Feel The Excitement Of Auto Racing In Ohio
Ohio has a long and storied past when it comes to auto racing, and the spirit of speed lives on today. For fans who want to see racing action in person, there are tons of venues, from world class to small town, where races are held regularly.
In Lexington, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a 2.4-mile NASCAR track in the Xfinity Series which can accommodate 75,000 fans. In New Weston, the Eldora Speedway is another NASCAR course – it’s a half-mile long and holds Camping World Truck series. Drag race fans will feel at home at Hebron’s National Trail Raceway, while the Sandusky Speedway is a hallowed half-mile oval home to modifieds, sprints, pure stocks, and supermodifieds. Another half-mile track, the Toledo Speedway, hosts the Glass City 200.
In South Amherst, the Lorain County Speedway is a .375-mile oval home to modified, street stock, and pure stock races. The Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia is another .375-mile oval where you can see late models, modifieds, sport stocks, and compacts. One-third mile oval fans head to the Columbus Motor Speedway, the Shady Bowl Speedway in De Graff, and the Midvale Speedway in Midvale.
Eldora Speedway
Also known as the "Big E," the Eldora Speedway is a half-mile raceway in central Ohio. The 20,000 capacity venue hosts a plethora of races yearly including the Kings Royal, the Dirt Model Dream, Chevrolet American Revolution Week, and many more
Perhaps the most recognized event is the World 100 – an annual event that hosts over 200 dirt late-model racers every weekend following Labor Day near Wapakoneta. Other notable events include the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the Silver Crown.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Established in 1962, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is located Mount Gilead in central Ohio. This mid-Ohio raceway is a 2.4-mile track, complete with 15 turns running clockwise.
Major events at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course include the EMCO Gears Classic, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, and the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200. The Mid-Ohio Speedway also offers the Mid-Ohio School – featuring programs for licensed drivers and motorcyclists.
National Trails Raceway
Opened in 1964, National Trails Raceway is located near Hebron in central Ohio and is home to a renowned quarter-mile drag strip. For many years, the raceway hosted the NHRA’s Springnationals because of its popularity and central location with events drawing more than 40,000 spectators at times.
The race has since hosted many other major race events – the Pontiac Performance Nationals, NRHA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Buick Nationals, and many more have been held at the raceway. In 2011, the National Trail Raceway showed its versatility hosting the Ohio Athletic Association state cross country running championships.