It has been more than six decades since the first race cars roared around Lake Garnett Grand Prix in Kansas, showing the true definition of power and speed. On October 9-11, 2020, a group of dedicated individuals is once again injecting the lifeblood back into racing at Lake Garnett Raceway by hosting the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival.
During the seventh-annual Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival (LGGPR), countless families and car enthusiasts will have the opportunity to witness vintage race cars, classic sports cars, and modern performance automobiles descend on the North Park Lake.
The Revival has become one of the premier vintage and sports car events in the region, with a multi-day format that includes high-performance driving displays around the old 2.8 mile race track, the EKAE autocross at the Garnett Municipal Airport, the Hagerty Revival showcase car show in downtown Garnett, and a road tour & cruise. Onlookers will also get the chance to ride around the track in one of 40-different high-performance vehicles during the Charity Rides.
The track sessions will be diverse offering interest for all. A multitude of speed-regulated classes will allow drivers of every experience level to get some action behind the wheel of their own classic automobiles.
New in 2020 is the Rookie run group, which will allow driver’s ages 16-17 who possess a valid driver’s license to drive the track in their own dedicated class. Rookies will need to be accompanied by a legal guardian age 25+ and the group will be restricted to 60mph. This Rookie run group will give younger drivers with a passion for classic cars the chance to compete without the pressure of some of the more skilled run groups.
Heartland Vintage Racing will ensure that everyone gets their fill of historic horsepower. Onlookers can expect to see vintage Corvettes, Shelby GT’s, and Jaguars roaring around the lake, while the more agile Austin Healeys, Lotus Cortinas, and Triumphs carve up the challenging corners. It’s an incredible opportunity for automotive and racing fans alike to see cars that more and more are relegated to museums, being driven at speed on a historic racecourse.
Spectator admission and parking is free, and the LGGPR group encourages families and car enthusiasts of all ages to come to celebrate these marvelous automobiles. For the schedule of events, covid-19 regulations, and more information, visit the website at www.lggpr.org.
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About the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival
For one weekend in October of each year, the historic Lake Garnett Raceway comes back to life with the roar of powerful engines and the smell of high-octane fuel. Comprised of nearly 300-acres, the North Lake Park in Garnett, KS, once played host to one of the most popular sports car races in the Midwest. Official auto racing at the facility ended in the 1970s, but some 40-years later, a small group of sports car enthusiasts from the region banded together to celebrate memories of the track and the automobiles that once raced there. In 2014, the first Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival (LGGPR) was held, comprised of a track event, autocross, car show, and charity rides around the 2.8 mile road course which raise funds for charitable organizations around the area. Since then, the LGGPR has become known as one of the most fan-friendly and reasonably-priced events of its kind to attend, attracting more than 300 cars as well as thousands of participants and spectators.
it’s really a delightful event! I’m just sorry that several other similar types of events are not publicized by automotive media. through the years I’ve been to several events that were just mentioned in about 1 column inch in 1 magazine!
Wichita Region PCA used to have a great corral there in the late ’60’s. Sure wish Dick Davenport and David Haines were still with us. They really would’ve had a blast vintage racing.
I love racing my 1949 MG TC #13 every year and giving rides for charity. I consider myself a Ghost Rider on a Ghost Track. Russ Sifers