Hazard off-road racing program aims to make Thunderdome a national destination
Thunderdome’s first Ultra4 race could bring thousands to Perry County, with hotel, restaurant and fuel sales tied to a five-day October finale.
Ultra4 Racing and Hammerking Productions scheduled a championship-style off-road race at Hazard’s Thunderdome for October 14-18, 2026, a five-day event local officials expect could draw thousands of visitors to Perry County.
The payoff is easiest to measure in the businesses that would feel the first wave of spending. Hotels, campgrounds, gas stations, restaurants and convenience stores are likely to benefit if racers, crews and fans come through in the numbers organizers anticipate. The same surge would also put pressure on traffic control and public safety staffing along Kentucky 80 and the surrounding roads leading toward Knott County.
The June 26 announcement placed the Hazard event at the opening of a long-term expansion plan, with the Thunderdome positioned as the centerpiece of a broader push to make Eastern Kentucky a national off-road destination. The course sits in a natural amphitheater along Kentucky 80, and the design is meant to let fans see the full track from multiple vantage points while drivers tackle high-speed sections, technical rock features and elevation changes.
Ultra4 hosted an Industry Stakeholders Meeting at the Thunderdome on June 10 during the Terra Trophy MAXXIS 48 Hours of Kentucky Rally weekend, using the gathering to discuss future development of the site and the upcoming Ultra4 USA Nationals.
Perry County’s role in that broader plan also connects to Booneville, where Ultra4 and Backroads of Appalachia announced the East Coast headquarters for Ultra4 Racing at a newly constructed 200-acre test and development facility. That site is set to include a 1.4-mile off-road test track and a 60,000-square-foot building with garage and office space, with an opening expected in mid-2026.
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