Race Tracks in Arkansas
Arkansas has no permanent road course; its motorsport scene runs almost entirely on weekly dirt ovals and quarter-mile drag strips scattered across the state. Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, nicknamed 'The Ditch,' has run continuously since 1950 and is the state's best-known dirt oval, while Crowley's Ridge Raceway in Paragould, Batesville Motor Speedway and Diamond Park Speedway near Nashville anchor regional weekly programs. The Centerville area near Dardanelle hosts both a dirt oval (Centerville Super Speedway) and a companion eighth-mile drag strip (Centerville Dragway). George Ray's Wildcat Dragstrip near Paragould, built in 1961 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the state's oldest continuously run drag strip, alongside Prescott Raceway and Texarkana 67 Speedway on the Texas border. Motocross riders have several tracks including South of the Ozarks MX near Fort Smith and Lost Creek Park near Hot Springs, and the Central Arkansas Karting Complex runs sprint kart racing near Little Rock. The state lost a major venue in 2022 when I-30 Speedway in Little Rock closed after 35 years. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs is a Thoroughbred horse racing venue and is not covered here.
17 venues listed across 5 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Dirt tracks in Arkansas
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside International Speedway | West Memphis | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile 'gumbo' clay oval nicknamed 'The Ditch' that has run continuously since 1950, hosting World of Outlaws Sprint Cars including the King of the Ditch event. |
| Batesville Motor Speedway | Locust Grove | 0.375 mi | 3/8-mile dirt oval that returned to the schedule in 2021 after being dark since 2004, running a March-to-October season. |
| Crowley's Ridge Raceway | Paragould | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile dirt oval in northeast Arkansas running a full weekly stock car season. |
| Diamond Park Speedway | Nashville | — | Red clay oval between Nashville and Murfreesboro running a Saturday-night program March through November. |
| Centerville Super Speedway | Dardanelle | 0.333 mi | 1/3-mile red clay oval celebrating 60 years of racing in 2026, running FWD Hornets, Factory Stocks and Sportsman classes plus special Modified and Mini Sprint events. |
| Texarkana 67 Speedway | Texarkana | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile dirt oval on the Arkansas side of Texarkana running Factory Stock, Modified and Limited Modified divisions. |
Drag strips in Arkansas
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Ray's Wildcat Dragstrip | Paragould | 0.25 mi | Arkansas's oldest single-purpose drag strip, built in 1961 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006; races most Sundays in season. |
| Prescott Raceway | Prescott | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile asphalt drag strip in southwest Arkansas. |
| Centerville Dragway | Centerville | 0.125 mi | Family-owned eighth-mile drag strip open since 1977, sharing the Centerville racing complex with the Super Speedway oval. |
Motocross and off-road in Arkansas
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| South of the Ozarks MX (SotoMotoX) | Branch | — | Motocross park about 30 miles from Fort Smith running practice days and amateur races. |
| Lost Creek Park | Amity | — | Motocross practice track roughly 20 miles west of Hot Springs. |
| Challenger Motocross Park | Centerton | — | Northwest Arkansas MX and ATV track serving the Bentonville/Fayetteville area. |
Karting in Arkansas
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Arkansas Karting Complex | Little Rock area | — | Arkansas's largest outdoor sprint kart track, running club and Arkansas Karting Association-sanctioned racing. |
Closed and historic in Arkansas
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-30 SpeedwayClosed | Little Rock | 0.25 mi | High-banked quarter-mile red clay oval that ran Sprint Cars, Outlaws and Modifieds for 35 years before closing after its final race on October 1, 2022, when the property was sold. |
| Northwest Arkansas SpeedwayClosed | Pea Ridge | 0.375 mi | 3/8-mile dirt oval west of Pea Ridge that is no longer active. |
| Beebe SpeedwayClosed | Beebe | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile dirt oval (formerly White County Speedway, opened 1982) that hosted Sprint Cars and Late Models before closing. |
| Memphis-Arkansas SpeedwayClosed | West Memphis (Lehi) | 1.5 mi | 1.5-mile dirt oval that hosted NASCAR Grand National races in 1955-56 before closing in 1957 when its owner could not afford to pave it. |
Race tracks near the big cities in Arkansas
Near Little Rock
- Central Arkansas Karting Complex · about 30 min
Near West Memphis / Memphis metro
- Riverside International Speedway · about 10 min
- Crowley's Ridge Raceway · about 75 min
Near Fort Smith
- South of the Ozarks MX (SotoMotoX) · about 45 min
- Challenger Motocross Park · about 70 min
Near Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville-Bentonville)
- Challenger Motocross Park · about 20 min
Near Hot Springs
- Lost Creek Park · about 30 min
- Diamond Park Speedway · about 60 min
Near Texarkana
- Texarkana 67 Speedway · about 15 min
- Prescott Raceway · about 50 min
Major race weekends in Arkansas
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| King of the Ditch | Riverside International Speedway | August | World of Outlaws Sprint Cars |
| Centerville Super Speedway 60th anniversary events | Centerville Super Speedway | varies | Regional touring / special events |
Track days and driving experiences in Arkansas
Arkansas has no permanent road course, so there is no established HPDE or wheel-to-wheel track-day scene like neighboring states. The Arkansas Region of the SCCA runs autocross and time-trial events on parking-lot and airport courses around the state rather than a fixed circuit. Drivers wanting road-course track time typically travel out of state (Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma or NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana are the nearest permanent road courses). The Central Arkansas Karting Complex offers regular sprint kart sessions and club racing near Little Rock for drivers wanting wheel-to-wheel practice closer to home.
Frequently asked questions
Does this guide include horse racing tracks?+
No. This page covers motorsport venues only. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track and is not included here.
Is there a road course or track day venue in Arkansas?+
No permanent road course currently operates in Arkansas. Drivers wanting circuit track time typically travel to Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma or NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana.
Is I-30 Speedway still open?+
No. The Little Rock dirt oval closed after its final race on October 1, 2022, following a property sale, ending 35 years of racing.
Where can I watch weekly dirt track racing in Arkansas?+
Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Batesville Motor Speedway, Crowley's Ridge Raceway, Diamond Park Speedway and Centerville Super Speedway all run regular weekly seasons.
Where can I go drag racing in Arkansas?+
George Ray's Wildcat Dragstrip near Paragould, Prescott Raceway and Centerville Dragway are the state's main active quarter- and eighth-mile strips.
Is there karting in Arkansas?+
Yes. The Central Arkansas Karting Complex near Little Rock is the state's largest outdoor sprint kart track and runs Arkansas Karting Association-sanctioned racing.
Venue list checked against 21 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.