Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway facts for kids

A fun pony race at Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway.

The pit area during the Michigan Cup in 2007.

Exciting racing at the Michigan Cup in 2007.

The Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway is a cool place for car racing. It's a 3/8-mile oval track with high banks. You can find it northwest of Springport, Michigan.

This track is a "short track" for motor racing. It first opened in 1989 as Michigan Ideal Speedway. It was built to look like the bigger Michigan International Speedway, but on a smaller scale.

The speedway can hold up to 5,300 people. It sits in the countryside of Calhoun County, Michigan. It's about a 45-minute drive from the famous Irish Hills area.

The Story of Springport Speedway

The Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway has an interesting past. It started as Michigan Ideal Speedway in the fall of 1989.

How the Track Began

Russ Densmore dreamed of building this race track. He owned a propane company nearby. He also worked on the fire and safety crew at Michigan International Speedway. One day, after a disagreement at another track, someone challenged him to build his own.

So, Mr. Densmore bought 68 acres of land. He built his dream short track there. He named it Michigan Ideal Speedway.

First Races and Records

A local racer named Jim "Barney" Barnhardt helped build the track. He was the first person to drive a race car on it. Barney even held the track record for six years! He was also the first to crash a car there.

During the very first race day, Bill Tyler had an exciting moment. He did a "nose stand" in the first turn. But he still went on to win the sprint feature race!

No season champions were named in 1989 because only one race was held. In 1990, Jeff Finley became the first Late Model Champion.

Changes in Ownership

In 1998, Russ Densmore sold the track. A group from Jackson, Michigan, led by Ronnie Johncox, bought it. Ronnie Johncox was an Indy Car owner and driver at the time.

Johncox ran the track for two seasons. Then it closed for a few years, from 2001 to 2003.

In 2003, Paul Zimmerman and Jim Leasure bought the track. They also owned Spartan Speedway. The track reopened in 2004 as "Calhoun County Speedway."

In 2005, the name changed again to Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway. The track had a few more changes in who managed it over the years.

Recent Years at the Track

From 2010 to 2011, Steve Martin successfully leased and ran the track. The official website, SpringportRacing.com, has lots of information.

From 2012 to 2015, Jeff and Pam Parish leased the speedway. They were experienced promoters from other tracks.

In 2016, brothers John and Curt Ainsworth bought the track. They own it today. The name remains Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway.

Famous Racers Who Visited

Many well-known drivers have raced or visited this track. Some of them include:

• Bill Elliott
• Sarah Fisher
• Sarah McCune
• Stephen Leicht
• Mike Buckley
• Kenny Irwin
• David Stremme
• Ryan Newman

Springport Speedway Timeline

Here are some important dates in the track's history:

• 1989: The track opens as Michigan Ideal Speedway, owned by Russ Densmore.
• 1989: Mick Shuler is the track announcer.
• 1991: Races are held on Sunday nights for the season.
• 1991: The first annual Michigan Cup race takes place.
• 1999: Ronnie Johncox's group buys the track, now called Springport Speedway.
• 2001 - 2003: The track is closed.
• 2003: Paul Zimmerman & Jim Leasure buy the track. It reopens as Calhoun County Speedway.
• 2005: The track is renamed Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway.
• 2009: Jerry Rabbers leases the track, calling it Mid-Michigan Speedway.
• 2010: Steve Martin leases the track, and the name returns to Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway.
• 2011: Outlaw late models and Modifieds return for full-time racing seasons.
• 2012 - 2015: Jeff & Pam Parish lease the speedway.
• 2016–Present: Brothers John & Curt Ainsworth buy the track. It keeps the name Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway.

Special Events at the Track

The speedway hosts exciting special races. These include:

• Michigan Cup
• The First Call

Track Records

Drivers try to set the fastest times in different car classes. Here are some of the records:

• Winged Sprint Car:
• Non Winged Sprint Car:
• Super Late Model:
• Late Model:
• Sportsman:
• Modified:
• Outlaw Modified:
• Street Stock:
• RWD Pure Stock: Kyle Drake 18.754 seconds (set in 2008)
• FWD Pure Stock:
• Outlaw FWD Pony Stock: Gavin McGuffey - 17.129 seconds (set in 2022)
• FWD Pony Stock:

Past Champions

Champions from 2008: Brian Jenks, Earl Miles, Scott Sigman, Matt Patrick, and Todd Metz Sr.

Champions from 2007: Russ Potter IV, Mike Ammerman, Dennis O'Neil, and Jon Smith.

Many talented drivers have won championships at Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway. Here is a list of some of the champions over the years:

• n/a: This means the class was not raced that season.
• ^: These races followed ICAR class rules.
• ^^: These races followed Limited Late Model rules.
• ~: These races followed Pro Stock rules.
• ~~: These races followed Michigan Iron or Ideal Iron rules.