CANTON, Mo. — What started as a childhood love for racing and remote control (RC) cars has grown into something much bigger for Jayden Shuman.

In his own backyard in Canton, Missouri, Shuman has turned his passion for RC racing into Speedway 81, a track built from the ground up that now hosts RC car tournaments.

Shuman’s interest in racing started at an early age. He grew up around cars and developed a love for RC cars, eventually deciding to combine that passion with his desire to race.

What began as a practice track for Shuman quickly became an opportunity to bring other racers together.

“I built it because of my love of racing,” Shuman said.

Shuman began construction on Speedway 81 in August 2024. Despite the size of the project, the track was completed in just two weeks.

Since then, the track has continued to evolve.

Shuman studies racing footage and watches how drivers perform on the track, using what he sees to make changes that can improve racing and performance. Those changes have included widening portions of the track and adding more slopes and turns.

The name Speedway 81 also has a connection to the area.

Shuman and his family brainstormed several possible names like (Shuman Raceways, 81 Speedway, J Speedway) before settling on Speedway 81 because the track is located near Highway 81. The name, Shuman said, also gave the track a professional feel.

While Shuman developed Speedway 81 himself, he credits his grandfather with helping introduce him to the racing world.

“My grandpa got me into racing,” Shuman said. “He always had a passion for everything car related and then I chose RC racing for the style of racing.”

His grandfather’s influence remains visible at the track.

Shuman continues to honor him by keeping the original signs from his grandfather’s auto body shop along the track.

The signs from Genck’s Auto Body serve as a reminder of where Shuman’s passion for racing began and the family connection behind the track.

Now, Shuman is looking toward the future.

When asked where he hopes Speedway 81 will be five or 10 years from now, Shuman first answered with a laugh.

“Move to a better place!” he said.

But Shuman quickly followed the joke with a more serious vision for what Speedway 81 could become.

“But in all honesty, I hope it’s much bigger so we can have full blown A main, B main so we can make an entire show out of it,” Shuman said.

For Shuman, Speedway 81 is more than dirt, turns and RC cars. It represents a childhood passion that turned into something he could build with his own hands and share with other racers.

And as the track continues to change, Shuman hopes the backyard racing project can eventually become an even bigger part of the local racing community.

There may even be room for some familiar faces behind the wheel.

You can find more information on Speedway 81 on there website https://sites.google.com/view/speedway81canton/home?authuser=0