For years, Mansfield Speedway was one of those places you drove past without giving much thought.
The grandstands were empty. The track sat quietly. And for anyone who grew up going to races there, it felt like a piece of Ohio motorsports history slowly fading away.
That’s about to change.
After sitting abandoned for years, the 67-year-old Mansfield Speedway is officially reopening this spring, bringing race cars, crowds, and noise back to a track that once played a major role in Ohio’s racing scene. The revival is being led by former NASCAR driver and Ohio native Matt Tifft, who couldn’t shake the feeling that the place deserved another chance.
A Track With a Long Memory
Mansfield Speedway first opened in 1959 and has gone through several eras, from dirt to asphalt and back again. Over the decades, it hosted everything from local dirt races to NASCAR Truck Series events in the mid-2000s. When the track closed in 2008, it left behind a lot of memories and a lot of unanswered what-ifs.
There was a short-lived return when the speedway reopened as a dirt track in 2017, but that revival lasted only two seasons. After that, the property slipped back into silence.
According to Destination Mansfield, Tifft was driving past the abandoned track on his way to nearby Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course when the idea took hold. The memories tied to Mansfield Speedway, and the potential for families to experience racing there again, wouldn’t let go. In 2025, he and his wife Jordan purchased the property with the goal of bringing it back to life.
What’s Changed
This revival isn’t just cosmetic. The 180-acre facility has undergone extensive renovations, including new grandstands, a rebuilt dirt track, and a massive 70-by-40-foot Jumbotron. The track surface was redesigned specifically for racing, removing rocks and sand to create a smoother, safer experience.
When fully operational, Mansfield Speedway will be able to accommodate more than 20,000 fans and offer weekend camping. Tifft has said the goal is to create a top-tier racing experience while keeping ticket prices affordable.
Single-event tickets are expected to average around $20, kids 10 and under get in free, and season passes are priced at $350.
When the Action Starts
Before the official reopening, the speedway will host a Test and Tune event on April 12. The first full race takes place on Saturday, May 2, when gates open at 5 p.m. for the Mansfield Speedway Comeback Classic.
That night marks the first race at the revived track and a symbolic return for a venue many assumed was gone for good.
More Than Weekly Races
The plan for Mansfield Speedway goes beyond a standard race schedule. In addition to late-model sprint car racing, the calendar is expected to include car shows, motocross and off-road ATV events, monster truck and burnout events, concerts, open ride days, and a Freedom 250 Festival with Fourth of July fireworks.
There are also plans to potentially add a motorsports museum on site, preserving the track’s long history and its place in Ohio racing culture.
That history stretches back even further than the speedway itself. Mansfield hosted horse races as early as the Civil War era, followed by motorcycle races in 1910 and auto racing by 1912. The city later became home to Rupp Manufacturing, the company behind the Kool Kart, which played a role in shaping early kart racing and later ATVs and snowmobiles.
Back On The Track
Mansfield Speedway sits roughly halfway between Columbus and Cleveland and about 15 miles from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, putting it right in the middle of Ohio’s racing country.
After years of sitting quiet, the track’s return begins with an April 12 Test and Tune event, followed by the Mansfield Speedway Comeback Classic on Saturday, May 2, with gates opening at 5 p.m.
With new facilities, a rebuilt dirt track, and a packed schedule planned for the months ahead, Mansfield Speedway is officially back on the calendar for Ohio racing fans. You can learn more about the Mansfield Speedway here.
