Given their druthers, the NHRA’s professional drivers would love to see Heartland Park – Topeka on the schedule for 2016.

Following two weeks of uncertainty, the NHRA kicked off their Kansas Nationals with a long-range forecast as ominous as the weather on the horizon. Saturday’s qualifying was cut short due to rain, with Sunday’s forecast with as much as 80-percent chance of rain.

Count Tim Wilkerson as one of those who hopes Sundays forecast and the long range future of the track located west of Kansas City is much brighter.

"It's a shame because I think every one of us on the Mello Yello tour loves coming here," Wilk said. "We go to a lot of big markets where it's hard for us to compete against the other major sports in town, but in Topeka it's never been like that. You come into town and every restaurant has 'Welcome NHRA Racers' on their sign out front, and they treat us so well. The fans are pretty special too, and they've always treated us like we're part of the family. I hope they get their issues sorted out, because it would be a shame for us and a shame for the people of Topeka to lose this track.

"Politics are not my strong suit, but I know it's hard to get any two people on the same page anymore. All I know is what I've seen ever since Heartland Park opened, and that's the fact that thousands of people fill the hotel rooms and pack the restaurants when the NHRA comes to town. And more than that, it's the lift it gives the community to host something as big as the Kansas Nationals. I hope we get to keep coming to Heartland Park forever, and I also hope the city understands how important it is to get this worked out. We have 23 other races, but they only have the one."

On May 5, the City of Topeka voted against issuing STAR bonds to purchase the facility and develop adjoining land. The NHRA elected to stage this year’s event though the facility remains technically closed. According to KansasCity.com, CoreFirst Bank & Trust has yet to foreclose on the financially-strapped facility whose owner Raymond Irwin has been in default for several months.

"You don't want to lose facilities,” said past Topeka winner Jack Beckman. “NHRA's very first national event was held in Great Bend, Kan., and Topeka is about as close as we get to that piece of history and as close as you can get to the middle of the country.

"You don't want to lose that heritage. They built a world-class facility for us with history and it is located in the right place, but I understand they have to make sure it's financially successfully."

Ron Capps believes the biggest loss for the NHRA will be a passionate fan base.

"It would be heart-breaking if we don't go back after this year," said Capps. "That town has thrived from the revenue our races generate. I've always bragged that as soon as we hit town the NHRA race is on the front page of the paper and leads the news on TV, and not just in sports.

"The town always has been so welcoming and has embraced our sport. I hope we'll be there a long time. It's a great racetrack.”

In the end, the NHRA would like to return to the 29-year old facility if the situation is right. The future remains uncertain.

“It is NHRA’s desire to keep Heartland Park Topeka as an NHRA Member Track to host sportsman events and continue to include the track on the NHRA Mello Yello Series racing schedule into the future,” said Graham Light, NHRA VP Operations. “NHRA looks forward to working with a new ownership group to make that happen.”

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