Scott Higgs , Blake Housley plan to bring major drag racing events back to Kansas City at new Flying H Drag Strip By Craig Cook

Flying H Drag Strip is owned by Higgs , a local businessman who owns All Around Truck , Inc ., a utility truck outfitter . Housley , a race car fabricator and PDRA Pro Nitrous driver , will serve as vice president . Despite soaring costs for materials due to inflation , the team remains on schedule to have the track completed by October .

“ Most people are smarter than us , and probably said , ‘ No , we ’ re gonna wait ,’” says Higgs . “ But we didn ’ t . We went ahead and built this , and I hope the fans appreciate that we went ahead and built it . It ’ s a big undertaking , and a lot more money than most people want to throw out .”

Flying H will be positioned next to I-70 Speedway in Odessa , Missouri . The NHRA-sanctioned facility will feature a full quarter-mile track , with the first 720 ft . of racing surface being concrete , then transitioning to asphalt . Including the shutdown area , it will be a total of 3,900 ft . in length . Plenty of lighting and paved pit areas will also be added .

“ Scott wanted to make sure you had no excuse not to come here ,” Housley says . “ We go to tracks all the time where it ’ s too dark , too short , the bathrooms are terrible , the pits are terrible . He wanted to make sure it was a top-notch facility , where when you leave , there ’ s no reason why you wouldn ’ t want to come back .”

Housley says they have already had discussions

with organizations like No Prep Kings , Street Car Takeover , and the Mid-West Drag Racing Series about potential events . They are also planning some of their own individual races such as Stampede of Speed and Night of Heroes , along with regular test-and-tune sessions and perhaps a monthly bracket race .

“ We plan to have around six big events a year ,” Housley says . “ We ’ re going to do the lowest of no prep to the highest prep . We ’ re going to be pretty diversified . We want to make it where everyone feels a part of it . It might not be every week , but you give us a chance , we ’ re going to make it where you feel like it ’ s your home .”

Higgs and Housley admit to being on the

fence about building a new track , and weren ’ t completely convinced until a “ Racer Roundup ” meeting was held at Higgs ’ Flying H Ranch on February 7 . While both men claim they would ’ ve been happy with a hundred people showing up to express interest , the actual turnout was greater than anything they could ’ ve imagined .

“ It was like Field of Dreams ,” says Higgs . “ Tuesday night is kind of a tough night , but we thought we ’ d try it just to see who showed up . We had at least 800 people in the building , but however many were in the building , there were that many still out in the street that didn ’ t make it in . The headlights were everywhere coming up the drive .”

“ It ’ s a huge deal , being able to bring it back to this area and see what it does for the community ,” Housley adds . “ The friendship and family atmosphere you ’ d see weekly [ at KCIR ] just disappeared . We ’ re anxious to bring that back .”

Higgs also understands the costs associated with any form of entertainment these days , and the difficulty some families have spending a night out together . It ’ s an issue he and Housley are prioritizing to make sure everyone feels welcome at their track .

“ It should be feasible for us to operate , and not try to kill everybody with pricing ,” says Higgs . “ We want to make this a good , affordable , family environment , where a family comes out and doesn ’ t feel like they ’ ve been abused . We are going to make sure they get their money ’ s worth , and we ’ re going to have a money-back guarantee policy . If they ’ re not happy , we ’ ll give ‘ em their money back , no questions asked .”

With all kinds of other extras in the works – including a playground , camping areas , shopping and dining options , and a mobile speed shop for drivers needing parts – Flying H Drag Strip is primed to be one of the premier racing facilities in the country .

“ Right now , you make plans with your buddies to meet at a bar ,” says Higgs . “ We ’ d like to make it where people say , ‘ Hey , we ’ ll see you at the track on Friday .’ We want to have something for the kids to do , for the wives to do , and for the husbands to do – and hopefully it ’ s all drag racing .” DI

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CRAIG COOK , NHRA , AND FLYING H DRAG STRIP