A New Racing Facility in The Works to Return Motorsports to Kansas City, Missouri
With the doom and gloom of race tracks being purchased and closed recently in the news, it’s a breath of fresh air to see a new track in the works.
Kansas City International Raceway (KCIR) in Missouri closed their gates about twelve years ago, and now work has begun on a new facility to bring drag racing back to Kansas City.
Scott Higgs and Blake Housley are the men behind the efforts to bring a new drag strip to Missouri, and the Flying H Drag Strip is currently scheduled to be completed by October 2023.
Higgs, a local businessman, got together with Housley, a race car fabricator and competitor in the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Pro Nitrous class, to bring the idea to light.
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The track will feature over 700 feet of concrete surface, transitioning to asphalt and comprising nearly 3,900 feet in length, providing both a solid first eighth-mile of track for traction, and ample shutdown space to allow for even the quickest and fastest racing to be safely conducted at the facility.
Kurt Johnson of Total Venue Concepts (TVC) has been brought in to facilitate some of the work, and the track prep specialist is encouraged by the features.
“Flying H Drag Strip is going to be really nice,” said Kurt. “All the little features I've always wanted at a track.”
These include drainage channels in the retainer wall footers, and additional drainage added to the shutdown area.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) has sanctioned the facility, and multiple racing series have already expressed interest in adding the facility to their rosters for 2024, including Street Car Takeover, Mid-West Drag Racing Series and No Prep Kings.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Kurt Johnson and Flying H Drag Strip.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com