Back on Track - Heartland Encore

DARANA HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK

BACK ON TRACK - HEARTLAND ENCORE
High Performance Driving Event (HPDE)

October 24 - 25, 2026

Solo Drivers Only (Novice-Solo - Expert)

Event Track Configuration:  Full Course (Fast 1 - Fast 8)

Length: 2.5 mi      Corners: 14

Early Bird Discount on 2-Day Registration and Garages end 10/8

Join 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 for 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 – 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 as we return to 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 for one more weekend of high-performance driving before the 2026 season comes to a close.

Our August 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 celebrated something many of us had been waiting nearly three years to see—the return of cars to one of the Midwest's most iconic road courses. We reunited with old friends, welcomed new drivers to Heartland, and once again heard the sound of engines echoing across a facility that generations of Midwest motorsports enthusiasts have called home.

But apparently, one weekend wasn't enough.

So we're going 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 one more time.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 is a special 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 weekend created for experienced HPDE drivers who are already approved to drive independently. With no Novice coaching groups and intentionally limited registration, the focus of this weekend is simple: quality track time, low car counts, and one more opportunity to enjoy Heartland before winter arrives.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝

• 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 — a streamlined event designed specifically for experienced drivers who have already been approved to drive solo

• 𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 providing more room on track and more quality laps

• 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 with a schedule built around maximizing the driving experience

• 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 based on driver experience, pace, and passing rules

• 𝐍𝐨 𝐢𝐧-𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 means a simplified schedule focused on experienced HPDE drivers

• 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 before putting the track car away for winter

• 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 now that Heartland is back where it belongs—hosting motorsports

• 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 for another weekend at a track that means so much to the Midwest driving community

• 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲, 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝-𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 that Hooked on Driving is known for

• 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 with additional guest lunches available for advance purchase

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.

Unlike our August Homecoming, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 is not a Novice instructional event. All participants must have sufficient previous HPDE experience and have been approved to drive independently with Hooked on Driving or another recognized HPDE organization.

If you haven't previously driven with Hooked on Driving Midwest, that's not necessarily a problem. Drivers with documented Solo, Intermediate, Advanced, Instructor, Competition, or equivalent experience with other recognized organizations are encouraged to register. We may contact you for additional information regarding your previous track experience before confirming your run-group placement.

The objective isn't racing, competition, or lap times.

It's simply an opportunity for experienced drivers to enjoy their cars, enjoy the track, and squeeze a few more great laps out of the 2026 driving season.

No racing. No pressure. No egos. Just great cars, great people, and plenty of track time.

𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

When we returned to Heartland in August, the weekend was about much more than driving cars around a racetrack. It was about bringing a community back together and celebrating the rebirth of a facility that has been part of Midwest motorsports for decades.

For many of us, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 felt exactly like its name suggested.

We came home.

Now, just a few months later, we have an unexpected opportunity to do it again.

No grand reopening. No countdown after years of waiting.

Just one more weekend at Heartland.

One more weekend to chase that perfect lap.

One more weekend to find a little more speed through your favorite corner.

One more weekend to catch up with friends in the paddock.

And one more opportunity to enjoy a track many of us weren't sure we would ever get to drive again.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧.

Because 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 is being added to the calendar on relatively short notice, this won't be one of our traditional full-scale HPDE weekends. Instead, we're keeping things simple and concentrating on what experienced drivers want most:

𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬.

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

𝐀 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝.

Registration will be intentionally limited to maintain the quality of the on-track experience, and once a run group reaches capacity, additional registrations may not be available.

If you've been looking for an excuse to get the car out one more time before winter, this is it.

If you missed Heartland Homecoming in August, here's another chance.

And if you joined us for Homecoming and drove away wishing you could have just one more weekend...

We heard you.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞?

The track is back.

The community is back.

And before we close the book on the 2026 season, we're heading 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 at Heartland one more time.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝.

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 – 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄

𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲.

𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞.

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

PRICING:
𝟐-𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬: $550 $475*
𝟏-𝐃𝐚𝐲:   $300

Garage: $150 $125* (Fri 6PM - Sun 6PM)

*Discounted pricing reflects Early Bird pricing - valid through 10/8.

​​​​

Getting on track:

SA2020 or SA2025 helmets are required for the event. Motorcycle or M helmets are not allowed.
Helmets are available for rent in a variety of sizes during the online registration process.

Car numbers are mandatory at all tracks. They must be on both sides of the car, at least 6" high, and easily visible to the corner workers. HOD numbers will be available for purchase at the track.

Policies
Click Here to review the HOD policy on:

• Cancellations
• Track Damage
• Convertibles
• High Center of Gravity vehicles
• Passengers
• Minors
• Head and Neck Restraints
• LeMons and Champ Cars
• Alcohol

Click Here  for a brief description of the HOD run groups.

Access to load-into the property will be available starting at 6:00 PM the day prior to the start of the event until 6:00 PM Sunday evening.

Garages are available for rent.