The Tulsa Expo Center, since 2007 also called the QuikTrip Center, is the center of the Tulsa State Fair

Tulsa State Fair

The Tulsa State Fair is a fair and exposition in Tulsa, Oklahoma that operates during an 11-day span starting at the end of September and ending early in October. Of Oklahoma's two state fairs, it had the smaller annual attendance by a small margin in 2010...

 and one of the largest clearspan buildings in the world. The Expo Center provides 354000 square feet (32,887.7 m²) of column-free space under a cable-suspended roof. The building spans 448,400 total square feet on two levels, connected by side ramps and stairs, allowing for a variety of show floor plans.

History

The Expo Center, originally called the International Petroleum Exposition Center (and often called the IPE Building), was funded by a $3.5 million bond issue in 1966, and upon completion became home to the International Petroleum Exposition. At the time of its completion, it was the world's largest building under a single roof. Standing in front of the Expo Center is the Golden Driller

Golden Driller

The Golden Driller is a , statue of an oil worker, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Although it is claimed to be the largest free-standing statue in the world, there are many taller statues. It is currently the third tallest statue in the United States.- Overview :...

 which was added as a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition in 1966. Weighing 43,500 pounds and standing 76 feet (23.2 m) tall, the Golden Driller has become the symbol of Expo Square and a Tulsa landmark.

In July 2007 the building was renamed the QuikTrip Center, after Tulsa's QuikTrip

QuikTrip

QuikTrip is a Tulsa-based chain of convenience stores primarily found in the Midwestern and Southern United States....

 Corporation paid $2.6 million as part of a 10-year naming rights agreement.

Events

The building hosts many events throughout the year such as the Tulsa boat show, the Wanenmacher gun show (the largest gun show in the world), and Daryl Starbird's custom car show. During the Tulsa State Fair the largest facility is the Expo Center where vendors and exhibit booths line the entire floor, providing both educational and commercial services. The Chili Bowl midget car race

Midget car racing

Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...

 is held each January in a clay track inside the center. The event attracts NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 and USAC

United States Automobile Club

The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...

 drivers from around the country. Since 1998, the building has hosted the American Bicycle Association

American Bicycle Association

The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...

's annual Grand National Championships, a major event for BMX

BMX

Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...

bikers.