Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (September 24, 2020) – An era comes to an end at Dodge City Raceway Park as Tommie Estes, Jr., has elected to step down from his position as track manager and promoter at the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas.
After a revolving door of promoters at the state-of-the-art facility in its first decade as a dirt track, Estes, Jr., assumed the role in 2011 soon after leaving his previous position as series coordinator with the American Sprint Car Series.
Estes, Jr., has guided the DCRP facility for the past ten years, establishing several notable events including the DCRP Sprint Car Nationals and creating the 1/7-mile Little DCRP clay oval to provide a training ground for younger racers to develop their skills.
After the racing facility completed its final weekend of a condensed 2020 racing season on September 19-20, Estes, Jr., announced the decision to resign from the position.
“The city of Dodge City offered to extend my contract for another three years, but I declined,” Estes, Jr., explains. “I have enjoyed my ten years at Dodge City Raceway Park and appreciate all the support from the fans, racers, staff and sponsors over the past ten years. I just felt that it was time for a change and time to explore some other opportunities.”
Estes, Jr., finished out his tenure at Dodge City Raceway Park with this past weekend’s Eighth Annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event atop the 3/8-mile clay oval including the track’s championship chase divisions of Hambelton Racing DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks as well as Sunday’s Little DCRP season finale for Micro Sprints and Karts.
No immediate plans have been announced for the successor to Estes, Jr., at the Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval.
Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City, KS, on US 283, then 0.9 miles west on US 56, then 0.1 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 620-225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com.