Kansas State Fair dirt race track not to be torn down by end of year, future uncertain

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas State Fair dirt race track will not be demolished at the end of 2023. At least, that’s the plan for now.

On Tuesday night, the State Fair Board decided to delay a vote on what to do with the track until January.

Over 50 people packed the board room and overflowed into the hallway, where attendees listened via Zoom.

The Fair Board is creating a committee to look into the proposals for the track over this next month.

It will include some Fair Board members, City of Hutchinson representatives, the Save Our Track Organizer and Larned Mayor William Nusser, and Mel Hambelton Ford’s General Manager Phil Nightingale.

The delay left some frustrated as the track’s future is still up in the air.

“Once somebody gets the bulldozers and you’re blasting the track, it isn’t coming back it is a one-way street that way. The other directions has a lot of opportunities,” said Representative Paul Waggoner (R-KS).

Save Our Track Organizer and Larned Mayor William Nusser said he feels this is a step forward for the racing community to be heard.

“Having those open meetings and discussions is what we’ve always wanted from day one,” said Nusser.

Nightingale said it’s frustrating he can’t get started with his proposal now. He was hoping for an answer at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“To get this race track ready to go to get the whole thing put together, it’s gonna take time,” said Nightingale.

The Fair Board is working with the Department of Administration to determine what needs to be done to accept any proposal, such as Nightingale’s, to operate the track, add new dirt, and update concrete barriers.

“This may have to go through an RFP process before you can get a yes from anybody,” said State Fair Board Member Robert Hutchinson.

Nightingale and Save Our Track are looking forward to sharing their concerns and working with the board to get racers starting their engines once again.

The committee will meet over the next month and a half to look into the proposals.

The board plans to vote on the next steps for the track on Jan. 9.