Discover FasTrack MotorSports Campus Drag Strip

 Coming in 2026 & beyond—FasTrack MotorSports Campus! Restoring the Marion County International Raceway (MCIR) and honoring the Bill & Shelby Guthery legacy with high-octane racing, community outreach, and family-friendly entertainment. 

 There is a statement in Drag Racing that goes like this:

“Drag Racing is something most people will never understand. It's NOT just a sport or something to do on a Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday. It's a way of life!! Once your in it, it's in your blood. Once you make your 1st. run... you can't stop. The track is home away from home. You smell that race fuel, rubber, and when you hear those engines scream... it's music to your ears"!!

Also love of the Drag Racing family!!

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  -History of Marion County International Raceway-

• Originally known as Marion County International Raceway (MCIR), the facility was founded in 1969. The raceway first opened as a motocross venue, and within a year, the drag strip was constructed. The track began under AHRA sanctioning before transitioning to the IHRA in 1980.
• The raceway was the vision of brothers Bill and Tom Guthery, who launched the facility with the promotion of the first International Motocross event ever held in the United States. MCIR officially opened its gates for drag racing in November of 1971, but the unpredictability of Ohio’s weather quickly reminded racers of its power—snowfall forced the remaining races of the season to be cancelled.
• Despite the icy start, MCIR quickly rose to prominence. Under an American Hot Rod Association sanctioning agreement, the track hosted the AHRA Nationals throughout the early 1970s. These events drew many of the sport’s most iconic names, including:

• Art Arfons
• Gene Snow
• Don Prudhomme
• Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins
• “Dyno Don” Nicholson
• “Big Daddy” Don Garlits
•  Shirley "Cha-Cha" Muldowney

• In June of 1975, Bill married Shelby, and after purchasing his brother’s share of the track, the two became a powerhouse promotional team—strengthening MCIR’s reputation and growing its presence in the sport.
• In 1980, the track officially joined the IHRA, where it remained a dedicated supporter of sportsman racers. In 1988, MCIR debuted the Sports Nationals, hosting the event for five consecutive years. For its commitment to racers and the sport, this quarter mile track earned the prestigious IHRA Track is a two-time IHRA 'TRACK OF THE  YEAR' and a winner of the RPM 'TRACK OF THE YEAR' for the U.S, and maintaining a reputation as one of Ohio’s premier racing venues.
• Tragically, the sport lost one of its most respected promoters in May 2005, when Bill Guthery passed away. Shelby carried the torch, overseeing operations until her retirement two years later. The track then transitioned to her son, Mark Primavera, and his wife Kelly. Shelby split her time between Ohio and Florida until her passing in March of 2009.
• From a competitive standpoint, MCIR earned its status not only through heritage, but through its capabilities. The facility can host 700+ race cars and 5,000+ spectators, with 1/4-mile, 1000-ft., and 1/8-mile racing available depending on program and class. Racers at MCIR have always enjoyed the luxury of one of the **longest shutdown areas in the state—2,600 feet—**ensuring safe, confidence-inspiring deceleration.
• Located in LaRue, Ohio, just a short drive from Marion and within reach of Columbus, MCIR has stood for more than five decades as a landmark of grassroots drag racing, family tradition, and Midwest motorsports history.  

-A New Chapter: Restoration and Legacy- 

• Today, a new era is underway. Chaplain Doyle, who has been connected to the raceway since the age of seven, His mission is to honor and restore the original vision of Bill and Shelby Guthery while bringing the facility into a modern and expanded future.
• Drawing from a lifelong bond with the track and its community, Chaplain Doyle is committed to preserving the heritage of MCIR while creating a revitalized destination for racers, families, and motorsports fans for generations to come.
• This restoration is not a recent idea—it is the fulfillment of a dream that has burned in Doyle’s heart for more than 30 years. For decades, he envisioned bringing MCIR back—stronger, safer, and better than ever—as a tribute to Bill and Shelby. They treated him like family, like a son, and entrusted him with leading invocations before eliminations for racers, crews, and fans alike during his three years serving as track chaplain. That history, trust, and love for the facility continue to fuel his passion and commitment today. 

-About “Big Daddy” Chaplain Doyle Thomas-

• Chaplain Doyle Thomas is an ordained Christian minister and visionary leader with a lifelong passion for motorsports. Born and raised in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, Doyle first set foot on the grounds of Marion County International Raceway at the age of seven, where he developed a deep respect for the sport, the racers, and the Guthery family who built the track.
• His roots in racing run deep—his mother drove the family race car and his father built the engine—instilling early lessons in competition, dedication, and craftsmanship. Doyle later served faithfully for over three years as MCIR’s track chaplain, delivering invocations before eliminations and offering prayer, support, and counsel to racers, crews, and fans.
• These experiences strengthened his spiritual calling and ignited his vision to one day restore MCIR—not only as a drag strip, but as a community-focused campus built on legacy, outreach, and faith.
• As Founder & Visionary of FasTrack MotorSports Campus, and Senior Pastor & CEO of FasTrack Ministries (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity ministry), Chaplain Doyle brings both a faith-driven approach and a community-centered mission to his leadership. His plans for restoration honor Bill and Shelby’s original vision while ushering in new opportunities for racers, families, businesses, sponsors, and youth programs.
• Known for his compassion, determination, and bold vision, Chaplain Doyle sees the track not only as a racing venue, but as a ministry outreach to families, veterans, seniors, youth, churches, and the motorsports community. With gratitude for those who built MCIR—and confidence in its future—Doyle is committed to bringing the track back to life: revived, restored, and ready for a new era of drag racing.