Can You Watch Racing at High Plains Raceway for Free?

Updated

Yes—according to the track's own site, virtually all events at High Plains Raceway are free to watch and open to the public. The main condition is timing: spectator-friendly action is concentrated in the racing season, roughly April through October, when amateur clubs host events nearly every weekend. Outside that window the facility may be closed for maintenance, so check the calendar before planning a trip.

What You Can Expect to See

High Plains Raceway describes itself as one of America's greatest amateur road racing facilities, built on rolling terrain and open spaces that make the track technical, challenging, and very safe. Events cover all types of cars and motorcycles, from track days and driving schools up to wheel-to-wheel racing. For a spectator, that means the schedule varies by weekend—some days are lapping and instruction, others are actual races.

Events vs. Open Days

  • Club race weekends — wheel-to-wheel competition; the most spectator-oriented format.
  • Track days and driving schools — participants learning and practicing; still watchable, but not racing.
  • HPR Open Lapping Days — the track's own program giving drivers a safe, legal environment to explore their vehicle's performance. These are participation events, not spectator shows.

How to Plan a Visit

  1. Check the upcoming calendar on highplainsraceway.com before you go. The homepage lists upcoming calendar events and news announcements, and the full calendar is the authoritative source for dates.
  2. Confirm the event type so you know whether you're attending a race weekend or a lapping/school day.
  3. Read the "How to Watch at HPR" page linked from the homepage for spectator guidance.
  4. Watch for closures. The site posts maintenance closures directly—for example, a notice running October 26 through December 31 states the track is closed for maintenance with the reopening date to be determined, and asks people not to contact the track asking when it will reopen. Holiday closures around December 24–25 and December 31–January 1 are also posted.

Practical Caveats

  • "Virtually all" is the site's wording—it leaves room for an occasional event that isn't open to the public, so verify the specific date rather than assuming.
  • The published material does not list spectator fees, parking details, or gate hours. Nothing on the site indicates paid admission, but absence of a price isn't a guarantee—confirm with the hosting club if it matters for your plans.
  • Colorado weather and the April–October season mean winter visits are unlikely to coincide with racing.

Bottom Line

If you want free access to amateur road racing, High Plains Raceway is a strong option: pick a weekend between April and October, check the calendar for a club race event, and review the How to Watch page before heading out. If you're visiting in the off-season, expect a closed facility rather than a spectator event.