with the top 10 in points to be able to run for the Track Championship. We haven’t had enough points races so we don’t want anybody to just come in and be good for one day and become track champion.”
They also get a lot of young Marines at the track and offer Street Legal drags on Friday nights and the first Tuesday night of each month is a class that anybody can drag race. “It’s for beginners learning to race and having fun; talking crap to their buddies, and you’re teaching them bracket racing and how to do that right. It’s the thing that keeps our sport alive.”
Photo credits: Full Speed Photography via Coastal Plains Dragway
Cordova Dragway has a long-storied history, being one of the oldest dragstrips in the country. It has been around since 1956 and still hosts the oldest drag racing event in America, the World Series of Drag Racing. shelly and Dan Crownhart is the owner of the facility, having purchased it just last year, but has his own fondness for the track reaching back to his childhood when he traveled with his dad and popular Funny Car and Jet Funny Car racer, “Diamond Jim” Crownhart.
“I tried to buy the place in 2011 but just couldn’t make it happen financially,” Dan says. “I wasn’t nearly ready for it at that time. I’m not ready for it now, but that was my first love affair. I would go to every venue and track and tell myself, ‘If I did it this way, if we changed things a little bit. I would do that even at amusement parks. How could I convert these ideas into a dragstrip benefit?”
Dan has worked hard since taking over the track, making sure it all works together to be a success. “Everything feeds the success of the track: from novelty to concession to reserved pit spots to the pro talent and bracket racing,” he comments. “We need all of it to make it work, so we pay attention to all of it.”
Cordova Dragway has a varied schedule all throughout the season. “We know we need to keep adding different types of shows. It’s got to be something different all the time; car shows, different themes, high dollar bracket racing, all kinds of events, something for everyone.”
Shelly and Dan appreciate the work that sportsmen put into their cars as much as the pros. “A top fuel or jet car or a top dragster, that’s so cool. But I see the sportsman cars that go down the track every week and I know those racers put their hearts into it. And they’re in it by themselves; they don’t have a crew. They do it with their wife and kids, and that’s why it is so good. This is the roots of the sport that run so deep. Once it gets into your bloodstream, there is no changing it.”
So, what types of ideas is Dan working on these days? “We need more selfie stations throughout the place,” he says. “And, I’d like to have theme music for different racers as they go down the track. The announcer is the key to it all. He can talk and make it entertaining. Things like that to keep it interesting.”
The main reason Dan and Cordova Dragway switched to WDRA this year was the people involved. “I want to stay with the people who help me take the track to the future,” he says. “That is Jon and the great folks at WDRA. These are people we know and trust. We are looking forward to having more teen racing events so friends will bring their friends. We want to help those kids become the next generation of drag racers.”
One thing is for certain: Dan Crownhart and Cordova Dragway are keeping both the racers and fans in mind. “The whole thing is about entertainment. We want everybody to have a good time, so they keep on coming back. That’s what it is all about and I’m going to keep looking for ideas to make it happen.”
When you have a dragstrip that exemplifies the “park” in Eddyville Raceway Park (ERP), you can experience what racing enthusiasts throughout Iowa and beyond love about the Eddyville as a racing facility..
Gerald Kramer holds the reigns for ERP and has built upon what was a humble beginning back in 1965 by the Rempe family. In 1993 area businessman and Pro Modified competitor Carl Moyer reconstructed the facility into its park-like setting.
In 2006, Kramer partnered with Cordova Dragway’s Scott Gardner to continue taking the track to new levels. Ultimately, Kramer purchased Gardner’s partnership and has become the sole owner.
Now in its 58th year of operation, ERP has become a hub for sportsman drag racing and an entertainment center for mid-westerners to enjoy. Under the efforts of Kramer, they host great race weekends filled with Funny Cars, Nitromethane-laden match racing, and many more special events.
“We have always been a bracket race track first, and that is still a big part of what we do,’ tells Kramer. “We probably host more big feature events than many tracks equal to our size. Eddyville has hosted a Night of Fire event for 30 years. We used that solid show reputation to create more like it with the Funny Car Chaos and Nitro Chaos events.”
The dragstrip is also well-vested in support of the WDRA. The Ottumwa, Iowa strip (yes, home of Radar O’Reilly) has not only generated their racers into memberships with the WDRA, but ERP will also host the WDRA Summit Midwest Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports.
“We have always counted on many tracks to chip in for an Eddyville bracket finals event,” adds Kramer. “Especially from the Blantons and staff from Mo-Kan Dragway. With all of our friends from WDRA member tracks and Jon O’Neal, division director from the WDRA, we truly look forward to our WDRA Summit Midwest Bracket Finals.”
Kramer’s effort to take ERP and continue its park-like atmosphere is challenging. Kramer has improved the racing surface from 100 feet of concrete to a fully repaved surface that features a concrete surface to the 1/8 mile finish line.
Kramer finishes, “We’ve added considerable equipment to the grounds to maintain better what we have. We resurfaced the shutdown once and have continued maintaining the infrastructure, which is a major challenge.
Near the East Texas coast resides Evadale Raceway. The track’s interesting history goes back to an airstrip built adjacent to a large paper mill. Once converted to a dragstrip under the Bruce namesake, the track ultimately became Evadale Raceway, which Gary Peltier operates.
“We do a lot of heads-up racing such as various small tire and index classes which is big with us,” says Peltier. “We still have a hometown feel to the track where we are involved with the community and get a nice group of local fans who enjoy the races.” With sunny skies, over 2,000 community fans will come out to enjoy the drags.
The track has been part of Peltier’s life far before taking over the facility. He was a long-time racer for many years and promoted his events as a marketing engine for his previous business.
Of note is their Junior Dragster program, which has continued to grow over the years. They have their own Junior Dragster achievement program under the Southwest Junior Dragster program, where volunteering racers and parents offer three Junior Dragsters for the community. This program introduces kids to racing absolutely free, through sponsorship for all the maintenance and operation of these dragsters,
“Everything from fuel to parts is donated to us by the community and beyond,” Peltier adds. “Our Facebook page is the track’s nerve center where the volunteer parents develop a waiting list of kids who want to try it out. We cover everything from the safety gear to operating the dragsters; by the end of the night, they’re making passes in front of everybody.”
Along with the effort Peltier has put into the overall facility, one focal point of the track is the overhead grandstands through which the competitors enter the racing surface. “These bleachers go over the track and actually came out of a coliseum being torn down.”
“We do index racing with three classes right now that have a points competition with it,” describes Peltier. “We have a “Show Me the Money” 5.80 ET index racing class that is big, plus a 7.0 ET class is well attended. Plus we just started a 6.50 ET racing, and we will see how that goes. The 5.80 and 7.0 are popular down here in the south.”
As far as future plans, Evadale Raceway has added two additional special events to its schedule this 2023 season. Both events are based around radial-no prep type racing, plus they host two Junior Dragster Southwest events a year. Their season schedule includes specialty motorcycle competition days, diesel truck races, and a Nitro Harley Chaos event.
With the two communities of racing and an area fan base, Evadale Raceway has a solid foothold in creating a popular facility.
!n 1998, a group of ten businessmen put forth the effort to create Magic City International Dragway in Minot, North Dakota, just on the east side of the North Dakota State Fairgrounds. Since then, a group of three dedicated souls, Cory Evenson, Jim Grote, and Pat Keating, remain co-owners of the track.
We spoke to Keating, who gave us insight on the unique track. “It’s been the same since opening day back 25 years ago; we are the only dragstrip in North Dakota. Things are going pretty well. We have had our ups and downs, but we work to keep the track in the best condition possible.”
Keating continues, “We still get good car counts from racers 60- to 120 miles away. I hand it to some hearty competitors who regularly travel up to 300 miles away.”
The track’s typical race weekend is a Saturday and Sunday event with jackpot racing and test and tune on Saturday and Sundays are their WDRA points races. Keating adds, “We have two holiday weekends, Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day weekend, where we have three days of special events at the facility.”
Like many ‘strips, this track isn’t their only rodeo. “Cory and I do a lot of the hands-on work while we both still have weekday jobs,” says Keating. “Jim has his heart into it as well, but he is retired and does what he can, which is a contribution.”
Cory is working towards putting on a special event this coming Independence Day weekend, which they have yet to announce. It will be on the track’s website as soon as it is solidified. They also host what they call the Magic City Shootout twice per season in June and August, where the heads-up enthusiasts from states away converge to compete in no-time, heads-up jackpot racing, and a special shootout class.
They have a good group of friends who help at the track, but being located on the state fairgrounds has its share of additional workload. “We do all of the weekday labor and maintenance between the three of us. We also have two big undertakings each season as we are required by our lease to totally dismantle the track for the fair property’s big events. That’s a lot of work,” Keating chuckles.
They tell me that they do OK on special event weekends as far as dedicated dragstrip fans who come out and watch, but they also have a circle track that operates on the fairgrounds that competes for the spectator’s interest.
“We will just keep plugging at it,” Keating finishes. “We look forward to meeting some of the other WDRA tracks and possibly sharing some ideas as well, but for right now, we are working to continue what we have accomplished with the dragstrip.”
Magic City International Dragway
magiccityinternationaldragway.com
701-833-8465
2005 Burdick Expy E, Minot, ND 58703
In 1999, Carl Blanton took the helm at Mo-Kan Dragway, a passion project he embarked on with his son Craig. Little did they know, this journey would be a rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs that would test their dedication for their drag racing community.
The Blantons first set foot on their track, they knew that the facility required improvement, but there was more physical problems that they first realized.
The facility needed developments such as a new tower to a fresh racing surface. It was clear that more major improvements were necessary to bring Mo-Kan Dragway up to standard. As they delved into the restoration process, they soon realized that what seemed like a manageable DIY project required the expertise of big contractors and substantial investments.
Despite the hurdles, the Blantons remained undeterred, fueled by the unwavering support of their racers. Their dedication was reciprocated by the community, with racers expressing gratitude for every improvement made to the track. Over the years, Mo-Kan Dragway became more than just a venue—it was a home for racers, a place where their passion for speed was celebrated.
“Over time, we continued to evolve,” says Carl. “The addition of events like Funny Car Chaos brought new excitement to the track, drawing crowds and showcasing spectators as well as racers.” Carl’s collaboration with Chris Graves, the mastermind behind Funny Car Chaos and Nitro Chaos events, solidified Mo-Kan Dragway’s status as a premier racing destination.
In addition to marquee events, Mo-Kan Dragway’s weekly bracket program flourished, attracting a record number of participants. With 150 cars lining up at the starting line, it was evident that the track’s future was brighter than ever.
However, challenges persisted, particularly the issue of leased land. The Blantons understood the importance of fiscal responsibility, navigating financial constraints with caution to ensure the track’s sustainability.
Mo-Kan Dragway
mokandragway.com
417-642-5599
30753 Baseline BLVD, Asbury, MO 64832
In 2024, a pivotal moment arrived with a $160k paving project on the horizon. Determined to see their vision come to fruition, the Blantons sought support from sponsors and fans through the Mo-Kan Road Crew initiative. For a $100 donation, supporters could leave their mark on the track, symbolizing the unity of the racing community.
Through it all, Carl’s unwavering loyalty to the World Drag Racing Alliance remained steadfast. He recognized the value of aligning with those who shared his commitment to integrity and excellence, cementing Mo-Kan Dragway’s legacy as more than just a racetrack—it was a testament to the power of community and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Northern Lights Raceway is one of the more unique dragstrips you will find in Canada. It is operated under a unique business model compared to the typical facility ownership. The facility is located just East of Fort St. John, British Columbia in Canada.
Nestled adjacent to the North Peace Regional Airport, the club-operated track is constructed from an unused airport taxiway under a club-managed lease agreement. We spoke to TJ Dohm, current track/event manager at Northern Lights; he expanded on NLR’s unique background.
“We are a volunteer based non-profit organization working with donated money, labor, and, of course, our dedicated racers,” says Dohm. “The airport folks are amazing to work with; they work hand-in-hand with us. They are like the big brother that the club needed.”
The track began life in 1998 with an executive group, a network of racers, racing fans, and volunteers. In the earliest days, they competed on the eighth mile, but today the facility is a quarter-mile track with a 2073-foot shutdown area.”
Having a positive relationship with the greater area, the club is more than happy to make improvements using any and all donations from those who want to see the dragstrip thrive. For example, the Northern Lights control tower was donated and repurposed by the British Columbia Highways department as it was a large weigh scales building from a nearby highway.
“We had some struggles during the pandemic years,” adds Dohm. “I and many others stepped up to help save the track, and we continue to work towards a return to a full program. Last year, we began with a street expo featuring many area car clubs. We got them together to converge with a show event at the track, and it worked well. We have a huge car community here as well as drag racers.”
This dragstrip thrives upon the wealth of enthusiasts related to the track tat think outside of the box. The facility is used quite often for driver training and other rental-type functions. “We had a wedding out there last year,” adds Dohm. “We’ve tried to let it be used for everything. The more people use it for everything else, the more they attend our drag racing events.”
With a new timing system in place, the strip hosts over 200 entrants on a race weekend, typically pulling entrants up to hundreds of miles away. Geography and Canadian weather are the track’s worst enemies, as there are far more weekends with the track covered with snow than race cars.
The track is a shining example of what can be accomplished by those who love the sport of drag racing and take on fulfilling that love however they can.
Jackie Lewis from Prescott Raceway is looking forward to implementing many of the WDRA track member benefits for 2023. Lewis says, “We will do the WDRA Teen Racing Program this year. I think getting the kids actively involved in the sport is a great step. We are working on social media plus area schools to make this work.”
In the same vein as the teen racing, Lewis promotes a “Daily Driver $2,500-to-Win” event he is trying to grow.
Lewis began his love affair for drag racing at the ripe age of 14, when he made his first full-throttle pass in a friend’s Plymouth race car. Since then, he has raced competitively in the southern Arkansas region, winning events and championships.
When the previous owner at Prescott, Larry Boardman, made the decision to retire, the exuberant Lewis was the first person he approached. What follows is Lewis’ past 14 years of giving all he has to offer.
“We have built up some solid events, plus we are going after some new ones as well,” says Lewis. “We have two solid 20K No-Box events per season, and they are doing pretty well. Plus, we have announced our new $100K at Prescott event for both Super Pro and No-Box classes.
On a weekly basis, Prescott Raceway offers Super Pro, No-Electronic, Sportsman, and Junior Dragster classes. Lewis also presents an Outlaws/Index event monthly.
Lewis adds, “We will have more outlaw racing at the track. We had JJ’s Arm Drop event here before. The track holds 3,000 spectators comfortably, and we had around 8,000 fans in here one night, which was scary. We will work on something like that, but I want to convince the fans that they can see many of the other racers they’re watching that night who are here weekly. Those racers are entertaining for them to come to see anytime as well.”
“I want to thank Greg Dougan, who just helps me with everything around the track. We call him Iron Man Dougan; he can do it all. Also, please let me thank Jeff Brown, who is the starting line guy, and he gets the job done well,” finishes Lewis.
You can say Lewis still loves the sport above and beyond many; he likes to break away and race himself. He frequents area dragstrips in Centerville, Arkansas, Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Paris, Texas.
To take on the ambitious business of operating a dragstrip, Joel Heaney extended his dedication even further with Twin City Raceway when he took the keys to the track in February 2020, just as the pandemic began.
It did not stop Heaney; he doubled down and moved forward with track improvements. “We redid all of the track surface from the 330-foot mark to the 1/8 with concrete,” says Heaney. “We’re going to look for some bleachers to offer better spectator grandstands. We currently have three sets of stands, but I want to add more because we have a strong spectator count during our grudge events and specialty races.”
Much of Heaney’s drive comes from his history of working in the oil and gas industry in Southeast Asia for over 25 years. After a short spell of retirement, he got bored and was looking for something that would not be a full-time job. Heaney chuckled when he said, “You spend three days to prepare for a race, two days to clean up after a two-day race — that’s seven days!”
Akin to the history of many dragstrips, Twin City Dragway ultimately began in 1954 with a car club racing on a nearby road that was part of the Selman Military Base and Airstrip. The track eventually moved to the airstrip surface, where it has operated under many titles for almost 70 years.
“We offer tons of parking on both concrete & grass,” describes Heaney. “We also have some shade trees to block the Louisiana heat, and we are most proud of our delicious concession food and great family-friendly environment.”
We asked how things have progressed since the world shut down. Heaney responded that following a little bit of a slow start, it has blossomed well with good attendance. “We have a solid bracket program, and we are beginning a points program,” says Heaney. “This was an outlaw track for many years before I got it. Points competition was never a thing, but with this being our first year following COVID, plus being with the WDRA, it is beginning far better than I hoped.”
New to Twin City Raceway is the promotion of a “Bernies versus Rustin” race, which relates to the twin cities namesake. He also wants to create a battle of the high school event and hopes to talk to fellow WDRA track operators who succeed with those programs.
US 131 Motorsports Park is one of the stellar tracks in the motor capitol-state of Michigan. Located near Martin, Michigan, the track has a history dating back to the early 1960’s. The facility underwent an extensive 14 million-dollar renovation and reopened in the spring of 2002 and for the past 21 seasons, it has been under the guidance of Jason and Stephanie Peterson.
The Petersons, including son Samuel Peterson and daughter-in-law Bailey Peterson, have dedicated their lives to preserving and growing the track. In 2023, their efforts paid off when they hosted the “Northern Nationals,” the biggest event ever in the track’s history.
The Petersons are no strangers to big events. The Funny Car Nationals is a derivative of the Popular Hot Rodding meet from the 1960s era. It was one of drag racing’s most recognized events from the old days, and it still draws a huge crowd.
The Peterson family concentrates on successful events as a business model. Jason comments, “The WDRA is a great partner. We’re dealing with the same people we worked with for a long time with previous sanctions, but now they don’t have to deal with the corporate ladder. They have the freedom to make their own decisions and can keep it growing. Since that is what we do, that’s what I like to see.”
As a family affair, with their son Samuel and his wife Bailey also involved in the track, the Petersons are ensuring that their US 131 legacy will continue for generations to come.
Samuel Peterson has been involved in the track since he was a junior dragster racer. Now 22, he has been the track specialist for four years and fully engages in every aspect of the operations. His wife Bailey also helps out in the office. Together, they ensure that the track remains a vibrant and exciting destination for racing enthusiasts from all over the country.
Speaking of racing enthusiasts, the Petersons have three younger children who are still racing in the junior dragster program. It’s clear that this family has a deep love for the sport, and they are doing everything in their power to ensure that it continues to thrive within the family.
One of the biggest events of the year at US 131 Motorsports Park is the big dollar bracket race, which Tyler Bohannon and TB Promotions handle. This year, the Petersons have formed a new partnership with Bohannon and are looking forward to seeing what this collaboration will bring.
US 131 Motorsports Park
us131msp.com
1249 12th Street
Martin, MI 49070
Running US 131 Motorsports Park isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life for the Petersons. They are dedicated to providing a safe, fair, and exciting racing experience for everyone who visits the track. And while they have faced challenges over the years, they have always kept sight of their goal. They are committed to preserving the track’s history while keeping it relevant and exciting for modern racing fans.
With their son and daughter-in-law involved in the track’s operations, the Petersons can rest assured that their legacy will continue for generations. And for everyone who loves racing, US 131 Motorsports Park will always be a special place. Everyone at US 131 Motorsports Park is committed to continuing their slogan, “The Fastest Track in Michigan!”
Located in Osborn, Missouri, US 36 Raceway is a popular facility for racers from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Kansas City region to compete as a WDRA-sanctioned dragstrip but also with their 3/8th mile high banked dirt oval speedway.
These days, the circle track is operated by separate promoters. As the original builder and owner for 32 years, Mike Franks leased the circle track complex to another promoter but kept the 1/8-mile dragstrip for himself.
“I’m not 20 years old anymore (laughs). We lease the speedway and are still pretty involved,” says Franks. “We work a pleasantly solid week-by-week program on the dragstrip. Not long ago, we installed new concrete to the 430-foot mark, and our racers have been very happy with that.”
Along with a solid bracket racing program each season, Franks works diligently on an array of specialty events that fill the grandstands to his satisfaction. “We have run the Ozark Super Shifters and Nostalgia Super Stocks for close to 30 years.”
“We have a couple of good size no-prep and small-tire races for the past five years now,” adds Franks. We get entrants for those events from all over the Des Moines and Kansas City area and bring spectators from those distances as well. They compete in the 4.60- to 4.70-zone and are a good bunch of racers.”
Franks and his staff have recently installed a new Portatree timing system, bringing his bracket racing program to a new level. “We’ will have 80- to 100 -cars per week on a regular basis,” comments Franks. “One unique thing we have recently accomplished is the use of Myracepass electronic ET slips, which are sent to the racers’ mobile phones.”
Operating under the WDRA banner is a new experience for US 36 Raceway. “We have been an independent track for almost as many years as we have been in operation, so this is going to be new for our racers and fans,” adds Frank. “Our fans that come out are really dedicated. There is not much stuff to do around this area without traveling a good distance, so the circle track and dragstrip are a popular hang-out. It is not surprising to see many barbecue grills and friends gathering on the spectator side of the track.”
Mike Franks is dedicated to continuing to do what he can every year to improve the track, which includes asphalt, concrete, and improved structures from time to time. Frank finished with a grand comment. “A friend who races with the Super Shifter group told me that US 36 is kinda like a favorite bar where everybody loves to hang out on a Saturday night, and don’t screw that up.” He has no plans to do that.
US 36 Raceway
US 36 Raceway Facebook
816-675-2279
9850 S. Hwy. 33,
Osborn, MO, 64474
Mike Franks is dedicated to continuing to do what he can every year to improve the track, which includes asphalt, concrete, and improved structures from time to time. Frank finished with a grand comment. “A friend who races with the Super Shifter group told me that US 36 is kinda like a favorite bar where everybody loves to hang out on a Saturday night, and don’t screw that up.” He has no plans to do that.
Blake Smith has the reigns of the historical Windy Hollow Dragway and is ready for the 2023 season. “We have a 60-plus event schedule out for the 2023 season, says Smith. “We’re going to kick off with some test-and-tune days up to March 11, which is our first event kickoff. We will do that for a few weeks to get some rubber laid down after the winter season.”
“The Hollar” stemmed from pure Kentucky dragstrip history when founded in 1958 by World War 2 veteran Hal Miller on a farm in Owensboro. The dragstrip then relocated to Windy Hollow Road in 1970. The ‘strip still remains in the Miller family as Evelyn “Rooster” Miller has spent much of her lifetime at Windy Hollow Dragway, plus a family heritage of Owensboro restaurant(s).
Following some dormancy, the track has sprung back t like serving throngs of Southern Indiana and Kentucky racers. “We will be hosting the MidAmerica Bracket Nationals on April 14-16,” adds Smith. That will be our official kickoff for the 2023 season, and after that weekend, we will start rolling into our bracket points racing running through the season. See their 2023 schedule here.
Smith adds, “We’re looking at bringing a new organization, the Outlaw Gasser Association in this season, plus a very special 65th-anniversary birthday bash. The Owensboro area has a rich overall motorsports history, and we will be involved with a big “race week” held across many area race venues.”
“I began announcing at the track when I was 14 years old,” remembers Smith. “This will be my 20th year announcing different motorsports events, including the Miller-owned speedway located next to the dragstrip. Last year was our first official return to the regular season with timing equipment reinstalled. I’ve enjoyed it so much; I wanted to return for this WDRA-sanctioned season.”
