AZTEC – The 2026 live racing season at Aztec Speedway is coming soon, under new management and with an optimistic look to the future of one of the most iconic dirt race tracks in the southwest.
The team at BNB Promotions, led by Butch Mathews and Brian Carey, took over operations of the track last fall and have been worked with drivers and racing associations to restore the facilities and to bring the sport back to the historic track, which was forced to shut down its 2025 season shortly before Memorial Day last spring.
The track will hold its first live racing program on the weekend of May 15 and 16, following a series of open practice weekends in April. The 2026 season is slated to run through championship weekend on Saturday, Sept. 19.
According to the Aztec Speedway page on social media, the track has gone through several remodeling projects, which will enhance the racing product as well as the fan experience.
“The track will feature new lighting and public address systems, as well as repairs to the bleacher seating areas,” according to the social media post.
In addition, the track has reached out to more than 300 drivers from across the country in hopes of getting new and returning drivers to compete at Aztec Speedway.
“Aztec Speedway continues to celebrate the heart and heritage of grassroots racing,” according to a statement on the track’s website. “Aztec Speedway is a true racing tradition in the Four Corners region.”
The track is scheduled to host a pair of practice sessions, called Test N Tunes on Thursday, April 16 and Thursday, April 30.
Aztec Speedway is housed on land owned by the state of New Mexico, which is on lease to Micon Land, LLC, which is owned by Jason Sandel who is also president of Aztec Well Services.
The closure of the track early in the 2025 season caused a tremendous impact on drivers and team owners, many of whom had to travel long distances from San Juan County and neighboring communities to compete and to afford the cost of racing.
“The impact with me is that I have sponsors from the area that expect me to be out there with my race car,” said Regan Tafoya. “These are long term relationships with real good people. I have lots of friends and family that want to watch me race here locally.”
The track was in the early phase of its 73rd season of racing when it was shut down. Prior to the start of the season, the track’s facilities saw a massive upgrade, which included improvements to grandstand seating areas, billboard signage as well as the track surface which included new clay overlays.
“Our interest is for the track to operate,” Sandel said. “It’s been a mainstay inside this community for longer than I’ve been alive and we understand the importance of that. I think having someone who understands racing and promoting is essential in order to be operated in the proper way.”
For more information, log on to the track’s website at aztecspeedway.com.
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