Party at the Park seems a fitting event name, considering that the Kansas and Kansas City Regions of the Sports Car Club of America, and the Kaw Valley Race Group (KVRG) will be renting out Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, KS August 4-6 and doing everything the site will allow. The site includes 20-acre asphalt pad for autocrossing, a newly repaved 2.5-mile track for road racing, a 28-acre dirt site for rallycross, the grassy area for camping, and the tech building for social gatherings. There is even talk of drag races and trying to incorporate a TSD road rally into the busy weekend.
“We asked ourselves how we could incorporate everything under the SCCA roof into one mega event…”
Brad Smith, KCR Past Regional Executive, has been pushing for this event for over a year. “This is something we as a Club have been dreaming of since HPT first closed,” said Smith. “We asked ourselves how we could incorporate everything under the SCCA roof into one mega event should the site open back up. Once we met with the new HPT management, we realized it was no longer a dream but actually a reality and now are putting the pieces together to make it happen.”
Representatives from the Kansas and Kansas City Regions, and KVRG are working out the scheduling details in hopes that members can compete in all aspects of the weekend’s experiences if they wish. So, if you are a regular rallycrosser, but want to test out your car on the race track, you can! Ultimately, they want members to be able to cross-compete and are offering a rallycross, autocross, road race, PDX, and TSD road rally. It may sound like a scheduling nightmare, but we are in good hands as Brad Smith, James Cahill, and Chris Kern are the KCR representatives. The key to being able to have members cross-compete, will be having enough volunteers to help work the events. If you are interested in helping at the event, let one of our representatives know.
“We are very exited to be hosting the SCCA’s “Party at the Park” the first weekend in August,” says Jeff Lacina, Director of Marketing, Communications and Road Course Operations for Heartland Park Topeka. “Today’s SCCA is a multi-motorsports organization that includes a great assortment of racing and driving events for pretty much any four-wheel enthusiasts. And now with our renewed focus on diversity of racing venues here at Heartland Park, this event is going to be a great way not only to show off what today’s SCCA has to offer, but also all the racing venues and areas that the new Heartland Park has to offer.
“Given the track’s long history with the SCCA and the wide range of racing and driving events that will make up this event, this is going to be an incredible motorsports party that racers and enthusiasts simply do not want to miss!”
Whether you are there to compete, volunteer, or spectate, Party at the Park is bound to be one of the biggest events our regions have ever seen. The on-site campground allows for some of the best camp stories and parties in SCCA; just don’t forget to bring your yard games and lawn chairs. Mark your calendars for August 4-6, Party at the Park will be here before you know it!