Fast Track Facts: Kansas Speedway

credit: NASCAR Media

Kansas Speedway hosts two NASCAR weekends each season, including a race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Here’s a look at the short history of this 1.5-mile tri-oval.

• Kansas Speedway, owned by International Speedway Corporation, opened in 2001. The group began looking into the idea of building a speedway in the Midwest in 1996, with the focus moving to Kansas City in 1997; they eventually settled on the Kansas side of the city.Construction began in May 1999, and preferred seats went on sale that July. In May 2000, NASCAR and IndyCar announced events at the track in 2001. The IndyCar Series raced at the track from 2001-2010.
• Initial seating capacity for the track was 75,000, but upfront demand for the seats in 1999 led to an immediate increase to 82,000 seats. Lights were added at the track from mid-2010 to early 2011 – this event coincided with the addition of a second NASCAR weekend in 2011. The track was reconfigured in 2012, adding a road course to the facility as well as repaving the oval and adding variable banking. The addition of the six-turn, 2.37-mile road course brought sports car racing to the facility in 2013 and 2014.
• In Feb. 2012, the Hollywood Hotel and Casino opened at the track, overlooking Turn 2. The casino features a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor as well as 28,000 square feet of amenities including restaurants, clubs and other attractions.
• In addition to the three top NASCAR Series and the IndyCar Series, other series that race or have raced at the track include the ARCA Racing Series (still currently racing at the track), the NASCAR Winston West Series (now K&N Pro Series West), the USAC Silver Crown Series, the Indy Lights Series and the TUDOR United (now WeatherTech) SportsCar Championship.
• The track qualifying record was set by Kevin Harvick in Oct. 2014 (197.773 mph/27.304 seconds). Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon both have three wins at the track.
• Learn more about the track and purchase tickets for upcoming races at www.kansasspeedway.com.