Houston Raceway Park, formerly known as Royal Purple Raceway, is a quarter-mile

dragstrip A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile (1320 feet, 402 m) is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile (201&n ...

in Baytown, Texas, just outside

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

. Built in 1988, the Park is situated on 500 acres on the eastern edge of the greater Houston metropolitan area and is Houston's only major multi-purpose motorsports venue. The dragstrip has a three-story tower building that incorporates 23 VIP suites, a media center, and race control facilities equipped with timing and scoring equipment. In 2000, Houston Raceway Park opened a new high banked 3/8 mile dirt oval at the facility. Houston Raceway Park's paved pit area holds approximately 400 racing rigs, with additional pit parking available on grass. The spectator parking lots have a capacity of over 10,000 cars, along with a special VIP parking area capable of holding an additional 600 vehicles. The Park has a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 30,000, with additional grandstand seating brought in during major events to accommodate reserved seat requests. Houston Raceway Park has permanent rest room facilities and concession buildings, located near spectator seating on both sides of the race track. Houston Raceway Park had an exclusive contract with the

National Hot Rod Association The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorspo ...

to host an NHRA National Event within a 200-mile radius of the Houston metropolitan area, called the NHRA SpringNationals. On July 14, 2021, Houston Raceway Park and the NHRA announced that the facility will permanently be closing after the 2022 NHRA SpringNationals event. It was held April 22-24, 2022. The property will become part of a business expansion project for the adjacent international logistics service provider and port operator Katoen Natie.

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Official Website
NHRA Division 4 drag racing venues Motorsport venues in Texas Galveston Bay Area Greater Houston {{Texas-sports-venue-stub

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