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Owosso Speedway

Coordinates: 43°00′06″N 84°18′28″W / 43.00167°N 84.30778°W / 43.00167; -84.30778
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Owosso Speedway
LocationMiddlebury Township, Shiawassee County, at 7204 West M-21 Ovid, Michigan
Time zoneUTC-5 (UTC-4 DST)
Coordinates43°00′06″N 84°18′28″W / 43.00167°N 84.30778°W / 43.00167; -84.30778
OwnerRex Wheeler (2022–present)
OperatorFast Track Promotions
Opened1939
Former namesRocket Motor Speedway, M-21 Speedway
Major eventsCurrent:
ARCA/CRA Super Series (2024)
Speedway (1939–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.375 miles (0.604 km)
Turns4

Owosso Speedway is a 0.375 mi (0.604 km), progressively banked oval short track located east of Ovid, Michigan, between Ovid and Owosso, further east.

Track history

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In 1939 the Owosso Speedway opened as a 14 mile (0.40 km) dirt oval. The track would operate until 1944 when it closed to serve as a POW Camp for captured German soldiers from World War II. These soldiers were housed on the Speedway facilities and were allowed out into the community to do small jobs for the locals.

  • The track resumed racing in 1946 with a brand-new high banked 12 mile (0.80 km) asphalt oval sharing a front stretch with the 14 mile. In 1953 the 14 mile was paved, while the 12 mile remained a dirt track. In 1960 the 12 mile would go dormant, as it was closed because the track was allegedly too fast to be insured.
  • The 12 mile would be resurrected in 1963 and the facility would continue on that way until 1972 when the big track was paved to go along with the already paved little track.
  • In 1983 the track was converted over to dirt, for the first time since 1952 the two tracks were both dirt. The Speedway would close in 1988–1989 when the Simko family converted the 12 and 14 mile tracks over to the current 38 mile (0.60 km) oval with progressive banking (steeper in higher lanes), similar to what has since happened to South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
  • The circuit was sold in 2022 to current owner Rex Wheeler, who repaved the circuit for the 2023 season.

Notable alumni

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Current operations

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The Owosso Speedway currently races Saturday night from early-May through September. The weekly classes at the facility are the Pro Late Models, Modifieds Sportsmans, Pure Stocks.

The Speedway also features one Winged Sprint Car event a year along with one special event for the Outlaw Super Late Models every year.

References

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