Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway

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 it was part of the ground 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]

Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway
Drome
LocationMichigan State Fair
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°26′33″N 83°06′40″W / 42.44250°N 83.11111°W / 42.44250; -83.11111
Opened1899
Major eventsAAA/USAC Indy Car
Detroit 100 (1949–1953, 1957)
NASCAR Grand National
Motor City 250 (1951–1952)
Oval
SurfaceDirt
Length1.6 km (1 miles)

By 1908, the racetrack, at the east end of the fairground, 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; it was demolished in 2001.[3]

Race winners

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AAA/USAC Champ Car race winners

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Season Date Winning Driver Chassis Engine
1949 September 11 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Offenhauser
1950 September 10 Henry Banks Moore Offenhauser
1951 September 9 Paul Russo Paul Russo/Nichels Offenhauser
1952 August 30 Bill Vukovich Kuzma Offenhauser
1953 July 4 Rodger Ward Kurtis Offenhauser
1957 September 11 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma Offenhauser

NASCAR Grand National race winners

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Season Date Winning Driver Chassis
1951 August 12 Tommy Thompson 1951 Chrysler
1952 August 12 Tim Flock 1951 Hudson

See also

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References

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  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. ^ a b Minnis, John; Beaver, Lauren (2010). Michigan State Fair. Images of America. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7385-7789-0.