HISTORY OF THE KANSAS SPEEDWAY

Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval located in Kansas City, Kansas, built by the International Speedway Corporation. Construction began in 1999, and the track officially opened in 2001.

From the beginning, it hosted NASCAR, ARCA, and IndyCar events, quickly becoming one of the most important motorsport venues in the Midwest. The NASCAR Cup Series made its debut on September 30, 2001, with Jeff Gordon taking the inaugural victory. The following day, Eddie Cheever Jr. won the first IndyCar race at the circuit, while Ricky Hendrick had already written his name into history earlier that summer with a Truck Series win.

Over time, the Cup calendar at Kansas grew to include two annual races – a spring event and a fall event. The spring race usually takes place in May, while the fall round is part of the NASCAR Playoffs, giving the track an extra level of importance. This double-header format has allowed Kansas to deliver even more memorable moments and to play a decisive role in the championship battle.

Through the years, Kansas has been known for close, unpredictable racing and several historic finishes. Lights were installed in 2011, making night races possible and adding even more atmosphere. In 2024, the track produced one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history when Kyle Larson edged Chris Buescher by just 0.001 seconds. Among the most successful drivers at Kansas are Jeff Gordon, who won the first two Cup races held there, Jimmie Johnson with three victories, and Denny Hamlin, who has become the all-time Cup leader at the track with four wins. More recently, Ross Chastain celebrated in the fall of 2024, while Larson added another triumph in the spring.

In the lower series, Kansas has also provided big moments. Jeff Green was the first Xfinity Series winner in 2001, while Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Christopher Bell have all triumphed since. The Truck Series has had notable winners such as Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, and Corey Heim, who swept both Kansas races in 2024. In ARCA competition, Jason Jarrett took the inaugural victory in 2001, and in later years, names like Frank Kimmel, Alex Bowman, and Ty Gibbs also found success on the 1.5-mile oval.