The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has finalized its purchase of Kil-Kare Raceway. The multi-purpose facility features a quarter-mile drag strip that has a strong history in the racing community.
Recent upgrades to the drag strip include an all-concrete racing surface, concrete walls, and enhanced staging lanes. Improved restroom facilities and concession stands, featuring brick oven pizza, further enhance the fan experience.
Kil-Kare Raceway also has a rich history as an oval track, located 13 miles east of Dayton, Ohio. Built by the Marshall Brothers, it opened in 1951 with a one-fifth-mile dirt track and was paved for the 1952 racing season.
The oval track was reconfigured to a three-eighths-mile layout in 1955. Kil-Kare made its mark in drag racing history when the quarter-mile dragway opened in 1959, solidifying its status as a premier racing venue.
The facility has hosted legendary figures in motorsports, including “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney on the drag strip. NASCAR Hall of Famers A.J. Foyt and Bobby Labonte are among those who have competed on the oval track.
Kil-Kare representatives at the 2024 IHRA World Finals included Cliff Lewis, Joe Barney, Doug Thompson, Justin Humble, and Bristol Perkins. Joe Hoskins, who qualified through the Sportsman Spectacular at Kil-Kare, finished ninth in the 2024 National Top 10 standings.
