Heartland Motorsports Park
Heartland Motorsports Park at a glance
- Location
- Topeka, Kansas
- Type
- road course & oval
- Length
- 2.5 mi (4.02 km)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (road course, drag strip); clay (oval)
- Opened
- 1989
- Owner
- International Hot Rod Association (acquired December 2025); previously Shelby Development, LLC (2015-2023)
- Address
- 1805 SW Diagonal Hwy
Track map and layout
Heartland Motorsports Park, about eight miles south of downtown Topeka near the Topeka Regional Airport, was built as a genuinely multi-discipline facility rather than a single-purpose circuit: a 2.5-mile, 14-turn road course usable in several shorter configurations down to about 1.8 miles, a quarter-mile concrete drag strip, a 3/8-mile clay oval, and a 22-acre asphalt autocross and drift pad all shared the property. That breadth made it one of the more versatile motorsports complexes in the Midwest for three decades, hosting everything from NHRA national-event drag racing to NASCAR Truck Series ovals races to SCCA road racing on the same grounds. As of this writing the facility is closed and not operating, so this description reflects the track's layout as it last raced rather than a currently drivable circuit; see the events and track-days sections below for its present status.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full road course | 2.5 mi | 14-turn configuration used for road racing |
| Short road course configurations | 1.8 mi | Shorter road-course layouts down to roughly 1.8 miles |
| Drag strip | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile concrete strip, longtime home of the NHRA Heartland Nationals |
| Clay oval | 0.375 mi | 3/8-mile clay oval used for dirt track racing |
Events and race weekends
Heartland Motorsports Park is currently closed and hosts no events. Historically its marquee date was the NHRA Heartland Nationals, run from 1989 through 2019 and again from 2021 to 2023, the track's final season. The road course also hosted NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, Trans-Am, and SCCA championship events over its history, alongside regular motorcycle road racing and dirt-oval competition. No events are scheduled as of September 2026.
Getting there and parking
The facility sits roughly eight miles south of downtown Topeka near Topeka Regional Airport (formerly Forbes Field), which was historically the closest airfield to the track; Kansas City International Airport is the nearest major commercial gateway, about an hour and a half away. As the track is closed, this information is retained for reference rather than trip planning.
- Topeka Regional Airport (FOE) · about 15 min drive
- Kansas City International Airport (MCI) · about 90 min drive
The facility is closed as of 2026; do not plan a visit based on historical directions without confirming current status.
Hotels and camping near Heartland Motorsports Park
Historically, visitors for NHRA national events and other race weekends stayed in Topeka, which offered the nearest full range of hotels along with on-site camping during major race weekends. Since the track's 2023 closure, this information is retained for historical context only.
Where to look
Topeka, Kansas, roughly 10-15 minutes from the site.
Camping
On-site camping was available to spectators and participants during major race weekends prior to the 2023 closure; current availability is unknown.
RV
RV parking and hookups were offered during event weekends prior to closure; current availability is unknown.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The facility is not currently operating and does not offer track days or public driving. Prior to its 2023 closure it hosted SCCA road racing, driving schools, and motorcycle track days on the road course. The International Hot Rod Association purchased the site in December 2025 with plans to reopen it, but in July 2026 the IHRA cancelled its remaining Nitro Drag Racing Series schedule, leaving the facility's reopening plans and timeline unclear as of this writing.
Spectator guide
The facility is closed and not hosting spectators. When active, its drag strip grandstands drew large crowds for the annual NHRA Heartland Nationals, historically one of the sanctioning body's well-attended Midwest events.
History of Heartland Motorsports Park
Opening and early years
Heartland Motorsports Park (originally Heartland Park Topeka) opened in 1989 as the first new major auto racing facility built in the United States in 20 years, combining a road course, drag strip, and dirt oval on one property south of Topeka, Kansas. The facility quickly became a fixture of the NHRA national-event schedule, launching the Heartland Nationals in its opening year, and drew NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, Trans-Am, and SCCA championship road racing across its early decades.
Ownership changes
The track cycled through several ownership groups over its history. Financial difficulties in its first years gave way to a 2003 purchase and renovation by Raymond Irwin, former owner of Blackhawk Farms Raceway, and the property later passed to Shelby Development, LLC in 2015, with Chris Payne becoming sole owner in January 2017. Through these changes the track kept its multi-discipline identity, continuing to host the NHRA Heartland Nationals in most years from 1989 through 2019 and resuming it in 2021 and 2022 after a pandemic-related interruption.
Closure in 2023
Rising property taxes assessed by Shawnee County made continued operation unsustainable for ownership, and in September 2023 the track announced it would close completely after finishing its 2023 schedule, including a farewell NHRA national event. The closure ended 34 years of continuous operation and eliminated one of the Midwest's few facilities combining a full road course, drag strip, and oval on a single site; a new, unrelated facility called Flying H Motorsports Park was announced to take over some of the region's drag-racing calendar.
Uncertain future
The property changed hands again on December 30, 2025, when the International Hot Rod Association purchased Heartland Motorsports Park with stated plans to reopen it as a venue on its Nitro Drag Racing Series. Those plans stalled almost immediately: on July 10, 2026, the IHRA abruptly cancelled all remaining events on its Nitro Drag Racing Series calendar, including dates planned for the Topeka facility. As of September 2026, Heartland Motorsports Park remains closed, with no confirmed reopening date, active events, or public track-day access.
Frequently asked questions
Is Heartland Motorsports Park still open?+
No. The facility closed permanently after its 2023 season due to a property tax dispute with Shawnee County. The International Hot Rod Association bought the site in December 2025 planning to reopen it, but cancelled its 2026 racing series in July 2026, leaving the track's status uncertain as of this writing.
How long was the Heartland Motorsports Park road course?+
The full road course was 2.5 miles with 14 turns, with shorter configurations down to about 1.8 miles also used historically.
Why did Heartland Motorsports Park close?+
Ownership cited rising property taxes assessed by Shawnee County as the reason it could no longer operate the facility profitably, announcing the closure in September 2023.
What racing did Heartland Motorsports Park host?+
It hosted the NHRA Heartland Nationals drag race from 1989 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2023, plus NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, Trans-Am, SCCA road racing, and dirt-oval competition on its clay oval.
Who owns Heartland Motorsports Park now?+
The International Hot Rod Association purchased the property on December 30, 2025, but as of September 2026 the facility remains closed and no events are scheduled there.
Can you still do a track day at Heartland Motorsports Park?+
No. The facility is not operating and offers no public track days or driving events as of September 2026.
Other tracks nearby
- Kansas Speedway · 47 mi · oval
- Hallett Motor Racing Circuit · 194 mi · road course
- Iowa Speedway · 236 mi · oval
- World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) · 299 mi · oval
- Spring Creek Motocross Park · 396 mi · motocross
- Texas Motor Speedway · 417 mi · oval
Facts checked against 5 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.