About 81 Speedway
81 Speedway is a fast, sweeping 3/8 mile dirt oval at 7700 North Broadway Street in Park City, Kansas, about fifteen minutes north of Wichita. It has been racing since 1957, it takes its name from the highway it sits beside, and it is the track where national sprint car series stop when they come to south central Kansas. The World of Outlaws, the American Sprint Car Series and High Limit Racing have all raced here.
Seventy Years and Three Configurations
The track opened in 1957 as a half mile dirt oval. Wichita businessman O.L. Douglas bought it in 1958 and gave it the name it still carries. He ran it on Sunday nights for five years before selling to Bill Hall of Newton.
Hall's first move was practical. He shortened the half mile to a quarter mile to make weekly programs more manageable, and the track ran that way from 1962 through 1964. In 1965 it was reconfigured again to the 3/8 mile shape it has kept ever since.
Through the 1960s and 1970s the semi late model class drew capacity crowds, with some nights running as many as ten heat races and six features in that division alone. The Wichita Stock Car Racing Association formed here in 1973. Sixty years on, the track is still one of the best known dirt ovals in Kansas.
Weekly Racing
The weekly program runs under the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series. Divisions include USRA Modifieds, USRA B-Mods, Super Stocks, Stock Cars and Mini Stock Tuner, with Crown Vic also appearing on the card. The Kansas Antique Racers bring vintage cars out on selected nights.
Because points count toward USRA regional and national standings, drivers here are chasing more than a track championship.
Sprint Car Country
The 3/8 mile layout suits winged sprint cars, and the touring series know it.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars run the Wichita Sprint Car Showdown here, and the event has been on the schedule for several consecutive seasons. The American Sprint Car Series National Tour first visited in 2001 and has returned many times since. Kubota High Limit Racing has raced here as well, along with the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint Series and the United Rebel Sprint Series.
Local drivers have deep history at the track. Wichita's Jake Bubak and others have built their records here, and one Wichita driver has more starts and more wins at 81 than at any other track he has raced, with wins under three different sanctioning bodies.
The USRA Heartland Modified Tour also stops in, giving the modified classes their own featured weekend.
Race Night and Grandstand Rules
Gate times vary by event. For a major show, pit gates open in the afternoon, grandstand gates open in the late afternoon, and hot laps run around 6:30 with racing to follow. Reserved and general admission seating are both available, with advance pricing cheaper than day of race, and children get reduced or free entry depending on age.
81 Speedway runs a tighter set of grandstand rules than most dirt tracks, so read these before you go. The grandstands are smoke free. Outside food and beverages are not allowed, and neither are coolers, umbrellas or weapons of any kind. Seat cushions are permitted only if they have no backs and no metal parts. The track also enforces a clear bag policy, so any bag taken into the grandstand must be transparent.
Pit passes and trackside parking are sold separately.
Getting There
The track is on North Broadway Street in Park City, just off US 81 and I-135 north of Wichita. It is an easy drive from anywhere in the metro and within reach of much of south central Kansas.
Schedules, tickets and rain calls are posted on the track website and its Facebook page, both of which are actively maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the track?
It is a 3/8 mile dirt oval, the configuration it has used since 1965.
When did 81 Speedway open?
1957, originally as a half mile dirt oval. It got its current name in 1958 and its current 3/8 mile shape in 1965.
What classes race weekly?
USRA Modifieds, USRA B-Mods, Super Stocks, Stock Cars and Mini Stock Tuner, with Crown Vic and Kansas Antique Racers appearing on selected nights.
Do the World of Outlaws race there?
Yes. The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series runs the Wichita Sprint Car Showdown at 81 Speedway.
Can I bring a cooler?
No. Outside food and drinks, coolers, umbrellas and weapons are all prohibited in the grandstands.
Is there a bag policy?
Yes. All bags taken into the grandstand must be clear or transparent.
Are seat cushions allowed?
Only cushions without backs or metal pieces.
Where is 81 Speedway located?
7700 North Broadway Street, Park City, Kansas 67147, about fifteen minutes north of Wichita.
More information on 81 Speedway; Click here https://www.81speedway.com/
For more venues click here: https://www.plainspowersports.com/category/auto/