About Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park
Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park is a multi purpose motorsports complex at 7530 SW Topeka Boulevard, about eight miles south of downtown Topeka near Topeka Regional Airport. The property holds a quarter mile concrete drag strip, a 2.5 mile fourteen turn road course and a 22 acre asphalt autocross and drift pad. It opened in 1989 as Heartland Park Topeka, closed in 2023, and is currently working through a reopening under new ownership.
Current Status
The International Hot Rod Association bought the track at the end of 2025 and announced a 2026 revival. Renovation work ran through spring, a groundbreaking was held in June, and a reopening was targeted for the fall. Then several planned events fell through. The IHRA ended its 2026 Nitro Drag Racing Series early in July, which cancelled the October date in Topeka. The Sports Car Club of America cancelled the remainder of its autocross tour here on July 19, citing the track being closed. Track management staff were let go later that month.
Racing has not stopped entirely. A Back on Track event ran on August 7, 2026, and the IHRA has told regional promoters that the facility is not shutting down but is opening on a delayed schedule. Visit Topeka has described the venue's future as uncertain.
If you are planning a trip or entering an event, confirm directly with the track before making arrangements.
A Facility Built for Everything
When Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park was operating at full strength, this was one of the most versatile venues in the region. The drag strip is concrete, a full quarter mile, and hosted an NHRA national event nearly every year from 1989 through 2023. The road course runs 2.5 miles through fourteen turns. The autocross pad covers 22 acres of asphalt, which is a large enough surface to run a serious solo or drift program without touching the road course.
That combination meant a single property could host a nitro national, a club road racing weekend and an autocross school in the same month. Very few sites in the middle of the country can do all three.
Racing History
The drag racing history is the deepest. The NHRA Heartland Nationals ran here from 1989 through 2019 and again from 2021 through 2023, with the final running held August 11 through 13, 2023.
The road course carried an impressive list as well. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ran the O'Reilly Auto Parts 275 from 1995 through 1999. IMSA GT raced here from 1989 through 1991, and Wayne Taylor set the outright road course record in 1991 at 1:27.880 in an Intrepid RM-1. The SCCA National Championship Runoffs came to Topeka from 2006 through 2008, Trans-Am raced in 1989 and 2006, and AMA Superbike competed here in 1989 through 1991 and again in 2009. ARCA, the Star Mazda Championship and several NASCAR regional series filled out the record.
Why It Closed
The shutdown was financial rather than physical. A tax dispute between the previous ownership and Shawnee County came to a head in 2023. The NHRA event that August was announced as the last, and the track confirmed a full shutdown that September. It then sat empty for roughly three years.
When the current operators took over, the buildings were the problem, not the racing surfaces. There was no power to the timing tower, the concession stands needed work, and there had been vandalism during the dormant period. The underlying track structure had held up well.
Getting There and What to Know
The property is on Topeka Boulevard south of the city, near Topeka Regional Airport in Shawnee County.
One important note on the web address. The old heartlandmotorsports.us domain is no longer controlled by the track. It now hosts an unrelated commercial site and should not be used to look up schedules. The official channel is the Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park Facebook page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park open?
At Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park, Its status is unsettled as of September 2026. The track has hosted at least one event since reopening work began, but multiple planned events have been cancelled and the schedule is delayed. Confirm before traveling.
Who owns the track now?
The International Hot Rod Association, which acquired it on December 30, 2025.
What was it called before?
Heartland Park Topeka from 1989, then Heartland Motorsports Park, and now Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park under IHRA ownership.
What is on the property?
A quarter mile concrete drag strip, a 2.5 mile fourteen turn road course, and a 22 acre asphalt autocross and drift pad.
Why did it close in 2023?
A tax dispute between the previous owner and Shawnee County. The final NHRA national event ran in August 2023 and the facility shut down completely that September.
Did NHRA race here?
Yes. The NHRA Heartland Nationals ran from 1989 through 2019 and from 2021 through 2023.
More information on Darana-Heartland Motorsports Park; Click here https://www.facebook.com/p/Darana-Heartland-Motorsports-Park-61583038233531/
For more venues click here: https://www.plainspowersports.com/category/auto/