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
Location	Michigan State Fair Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°26′33″N 83°06′40″W
Opened	1899
Major events	AAA/USAC Indy Car Detroit 100 (1949–1953, 1957) NASCAR Grand National Motor City 250 (1951–1952)
Oval
Surface	Dirt
Length	1.6 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

AAA/USAC Champ Car race winners

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

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

See also

• Michigan portal
• Sports portal

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