If you’ve ever heard the thunder of a Corvette or a Ford GT screaming down a stretch of Seward County road at speeds topping 160 miles per hour, you already know about the Big Blue Mile Shootout, the event that proudly billed itself as “The Fastest Mile in Seward County.”
The inaugural Big Blue Mile Shootout took place on June 4, 2016, when roughly 40 speed-obsessed drivers gathered in Cordova for a taste of what they craved most: going fast… really fast. The event drew racing icons from the very beginning. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was on hand to sign autographs during that first year.
The driving force behind the event was the Grantski family of Utica. Todd and Melissa Grantski, along with a dedicated team of volunteers, organized the shootout on a long stretch of paved county road south of the Utica exit on Interstate 80.
The race was open to all makes and models, with participants beginning from a standing start in half-mile or full-mile divisions, with multiple passes allotted for each entrant. But the Grantskis did not just want to put on a good race. They wanted to give back. All profits from the event were divided evenly between the volunteer fire departments of Cordova, Beaver Crossing and Utica, who also helped serve and protect the event’s operations.
There was no admission fee to attend and watch the cars zip by, with the Grantskis accepting donations for those local fire departments.
The community response was immediate and enthusiastic. The event brought racers and spectators from Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota, an unprecedented level of attention for those small Big Blue River communities. Year after year, the shootout grew. By 2022, organizers added new distance classes, including a 1.25-mile run and a Twist Half-Mile Bracket competition with prize money. Then came a setback. In April 2023, organizers announced the event was canceled due to issues with the location and noted they were actively seeking a new site to host the event again. As of today, the Big Blue Mile Shootout has not yet returned to the Cordova area, though the official website at bigbluemile.com remains active and indicates the search for a new home is ongoing.
For a small stretch of Seward County road, the Big Blue Mile Shootout made a very big mark. It gave speed lovers a place to chase their passion, it raised money for the men and women who protect our communities, and it put Cordova, Beaver Crossing and Utica on the map in a way few events ever could. Here is hoping the thunder returns soon.
