GBA’s race-day work at the Kansas Speedway

Spending the day watching cars go lightning speeds at the Kansas Speedway spells f-u-n for more than 75,000 people in the stands at each race.

Not so fun? Going a snail’s pace when trying to leave after a race.

To keep the post-race frustration of speed-lovers in check, a squad of GBA traffic engineers is behind the magic curtain, making sure you get home in a safe and efficient fashion.

Our engineers are able to control the signals along State Avenue, adjacent to the track from the roof of the grandstand with the drivers’ spotters, using signal timings developed specifically for this event. Standing on the roof also allows our engineers to have a bird’s-eye visual of the traffic situation as it unfolds and spot potential sticking points before they become problems.

Tab Boyd, spotter for racer Joey Logano, says that GBA’s traffic control work is extremely helpful not just for the fans, but for the racing crews, too.

“The huge crowds at a NASCAR race can prove very challenging while leaving the race track. Many places it is difficult getting out of the facility and negotiating weird traffic patterns. Kansas Speedway has a seamless traffic pattern post-race,” Boyd says. “We never stop when we leave the tunnel until we reach the interstate. It’s nice after a hard weekend at the track to have such an easy ride to the airport!”

After traffic has calmed to normal levels—usually 90 minutes to two hours after Sprint Cup races—GBA engineers return the traffic signal timings to their normal settings.

All work is done in conjunction with the Kansas City Kansas Police Department, Unified Government Traffic Engineering, Unified Government Street Department and BPU Traffic.

Fan Scott Mallin says he really appreciates the work GBA and local agencies do to keep things moving.

“As a Harley Triker, getting in and out of the track in short order is important to keeping my engine and me cool. I have been to races at Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol and Kansas. I am certain, that at those first 3 tracks, I would have to pull over to allow my engine and me, to cool off,” he says. “At the Kansas Speedway, I was in, AND out of the grounds and on the highway within five minutes! I live in Shawnee off I-435 and Shawnee Mission Parkway. I was home and comfortable in 15 minutes after the finish of the Sprint Cup race! I was in the pits and saw the celebration in Victory Circle. When I got home ... I felt like the traffic folks deserved a trophy as well!”