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IndyCar Series Qualifying
July 29, 2006 |
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Firestone Indy 400
July 30, 2006 |
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Hantz Group 200
August 18, 2006 |
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Carfax 250
August 19, 2006 |
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GFS Marketplace 400
August 20, 2006 |
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Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway boasts a proud 37-year history of hosting America's best racing action on its 1,400-plus acres in the scenic Irish Hills. With 18 degree banking and 73-foot wide sweeping turns, Michigan International Speedway provides drivers with three and four grooves to run around the two-mile speedway.
When Michigan International Speedway opened in 1968, the 12,000-seat center grandstand stood overlooking the new two-mile oval, a symbol of a new era for the Irish Hills area. With smaller grandstands on each side, the track proudly boasted 25,000 seats.
No one at the time suspected it was the start of something much, much bigger.
Since its opening, the success of the speedway and the growth of motorsports has made Michigan International Speedway the largest sports arena in Michigan. The center grandstand was extended in 1985, in 1989, and again in 1990 to seat over 27,000. In 1999, a 28,000-seat, 10-1/2-story high structure was added to the center grandstand, increasing the number of seats to 55,000-more than four times its original size.
In 1990, the first of two of the seven grandstands in turn one were erected, and in 1992, the first North Concourse grandstands (turn four) were built. By 1997, the eighth North Concourse grandstand was built in turn three.
Over the last decade, Michigan International Speedway has increased its reserved seating capacity by 82,000, and since 1985, the Speedway has increased its seating by nearly five times.
In 2004, the track added the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) walls to the track to make it safer for all drivers competing at MIS.
In 2005, MIS took on the largest renovation in its storied history by adding 870 additional seats with a new Club Level seating area called the Champions Club. The addition increased the seating capacity to 137,243.
The renovation project included a reconfiguration of the frontstretch area, which added new ticket gates, vendor and display areas, several new concession stands, and a new skylounge structure high above the main grandstand near the start/finish line. The skylounge area holds 16 suites, press box, timing & scoring area, television and radio broadcast area, and race control for use by the sanctioning bodies.
After more than 37 years of improvements and updates, Michigan International Speedway is still considered one of the country's premier racing facilities.
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Michigan International Speedway - home of the state's largest single-day, paid-admission sporting events since 1991 - is a track rich in racing tradition.
The track is nestled on more than 1,400-plus acres in the Irish Hills of southeastern Michigan. Groundbreaking took place on September 28, 1967. Over 2.5 million yards of dirt were moved to form the D-shaped oval designed by Charles Moneypenny, who previously designed the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. The original layout included infield and exterior roads, which could be combined to form a single 3.1-mile interior/exterior road course, or divided into separate 1.9-mile interior/exterior road courses. The road courses were designed by Formula One great Stirling Moss and are still used on a limited basis for passenger car testing by area law enforcement agencies. The last interior road course race was held in 1984, and the last time the exterior road course was used was in 1973. |
