Birch Run Speedway facts for kids
| Location | Birch Run Township, Saginaw County, at 10945 Dixie Highway Birch Run, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1948 |
| Major events | The Big One, I-75 Modified Challenge, Shootout at the Dixie, The Dixie Classic |
| progressively banked oval | |
| Surface | asphalt |
| Length | 4/10 (.400) mile adjoining 1/3 (.333) mile with Figure 8 course mi |
| Turns | 4 |
The Birch Run Speedway and Event Center is a cool place for car racing near Birch Run, Michigan. It has a 4/10 mile (about 640 meters) oval track. This track is shaped like a "D" and has special banking to help cars go fast.
There's also a smaller 1/3 mile (about 536 meters) track and a fun Figure 8 course. Before 2017, this speedway was known as the Dixie Motor Speedway.
Contents
The Speedway's Exciting History
How It All Began
The Birch Run Speedway first opened its doors in 1948. Back then, it was a 1/3 mile dirt oval track. Imagine cars kicking up dust as they raced!
In the early 1960s, the track got a big upgrade. It was paved with asphalt, making it smoother and faster for racing.
Growing Bigger and Better
Over the years, the speedway kept growing. The Doering and Scrivo families owned it for a long time. They even added the Figure 8 course, which is a track shaped like the number eight.
In 1996, the Kern family took over. They made many improvements to the speedway. They built a fancy VIP box for special guests. New bathrooms and bright stadium lights were also installed. A new building for checking race car parts was added too.
The biggest change was building the larger 4/10 mile oval track. This track has special banking that helps cars turn corners at high speeds.
New Owners, New Name
After the 2008 racing season, the Kern family decided to retire. Checkered Flag Promotions then managed the speedway.
In 2017, a local car dealer named Andy Suski bought the track. He changed its name to the Birch Run Speedway & Event Center. Even with the new name, many people still call the main oval tracks "the Dixie."
Famous Drivers Who Raced Here
Many talented drivers have raced at Birch Run Speedway. Some of them went on to become very famous in the world of motorsports.
- Benny Parsons – He won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship in 1973.
- Cy Fairchild – A legendary driver from Michigan, honored in the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- Parnelli Jones – He won the famous Indianapolis 500 race in 1963.
- Junior Hanley – A celebrated driver from Canada, in the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- Ed Howe – He started a company called Howe Racing Enterprises, which builds race car parts.
- Mike Eddy – He won the American Speed Association Championship seven times!
- Brad Keselowski – He became the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion in 2012.
- Joy Fair – Another Hall of Fame driver and a legend in Midwest racing.
- Erik Jones – He won the NASCAR Truck Series Championship in 2015. He was also Rookie of the Year in the Xfinity Series (2016) and the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series (2017).
What's Happening Now at the Speedway
The Birch Run Speedway is a busy place! Races usually happen on Friday nights. The racing season runs from late April through September.
Regular Racing Events
On regular Friday nights, you can see different types of cars race.
- Modifieds race on the big 4/10 mile oval track.
- The American Truck Series and Pure Stocks race on the smaller 1/3 mile track.
Special Race Events
The speedway also hosts exciting special events throughout the year.
- The Big One features powerful Outlaw Super Late Models.
- The I-75 Modified Challenge is a big race for Modified cars.
- The Shootout at the Dixie brings in the ARCA/CRA Super Series and other CRA divisions.
- The Dixie Classic is another major event for Outlaw Super Late Models.
