Track History
TRI-CITY MOTOR SPEEDWAY “TRICK-TRACK” HISTORY
Built in 1947 as a ¼ mile dirt track, the Tri-City Motor Speedway has undergone many changes throughout its 65-year or history. From those early days of dirt, to the famous pavement Trick-Track of the World, and now to the new clay in town, the history continues on. Back in those early days when Al Baker built what you can still see today, many accomplished drivers cut their teeth and grew to become champions in all forms of motorsports. Winning became a tradition throughout the years , names like Larry McCloskey, Sammy Sessions, Cy Fairchild, and the famous Benny Parsons are a few of the great drivers that competed during the Trick-Track early days.
In more recent Trick-Track history, several cars and stars have graced the multi turn ½ mile over the years, providing fans with the racing action that they will never forget. Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame drivers includeBeaverton’s Ed Howe, who calls Tri-City Motor Speedway home,Midland’s Tom Maier, and the 11-time track champion Steve Sauve. Over the years, stars you have seen on television over time have been to the famous Trick-Track. Names from different NASCAR series include; Tim Fedewa, Ted Musgrave, the late Adam Petty, and his father Kyle Petty.
In early 2010, the ownership was changed to the current owner Steve Puvalowski. With the assistance of his brother Denny, the two minds created the new transformation of what you see in front of you today. The first step of the process was the research and planning phase. With many hours of figuring and calculating, the plan for renovations was formed. The site was cleared of the original ¼ mile along with the remnants of the pre-1947 coal mine. Leaving the entire ½ mile Trick-Track in place, the new dirt track began to take shape right beside it. The final surface of the new dirt track is southern style red clay, which is a rare delicacy to dirt racers. The final measurement of the dirt track comes to .340 miles, which in dirt track terms is a small 3/8 mile. Many man hours went into a variety of renovations including; the new track, new lighting system, new catch fences, relocating of grandstands, and a new parking lot and entrance. You can look forward to more renovations continuing in to the future such as; expanding the pit area, new bathrooms for the grandstands, additional parking lot lighting, and a multi level VIP and scoring tower.
Since the revealing of the new dirt track in 2011, the old Trick-Track has seen some familiar faces returning to give the dirt a try along with new curious thrill seekers traveling in from many different states and Canada. 2012 saw over 250 different competitors for an average over 90 cars on a weekly basis with a new high of 137 cars in attendance for the 2nd annual Battle By the Bay. As the new dirt continues to gain speed, a new track record was set by Gregg Dahlman in a winged sprint car on August 3rd, 2012 at a mind blowing 11.728 seconds at an average speed of 108.6 MPH. The 2012 season put some additional milestones in the books from the NASCAR legend Johnny Benson making an appearance during the season in a Dirt Late Model to the filling of the coal mine shafts that rest underneath the speedway.
The 2013 schedule is packed full of fun, excitement and action each and every week. To mention a few, we have an Ultimate Tailgate, Mattress Races, Live Bands, a Pit Stop Challenge, 2 Autograph Nights, 2 Carload Nights, Fireworks and racing on Friday and Saturday of every holiday weekend. We look forward to seeing you at “Your Entertainment Hotspot” of the Great Lakes Bay Region.
For you die hard race fans, we have loaded the schedule with a “Must See” every night. 3 Sprints on Dirt shows, 2 Can-AM Sprint races, 3 Figure 8 races, 3 OMP Modified Black Gold Series races, 5 MINI Sprint race series, Lawnmower Races, specials for all classes and back by popular demand… Pro Trucks. Classes and a full schedule for the Battle By the Bay and Sprints on Dirt Championship Night will be updated during the season. Be sure to LIKE us on Facebook and stay tuned in with updates on the go by texting TCMSUPDATES to 84483.
Steve Puvalowski respects the history of the Tri-City Motor Speedway and appreciates every fan and every driver that helps continue the history. Even though some things look different, the feeling of a night at the races at the historic speedway is still special. The great crowds and great competition will allow a lot more history to be created, for many years to come.
