Springfield-Ozark Dragway

This strip in Ozark, eight miles south of Springfield, opened as Springfield-Ozark Raceway and was AHRA-sanctioned around 1963-64. The first race was reportedly in July 1962, though some records date it to June 16, 1963. Bill Kissee was the first owner. Several AHRA records fell at an October 1963 meet, including a B/GD record of 170.77 mph by Pusch & Crews of Kansas City. One racer described it as built on a mountaintop, with a gravel shutdown on the east end that cut sharply left after the finish line. At an AHRA divisional race on June 27, 1965, Lou Cangelose, 52, was killed trying to make that turn after a 197 mph run in his ‘Missouri Missile’ AA/FD, when his parachute tore off as he deployed it. He had planned to retire after the season.

In 1965 Pacific Promotions, led by Wayne Meinert, bought the track from Kissee and renamed it Springfield-Ozark Raceway. Jimmy Nix set a track record of 7.99 and 206.42 mph on August 22, 1965. The track ran four-wide match races on April 16, 1967 and again in 1968. That year it went back to its original name and Max Speak took over promotion, returning it to local hands. It opened 1973 as Ozark Dragway with Kenneth Davis managing. Don Garlits, Connie Kalitta, Jimmy Nix and Bob Sullivan were among the top racers who ran there. The area is rural residential now, and the old strip is Indian Valley Road.