Race Tracks Near Detroit
Detroit's motorsport identity runs through the automakers, and it shows in the mix of venues within reach: M1 Concourse in Pontiac, a private members' circuit built specifically for owner-driven cars, sits 30 minutes from downtown alongside Waterford Hills Road Racing, one of the country's oldest continuously operating club circuits. Michigan International Speedway's fast two-mile oval hosts NASCAR Cup weekends about 75 minutes southwest, and Flat Rock Speedway and Milan Dragway cover local oval and drag racing within half an hour. Downtown itself gets the Detroit Grand Prix on the Detroit Street Circuit each spring, the successor to the long-running Belle Isle street race. Further out, weekly dirt ovals dot mid-Michigan - Owosso, Tri-City, Mount Pleasant - and GingerMan Raceway and Kalamazoo Speedway sit right at the edge of a two-hour drive to the west. Cross into Ohio and Toledo Speedway and Summit Motorsports Park's NHRA strip are both under 90 minutes. A few historic Detroit ovals, including the old Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway, no longer race.
23 venues listed across 6 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Hills Road Racing | Clarkston, MI | 30 min | 1.5 mi | 1.5-mile club circuit northwest of Detroit, one of the oldest continuously run SCCA road courses in the country. |
| M1 Concourse (Champion Motor Speedway) | Pontiac, MI | 30 min | 1.5 mi | Private automotive campus with a 1.5-mile technical circuit built for member track days rather than spectator racing. |
| Grattan Raceway | Belding, MI | 1 h 45 min | 2 mi | Two-mile, 12-turn road course west of Detroit used for club racing, motorcycle track days and vintage racing weekends. |
| GingerMan Raceway | South Haven, MI | 2 h 15 min | 1.9 mi | 1.9-mile, 11-turn road course near Lake Michigan popular with SCCA and NASA club racers; just beyond two hours from downtown Detroit. |
Ovals and speedways in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Rock Speedway | Flat Rock, MI | 30 min | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile paved oval south of Detroit running weekly Late Model and Super Stock racing. |
| Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, MI | 1 h 15 min | 2 mi | Fast, wide two-mile oval hosting NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series weekends southwest of Detroit. |
| Owosso Speedway | Ovid, MI | 1 h 15 min | 0.333 mi | One-third-mile paved oval running weekly Late Model and modified racing north of Lansing. |
| Birch Run Speedway | Birch Run, MI | 1 h 5 min | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile paved oval near Saginaw running weekly local stock car classes. |
| Springport Mid-Michigan Speedway | Springport, MI | 1 h 30 min | — | Weekly paved oval between Lansing and Battle Creek running local stock and modified classes. |
| Kalamazoo Speedway | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 h 15 min | 0.25 mi | Long-running quarter-mile paved oval in southwest Michigan; just beyond two hours from Detroit. |
| Toledo Speedway | Toledo, OH | 55 min | 0.4 mi | Four-tenths-mile paved oval just south of the Michigan line running weekly Late Model and modified racing. |
Dirt tracks in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-96 Speedway | Lake Odessa, MI | 1 h 30 min | — | Weekly dirt oval between Lansing and Grand Rapids running Late Model and sprint car classes. |
| Tri-City Motor Speedway | Auburn, MI | 1 h 35 min | — | Dirt oval near Saginaw running weekly modified and sprint car racing. |
| Mount Pleasant Speedway | Mount Pleasant, MI | 1 h 50 min | — | Weekly dirt oval in central Michigan running local stock car classes. |
| Mid Michigan Raceway Park | Fenwick, MI | 1 h 45 min | — | Dirt oval in central Michigan running weekly sprint and stock car programs. |
| Crystal Motor Speedway | Crystal, MI | 1 h 40 min | — | Weekly dirt oval in central Michigan running Late Model and modified divisions. |
Drag strips in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan Dragway | Milan, MI | 35 min | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile strip southwest of Detroit running weekly test-and-tune and bracket racing. |
| Summit Motorsports Park | Norwalk, OH | 1 h 15 min | 0.25 mi | NHRA national-event dragstrip in north-central Ohio, one of the sport's busiest divisional and national-event venues. |
| Ubly Dragway | Ubly, MI | 1 h 30 min | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile drag strip in Michigan's Thumb region running weekly bracket racing. |
Street circuits and temporary in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Street CircuitSeasonal | Detroit, MI | 10 min | 1.7 mi | Downtown temporary circuit that hosts the Detroit Grand Prix on IndyCar's calendar, the successor to the long-running Belle Isle street race. |
Closed and historic in Detroit
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raceway at Belle Isle ParkDormant | Detroit, MI | 10 min | 2.35 mi | The former home of the Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle island park, used through 2022 before the race moved downtown. |
| Michigan State Fairgrounds SpeedwayClosed | Detroit, MI | 15 min | — | Historic oval on the Michigan State Fairgrounds that hosted racing before the fairgrounds closed. |
| Motor City SpeedwayClosed | Detroit, MI | 15 min | — | Mid-20th-century oval that hosted early NASCAR and stock car racing in Detroit before closing. |
Major race weekends in Detroit
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Grand Prix | Detroit Street Circuit | June | IndyCar |
| NASCAR Cup Series weekend | Michigan International Speedway | August | NASCAR Cup Series |
| NHRA divisional/national events | Summit Motorsports Park | Various | NHRA |
Track days and driving experiences in Detroit
Waterford Hills Road Racing and M1 Concourse, both about 30 minutes from downtown, host the bulk of the metro's SCCA and members' club track days. Grattan Raceway and GingerMan Raceway, further west, add motorcycle and HPDE track days most weekends in season, typically $300-$550 for a full day. Flat Rock Speedway and the region's dirt ovals run weekly points racing for licensed cars rather than open track days.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest race track to Detroit?+
The Detroit Street Circuit downtown is closest at about 10 minutes but only runs during the Detroit Grand Prix each June. Among year-round venues, Waterford Hills Road Racing and M1 Concourse, both about 30 minutes northwest, are the nearest active tracks.
Where can I watch IndyCar or NASCAR near Detroit?+
The Detroit Grand Prix runs IndyCar on the downtown Detroit Street Circuit each June, and Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, about 75 minutes southwest, hosts NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series weekends.
Is RedBud MX near Detroit?+
RedBud MX in Buchanan, Michigan, one of AMA Pro Motocross's marquee national venues, is roughly 3 hours from Detroit near the Indiana border, outside this guide's 120-mile/2-hour radius, so it isn't listed here.
Is there horse racing near Detroit too?+
This guide covers motorsport only. Detroit-area horse racing (Hazel Park, now closed as a track) isn't included here.
Where can I do a track day near Detroit?+
Waterford Hills Road Racing and M1 Concourse in Pontiac, both about 30 minutes from downtown, are the closest and most active club racing and track day venues.
Can I drag race near Detroit?+
Milan Dragway, about 35 minutes southwest of downtown, is the closest strip for test-and-tune and bracket racing; Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, about 75 minutes away, hosts NHRA national and divisional events.
Venue list checked against 10 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.
Track guides within 120 miles of Detroit
Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
Address: 300 Renaissance Center, Suite 2311 Detroit MI 48243 USA Website: https://detroitgp.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (313) 748-18...
Michigan International Speedway
Address: 12626 US-12 Brooklyn, MI 49230 USA Website: https://www.mispeedway.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (+1) 517-592-6666 Hotels Ne...
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Address: 7721 Steam Corners Rd., Lexington OH 44904 USA Website: https://www.midohio.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: 419-884-4000 Hotel...