Michigan International Speedway
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Michigan International Speedway | |
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Facility statistics | |
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Location | 12626 U.S. 12 Brooklyn, Michigan, 49230 |
Broke ground | September 28, 1967 |
Opened | October 13, 1968 |
Owner | International Speedway Corporation |
Operator | International Speedway Corporation |
Construction cost | $4-6 million |
Architect | Charles Moneypenny |
Former names | |
Michigan Speedway (1996-2000) | |
Major events | |
NASCAR Nextel Cup 3M Performance 400 GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR Busch Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Indy Racing League ARCA Remax Series |
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Seating capacity | |
137,243 | |
Current dimensions | |
Track shape | Tri-oval |
Track length | 2.0 miles |
Track banking | Turns - 18° |
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile (3.22 km), moderate-banked, tri-oval superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than 1,200 acres (5 km²) near Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. It is used for NASCAR and high-level open wheel motor racing events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to California Speedway and Texas World Speedway.
Michigan is now one of the fastest tracks in NASCAR due to its wide, sweeping corners and long straightaways; typical qualifying speeds are in excess of 190 mph and corner entry speeds easily exceed 200.
The track opened in 1968 and is owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC). Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (to open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest to stock car standards).
From 1996 to 2000, the track was referred to as Michigan Speedway. This was to keep consistency with other tracks owned by Roger Penske's Motorsports International before its merger with ISC.
In addition to motor racing, the venue hosts the Michigan High School Athletic Association cross country finals for the Lower Peninsula.[1][2]
[edit] Current Races
- Nextel Cup - 3M Performance 400
- Nextel Cup - GFS Marketplace 400
- Busch Series - Carfax 250
- Indy Racing League - Michigan Indy 400
- ARCA - Hantz Group 200
[edit] Records
- NASCAR Nextel Cup Qualifying: Ryan Newman, 37.069 sec. (194.232 mph), 2005
- NASCAR Nextel Cup Race: Dale Jarrett, 2 hrs. 17 min. 56 sec. (173.997 mph), 1999
- NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying: Kasey Kahne, 38.608 sec. (186.490 mph), 2003
- NASCAR Busch Series Race: Mark Martin, 1 hr. 10 min. 46 sec. (169.571 mph), 1995
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying: Kyle Busch, 39.645 sec. (181.612 mph), 2005
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race: Brendan Gaughan, 1 hr. 17 min. 54 sec. (154.044 mph), 2003
[edit] External links
Current NASCAR Nextel Cup Series racetracks |
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Atlanta - Bristol - Brooklyn, Michigan - Charlotte - Darlington - Daytona - Dover - Fontana, California - Fort Worth - Indianapolis - Joliet, Illinois - Kansas City - Las Vegas - Loudon - Martinsville - Miami - Pocono - Phoenix - Richmond - Sonoma, California - Talladega - Watkins Glen |
Current NASCAR Busch Series racetracks |
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Atlanta, Bristol, Brooklyn, Michigan, Charlotte, Darlington, Daytona, Dover, Fontana, California, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Joliet, Illinois, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Loudon, Madison, Illinois, Martinsville (1982–1994, 2006), Memphis, Mexico City, Miami, Milwaukee, Montreal (2007), Nashville, Phoenix, Richmond, Sparta, Kentucky, Talladega, Watkins Glen |
Current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racetracks |
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Atlanta - Bristol - Brooklyn, Michigan - Charlotte - Daytona - Dover - Fontana, California - Fort Worth - Indianapolis - Kansas City - Las Vegas - Loudon - Madison, Illinois - Mansfield - Martinsville - Memphis - Miami - Milwaukee - Nashville - Phoenix - Talladega - Sparta, Kentucky |
Tracks of the Indy Racing League |
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Ovals Indianapolis Motor Speedway Chicagoland • Homestead • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Michigan • Milwaukee • Motegi • Nashville • Richmond • Texas Road/Street Courses Former Tracks |
Tracks of the USAC Championship Series |
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Former Tracks (1956-1981) Arizona Fairgrounds • Atlanta • Darlington • Dayton • Daytona • Detroit • Dover • DuQuion • Hanford • Indianapolis • Lakewood • Langhorne • Michigan • Milwaukee • Nazareth • Ontario • Phoenix • Pocono • Sacramento • Sedalia • Springfield • Syracuse • Texas World • Trenton • Williams Grove Road Courses International |
Tracks of the Champ Car World Series |
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Current Tracks (2007)
Assen • Cleveland • Edmonton • Houston • Las Vegas • Long Beach • Mexico City • Mont-Tremblant • Phoenix • Portland • Road America • San Jose • Surfers Paradise • Toronto • Zhuhai • Zolder Former Tracks (Ovals) Former Tracks (Road Courses) Former Tracks (International) |
Tracks of IROC |
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Current Tracks Daytona International Speedway • Texas Motor Speedway • Atlanta Motor Speedway Former Tracks |
Tracks of ARCA |
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Berlin • Chicagoland • Daytona • DuQuoin • Gateway • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Michigan • Milwaukee • Nashville • Pocono • Salem • Talladega • Toledo • USA Int'l • Winchester |