As you well know, the 2025 NASA Championships is headed to Ozarks International Raceway, one of the newest and most exciting racetracks in the country. Renowned for its 19 turns spanning 3.97 miles over the full course, its billet-smooth asphalt and repeating elevation changes, blind rises and challenging corners, Ozarks International Raceway is setting stage for an epic NASA National Championships showdown.
History
Track owner and builder J.R. Pesek took what was a farm and turned it into one of the most challenging and interesting racetracks in the country. According to many drivers, it’s the kind of track you drive once and it instantly becomes your new favorite track, even though you could spend two racing careers trying to master it. The flow and elevation changes are like no other track in the country.
At one time, this piece of land was home to Walker Farms, a turkey and cattle farm. On a driving trip across the country, Pesek spotted the property and called his attorney to ask about purchasing it. His attorney asked where it was, and as fate would have it, his attorney also was helping the Walker family close the estate. Pesek closed on the property, which totals more than 600 acres. The road course covers 400 of them.
When Pesek found the land, he was convinced it could become a destination track, given its proximity to Lake of the Ozarks, which is a big weekend destination in the Midwest. The racetrack is located in the lesser-developed northwest fingers of the lake, but close enough that people could find lodging in the more established eastern tendrils, where thousands of hotel rooms are available.
Pesek used a handheld GPS and a lawnmower to lay out the first track, but not before using Google earth and some mapping programs to “build” the track before moving any earth. That meant changing things to create something that worked for the driver, but also met with approval of the Army Corps of Engineers, which had identified creeks and weeping streams that had to remain intact. Pesek and his team also partnered with Multimatic, whose modeling software helped determine if given portions of the track were feasible for the kinds of racing cars Pesek wanted to attract.
Getting There
If you have the luxury of flying in to take part in the 2025 NASA Championships, the airports in St. Louis and Kansas City, both of which are in Missouri, are about equidistant from the track. The drive from either airport is about the same, lots of two- and four-lane state highways through the rolling limestone and dolomite hills of Missouri.
From KC, the fastest way is Interstate 70 east to Marshall Junction, where you pick up state Highway 65 to Sedalia. There’s a bypass around Sedalia. Your phone knows the way from there.
From St. Louis, Interstate 70 west leads to Kingdom City, where you pick up Highway 54 South. There might be still construction happening on I-70 near Kingdom City at Championships time. Follow 54 through Jefferson City and south from Versailles.
The Kansas City airport is newer than St. Louis Lambert and has better barbecue nearby. For you history buffs out there, the St. Louis airport has some interesting Charles Lindbergh and early aviation exhibits. Word to the wise: If you rent a car out of St. Louis, get the option that lets you return it empty. Fuel stations aren’t easy to find near the airport and if you’re in a rush to make your flight, it just adds stress. Remember to use your NASA Member Benefits discount when booking with Avis or Budget.
Staying There
Ozarks International Raceway lies northwest of the Lake of the Ozarks. The lake is one of the most popular weekend destinations for Missourians all across the state, but the track isn’t exactly close to the lake’s attractions and resources.
The closest, nicest hotels and restaurants are going to be in Sunrise Beach along Highway 5 and along Highway MM. If you go just a bit farther from the track, you cross the main channel to Lake Ozark where you can find resorts like the Lodge of the Four Seasons and the Regalia Hotel and Conference Center.
There is, of course, a plethora of options on VRBO and Air BnB and RV resorts, too, if you are not staying at the track. Many of these resorts are located on the water. Accommodations run the gamut from humble lakeside cottages and motels to lovely resorts. Be sure to check the listings at the end of the story for websites and contact information. We compiled a list of accommodations closest to the track with four-star recommendations or higher.
Eating There
The Lake of the Ozarks has some of the most entertaining places to eat and drink, the best of which are located on the water.
In Sunrise Beach, Captain Ron’s Bar and Grill is right on the water. It has a beach, and plenty of dock space. Also located in Sunrise Beach, the Branding Iron Restaurant and Saloon serves hearty American fare. Just down the road a bit, Chic’s ‘n’ Dix is a honky-tonk that offers pub grub and dining and dancing. Another location right on the water is Franky & Louie’s Beachfront Bar & Grill. Open seven days a week, it has a sandy beach, which not all waterfront restaurants on the lake do, tiki huts and a décor with a Florida Keys vibe.
Right on Highway 5 is Shrimp Daddy’s for Cajun rood and Don Chilillo’s for Mexican. Closer to the track on Highway 5, Little Vinny’s Café & Lounge serves fine home cooking and it’s not far from the track. If you like country cooking and “sassy servers,” Val’s in Laurie, Mo., is going to be the place for you.
Driving There
We’ll be publishing a turn-by-turn tutorial in an upcoming issue of Speed News, so look for that in the coming weeks. The point of this segment is to highlight the best part of the 2025 NASA Championships, and that is the track itself.
Sure, some tracks have turns with enough to camber to allow for 1.5 g’s during cornering. Others have tricky off-camber turns that require a delicate touch to get right. Still others have blind corners and dramatic elevation changes. When you drive Ozarks International Raceway, OIR for short, you’ll find that it has all of those elements in abundance. The track features 19 turns and 150 feet of elevation change, and 1,200 feet of elevation change during a single lap of the 3.97-mile length.
Pesek tried to include the kinds of turns you might recognize from other tracks around the nation and the world. When you drive it, you will find turns that resemble Spa’s Eau Rouge, flat-out undulations from the Nurburgring, a mirror image of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park’s Turn 2 or Mid-Ohio’s Carousel.
The track feels familiar in places, yet it is like nothing you have ever experienced. Earlier this year we published some helpful insider tips on going fast at Ozarks, so be sure to check those out, too.
The Facts
29211 MO-135
Gravois Mills, MO 65037
888-849-1483
Lodging
315 Four Seasons Dr.
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
573-365-3000
Regalia Hotel and Conference Center
250 Racquet Club Dr.
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
573-723-3000
33510 Bass Point Rd.
Gravois Mills, MO 65037
573-374-5205
973 Rock Harbor Rd.
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-5586
14 Lamp Post Ln.
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-5956
123 Bear Bottom Dr.
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-6905
Dining
82 Aloha Ln.
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-5852
11754 MO-5
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-207-4745
Branding Iron
12142 MO-5
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-4969
1028 Deer Valley Rd.
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-5750
ShrimpDaddy’s
16218 N. MO-5
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
573-374-7800
Val’s
601 N. Main St.
Gravois Mills, MO 65037
573-374-0922
Great article. It would be helpful if these write-ups included info and links for arrive-and-drive track rentals, too.
What are you interested in renting?