Alaska Raceway Park facts for kids

Alaska Raceway Park is a fun place where people race cars and motorcycles! It's located in Palmer, Alaska, not too far from Anchorage, Alaska. You can find it near the Knik River and Knik Glacier, with the amazing Pioneer Peak watching over the finish line. This makes it a really beautiful place to race, known by fans all over the world. Races happen here from Mother's Day until Labor Day.

Drag Strip

The drag strip at Alaska Raceway Park is a 1/4-mile long track. This is where cars race in a straight line to see who is fastest! It first opened in 1964. For about 30 years, it was called Polar Dragway. Over time, it had other names like Thunder Valley Raceway.

In 1994, a group of businesspeople who loved racing bought the track. They changed its name to Alaska Raceway Park. This group made many improvements. They cleaned up the area, added new seating for fans, and put in a new sound system.

IHRA Years

In 1995, the drag strip became part of the IHRA. This was a big deal because it meant racers could compete in bigger, more organized events. Alaska Raceway Park was even named "Track of the Year" by IHRA in 2003 and 2012 for being a great place to race.

In 1998, the Lackey family bought the track. They still own it today! They kept making the track better. They added more seating, improved the snack bar, and even built a gift shop. They also paved the pit areas and added special equipment for cleaning the track.

In 2000, the track surface was getting old. So, they worked hard to build a brand new one! They used special machines to lay down new asphalt. Many volunteers helped with this big project. They also installed a new, modern timing system to make sure races were super accurate.

A few years later, in 2002, the Lackeys bought the land the track was on. This made sure the track would be there permanently and gave them more space for parking.

NHRA Years

In 2019, Alaska Raceway Park joined the NHRA. This is another big racing organization. Being an NHRA track gives racers even more chances to compete in exciting events. These include the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League for younger racers.

Announcers

Many different voices have called the races over the years! Some of the announcers who have entertained the fans include "Big Daddy" Dave, Jerry Pierce, Steve Byrd, and "Big Schwag" Brett Wagner.

Oval Track

Besides the drag strip, there was also a dirt oval track from 1980 to 1986.

In 2016, a brand new 1/3-mile asphalt oval track opened! This track was built with help from many different companies. In February 2016, this new oval track became a NASCAR-sanctioned track. This was very exciting because it was the first NASCAR track in Alaska! It's also the northernmost NASCAR-sanctioned track in the entire world.

Some well-known NASCAR drivers have even raced at Alaska Raceway Park. These include Jordan Anderson, Ken Schrader, and Keith McGee. Keith McGee is especially cool because he's the first driver from Alaska to race in any NASCAR series!

Images for kids

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  Alaska Raceway Park logo