Motor City Speedway History

         Back in 1932 Carson and Don Zeiter constructed an auto racing facility in a farm field at the corner of 8 Mile and Schoenhear Roads near Detroit, Michigan. It would consist of a ½ mile oiled clay oval built for competition, known originally as the New Detroit Speedway, the VFW Speedway and the Zeiter Motor Speedway before eventually being renamed the Motor City Speedway. The first event featuring Big Car competition was presented under AAA sanctioning  on October 2, 1932 and was won by 1932 AAA National Driving Champion Bob Carey of Anderson, Indiana. Early on Big Car racing was the norm at the speedway with legendary names such as Mauri Rose and Henry Banks among others the marquee contestants. For the 1936 season a high banked ¼ mile oval was built inside the big ½ mile for Midget Car and Motorcycle competition. Following World War II the idled and deteriorated speedrome came back to life under new ownership by four area businessmen and was promoted and managed by Detroit entrepreneur Andy Barto. The facility was newly renovated and throughout its duration would continue on with racing programs presented solely on the ¼ mile oval. Midget Car and Motorcycle events were the attraction of the day before mostly SRO audiences as the best Doddle Bug throttle jockeys from across the nation made trips to Detroit to compete. In 1949 Hot Rods were added to the Motor City race agenda. The track was asphalted in 1953 and by this time weekly Midget Car racing would become a thing of the past as full bodied stock cars became the popular headliners. Competing in Hardtops, Old Models and Semi-Late divisions, the full-bodied sedans ran as much as three to four times weekly bringing in top stock car competitors from all across the Midwest. Following the 1958 season it became evident the end was near for the Motor City facility as the stands had been condemned and ordered razed by Township officials along with lease issues between promoter Barto and property owners. Thus one of America's great entertainment centers for speed was eliminated from the motorsports scene forever. Today a shopping center sits upon its sacred grounds.