Track History

On April 9th 1972 this track opened it's gates for the first time. Currently the 9th oldest operating drag strip in Texas.

This drag strip was built seven miles east of Lubbock and two miles south of Idalou on FM 400. J. H. Aufill built it at a cost of over $250,000. After it was built, Aufill sold one-third interest in it to both Hoyt Starr and Dick Pollard. Starr managed the strip in its first year of operation. But after the first season, Aufill bought Starr's and Pollard's shares back. It operated in the beginning under NHRA sanction. During its first year, it held races on the first Sunday of each month. The track opened for racing on April 9, 1972. There was seating for 5,000 people, but 10,000 people attended that first race and thousands of others turned back, dissuaded by the massive traffic jam. Raymond Beadle, driving Prentiss Cunningham's top fueler clocked the fastest time with 205.48 MPH. The grand opening was an NHRA divisional points meet held on May 6-7, 1972. The owners were disappointed that only 6,000 spectators watched the finals. Larry LaDue set a track record with a 6.98 ET at 194.3 MPH. But LaDue lost to Larry Brown who was the victor in top fuel. In the 1973 season, Aufill's son, Jack, took over the duties of being track promoter. He had experience as owner and promoter of 7-year-old Arena Park Raceway. The 1973 season also increased its racing from once-a-month to twice a month. On April 28-29, 1973, the track hosted an NHRA divisional points meet. In 1982, Dennis Barnard Bought the track from the Aufill's and owned and operated the track under NHRA sanction until 2009. Dennis had the track repaved in 2008 and after a botched construction job the entire track was shutdown and ripped up all the way to the 1/4 mile. Dennis and some of the local racers would organize small events with hand drop races on the top end shutdown area of the old track. After a few years they decided to install a timing system and in 2014 opened to the public for the first time on the top end. In 2016 Dennis had repaved the starting line area with concrete 10ft wide lanes, later extending it to the 330' mark. In 2018 They repaved with asphalt from the 330' to the finish line. Dennis would continue to run the street style racing through the 2020 season Before Selling in February 2021. The new Owners like J.H. Aufill would spend $250,000 the first year, unfortunately that doesn't build an entire racetrack like it did in 1972. They were able to make new temporary staging lanes, repave asphalt shutdown 17'wide lanes 1400' long from finish to end, created sand pit at end of track, added additional led lights, Brought in and restored 4 sets of bleachers donated by Penwell Knights Raceway, and were able to pour first stage of concrete on the 1/4 mile rebuild project. There is plenty more work to do, and we are constantly working to make this a better and safer place for the racers and spectators. With things constantly being done, means every time you come something else might be done that wasn't the last time you visited us. Thank You for continued support!