Two Tracks on the Way Back? News on SRCA Drag Strip and Thunder Valley Raceway Park Making Moves to Reopen!
A little over two years ago, news hit about Sunflower Rod and Custom Association (SRCA) Dragstrip in Great Bend, Kansas closing for the season because of concerns about the recently constructed track surface. The concerns have led to the track not holding a race since April of 2023.
Just over a month ago, the popular Thunder Valley Raceway Park (TVRP) in Noble, Oklahoma would close their gates after the lease holder expressed tough times and monthly loses were too much to bear.
But, recent news has hinted that both tracks are making strides to come back to racing soon, with construction under way at SRCA Dragstrip, and three events scheduled at TVRP in the next five weeks.
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SRCA Dragstrip, which hosted the first National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) national event in 1955, as well as race dates on Hot Rod Drag Week and Rocky Mountain Race Week in the past, lost their 2023 season, but managed to reach a settlement on November 18th, 2024.
After some time to get everything lined out, machinery made it onto the property on August 18th in 2025, and work is underway to get the old concrete removed, as seen in the video below:
One state south of SRCA Dragstrip in Oklahoma is Thunder Valley Raceway Park, was also recently faced some issues, and was closed on July 15th, 2025. Less than a month later on August 9th, the track’s Facebook page indicated that work was underway to get the track opened back up again.
“We are working on a lot of things,” was posted on the Thunder Valley Raceway Park Facebook page. New owners and new management have been mentioned, and previously mentioned timing system issues, as well as lawn care, have been highlighted as major subjects attended to.
Marc Sorenson, who has been associated with hundreds of no-prep races, and has jumped onboard to get the track back in shape, posted recently about a volunteer day to help get the track ready for its re-opening event on August 30th, a Pour Your Own Puddle (PYOP) Top End no-prep.
“We will all work together as a team and help give our home track a facelift that it deserves,” Sorenson posted about the volunteer meeting this weekend.
Can both tracks roll into 2026 with solid schedules, and possibly a drag and drive event on the roster?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, SRCA Dragstrip, and Motion Raceworks.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com