ABOUT

• Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than 1,400 acres approximately four miles south of the village of Brooklyn, in the Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan.

• Capacity: 56,000–137,243 (max.) Length: 2.0 mi (3.2 km)

• Banking: Turns: 18°; Start/Finish: 12°; Backstretch: 5° TRACK FACTS

• Groundbreaking took place Sept. 28, 1967. Some 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.

• The prime mover in the venture was Lawrence H. LoPatin, a Detroit-area land developer who built the speedway at an estimated cost of $4-6 million. The saucer-shaped, 18-degree banking provided exciting racing right from the start. The Inaugural Race took place Oct. 13, 1968. The 250-mile Indystyle event posted a purse second at the time only to the Indianapolis 500. Ronnie Bucknum collected $20,088 as the first driver to take the checkered flag.

• Cale Yarborough won the first NASCAR race at the speedway on June 15, 1969, in a thrilling duel with LeeRoy Yarbrough. The two drivers battled doorto- door for most of the final 150 laps. On their final circuit, they touched twice-entering turn one, with Yarbrough brushing the outside wall. Coming out of the final turn Yarbrough crashed just 300 yards from the finish line, handing victory to Yarborough.