Heartland Motorsports Park Sold Ahead of Auction Deadline - Is There a Chance the Race Track Can Survive?
About one year ago, news broke that Heartland Motorsports Park, a multi-use facility in Topeka, Kansas that first saw action in 1989, would be closing at the end of the year.
Normally when a drag strip closes, it’s doom and gloom news. But there was offsetting good news last year - the new Flying H Drag Strip was slated for completion at the end of the year, and less than two hours away from Heartland in Odessa, Missouri.
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The news that started coming to light around the time of Heartland Motorsports Park’s fate was that the owners, Shelby Development, had gotten into a very public dispute with Shawnee County over the tax assessment of the property.
The mounting tax burden ultimately caused Shelby Development to shut the track’s gates in October of 2023.
Recently, the 621 acre facility went up for auction, which includes not only the drag strip, but also a 2.5-mile road-race course, a clay oval track, and several buildings.
The auction was due to close on July 24th, but the auction was ended ahead of the deadline. According to KSNT and 27 News out of Topeka, an e-mail from Chris Payne with Shelby Development stopped the auction due to numerous offers to purchase the park, as well as all surrounding parcels of land.
News of the track’s possible fate has now come to light, as KSNT and 27 News got information direct from Payne. “I was kinda hoping to pass that torch on to someone else,” said Payne. “All the interested parties were for redevelopment of some sort.”
Unless there is a change of heart from the new owner (who has not been named), it appears the storied racing facility will likely be lost to redevelopment.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Heartland Motorsports Park.
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