Brainerd International Raceway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brainerd International Raceway

Competition Road Course (2008–present)
Donnybrooke Road Course (1968–present)
Location	Crow Wing County, NW of Brainerd, Minnesota, United States
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (UTC−05:00 DST)
Coordinates	46°25′01.45″N 94°16′23.31″W / 46.4170694°N 94.2731417°W / 46.4170694; -94.2731417
Capacity	20,000
FIA Grade	3
Owner	Kristi Copham
Address	5523 Birchdale Road
Broke ground	1967
Opened	July 1968; 57 years ago (1968-07)
Former names	Donnybrooke Speedway (1968–1973)
Major events	Current: NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals (1982–2019, 2021–present) Former: MotoAmerica (1983–1987, 1992–2004, 2021–2024) FR Americas (2021) Trans-Am Series (1969–1972, 1975–1978, 1980–1989, 2010–2017, 2020–2021) Pirelli World Challenge (2014) NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (2012–2013) World SBK (1989–1991) IMSA GT Championship (1972, 1977–1983) Can-Am (1970–1972, 1979–1980, 1984)
Competition Road Course (2008–present)
Length	4.023 km (2.500 mi)
Turns	13
Race lap record	1:23.109 ( Joshua Car, Ligier JS F3, 2021, FR)
Donnybrooke Road Course (1968–present)
Length	4.989 km (3.100 mi)
Turns	10
Race lap record	1:27.090 ( Michael Roe, VDS-002, 1984, Can-Am)
Drag Strip
Surface	Concrete/Asphalt
Length	0.402 km (0.25 mi)

Welcome sign in May 1997

Brainerd International Raceway (often called BIR) is a cool place for car and motorcycle racing! It's located northwest of Brainerd, Minnesota. This huge complex has a special track for drag racing, which is super fast. It also has two different road courses for other types of races.

BIR is a popular spot for big events like the National Hot Rod Association's Lucas Oil Nationals. Many fans come to watch the exciting races here, as the track can hold up to 20,000 people!

History of Brainerd International Raceway

How the Raceway Started

The raceway first opened in July 1968. Back then, it was called Donnybrooke Speedway. It was a very simple track with no safety barriers, grandstands, or even restrooms! George Montgomery and Bud Stahel created the track in a wooded area.

It quickly became a place for different racing groups. The SCCA held its first event there. The NHRA also had a race at the opening. Doc Halladay won the first Top Fuel Dragster race. In 1969, it even hosted a big Indy Car race.

Changing Names and Famous Races

Donnybrooke Speedway hosted exciting CanAm races in the early 1970s. Famous drivers like Denny Hulme and Peter Revson won these races. In 1973, Jerry Hansen bought the track and gave it its current name: Brainerd International Raceway.

During the 1970s, the track started holding "Funny Car" events. These led to the NHRA bringing a national event to Brainerd in 1982. Racing legends like Shirley Muldowney and Frank Hawley were among the first winners at this big event.

Speed Records and New Owners

Brainerd's dragstrip became known as one of the fastest in the world! It was completely redone in 2003. In 2005, Tony Schumacher set an amazing speed record of 337.58 miles per hour (543.28 km/h). Later, in 2016 and 2017, new national NHRA records were set there for Funny Cars.

Many famous drivers have won at Brainerd. John Force has won 11 times in Funny Car races. Kenny Bernstein won five times in both Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster.

In 2006, Jed and Kristi Copham became the new owners of Brainerd International Raceway. The track has continued to host many different types of races over the years.

Exploring the Race Tracks

Brainerd International Raceway has two road courses and one drag strip. Each offers a different kind of racing challenge!

The Donnybrooke Road Course

This is the original track, which is over 50 years old! It's used for both car and motorcycle races.

The Donnybrooke Road Course is 3.1 miles (4.989 km) long and has 10 turns. It's known for being wide, especially the main straightaway, which is 60 feet (18 meters) across. The track is mostly flat, with not many hills. It's a high-speed course where vehicles can reach nearly 180 miles per hour (290 km/h)! Even the slowest corners can be taken at about 80 miles per hour (129 km/h). There are wide areas off the track at most corners, making it very safe. This course uses the dragstrip as part of its layout.

The Competition Road Course

This newer course was finished in 2008 and first used for races in 2009. It's a bit shorter than the Donnybrooke course.

The Competition Road Course is 2.5 miles (4.023 km) long and has 13 turns. The first turn is a fast, banked right turn that cars can take at full speed. This course uses parts of the original Donnybrooke track. It then has a new section that winds across the middle of the raceway, avoiding the dragstrip. Like the older course, it has very little change in height.

The Dragstrip

The dragstrip at Brainerd has been around since 1969. It was originally part of the road course's long straightaway. In 1977, it started hosting big Funny Car championships.

The dragstrip was rebuilt in 2005. It got a new 700-foot (213-meter) concrete launch pad. The rest of the track also received new asphalt. In 2005, Tony Schumacher set a world record here for Top Fuel dragsters. He reached an incredible speed of 337.58 miles per hour (543.28 km/h)! This speed was recorded at the end of a quarter-mile (0.402 km) race. Since 2008, Top Fuel and Funny Car races have been shortened to 1,000 feet (305 meters).

Fastest Lap Records

Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Brainerd International Raceway. These records show how quickly different types of vehicles can complete a lap on the courses.