Arroyo Seco Raceway
Arroyo Seco Raceway at a glance
- Location
- Deming, New Mexico
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 1.4 mi (2.3 km)
- Turns
- 11
- Direction
- clockwise
- Banking
- none (flat, zero banking)
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1998
- Owner
- Arroyo Seco Raceway
- Address
- 20030 Hwy 549 SE
- Phone
- +1-505-494-4794
- Website
- arroyosecoraceway.com
Track map and layout
Arroyo Seco Raceway sits on flat desert ground at Akela Flats, alongside Interstate 10 roughly between Deming and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Its flagship road course runs 1.4 miles across 11 turns, built around a tight set of esses and a chicane that give the otherwise open, high-speed desert layout a technical middle section. A shorter 1.1-mile, 5-turn configuration removes the esses and chicane for a faster, simpler lap, and both configurations can be driven clockwise or counter-clockwise, effectively giving the facility four distinct layouts on one footprint. A quarter-mile drag strip doubles as the road course's back straight, and a motocross-style infield track allows the property to host supermoto events that combine pavement and dirt sections in a single lap. The zero-banking, flat desert surface and wide-open sightlines are typical of the region's purpose-built club circuits.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Long course (clockwise or counter-clockwise) | 1.4 mi | 11 turns, includes the esses and chicane |
| Short course (clockwise or counter-clockwise) | 1.1 mi | 5 turns, omits the esses and chicane |
Events and race weekends
Arroyo Seco Raceway is primarily a rental and club-day facility rather than a stop on national professional tour calendars. The drag strip hosts NHRA-sanctioned events and local drag racing series, while the road course and supermoto layout are used for track rentals, driver education, private testing, and regional car and motorcycle club events drawing from southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.
Getting there and parking
The track sits directly alongside Interstate 10 at Akela Flats, between Deming and Las Cruces, making it an easy highway stop for drivers. El Paso International Airport, across the state line in Texas, is the nearest major commercial airport.
- El Paso International Airport (ELP) · about 90 min drive
Hotels and camping near Arroyo Seco Raceway
Deming and Las Cruces, both within about 30-45 minutes, are the practical bases for visitors, since the raceway itself is in a remote desert location without on-site lodging beyond event camping.
Where to look
Deming and Las Cruces, New Mexico, both roughly 30-45 minutes from the track.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Arroyo Seco Raceway is notably open to public track rentals: the road course, drag strip, and supermoto/motocross layouts are available for driver education, private testing, and open track days most weekdays and many weekends, in addition to hosting organized car and motorcycle club events.
Who runs days here
Typical cost: Non-event track rentals have been listed at around $125 per day per driver or rider; confirm current pricing with the track.
Spectator guide
As a rental- and club-focused facility rather than a spectator venue for national series, Arroyo Seco Raceway has limited formal spectator infrastructure; most visitors attend as participants or guests of a car or motorcycle club event rather than as ticketed spectators.
Weather
- Jun-Aug: hot, dry Chihuahuan Desert summer with highs frequently above 95°F
- Nov-Feb: mild, sunny winter days with cold nights, common for cooler-season track rentals
History of Arroyo Seco Raceway
A desert circuit at Akela Flats
Arroyo Seco Raceway opened in 1998, originally known as Arroyo Seco Motorplex, on flat desert land at Akela Flats in Luna County, New Mexico, just off Interstate 10 between Deming and Las Cruces. The facility was designed from the outset as a multi-discipline venue, combining a road course with a dedicated quarter-mile drag strip and a motocross-style infield track, giving it broader appeal across car, motorcycle, and off-road disciplines than a single-purpose circuit.
A flexible, rental-driven layout
The road course was built with genuine flexibility in mind: an 11-turn, 1.4-mile long configuration featuring a tight set of esses and a chicane, and a simpler 5-turn, 1.1-mile short configuration that removes those technical elements, with both able to run in either direction. That combination effectively gives the facility four distinct road-course layouts on one piece of land, a rarity among American club circuits, while the drag strip doubling as the road course's back straight keeps the footprint compact.
Present day
Rather than chasing a national professional racing series, Arroyo Seco Raceway has built its identity around accessibility, remaining genuinely open to public track rentals, driver education, and private testing on most weekdays and many weekends, alongside NHRA-sanctioned drag events and regional car and motorcycle club activity. Its remote desert location and flat, zero-banking surface keep it a lower-profile but distinctly practical facility for drivers and riders across southern New Mexico and West Texas, including the nearby El Paso market.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Arroyo Seco Raceway road course?+
The long configuration is 1.4 miles with 11 turns; a shorter 1.1-mile, 5-turn layout omits the esses and chicane. Both can run clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Where is Arroyo Seco Raceway located?+
At Akela Flats in Luna County, New Mexico, alongside Interstate 10 roughly between Deming and Las Cruces.
Can the public rent Arroyo Seco Raceway for a track day?+
Yes. The road course, drag strip, and supermoto layout are available for driver education, private testing, and open track rentals most weekdays and many weekends.
Does Arroyo Seco Raceway host drag racing?+
Yes, it has a dedicated quarter-mile drag strip that hosts NHRA-sanctioned events and local drag racing series, and which also serves as the road course's back straight.
What is the nearest airport to Arroyo Seco Raceway?+
El Paso International Airport, across the state line in Texas, roughly a 90-minute drive.
When did Arroyo Seco Raceway open?+
In 1998, originally under the name Arroyo Seco Motorplex.
Other tracks nearby
- Phoenix Raceway · 294 mi · oval
- La Junta Raceway · 454 mi · road course
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway · 515 mi · oval
- Thunder Valley Motocross Park · 530 mi · motocross
- High Plains Raceway · 554 mi · road course
- Fox Raceway at Pala · 565 mi · motocross
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.