This past weekend Callaway had an opportunity to roll out the red carpet for a large group of guests, some making a return visit and some seeing the community for the very first time.

For 25 years now, Custer County has been welcoming race car drivers, navigators, and enthusiastic spectators to a one-of-a-kind event in the state - the Sandhills Open Road Challenge. Two years after the inaugural race took to the road between Arnold and Dunning, a new event was added to the schedule that brought Callaway into the mix - the one-mile shootout.

This event is held on the Cozad road, one mile west and 15 miles south of Callaway, and this year the shootout took place on Friday, Aug. 8. The day began bright and early with breakfast for the drivers and crew at the shootout site at 6:30 a.m. The road was closed to traffic beginning at 7:30 a.m., and the shootout got underway at 8:00.

Following the shootout, the drivers made their way to Callaway for lunch at noon at the Community Center, sponsored by the Callaway Chamber of Commerce. The cars were on display for viewing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Callaway, and lots of folks from the community took advantage of the opportunity to see the cars up close and visit with the drivers.

Here are the top placers of the shootouts held on Friday.

Half Mile Shootout: 1st - Brad Wheelhouse, 2017 Infiniti Q60 - 139.1; 2nd - Jeff England, 2023 Dodge Charger Swinger - 125.1 Mile Shootout: 1st - Cy Nightingale, 2015 Purpse Built/V Model 5 - 158.7; 2nd - Les Steinhoff, 2022 Chevy Corvette - 156.6

Half Mile Unlimited: Eric Schmidt, 1989 Chevy Corvette - 155.9 Mile Unlimited: Jeremy Boldt, 2022 Chevy Corvette - 213.6 Half Mile Super Street: Steve Tasca, 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 - 154.7 Half Mile Street: Matt Belford, 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S - 156.6 Mile Super Street: Ryan McFadden, 2008 Chevy Corvette C6 - 190.6

Mile Street: Chad Christensen, 2011 Chevy Corvette Z06 - 178.0

All Shootout Racers -

Half Mile Unlimited: 1st - Eric Schmidt, 155.9; 2nd John Schmidt, 1990 Chevy Corvette ZR1 - 130.6 Half Mile Super Street: 1st - Brad Wheelhouse, 139.1; 2nd - David Glanzer, 2016 Cadillac ATSV - 152.4 Half Mile Street: 1st - Jeff England, 125.1; 2nd - Jay Nightingale, 1968 Chevy Camaro - 116.4 Mile Unlimited: 1st - Nick Ekberg, 1965 Chevy Corvette - 156.8; 2nd - Michael Rasmussen, 1995 BMW 318TI - 124.0 Mile Super Street: 1st - Cy Nightingale, 158.7; 2nd Dylon Grantski, 2020 Ford Mustang GT500 - 175.7 Mile Street: 1st - Les Steinhoff, 2022 Chevy Corvette - 156.6; 2nd - Ted Hughes, 2024 Chevy Corvette - 165.1 King of the Hill winner was Jeremy Boldt in a 2002 Chevy Corvette with a run of 213.6.