Silver Bullet Speedway - Owendale MI

Address: 5801 Sebewaing
City: Owendale
State: MI
Zip: 48754
County: Huron
Number of visits to this page: 27640
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

Silver Bullet Speedway opened in 1955 and is the oldest operating dirt track in Michigan. From the humble beginnings in the 50’s to current day the track has seen it fair share of exciting moments and changes over the years. Formally known as Owendale Speedway, current owners Matt and Nick Hoonhout changed the name back to Silver Bullet Speedway as it was known as for a brief period in the 80s. Some famous faces have tightened their belts at the Bullet over the years. Indy 500 winners A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones both spent time taking on the local talent from the thumb.

The track has experienced many changes over the years going from a small hometown track to a destination for drivers and fans alike. After purchasing the track in March of 2013, the Hoonhout Brothers set forth on plans to bring the track back to its glory days. The concession stand was completely remodeled, new bleachers were installed, new fencing installed, concrete pit slabs were poured, electronic scoring was installed, new drainage system installed and many other improvements over the entire property.

In 2013 after having only a few months to get the track operational, opening night was on May 29 and it kicked off a very successful summer. Both car counts and fan base more than doubled over the previous years. Many themed nights were planned along with special event races throughout the season that really helped with the success. For the first time driver’s payout was also guaranteed for the entire season.The history is rich of great memories and exciting moments at Silver Bullet Speedway. We are excited to be able to help grow the sport of stock car racing and do our part to improve the legacy of the oldest dirt track in Michigan.

Info Updates:
7/10/2013 - Randy
As of this year, 2013, there are new owners of Owendale. and the name of the track has been changed to Silver Bullet Speedway (which it was named once before). The new owners have been doing some great promotions and have invested time and money into the track. If you get the chance, go out and support the track. it is a fun 'throwback' kinda track. 1/4 mile dirt and the racing is fast. They race every Saturday night.
10/4/2012 - Randy
Saturday, Oct 6th is the last event of the 2012 season at Owendale Speedway. they are having a NEED FOR SPEED event. It has some bigger payouts and multiple classes. if you want to get one of your last fixes for local MI short track racing. make it out to Owendale and support a good local track & business!!! Call Matt Duggan 989-396-1562 for more info. Thanks to WaterWinterWonderland for this site so we can share past memories and future memories as well!!!.
8/11/2012 - Bob Wedow
Hello, I used to race here in 1967, 68,69,70. I drove for Cliff Waterman, Uncle willie from town was related. Car number was 012 a 39 chevy coupe, and later my own car I-75 a 56 Ford. If any body has any photos I would pay gladly for them, Also Uncle Willie from town had a daughter Terrible I can't remember her name, but sure would like to get in touch.
7/30/2012 - Randy
Sat - 7/28/12 I went to Owendale Speedway. Wow. this track has not changed since back in the day. only difference is the years of the cars. And this is total dirt track racing as there was dirt flying in every corner. Feirce competition and these are not 'junkers' out there. Some money is being spent for sure. Car count was a bit down, but Tri City had a rain out the night before (Fri) and was open on this same Sat, so some drivers went there (from what I was told) also the Bad Axe Fair was in full swing. regardless, I recommend going and checking Owendale out. Only $8 to get in and food prices were fair. The fans there love their drivers. nice to hear applause for each winner as they had there picture taken. This track is one of the surviving tracks around. If you believe in MI short track racing, then head out to Owendale one Saturday, They really could use the support. Hats off to the owners, promoters and staff of Owendale for keeping it alive. Also a tip of the hat to the fans and racers that still contribute!!! Good job Owendale Speedway. I'll be back for sure!!!.
11/27/2011 - BILL MURAWSKI JR
2011 limited late model champ bill murawski jr # 21.
3/30/2009 - waynep
5 classes of racing this year u.m.p. mods./ late models/sportsman/street stock/road warriors. www.owendalespeedway.org opening night may 2nd. for test-tune.
3/29/2009 - James Harris
Hey everyone how have you been yea so i have lots of pictures i would like to add of my dad Earl Harris can u tell me how i can do that
3/14/2009 - jason murawski
didn't this speedway operate as huron speedway way back in some part of its life
2/2/2009 - bill murawski
hi todd any photos of car ? and how much for everything ? thks bill m.
1/4/2009 - MIKE HOLMES
ONLY BEEN BACK TO MICHIGAN 4-5 TIMES IN THE LAST FORTY YEARS BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT THE SPEEDWAY IS STILL GOING. SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE AS A KID WHEN MY GRANDDADS CAR Z-1 WAS RUNNING WITH DON SANBORN DRIVING. ALSO FLYING 0 OF CHUCK HOLMES 10 LYLE TRIMNER
11 GENE WINTERS T42 JERRY BROWN 13 MONTUGUES OUT OD CARO.P3 HALLIE HOLMES CAR WITH JIM MOFFETT DRIVING
THEN IN THE 60S YOU HAD THE CRAZY #17 WALT PROCTOR . 90 MILES AN TO THE TRACK AND LOADING A CAR ON THE TRAILER AT ABOUT 7000 RPMS.
THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLE DAYS.
12/5/2008 - Todd Galgoci
Owendale Speedway Drivers, I have a NEW limited late/late model MastersBiilt I want to sell quiickly!!!! No motor / No Trans $3500.00. Run it as a limited or a full late model!!!!

Todd
11/15/2008 - bigfan
hi everyone does anyone have any pics of little billy murawski when he started racing i know he use to race one of ken churhes cars #49 camaro and one of ron goretskis #66 chevelle and then his own ride that he got from oconners a black #98 chevelle then it went to orange #66 that started to run at dixie at birch run and auto city and tri city a few times then the car changed to blue #09 and ran a few time at mt. pleasent oh yeah it was purple also at one time the car was very very fast if any one can put some pics of any of the cars it would be so cool to see. thank you.
11/15/2008 - cujo
hello all racers and fans at owendalespeedway. mary and ray need to start doing things like it was ran back in the 1980s lots of cars from all classes some big names use to run here. need to make flyers and mail them to a few differrent dirttracks and have a invatational race for streetstocks and the limitedlatemodels. also an end of the year event would be a great thing look at mid michigan out in B.F.E. and they get way to many cars at the cornharvest event people love to race at different types of events. no reason why you cant put out some cheap flyers out at other tracks you can make them on a computer for about 2cents each i am sure the drivers that go to differnt tracks can take a few dozen and pass them out and post them up. maybe have it go over the P.A. system. i love owendale speedway alot it can be a primier track if the effort was inputed
10/20/2008 - jasonmurawski
hi all race fans i have heard that we will see some imca cars this coming year in 2009 is this true and i all so heard that jean is not going to be the flag man.
10/15/2008 - jason murawski
good job to my brother billy and lafave did a great job to they are two of the best and cleanest drivers out there they know how to race like a real person with out messin around but we will be back in 2009 with plans to take the new year...
10/6/2008 - BILL MURAWSKI JR
great racing this year ryan , jod job on winning championship 2008 !!!
4/12/2008 - Steve Russell
I think the #65 is Duane Bower out of pigeon,Jim Shauff was the car owner.
4/11/2008 - DaveMellendorf
Joe does your Dad have any more open mod pics? Also any idea who is driving that yellow #65 car?
3/26/2008 - Sean Fitzgerald
Toni and Joe, those are awesome shot's I love the sprint car next to the late models and the wrecked 50's stocker!
2/14/2008 - Randy
According to Owendales website, Racing will resume in May 2008 and there are no rule changes for the season.
1/18/2008 - Randy
This track has also operated as Silver Bullet Speedway, but is now Owendale Speedway.
Owendale Speedway
5801 Sebewaing Road
Owendale, MI 48754
989-453-2403
12/23/2007 - Race Fan
BILLY way to go , way to go !!!!! you and your team do a geat job. if i had a race car and the money i would let you drive for me.
11/26/2007 - Gramps Mellendorf
TO: Billy Muraski First, a belated congrats on your 2007 LLM Championship.
Second, I received my "Speedway Illustrated" magazine today (11-26-07)
and was thrilled to see you and your #21 in there. Congrats on that too.
Wayne (Gramps) Mellendorf.
9/14/2007 - Bob & Sheila Schafer
CONGRATULATIONS BILLY ON YOUR LONG AWAITED AND HARD EARNED 2007 LIMITED LATE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD CLEAN DRIVER HAVING WON MANY "GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP" AWARDS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR SETTING SUCH A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR ALL THE YOUNG FANS. THANK YOU FOR PROVING THAT YOU CAN WIN FAIR & SQUARE AND NOT COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRETIY.
9/14/2007 - bob schafer
good job billy 21.
9/12/2007 - Scott Buehrly
Congrats Billy you are truly a champion and you deserve it so much. You and your team are a class act and it is good to see the nice guy win. Just goes to show you that you don't have to drive dirty every week like the 3,4,and 5 to win. Anyway congrats you did an awesome job this year.
9/11/2007 - Randy
Congradulations Bill on your Championship...
9/9/2007 - bill murawski
2007 POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER BILL MURAWSKI JR. THANK YOU EVERY ONE FOR YOUR SUPORT !!!
9/8/2007 - bill murawski
Thank you race fan. we hope to get the the points.
9/4/2007 - Race Fan
After I saw the limited feature race saterday i lost all respect for the 3 & 4 car. billy you can take the points. you have been around this many of years. you can out drive and out smart most drivers. bill your experience is going to get you the the track champ !!!!! jamie is going to crack under pressure. go bill go !! good luck. race fan.
8/26/2007 - Race Fan
jamie #4 & bill #21 my hats off to you guys. you bolth brake rear ends in the heat race and get every thing fixed for the feature. great work by the crews yous guy have helping. good job on the 4th feature win of the year bill !!
7/24/2007 - Race Fan
the car count is vary low !! i wish some of the mt pleasant street stock & limiteds would come to owendale. the limited dont run at mt pleasent any more so thier must be some cars sitting. they always had about 15 limiteds on a good night. owendale should send some flyers to mt pleasent , saying we will pay better than crystal if you come. money talks.
7/24/2007 - Randy
That is great to hear that Owendale is having such good racing...how has been the car turn out?
7/22/2007 - Race Fan
bill m had another great night going. won the 4 car dash, was up front in the heat and something went a miss ?? then he came out runnig good in the feature lead all the way to the white flap then jamei tambelin # 4 got under murawski for the pass in turns 1&2. jamei went on to win murawski 2 place. good job guys.
7/8/2007 - Race Fan
it was grate night for racing, i thought it was going to be dry and dusty like always , but the track was wet all night long making for good side by side racing. some of the best racing i seen all year at owendale. keep up the good work track crew !!! like always i go to see the limiteds excllent show. murawski did a hell of a job started 2 in the dash won that. then murawski started 8th in the heat, and man he came up thorough the pack and won that. then for the feature i know he had the car to beat . but a few laps in dale ( cake ) name ? lost a wheel the car spon and murawski had no place to go. the track crew got the cars a part murawski had bad right side damage to the car. he went in the pits got a trie put on and made it back out. he got 6th. ray petit won the feature. murawski i hope you win the championship. tell your crew to keep the hard work and it should pay off in the end. unless the 5 car comes in to play.
5/30/2007 - w.
I am looking for old program books from owendale speedway 1980 - 1988
5/14/2007 - Race Fan
5-12-07 it was a great night for racing murawski won the featurr, he led wire to wire !!! he also won the best looking cae award in the limiteds. good job bill.
4/4/2007 - Randy
Owendale Speedway will be open for Test & Tune MAY 5th and first race night will be MAY 12th, 2007 according to the website.
1/16/2007 - j. yax
Are they even going to be open this year.their website is gone. ???????
1/11/2007 - Steve Russell
Is Owendale even going to be open this year.I'm not sure who said it but owendale and mid michigan are the only tracks that run limited lates, crystal runs pro stocks, rules are alot different.Billy do you plan on running the full schedule at mt.pleasant, i talked to joe he is going to run crystal full time.
10/24/2006 - Race Fan
i hope they get it together this year. i want to see murawski win some races in that late model they got. its good to see him step it up unlike some. the rules, it would be nice if they got them on time for you drivers. now that only crystal , owendale are about the only ones running limited late models they should pay more then crystal and see if they get the mt plesant car to come?? put up good money to win & start and owendale should get some cars. i would think.
10/10/2006 - Emily
Anyone know if Owendale is keeping the sportsman class and if they are changing thier street stock rules like a lot of the other tracks?
9/16/2006 - Scott Buehrly
No problem Billy now we need to get some of the new car on here
9/12/2006 - Bill Murawski Jr.
i will have the 21 car thier 9-16-06. thank you for getting the photos up scott & stacy.
9/11/2006 - Scott Buehrly
The new photos look great. Last weekend this weekend 9/16/06. See ya there
5/2/2006 - Sean Fitzgerald
I received this after contacting Owendale online. Hearsay is dangerous. Yes, the track up and running. Test and tune is May 6 and Opening night is May 13. Hope to see you there.
4/28/2006 - Randy Adam
If you go to google, type in Owendale Speedway, then click on the first find, it will take you to the Owendale Speedway website. It states test and tune May 6th and first night of racing May 13th. 2006 rules are posted on that site as well. There is a phone # on there as well.
4/28/2006 - Randy Adam
989-678-4447 is the Owendale Speedway hotline, says test and tune on May 6th opening night May 13th.
4/18/2006 - Scott Buehrly
Race fan your right on with the respecting the drivers idea.You talk mainly about the limited class but the street stockers are the ones who keep the track alive and the are the ones that get the least respect. To start the feature in the street stock class you get $15.00 any and every other track Ive been to the least Ive got was $25.00 which was your pit pass back now I know nobady is in the racing for the money but, You need to do better than $15 start money the only thing keeping all those street stock at owendale is lack of another track! The street stockers on most nights have a much cleaner show than the lates yet they are the ones that get time shortenedand the limiteds can run for an hour. They have half as many cars in thier classes feature race and most nights it takes twice as long as the street stock feature. As for #09 coming back to owendale as much as I love to watch billy race he deserves better as does most of those drivers at owendale but they race there because it is the closest track around We will all go back year after year but every year owendale loses more and more of their drivers to better tracks they need to cater more to the people that keep them in business but if you ask mary she makes no money!
4/17/2006 - Race Fan
the owendale speedway will be open. i talk to ray pettit. if they dont start paying more to the drivers it sounds like, they are not going to have alot of cars in the limmited class? fans say they dont like all yellow flags all night!! big down fall. they only get about 45 to 50 cars and it takes them sometimes 5 hours to run a 2 1/2 hour show tops. they need to really start taking better care of the drivers putting on the show. i do like going to see the limiteds run. i heard that the former 09 car is comeing back with a new # and new look. i am looking forward to seeing the new look. or will he go back to mt,p speedway? thanks race fan.....
4/17/2006 - BILL CAPS
I WENT ON THAT SITE AND COULDNT EVEN FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. I TALKED TO A GUY THAT WORKED THERE AND HE SAID THEY WERE HISTORY. ALL DONE.
4/7/2006 - Randy Adam
According to the website, they ARE racing in 2006. go to www.owendalespeedway.org and you can see 2006 rules have been posted. Says opening night is 5-6-06.
11/17/2005 - Race Fan
I miss some of the drivers that left the speedway this year. Goretski 00, Murawski 09, Gembarski 21, Simmions 2, Tripkoski 9, Palmaroy 24, Hurly 58. The 5 team is killing the speedway. I would like to see some of the old drivers back, to put on a good show.
10/27/2005 - Dave Mellendorf
Does anyone have any of the old videos from Owendale? Or photos/programs from 1985-1994. Im interested mostly in the open wheel class, late models, and demo derby cars that were at Owendale. Owendale is having their awards banquet in November so as far as I know they are a go for 2006 but I haved not talked to the owner at all. If I hear anything Ill pass it along.
8/22/2005 - Scott Buehrly
Going to the track is one of the best times you can have in the thumb on the weekend..unfortunatly prices are a little high if you wanna take your whole family and you go home pretty dirty most nights...but overall car count is pretty good ..concession prices are reasonable..and they give you a pretty good show for your dollar.
10/19/2004 - Randy Adam
Ive got to say, this place hasnt changed a bit in 20 years. Even the front strech stands are the same old bleachers. And bring your dust mask if youre going to go to the Saturday night races...it "is" real dirt racing...but they car turn out is great...Ill be back there again next year as well...
 Photos:24
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Bill Murawski At Ownendale From Stacey Rueger
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Randy
From Randy
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Bill Murawski
From Bill Murawski
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Randy
From Randy
Silver Bullet Speedway - Aerial
Aerial
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Toni Craig
From Toni Craig
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Toni Craig
From Toni Craig
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Toni Craig
From Toni Craig
Silver Bullet Speedway - From Toni Craig
From Toni Craig
Silver Bullet Speedway - Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Silver Bullet Speedway - Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Silver Bullet Speedway - Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Silver Bullet Speedway - Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Driver Mark Irwin From Joe Irwin
Silver Bullet Speedway - 1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
Silver Bullet Speedway - 1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
Silver Bullet Speedway - 1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
1970S Shots From Dave Mellendorf
Silver Bullet Speedway - Aerial Photo
Aerial Photo
Silver Bullet Speedway - Aerial Photo
Aerial Photo
Silver Bullet Speedway - Old Ad From James Thompson
Old Ad From James Thompson
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