Our History

What sets us apart

Dodge City, Kansas’s auto racing history is almost as legendary as its reputation as the ‘Queen of Cowtowns.’ In 1934, a dirt track for automobile racing was built in Wright Park at the Ford County Fairgrounds, on the South side of Dodge City. Named McCarty Speedway, the ½ mile dirt track in the park operated consistently there through the fall of 1941. After various revisions in size and a major flood in 1965, the track was rebuilt into a 3/8th mile banked dirt oval that was open from 1966 until it closed its doors for good in 1994.

Missing the action, acceleration and entertainment that auto racing provides, the community of Dodge City, voted to bring auto racing back to the historic city.

In 2000, leaders broke ground to build a state-of-the-art facility for auto racing on the southern outskirts of town. Originally constructed as a paved surface venue, it wasn’t but a few years later the facility returned to its roots and popularity as a dirt venue. Dodge City Raceway Park, as part of the “Why NOT Dodge” initiative brought affordable family entertainment to the city, and took the title as the Premier Kansas Dirt Track.

With a seating capacity near 3,500, Dodge City Raceway Park features a multitude of motorsports entertainment events. Including, 5 International Motor Contest Association, (IMCA) classes, United Rebel Sprint Series, Classic Flat Track Series motorcycles, and a newly added Dave Garmann Memorial Late Model race featuring the High Plains late models. DCRP has a mid-season special with the ‘Steve King Memorial’ a 2-day special event featuring sprint car and midget classes as well as the NOW 600 Micros.