Michigan International Speedway

Michigan International Speedway (formerly named as the Michigan Speedway from 1997 to 2000) is a 2.000 mi (3.219 km) D-shaped oval superspeedway in Cambridge Township, Michigan, just south of the village of Brooklyn. It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR, CART, and IndyCar races. The speedway has a capacity of 56,000 as of 2021. Along with the main track, the facility also features three road course layouts of varying lengths designed by British racing driver Stirling Moss, which utilizes parts of the oval, parts located within track's infield, and parts located outside of the track's confines. The facility is owned by NASCAR and is led by track president Joe Fowler.

In the 1960s, Windsor Raceway owner Lawrence LoPatin ordered the construction of Michigan International Speedway to expand his recreational holdings. The facility was completed in 1968, running its first races in October of the same year. Soon after, the track fell into financial trouble after a series of business decisions by LoPatin to expand his auto racing company, American Raceways, sunk the company into major amounts of debt. In 1973, American Raceways sold ownership of the speedway to motorsports businessman Roger Penske, who saved the facility from financial ruin. Under Penske's leadership, the facility was expanded extensively. In 1999, the facility was sold off to the France family-owned International Speedway Corporation (ISC). MIS underwent major downsizing in the 2010s in efforts to modernize the facility, with capacity decreasing to more than half of its peak. Track ownership again changed hands in 2019, when NASCAR merged with ISC.

The track in its current form is measured at 2.000 miles (3.219 km), with 18 degrees of banking in the turns, 12 degrees of banking on the frontstretch, and five degrees of banking on the backstretch. Numerous road track layouts exist within the track's infield and outside the track's confines. As part of the original construction plan, a road course designed by British racing driver Stirling Moss was made. The road course is split into three different layouts made to cater to different abilities of racers. Different layouts of 1.250 miles (2.012 km), 2.250 miles (3.621 km), and 3.500 miles (5.633 km) were reported by the Lansing State Journal.

Michigan International Speedway is served by U.S. Route 12 and M-50, and covers over 1,400 acres according to The Daily Telegram. As of 2021, MIS has a capacity of 56,000 according to Autoweek. At its peak, the track boasted a seating capacity of 137,243 in 2006 according to Autoweek. MIS contains three luxury seating options: the Acceleration Club in the track's fourth turn, the Champions Club located underneath the track's press box, and the Victory Lane Club near the track's pit road.

In March 1966, treasurer of the newly built horse racing track Windsor Raceway, Lawrence LoPatin, expressed hopes of expanding the raceway into a "resort complex". After a visit to the Florida-based Sebring International Raceway, he decided that the first phase of expansion would include the construction of a "Grand Prix type auto-racing track, from 2.5 to 2.9 miles in length." After studying several markets, he decided to build a racetrack that would serve the Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago areas. Four months later in July, LoPatin announced initial plans to build the Michigan Motor Raceway, a 400-acre (160 ha), 100,000-seat track on the intersection between Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 23 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Although groundbreaking was scheduled to start on October 1, the plan was killed that same month due to mounting opposition from local residents. Another site approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the original location was then considered. In April 1967, the site was revealed to be in Lenawee County in Cambridge Township, with LoPatin later stating in a press conference the following month that he hoped to start construction on the track in the next 90 days pending the formation of a financing plan for a budget of $4 million. By September, local media reported that the now 700-acre (280 ha), $4.5 million facility was set to open sometime in 1968. To finance the facility, track officials filed a registration statement in October to publicly offer common stocks and debentures that totaled approximately $3 million.

Groundbreaking on the Michigan International Speedway (MIS) occurred on September 27, 1967, with British racing driver Stirling Moss commencing construction. Initial plans for the facility included a 2-mile (3.2 km) oval designed by Charles Moneypenny and an "extension" road course layout designed by Moss, with Moss stating that the road course was split into three layouts meant to accommodate different skill levels of racers; one at 1.25 miles (2.01 km), one at 2.25 miles (3.62 km), and one at 3.5 miles (5.6 km). An opening date for MIS was set for October 6, 1968, with a 250-mile (400 km) IndyCar-style race inaugurating the facility; the date was later pushed back a week. For MIS' first race, two grandstands seating 12,500 were constructed, putting seating capacity at 25,000. In September, Gordon Johncock and Wally Dallenbach Sr. ran the first testing laps at the facility, with Johncock setting a fastest lap of 182.92 miles per hour (294.38 km/h).

MIS opened as scheduled on October 13, 1968, with Ronnie Bucknum winning the first ever race at the facility amidst a crowd of 55,108. Although the race was seen as a success, the facility experienced major traffic problems, with traffic jams on the two-lane U.S. Route 12 being reported as long as 7 miles (11 km). Three days after its inaugural race, NASCAR signed a 10-year contract to run two NASCAR Grand National Series races annually. In the following months, LoPatin struck numerous business deals to grow what would eventually become American Raceways, Inc. (ARI). In December, LoPatin announced a merger with the Atlanta International Raceway (AIR). Within the first couple months of 1969, he announced the construction of the Texas International Speedway and the purchase of controlling interest of the Riverside International Raceway. Later in the year, LoPatin stated his intents of building another facility in Burlington County, New Jersey. LoPatin's business endeavors were seen as a response to the rising popularity of auto racing in the United States in the 1960s, with LoPatin being a key figure in said expansion. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS was run on June 15, with Cale Yarborough winning the event. In November, the track's first general manager, Frank Cipelle, was appointed.

By the end of the 1969 racing season, although the racing at MIS was praised, weather problems during all four major races in the season affected attendance and in turn, the facility's profits. American Raceways' troubles were soon publicized after their director of operations, Les Richter, left the company. MIS lacked a United States Auto Club (USAC) event after 1968 due to MIS disagreeing with USAC for the amount of purse money needed for a USAC race, depriving fans of promised major IndyCar racing. In addition, LoPatin entered into a dispute with NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. over how stock car racing should expand its popularity. In January 1970, ARI merged with the STP Corporation; by this point, ARI had amassed over $15 million in debt. Weather and subsequent attendance declines that year further compounded ARI's financial issues. Throughout the first half of 1970, LoPatin faced criticism for his handling of the Atlanta International Raceway, with AIR track officials leading campaigns to sack LoPatin after several executives either left or were fired by LoPatin.