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Michigan 500
The Michigan 500 was an IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Held from 1981 to 2001, the event was held in high prestige, constituting part of Indy car racing's 500-mile "Triple Crown".
Between 1968 and 2007, Michigan International Speedway hosted a total of 55 Indy car races, across USAC, CART, and Indy Racing League sanctioning. The first event was a 250-mile USAC race won by Ronnie Bucknum. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, the facility typically hosted two events per season, one race during the summer, and one race during the fall. In 1981, the summer race was expanded to 500 miles, and the Inaugural Michigan 500 was won by Pancho Carter. A total of twenty-two 500-mile Indy car races were held at Michigan, including 21 annual editions of the Michigan 500, plus the 1996 U.S. 500.
After 1986, the fall race was dropped. In 2002, the lone summer race switched to the Indy Racing League, and the distance was shortened to 400 miles. The final Indy car race (as of 2025) was held in 2007. The races at Michigan gained a reputation for high speeds, being rough on equipment, high attrition, and for devastating crashes. The 1990 race, won by Al Unser Jr. (189.727 mph) was the fastest 500-mile race in history at the time, a record that stood until 2002. Two drivers (Michael Andretti and Scott Goodyear) won the Michigan 500 twice, while Tony Kanaan won a 500-mile race and a 400-mile race. In addition, the track has produced many surprise winners, owing much to the frequently high attrition. Twelve drivers have scored their first – and in some cases only – Indy car race win at Michigan.
In 1968, American open wheel racing debuted at the circuit with a 200-mile (320 km) USAC Championship Car event. In 1970, USAC returned with what would become a traditional July race date. Indy car owner and promoter Roger Penske purchased the track in 1972, and it became a mainstay on the Indy/Championship Car calendar.
In 1973, a second race was added to the USAC Championship Car schedule, a fall race usually held in September. Through 1980, all events were either 200 or 250 miles in length, with some events consisting of twin 125-mile races. On multiple occasions, the USAC Championship Car races at Michigan were held as part of a doubleheader with the USAC Stock Car series.
In 1979, both the summer race and the fall race at Michigan switched to CART sanctioning.
At the end of the 1980 season, Ontario Motor Speedway closed. As a result, Indy car racing's "triple crown" (Indianapolis, Pocono, Ontario) lost one of its prestigious 500-mile races. For 1981, the summer race at Michigan was expanded to 500 miles, effectively replacing Ontario. NBC agreed to broadcast the race live, making it the first 500-mile Indy car race to be broadcast live.
During a private test session in November 1986, Rick Mears set an Indy car closed-course speed record driving a March 86C/Ilmor-Chevrolet with a lap of 233.934 mph. The lap was an Indy car speed record that would stand for a decade.
Michigan 500
The Michigan 500 was an IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Held from 1981 to 2001, the event was held in high prestige, constituting part of Indy car racing's 500-mile "Triple Crown".
Between 1968 and 2007, Michigan International Speedway hosted a total of 55 Indy car races, across USAC, CART, and Indy Racing League sanctioning. The first event was a 250-mile USAC race won by Ronnie Bucknum. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, the facility typically hosted two events per season, one race during the summer, and one race during the fall. In 1981, the summer race was expanded to 500 miles, and the Inaugural Michigan 500 was won by Pancho Carter. A total of twenty-two 500-mile Indy car races were held at Michigan, including 21 annual editions of the Michigan 500, plus the 1996 U.S. 500.
After 1986, the fall race was dropped. In 2002, the lone summer race switched to the Indy Racing League, and the distance was shortened to 400 miles. The final Indy car race (as of 2025) was held in 2007. The races at Michigan gained a reputation for high speeds, being rough on equipment, high attrition, and for devastating crashes. The 1990 race, won by Al Unser Jr. (189.727 mph) was the fastest 500-mile race in history at the time, a record that stood until 2002. Two drivers (Michael Andretti and Scott Goodyear) won the Michigan 500 twice, while Tony Kanaan won a 500-mile race and a 400-mile race. In addition, the track has produced many surprise winners, owing much to the frequently high attrition. Twelve drivers have scored their first – and in some cases only – Indy car race win at Michigan.
In 1968, American open wheel racing debuted at the circuit with a 200-mile (320 km) USAC Championship Car event. In 1970, USAC returned with what would become a traditional July race date. Indy car owner and promoter Roger Penske purchased the track in 1972, and it became a mainstay on the Indy/Championship Car calendar.
In 1973, a second race was added to the USAC Championship Car schedule, a fall race usually held in September. Through 1980, all events were either 200 or 250 miles in length, with some events consisting of twin 125-mile races. On multiple occasions, the USAC Championship Car races at Michigan were held as part of a doubleheader with the USAC Stock Car series.
In 1979, both the summer race and the fall race at Michigan switched to CART sanctioning.
At the end of the 1980 season, Ontario Motor Speedway closed. As a result, Indy car racing's "triple crown" (Indianapolis, Pocono, Ontario) lost one of its prestigious 500-mile races. For 1981, the summer race at Michigan was expanded to 500 miles, effectively replacing Ontario. NBC agreed to broadcast the race live, making it the first 500-mile Indy car race to be broadcast live.
During a private test session in November 1986, Rick Mears set an Indy car closed-course speed record driving a March 86C/Ilmor-Chevrolet with a lap of 233.934 mph. The lap was an Indy car speed record that would stand for a decade.
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