Many in the racing community have been wondering what Kokomo Speedway has up their sleeves. Recently, the O'Connor family posted a photo on the track's social media pages with the caption, "Check out the front stretch demolition, before and after. 🙂"

The image shown as the after is only just the beginning as Kokomo Speedway is planning a massive upgrade project to the frontstretch grandstands and fan area. 

Track co-owner Reece O'Connor and his family have been hard at work upgrading Indiana's baddest bullring ever since the checkered flag waved on the track's 2024 season. 

"My brother’s and brother in-law's were there Saturday and Sunday and we got everything knocked down and out of the way," Reece O'Connor told FloRacing.

The track has made many improvements over the years, including a backstretch grandstand that is one of the largest in Indiana short track racing. The track owns a set of grandstands that is similar, just with a few less seats, that will go on the frontstretch property in place of the demolished stands.

"We've got a set of bleachers that is similar to the ones on the backstretch. I’ll build a platform at the top of those for some extra standing room," O'Connor explained. 

"Our plan is build a new press box with one suite next to it. If I don’t have time before the season starts, we will put the old press box up temporarily and build the other one as time and weather allows."

PHOTO: Kokomo Speedway co-owner Reece O'Connor climbing into his tractor.

The track will also add brand new restrooms and a new concession stand, replacing the buildings that have stood for 50 years and witnessed some of Indiana's greatest dirt track racing. 

"We tore the buildings down so there are going to be new bathrooms, and it will kind of be reversed. The old concession will be on the north side, while bathrooms will be on the south side. That is because the sewage is located on the south side and it’s an easier run.”

This project has been fully supported by the city of Kokomo. In fact, you might have noticed improved drainage near the road on the frontstretch this season. A federal grant helped the city with new sewage lines, which in turn kick-started the speedway's front-stretch improvement project. 

The storm sewers were completed by the city and the city hired the contractors and managed the project on a federal grant, according to O'Connor.

“The city of Kokomo is really behind us, and they love that there is a race track there. We do get a bunch of positive support from them."

Kokomo saw big crowds in their big events since improving their backstretch fan entrance, a massive grandstand with new concession and restrooms has brought Indiana Sprint Car fans back to the bullring. 

“When we put that grandstand up in on the backstretch it helped attract some new fans. I think this will help too," O'Connor stated. "Those old buildings were 50 plus years old. You can only do so much with old buildings. We kept them clean and stuff, but it was just time."

It's a family affair at Kokomo Speedway as Reece and his brother Jarrod and sister Jill both own the race track. The three siblings, along with their father, took over the track in the early 2000's and have hosted some of the biggest dirt track racing events Indiana has seen. This year, the track hosted USAC Sprint Car Smackdown and USAC Indiana Sprint Week, along with the Kubota High Limit Racing Sprint Cars. 

They intend on completing the majority of the offseason project themselves to save on costs. 

“We’re doing probably about 90 percent of it. That’s really the only way we can kind of afford it right now. My brother in law is in demolition business, my brother is in construction. It’s just taking away from our normal business (racing). But this was our plan because the city did their own project and we decided it’s time for a change.”

Historically the track opens up the year with the USAC Kokomo Grand Prix in late April. This past season, Kokomo Speedway hosted 13 events. 

Stay tuned from more information as the project develops through the winter as we near another racing season in 2025.