Springport Motor Speedway

Motorsport venue
Name = Springport Motor Speedway
Nicknames = The Port, Lil MIS.
Location = 23845 30 Mile Rd, Springport, Michigan 49284

Website = [http://www.springportmotorspeedway.com SpringportMotorSpeedway.com]
Capacity = 6,500
Owner = Paul Zimmerman
Owner = Jim Leasure
Broke_ground = 1988
Opened = 1989
Former_names = Calhoun County Speedway, Michigan Ideal Speedway, Springport Speedway
Events = Michigan Cup, Racin' & Rock'n, [http://www.oscrt.com Old School Champions Race Tour]
Miles_first = True
Layout1 = High banked oval
Surface = asphalt
Length_km = 0.6
Length_mi = 3/8th
Turns = 4
Banking = Turns - 18 degrees
Frontstretch - 8 degrees
Backstretch - 15 degrees

Springport Motor Speedway is a 3/8th mile, high-banked, oval short track in Springport, Michigan, and is the sister track to Spartan Speedway located in Lansing, Michigan.

Springport Motor Speedway opened in the fall of 1989 under the name of Michigan Ideal Speedway. Built to replicate the dimensions of Michigan International Speedway, but on a 3/8th mile scale.

Seating 5300 spectators at maximum capacity, the track sits in the countryside of Calhoun County, a 45 minute drive from the Irish Hills and Michigan International Speedway.

The track is owned and operated by Paul Zimmerman and Jim Leasure. Springport Motor Speedway features 3 regular classes of racing (Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Pony Stocks) plus a variety of traveling series making for a 4 or 5 feature show. Traveling series include the Short Track Trucks, Vintage Modifieds (VROA), MCR Dwarf Cars, Mini-Cup Cars and in 2008 two special shows with the Old School Champions Race Tour. Races are held on Saturday Nights between May and September.

History

Springport Motor Speedway opened in the fall of 1989 under the name of Michigan Ideal Speedway.

Michigan Ideal Speedway was the dream of Russ Densmore. Densmore owned a local propane company in Springport Michigan, and he was on the fire and safety crew at Michigan International Speedway. In 1988 Russ Densmore was the fire crew chief at Spartan Speedway, a position he had held in previous seasons under the ownership of Paul Zimmerman. After an evening of racing, Densmore and new Spartan owner Russ Cowper (Cowper also owned the Galeburg Speedway) had a conflict over some facit of track operation, Mr. Cowper challenged Densmore "If you think you know so much about running a race track, why don't you go get your own".

Mr. Densmore purchased 68 acre farm & farm house in the extreme North East corner of Calhoun County and build his dream short track and called it Michigan Ideal Speedway.

One of the major contractors/builders was also a local racer named Jim "Barney" Barnhardt. Not only did Barney help build the track, he was the first ever driver to take a race car onto the speedway. He was also the first driver to wreck a car on the speedway.

During the first race on that fall afternoon, Bill Tyler was given the first upside down trophy (it was more of a nose stand in the first turn). He went on to win the sprint feature that day. Other winners from the first race were: Late Models - Joe Dorer and Charlie Evens, Mini Champs - Andy Michner, IMCA Modifieds - Dan Bailey, Factory Stocks - Tim West, Pro Stocks - John Smalley, Ed Santora, and Dick Margo.

No season champions were crowned in 1989 as only one race was held.

In 1990, the first Late Model Champion was Jeff Finley.

In 1998, Russ Densmore sold the track to an ownership group out of Jackson, Michigan headed by Ronnie Johncox. Ronnie Johncox was an Indy Car owner and driver who was participating on the Indy Car Series at the time of purchase.

Johncox operated and promoted the track for two season's until he closed the track after the 2000 season due to financial issues. The track remained closed for the 2001, '02 and '03 race seasons.

In 2003, the track was purchased by Spartan Speedway owners Paul Zimmerman and Jim Leasure, and the track re-opened for the 2004 season as "Calhoun County Speedway".

In 2005, the track started the season as Calhoun County Speedway. During the season the name of the facility was changed to Springport Motor Speedway.

In 2006 the track was promoted by local racing legend Gary Fedewa (along with Spartan Speedway) but again, financial issues closed the track early, in August.

In 2007 Zimmerman/Leasure leased the track to local racer and businessmen Maurice Randall. Randall was formerly a NASCAR and ARCA driver.

Notable alumni

Bill Elliott, Sarah Fisher, [http://www.sarahmccune.com Sarah McCune] , Stephen Leicht, [http://www.mikebuckleyracing.com Mike Buckley] , Kenny Irwin, David Stremme.

Track Time Line

*1989 : Track opens under owner Russ Densmore as Michigan Ideal Speedway.
*1989 : Track announcer is Mick Shuler
*1991 : Track runs on Sunday Nights for the 1991 season
*1993 : First Annual Michigan Cup Held
*1999 : Track sold to ownership group led by Ronnie Johncox and operated as Springport Speedway
*2001 - 2003 : Track was dormant
*2003 : Track sold to Paul Zimmerman & Jim Leasure and operated as Calhoun County Speedway
*2005 : Track operated as Springport Motor Speedway

Current Special Events

* Michigan Cup
* Racin and Rockin
* [http://www.osrct.com Old School Racing Champions Tour]

Track Records

*Winged Sprint Car:
*Non Winged Spring Car:
*Super Late Model:
*Late Model:
*Sportsman:
*Modified:
*Outlaw Modified:
*Street Stock:
*RWD Pure Stock:
*FWD Pure Stock:
*Outlaw FWD Pony Stock:
*FWD Pony Stock:

Track Champions

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center|thumb|350px|'07 Champions (l to r) Russ Potter IV, Mike Ammerman, Dennis O'Neil, Jon Smith

* c/n/r : Class Not Run
* ^ : ICAR class rules

External links

* [http://www.springportmotorspeedway.com Springport Motor Speedway Official Site]
* [http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/location.asp?id=1583&type=9 Springport Motor Speedway Page] at WaterWinterWonderland on [http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com]
* [http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/MI/Calhoun.html North American Motorsports Pages: Springport Motor Speedway Page] - Track information
* [http://www.spartanspeedway.com Spartan Speedway, Sister Track]
* [http://www.mstrc.com Michigan Short Track Racing Club]