For years, the gates were locked. The grandstands sat empty. Weeds grew where engines used to roar. If you drove past 400 Crall Road East in Mansfield, Ohio, you saw what used to be — a 67-year-old racetrack that had gone quiet.
That changes in May 2026.
Mansfield Speedway is back, and it's not coming back quietly. A full rebuild. New grandstands. A 70-by-40-foot Jumbotron. A 2026 schedule packed with World of Outlaws, monster trucks, demolition derbies, sprint cars, motocross, camping weekends, and enough noise to wake up every neighbor in Richland County.
Here's everything you need to know before the gates open.
The story behind the comeback
Mansfield Speedway has been through a lot. Opened in 1959 as a dirt oval, it later converted to asphalt and hosted NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races from 2004 to 2008. It closed in 2010, briefly returned as a dirt track from 2017 to 2019, then went dark again.
What's different this time is who's behind the wheel.
Former NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series driver Matt Tifft — an Ohio native, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and brain cancer survivor — acquired the property in 2025 with a clear mission: rebuild it from the ground up and make it the anchor of North Central Ohio motorsports. Tifft isn't just lending his name to this. He's building it.
The result is a 170-plus acre motorsports facility with brand new infrastructure, a massive infield Jumbotron, upgraded fan amenities, and a schedule designed to bring in everyone — die-hard dirt racing fans, families looking for a summer night out, and people who've never watched a lap in their lives.
What's on the 2026 schedule
This isn't a one-race-a-week operation. The 2026 calendar covers sprint cars, late models, monster trucks, demolition derbies, motocross, arenacross, camping weekends, and more. Here's what's coming.
Comeback Classic — Saturday, May 2 (rescheduled to Friday, May 15)The first official race back. Iron Man FAST 410 Sprints and American Late Model Iron-Man Series. Thanks to Ohio's signature spring weather, the original May 2 date got rained out and the event has been moved to its predetermined rain date — Friday, May 15. Gates open at 5 p.m. If you want to say you were there the night Mansfield came back, this is still the night. All May 2 tickets are honored at the door. Get tickets.
Night of Destruction — Sunday, May 3Full demolition derby chaos produced by Brandon Hauler Fair Derby. Doors open at 4 p.m. Kids 10 and under free. This one sells out. Grab tickets early.
Mansfield Monster Trucks — Friday May 8 & Saturday May 9Eight monster trucks on the Mansfield clay, presented by Outlaw Monster Truck Drags. Kids 10 and under free. Real monster truck rides in Thunder Alley before the show. Friday tickets · Saturday tickets.
57 Special — World of Outlaws Late Models, Friday May 29 & Saturday May 30The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision makes its first-ever visit to Mansfield Speedway. Two nights. $57,000 to win Saturday. The crown jewel of the 2026 season. Friday tickets · Saturday tickets.
Party at the Pen — Summer 2026A massive camping and entertainment collaboration based at the iconic Ohio State Reformatory right here in Mansfield. On-site camping, live music, and a one-of-a-kind experience that only happens in this city. Learn more and get tickets.
Summer Sprint Car Opener — Friday June 26 & Saturday June 27Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series and FAST 410 Sprints. Full open-wheel weekend. Friday tickets · Saturday tickets.
Freedom 250 Festival — Friday July 3 & Saturday July 4A free community event celebrating America's 250th birthday, produced in collaboration with the City of Mansfield. Tractor pulls, live music, and one of the biggest fireworks shows in North Central Ohio. Free admission — no tickets required. Just show up.
Tickets, pricing, and what it costs to go
Mansfield Speedway is built to be accessible. Here's how it breaks down:
- Single-event tickets average $20 per person
- Kids 10 and under are always free
- Season passes are $350 and cover every event on the 2026 calendar
- Camping is available on-site for weekend events — reserve your spot here
- Freedom 250 Festival (July 3–4) is completely free, no ticket needed
All tickets are at TheSpeedway.com. Events like Night of Destruction and the 57 Special will sell out — get tickets early.
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Ready to pick your night? Single tickets from $20. Kids 10 and under free. Season passes $350. View all events and get tickets |
Is the season pass worth it?
Short answer: yes, if you're planning to attend more than two events.
At $350, the season pass covers every event on the 2026 schedule. A single World of Outlaws night is $20 per ticket. The calendar has over two dozen event dates across sprint cars, late models, monster trucks, demolition derbies, motocross, and more. The math works out fast.
For families it's an even easier call. Two adults at $700 total covers an entire summer of nights at the track. Get your season pass here.
Camping and the full weekend experience
At over 170 acres, there's room to do this right. On-site camping is available for weekend events. If you've ever driven two hours to Eldora and wanted to make a full weekend of it, you now have that option a lot closer to home. Reserve your campsite here.
Where it is and how to get there
Mansfield Speedway is at 400 Crall Road East, Mansfield, Ohio 44903 — roughly halfway between Columbus and Cleveland on US-30. About 90 minutes from Columbus, an hour from Cleveland, under an hour from Akron and Canton. Parking is on-site.
A quick note on Ohio weather
If you've lived here long enough, you know spring in Ohio does what it wants. Sun one minute, sideways rain the next. Every event on the 2026 calendar has a predetermined rain date built in, and the Comeback Classic is the first one we've had to use. When weather forces a reschedule, all original tickets are honored at the rain date — no exchange needed. Updates are posted to TheSpeedway.com and our social channels the moment a call is made.
The bottom line
Mansfield Speedway isn't just reopening. It's being rebuilt as something North Central Ohio has never had — a full-service motorsports destination with a calendar that runs May through fall, built for 20,000-plus fans, with events that draw crowds from across the region.
The first gate drops Friday, May 15. Be there.
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View the full 2026 schedule and grab your tickets All events at TheSpeedway.com — no third-party fees, no box office line. Get tickets at TheSpeedway.com |