Flat Rock Speedway

Last updated
Flat Rock Speedway
Flat Rock Speedway, Ash Township, Michigan.jpg
Flat Rock Speedway in 2021
Location Ash Township, Michigan
Time zone UTC−5 / −4 (DST)
Coordinates 42°04′54″N83°18′24″W / 42.0818°N 83.3067°W / 42.0818; -83.3067
Owner Automobile Racing Club of America
Broke ground1952
Opened14 August 1953;70 years ago (1953-08-14)
Construction costUS$350,000 [1] ($3.83 million in 2022 dollars [2] )
ArchitectSheldon Hayes
Major eventsCurrent:
ARCA Menards Series East
Dutch Boy 150 (2023)
Website http://www.flatrockspeedway.com
Oval
SurfaceAsphalt
Length.40 km (.25 miles)
Turns4

Flat Rock Speedway is a race track in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Ash Township just south of the city of Flat Rock along U.S. Route 24. Opened in 1953, it is owned by ARCA and is the sister track to Toledo Speedway. It features racing on Saturday nights that include Outlaw Body Late Models, Street Stocks, and Figure 8s for its weekly divisions. It is the closest NASCAR-style oval track racing circuit to Detroit, Michigan.

Contents

History

Flat Rock Speedway was constructed in 1952, but financial issues led to the original investors backing out. Under Sheldon Hayes of the Cadillac Asphalt Company, the track was completed in 1953; using 70 tons of a mixture of rubber and asphalt, Hayes created a "rubberized" asphalt surface that was the first of its kind for a race track. [3] [4] The speedway opened on August 14. It was initially scheduled to open on August 7, but the opening was postponed by a week after a raccoon drowned in its drainage system and subsequent rain flooded the track. [1]

Dick Good won Flat Rock's first track championship in the "Hardtop" division, which was rebranded as the Late Model class in 1954. [3] That year, NASCAR founder and president Bill France Sr. became its promoter and helped attract NASCAR drivers like Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, and Lee Petty to the track. [5] France left his position at the speedway in 1956. [6] Motor City Speedway promoter Andy Barto served as Flat Rock's promoter until he stepped down in March 1956 and was replaced by Hayes, who was the track president, to commit his work to Motor City; [7] Barto returned to Flat Rock as its general manager in 1959. [8]

During the 1953 season, the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC) began racing at the track, with J. H. Petty winning the first races – consecutive 100-lap events – on September 11. [4] Late models were introduced in 1962. [9]

Without NASCAR support, the track struggled in the late 1950s. In 1960, new general manager Joan Simmons created a points system and raised competitor numbers, leading to track attendance increasing by 81 percent. [10] A year later, Simmons formally established ties with France's friend and MARC head John Marcum, who became track owner the following year. Marcum would later rename his sanctioning body the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), whose Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series continued racing at Flat Rock until 2000, with Frank Kimmel winning the final ARCA premier series race at the track. [6] [4] Simmons remained in her position until 1970. [10] Following Marcum's death in 1981, wife Mildred and grandson John Drager took over track operations; when John departed for other interests, brother Ron became track promoter. [6]

In 1999, Drager purchased Toledo Speedway, connecting it to Flat Rock as a sister track. [11] As part of their new relationship, Flat Rock's marketing division Marcum Productions assumed the same role at Toledo, while Scott Schultz served as general manager for both tracks. [12]

ARCA race history

ARCA Menards Series
YearDateRaceWinnerManufacturerStarting
position		Laps
completed		Ref
1985 July 13Howard Williams Memorial Ed Hage Oldsmobile 1851 [13]
1986 June 14Flat Rock 125125 [14]
1987 June 27Miller High Life ARCA 125125 [15]
August 8Grand Auto Parts 15021302 [16]
1988 May 28Miller High Life 150 Bob Keselowski Chevrolet 1150 [17]
August 13Jomar Race Engines 150 Tracy Leslie Oldsmobile 11150 [18]
1989 May 27Miller High Life 150 Dave Weltmeyer Oldsmobile 150 [19]
August 12Metro 25 Tire Centers 150 Grant Adcox Chevrolet 150 [20]
1990 May 26Miller Genuine Draft 150 Bobby Bowsher Pontiac 4150 [21]
1991 June 1Miller Genuine Draft 15011633 [22]
June 29Metro 25 Tire Centers 150 Bob Keselowski Pontiac 4150 [23]
1992 June 27Metro 25 Tire Centers 150 Dave Weltmeyer Pontiac 9150 [24]
August 8Miller Genuine Draft 1503150 [25]
1993 May 29Miller Genuine Draft 150 Harold Fair Pontiac 2150 [26]
June 26Metro Tire Centers 150 Jeremy Mayfield Oldsmobile 12150 [27]
1994 May 28Miller Genuine Draft 150 Gary Bradberry Buick 17150 [28]
July 23Metro 25 Tire Centers 150 Dave Weltmeyer Chevrolet 3150 [29]
1995 May 27Miller Genuine Draft 150 Andy Hillenburg Chevrolet 12150 [30]
July 2AC Delco 150 Marvin Smith Chevrolet 7150 [31]
July 22Metro 25 Tire Centers 150 Joe Ruttman Chevrolet 1150 [32]
1996 June 1Miller Genuine Draft 150 Dave Weltmeyer Chevrolet 3150 [33]
July 6AC Delco 150 Tim Steele Ford 4150 [34]
1997 July 5Clarklift of Detroit 1502150 [35]
1998 August 1Flat Rock ARCA 150 Frank Kimmel Chevrolet 41513 [36]
1999 July 31Jasper Engines & Transmissions 150 Bill Baird Chevrolet 1150 [37]
2000 May 27Jasper Engines & Transmissions 150 Frank Kimmel Chevrolet 51593 [38]
ARCA Menards Series East
2023 May 20Dutch Boy 150 William Sawalich Toyota 4150 [39]

1 Race shortened from 111 laps
2 Race shortened from 150 laps due to rain
3 Race extended due to green–white–checker finish

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References

  1. 1 2 "Opening of Flat Rock Speedway is postponed". The Terre Haute Tribune . UP. August 3, 1953. Retrieved July 5, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Flat Rock, Toledo Champs Reaching Back..." ARCA Re/Max Series . January 4, 2007. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Radebaugh, Don (March 17, 2016). "Flat Rock 500 fills ARCA history pages in early days". ARCA Racing Series . Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Flat Rock Starts Night Races Sunday". Detroit Free Press . May 19, 1954. Retrieved July 5, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 "Flat Rock Speedway celebrates 50th year". The Blade . July 2, 2003. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Barto Quits Flat Rock Auto Track". Detroit Free Press . March 9, 1956. Retrieved July 5, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Speedway Head". Lansing State Journal . AP. March 22, 1959. Retrieved July 5, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Goricki, David (May 30, 2017). "Flat Rock Speedway levels the track for racing purists". The Detroit News . Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Joan Simmons". Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame . Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  11. ↑ Cowie, Steve (September 3, 1999). "It's time for stocks to cash in". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved July 6, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "ARCA to Operate Toledo Speedway". Motorsport.com . January 6, 1999. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ "1985 Howard Williams Memorial". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  14. ↑ "1986 Flat Rock 125". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  15. ↑ "1987 Miller High Life ARCA 125". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  16. ↑ "1987 Grand Auto Parts 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  17. ↑ "1988 Miller High Life 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  18. ↑ "1988 Jomar Race Engines 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  19. ↑ "1989 Miller High Life 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  20. ↑ "1989 Metro 25 Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  21. ↑ "1990 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  22. ↑ "1991 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  23. ↑ "1991 Metro 25 Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  24. ↑ "1992 Metro 25 Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  25. ↑ "1992 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  26. ↑ "1993 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  27. ↑ "1993 Metro Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  28. ↑ "1994 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  29. ↑ "1994 Metro 25 Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  30. ↑ "1995 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  31. ↑ "1995 AC Delco 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  32. ↑ "1995 Metro 25 Tire Centers 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  33. ↑ "1996 Miller Genuine Draft 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  34. ↑ "1996 AC Delco 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  35. ↑ "1997 Clarklift of Detroit 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  36. ↑ "1998 Flat Rock ARCA 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  37. ↑ "1999 Jasper Engines & Transmissions 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  38. ↑ "2000 Jasper Engines & Transmissions 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  39. ↑ "2023 Dutch Boy 150 Results". arcaracing.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
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