'This track means something to me.' Kansas State Fair board hears pleas to keep race track

HUTCHINSON, Kansas — More than 100 racing enthusiasts came from towns across the state for a special Kansas State Fair Board meeting concerning a former decision from the board to demolish the historic half-mile dirt race track on the fairgrounds.

People came from towns as far as two-and-a-half hours away to voice their concerns to the Kansas State Fair Board, which voted in November 2022 to do away with the dirt track by the end of 2023.

The first half of the Nov. 14 meeting was reserved for the board to hear proposals on potential future promotions of the 110-year-old facility. Two entities submitted proposals, offering to take on the responsibility for the track and events it may hold.

After the board heard the proposals, there was a public comments portion where a total of 15 people signed up to speak. Several who signed up went on to yield their time to a leader of the Save Our Track coalition, William Nusser.

"I still have faith that the board is going to listen," Nusser said. "If you look at the room standing room only without notice ... the interest is there. ... I hope (the board) see(s) the other guy's point of rushing to a decision... we've been in the flux of the race track for 20-30-40 years, it doesn't have to be done in the next two nights."

Why did the Kansas State Fair Board initially vote to get rid of the tracks?

Part of the public scrutiny the Kansas State Fair Board has received throughout this process has been for not publicizing its decision before the vote last year. At the meeting this week, members of the public said it took them by surprise and that they were disappointed the board did not allow for public input prior to the decision.

Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said the decision was not made hastily and was rather something that has circulated in conversations for more than two decades.

"We're happy that people came out and expressed their interest," Schulz said. "This is not something new. ... There's been conversations on this since the early 2000s. (In) 2014 it was brought back up and, I've been here for two and a half years and it's been a point of conversation since I've been here."

Schulz said a lack of use of the track is a big factor in the board's prior decision to do away with it. The track, which sits on almost 18 acres of land, is used about three times a year.

In a former interview with The Hutchinson News, Schulz said the fair planned to stay firm in its decision to remove the tracks. At that time, he said plans were already in place to remove it and designs for a new arena were on the way.

But after the Nov. 14 meeting, there are two proposals on hand that the board will consider before making an official decision next week.

If the fair were to get rid of the race track, there is a vision for that area to develop into additional parking space, provide room for renovations to the grandstand area, and leave room for other smaller dirt events like demolition derbies and monster truck shows.

What does the community have to say about the issue?

Passionate community members shared their concerns with the fair board Tuesday. Common themes from the remarks were that the racing community should have had a chance to weigh in on the decision, that other options should have been explored before demolition and that the fair board failed to keep the public informed throughout the process.

One of the first citizens to speak, Jami White, said the loss of the track would be a loss for the community and region.

"This track means something to me and it means something to every person in this building," White said.

Another community member in attendance, Roger Givens, said he felt like the fair board was rushing into a decision and that he felt given the historical significance of the track, more than one local entity should have a say.

"The biggest thing I wanted to bring up is... there's no reason that this has to be done today," Givens said. "This is the Hutchinson Race Track at the Kansas State Fair — that's where it started," Givens said. "It's our race track and if it's to come or go or stay, I feel it needs to be the city and county to make that decision."

A summary of the proposals presented Nov. 14

C. Ray Hall of the National Championship Racing Association, and Phil Nightingale of Mel Hambleton Ford of Wichita each submitted proposals for the fair board to review.

Hall, the organizer of the Hutchinson Grand National Championships, proposed to increase rent and have the fair keep a larger revenue from concessions, while his organization handled the execution of the event and expenses related to it.

Nightingale's proposal would include an upgrade to the concrete barriers, improvements to the infield pit area and racing surface and shortening the track slightly to 3/8 of a mile after 2024. In this proposal, Mel Hambleton Ford would be responsible for all track operations and expenses related to it.

What are the next steps in this decision process?

At the end of the Nov. 14 meeting, the fair board decided to wait to make a decision until next Tuesday, Nov. 21, giving its members a chance to review the proposals before them thoroughly.

In order to rescind its former decision to demolish the race track, an official motion to do so would have to come from a member of the board in next week's meeting.

The Kansas State Fair Board tentatively set that meeting for 5 p.m. Nov. 21 in the Administration Building, but due to potential space constraints, Schulz said the location could change.

Kendrick Calfee has been a reporter with the Salina Journal since 2022. You can reach him at kcalfee@gannett.com or on X @calfee_kc.

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Kansas State Fair board to decide fate of historic dirt race tracks