Work continues on the SRCA Drapstrip, located at 455 West Barton County Road, Great Bend. The Sunflower Rod and Custom Association regularly posts photos on its Facebook page, and is currently showing a video that was shared at the National Hot Rod Association’s 2025 West Central Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Jan. 24, 2026. (The video was posted on Feb. 14.)
The NHRA West Central Division announced two new additions to the High & Mighty Hall of Fame. Multi-time World Champion and Minnesota-born Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson, along with the SRCA Dragstrip, took their place among the pillars of drag racing in Division 5. Great Bend’s dragstrip played a pivotal role in hosting the first NHRA National Event in 1955.
As the video notes, that September, racing enthusiasts poured into Great Bend for what Hot Rod magazine called “America’s first acceleration championship.” The Hall of Fame honored the club that turned a World War II bomber base into “a model of what a true community dragstrip should be.”
SRCA Board Treasurer Michael Carlson and Vice-President Hank Denning attended Tuesday’s Great Bend City Council meeting, where City Administrator Logan Burns congratulated them on the achievement.
Restoration continues
Burns said the timing tower’s second-floor slab was scheduled to be poured Wednesday morning, and trenching for power to the new tower was underway.
“Framing is anticipated to begin next week. On the track, (cement contractor) Emory SAP completed the hand pour at the end of the drag strip today, and then they will pave the outside chase lane (Wednesday) morning using the paving machine. Weather permitting, we anticipate paving the two race lanes and the remaining portion of the chase road next week. And if progress continues as planned, the outside lanes and center lane are projected to be completed the following week,” he said.
“I think we’re all excited to get racing again this season,” Burns added.
“As a reminder to everybody, we do have the complex shut down to the public right now.” Access is to limited to construction personnel and city personnel.
