Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway

Last updated
Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway
Drome
Location Michigan State Fair
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates 42°26′33″N83°06′40″W / 42.44250°N 83.11111°W / 42.44250; -83.11111
Opened1899
Major events AAA/USAC Indy Car
Detroit 100 (1949–1953, 1957)
NASCAR Grand National
Motor City 250 (1951–1952)
Oval
SurfaceDirt
Length1.6 km (1 miles)

The Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway was a dirt oval racing track located in Detroit, Michigan. The track was built in 1899 for horse racing, [1] and was part of the grounds purchased to provide a permanent venue for the Michigan State Fair. Joseph Lowthian Hudson donated the land, at Woodward Avenue and what is now 8 Mile Road, to the Michigan State Agricultural Society. [2]

Contents

By 1908, the racetrack, at the east end of the fairgrounds, had a 5,000-seat capacity grandstand. The track originally hosted thoroughbred flat racing as well as standardbred harness racing. Later, it was used for auto racing, after the growth of that industry. [3] In 1971 the grandstand was declared unsafe and was demolished in 2001. [3]

Race winners

AAA/USAC Champ Car race winners

SeasonDateDriverChassisEngineSanctioning body
1928 June 10 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ray Keech Miller Miller AAA
1929 June 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Woodbury Miller (2)Miller (2)AAA
1930 June 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wilbur Shaw SmithMiller (3)AAA
1931 June 14 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Louis Meyer Stevens Miller (4)AAA
1932 June 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob Carey Stevens (2)Miller (5)AAA
September 10 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose Stevens (3)Miller (6)AAA
1933 June 11 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Cummings Miller (3)Miller (6)AAA
1949 September 11 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser AAA
1950 September 10 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Henry Banks Moore Offenhauser (2)AAA
1951 September 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo Russo/Nichels Offenhauser (3)AAA
1952 August 30 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Vukovich Kuzma Offenhauser (4)AAA
1953 July 4 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rodger Ward Kurtis Kraft (2)Offenhauser (5)AAA
1957 June 23 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Bryan Kuzma (2)Offenhauser (6) USAC

NASCAR Grand National race winners

SeasonDateWinning DriverChassis
1951 August 12 Tommy Thompson 1951 Chrysler
1952 August 12 Tim Flock 1951 Hudson

See also

References

  1. ↑ Reed, Terry (2005). Indy: The Race And Ritual Of The Indianapolis 500 (Second ed.). Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books. p.  4. ISBN   1-57488-907-9. Michigan State Fairgrounds 1899.
  2. ↑ Minnis, John; Beaver, Lauren (2010). Michigan State Fair. Images of America. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing. p. 26. ISBN   978-0-7385-7789-0.
  3. 1 2 Minnis, John; Beaver, Lauren (2010). Michigan State Fair. Images of America. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing. p. 28. ISBN   978-0-7385-7789-0.
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