Race Tracks in Ohio
Ohio packs an unusually complete motorsport map into one state. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington is the road-racing anchor, hosting IndyCar's Indy 200, IMSA, and MotoAmerica on a 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout, with Nelson Ledges Road Course near Garrettsville running SCCA and ChampCar Endurance events on its 2-mile circuit. Drag racing runs especially deep: Summit Motorsports Park at Norwalk hosts NHRA national events including the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, while National Trail Raceway, Dragway 42 (now Darana Dragway), and Kil-Kare Raceway (now Darana Raceway) round out an IHRA/NHRA-heavy strip circuit. Eldora Speedway in Rossburg is the state's marquee dirt oval, drawing the World of Outlaws' Kings Royal every July, and a working tier of Friday/Saturday-night ovals - Attica Raceway Park, Fremont Speedway, Sharon Speedway, Muskingum County Speedway, and Portsmouth Raceway Park - keeps sprint car and late-model racing going statewide. The paved short-track scene is in flux: Sandusky Speedway closed in 2026 and Columbus Motor Speedway shut in 2016, but Mansfield Motor Speedway reopened in 2026 under new ownership after a seven-year gap.
21 venues listed across 5 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Ohio
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | Lexington | 2.258 mi | 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course between Columbus and Cleveland hosting the IndyCar Series' Indy 200, IMSA WeatherTech Championship, NASCAR Truck Series, and MotoAmerica. |
| Nelson Ledges Road Course | Garrettsville | 2 mi | Seven-turn, 2-mile road course recertified with SCCA in 2020, hosting ChampCar Endurance Series racing, the Longest Day of Nelson car race, and the Nelson 24 motorcycle endurance race. |
Ovals and speedways in Ohio
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo Speedway | Toledo | 0.5 mi | Half-mile paved oval hosting the ARCA Menards Series each May and weekly CRA Pro Series, Late Model Sportsman, and 350 Outlaw Supermodified racing. |
| Mansfield Motor Speedway | Mansfield | — | 180-acre dirt-track facility bought by former NASCAR driver Matt Tifft in 2025 and reopened for 2026 with weekly Friday/Saturday racing after closing in 2019. |
| Lorain County Speedway | South Amherst | 0.375 mi | Three-eighths-mile paved oval near Amherst, paved over from its original 1949 dirt configuration and running weekly stock car divisions. |
Drag strips in Ohio
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Motorsports Park | Norwalk | 0.25 mi | NHRA national-event quarter-mile strip hosting the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, NHRA Pro Mod Series, and the Night Under Fire, the world's largest single-day drag race. |
| National Trail Raceway | Hebron | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile strip near Columbus operating since 1964; purchased by the International Hot Rod Association in 2025, which has since repaved staging lanes and upgraded the facility. |
| Dragway 42 (Darana Dragway) | West Salem | 0.25 mi | IHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile strip rebranded Darana Dragway, also hosting autocross and tractor/truck pulling events. |
| Kil-Kare Raceway (Darana Raceway) | Xenia | 0.25 mi | Multi-purpose facility near Dayton combining a drag strip, paved oval, and quarter-midget track; rebranded Darana Raceway in September 2025 but continues SCCA and drag racing programs. |
Dirt tracks in Ohio
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eldora Speedway | Rossburg | 0.5 mi | "The Big E," a half-mile dirt oval owned by Tony Stewart and considered dirt racing's premier venue, hosting the World of Outlaws' Kings Royal and Knight Before the Kings Royal every July. |
| Attica Raceway Park | Attica | 0.4 mi | Dirt oval running since 1988 under promoter John Bores, hosting the Brad Doty Classic and weekly sprint car and late model programs. |
| Fremont Speedway | Fremont | 0.4 mi | Dirt oval marking its 75th anniversary in 2026, hosting the All Star Circuit of Champions and weekly 305/410 sprint car racing alongside sister track Attica Raceway Park. |
| Sharon Speedway | Hartford | 0.375 mi | One of the oldest continuously running dirt ovals in the US, racing since 1929; hosts the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and All Star Circuit of Champions. |
| Muskingum County Speedway | Zanesville | 0.375 mi | Three-eighths-mile dirt oval hosting the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series' Creno's 50 every July 3 since 2005. |
| Portsmouth Raceway Park | West Portsmouth | — | Dirt oval near the Ohio River that sat out the 2025 season after its prior owners of 34 years stepped away; new owners Jamie and Judith Jent reopened it in July 2026. |
Closed and historic in Ohio
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky SpeedwayClosed | Perkins Township | 0.5 mi | Closed 2026. Half-mile paved oval known as the "Home of the Supermodifieds" and long paired with Oswego Speedway's schedule; shut down in 2026 after roughly 75 years of racing. |
| Columbus Motor SpeedwayClosed | Columbus (Obetz) | 0.25 mi | Closed 2016. Quarter-mile oval that operated 1946-2016 before the village of Obetz bought the site; a turf sports complex, Fortress Obetz, now stands on the location. |
| Dayton SpeedwayClosed | Dayton | 0.54 mi | Closed 1980s. Paved half-mile-plus oval that hosted NASCAR, AAA, ARCA, ASA, and USAC before deteriorating in the 1980s; the site was later filled in and used as a landfill. |
| Canfield SpeedwayClosed | Canfield | 0.5 mi | Closed to auto racing 1973. Half-mile dirt oval at the Canfield Fairgrounds that hosted major sanctioned racing from 1950-1964; the fairgrounds site is still used for the Canfield Fair. |
| Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (Cleveland Grand Prix)Closed | Cleveland | — | Closed 2007. Temporary street/airport circuit that hosted the CART/Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland from 1981-2007 on the airport's runways and aprons; the airport now hosts only the annual air show. |
| Kenworthy's Motocross ParkClosed | Troy | — | Lost its AMA Pro Motocross National after 2004. Riverside/farmland motocross track that hosted AMA 125/250 National rounds from 1987-2004 before falling off the national calendar. |
Race tracks near the big cities in Ohio
Near Columbus
- National Trail Raceway · about 30 min
- Muskingum County Speedway · about 55 min
- Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course · about 70 min
Near Cleveland
- Nelson Ledges Road Course · about 50 min
- Sharon Speedway · about 60 min
Near Cincinnati
- Kil-Kare Raceway (Darana Raceway) · about 50 min
Near Dayton
- Kil-Kare Raceway (Darana Raceway) · about 20 min
- Eldora Speedway · about 60 min
Near Toledo
- Toledo Speedway · about 15 min
- Fremont Speedway · about 35 min
- Attica Raceway Park · about 45 min
- Dragway 42 (Darana Dragway) · about 45 min
Major race weekends in Ohio
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | July | IndyCar |
| Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals | Summit Motorsports Park | June | NHRA |
| Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire | Summit Motorsports Park | Summer | NHRA Pro Mod/Nitro exhibition |
| Kings Royal | Eldora Speedway | July | World of Outlaws Sprint Cars |
| ARCA Menards Series at Toledo | Toledo Speedway | May | ARCA |
| Creno's 50 | Muskingum County Speedway | July | Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series |
Track days and driving experiences in Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course runs an extensive club and driver-education calendar between its pro weekends, including SCCA and NASA regional events and manufacturer track days, typically $300-600 a day. Nelson Ledges is the more accessible, lower-cost option for road racers and endurance teams, home to ChampCar Endurance Series rounds and open lapping days. Drag racers get test-and-tune nights at Summit Motorsports Park, National Trail Raceway, Dragway 42, and Kil-Kare/Darana Raceway between their national event weekends, and short-track hopefuls can ask Attica, Fremont, Sharon, or Toledo Speedway about rookie or practice sessions ahead of weekly programs.
Frequently asked questions
Does this page cover horse racing venues?+
No. This guide is motor racing only. Ohio's Thoroughbred and standardbred tracks are outside this page's scope.
Is Mid-Ohio the same as Nelson Ledges?+
No, they're separate road courses. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington hosts IndyCar and IMSA; Nelson Ledges near Garrettsville is a smaller, SCCA/ChampCar-focused circuit in the northeast part of the state.
Is Sandusky Speedway still racing?+
No. The half-mile oval known as the "Home of the Supermodifieds" closed in 2026 after roughly 75 years of continuous operation.
Is Mansfield Motor Speedway open again?+
Yes. Former NASCAR driver Matt Tifft bought the dormant facility in 2025 and reopened it for the 2026 season after a seven-year closure dating to 2019.
Where can I watch NHRA drag racing in Ohio?+
Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk hosts NHRA national events including the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals and Night Under Fire; National Trail Raceway, Dragway 42, and Kil-Kare Raceway round out the state's IHRA/NHRA strip scene.
What happened to the Cleveland Grand Prix?+
The CART/Champ Car street race on the runways of Burke Lakefront Airport ran from 1981 to 2007 and has not returned since; the airport now hosts only the annual Cleveland National Air Show.
Venue list checked against 24 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.
Ohio track guides on RaceTrackWorld
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Address: 7721 Steam Corners Rd., Lexington OH 44904 USA Website: https://www.midohio.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: 419-884-4000 Hotel...
Nelson Ledges Road Course
Address: 10342 State Route 305, Garrettsville, Ohio 44134 USA Website: http://www.nelsonledges.com Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (+1) 216 2...