- Owosso Speedway
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Owosso Speedway Location Middlebury Township, Shiawassee County, at 7204 West M-21 Ovid, Michigan Opened 1939 Major events Heritage 100, Fall Nationals progressively banked oval Surface asphalt Turns 4 Owosso Speedway is a 3/8 (.375) mile, progressively banked oval short track located east of Ovid, Michigan, between Ovid and Owosso, further east.
Contents
Track History
In 1939 the Owosso Speedway opened as a 1/4 (.250) mile dirt oval. The track would operate until 1944 when it closed to serve as a POW Camp for captured German soldiers from World War II. These soldiers were housed on the Speedway facilities and were allowed out into the community to do small jobs for the locals.
- The track resumed racing in 1946 with a brand-new high banked 1/2 (.500) mile asphalt oval sharing a front stretch with the 1/4 mile. In 1953 the 1/4 mile was paved, while the 1/2 mile remained a dirt track. In 1960 the 1/2 mile would go dormant, as it was closed because the track was allegedly too fast to be insured.
- The 1/2 mile would be resurrected in 1963 and the facility would continue on that way until 1972 when the big track was paved to go along with the already paved little track.
- In 1983 the track was converted over to dirt, for the first time since 1952 the two tracks were both dirt. The Speedway would close in 1988-1989 when the Simko family converted the 1/2 and 1/4 mile tracks over to the current 3/8 mile oval.
Notable alumni
- Benny Parsons – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion
- Tom Maier – Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame Driver
- Brad Keselowski = Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver
Current operations
The Owosso Speedway currently races Saturday night from early-May through September. The co-headlining classes at the facility are the Pro Late Models and Modifieds, which race on an alternating bi-weekly schedule. Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and Sport Stocks also are regular divisions
The Speedway also features special events for the Super Late Models.
References
- http://owossospeedway.com/track-info/about-us
- http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/speed.asp?id=1647&type=9 *http://owossospeedway.com/track-info/the-record-book
- http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/MI/Owosso.html
External links
- Owosso Speedway official site
- Owosso Speedway page at Water Winter Wonderland.
Coordinates: 43°00′06″N 84°18′28″W / 43.00167°N 84.30778°W
Categories:- Motorsport venues in Michigan
- Buildings and structures in Shiawassee County, Michigan
- Visitor attractions in Shiawassee County, Michigan
- Event venues established in 1939
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