Auto Racing in Kalamazoo MI Kalamazoo Speedway

Info Updates:

8/28/2016 - Brett Davis

Bob Kitzmiller measured the inside of the track with a 49 mercury and the story has it that he measured a perfect 3/8th mile on the third try and this is the inside track distance to this day. Problem is a 49 Mercury was equipped with a 1/10th odometer and measuring a perfect 3/8th mile with a 1/10th odometer and getting it perfect on the third try would not be possible. Mr. kitzmiller never measured 3/8th, he measured 3/10th which is the inside distance of the track today at 1584 feet. the base of the track at the outside wall is 1756 feet. Two feet three inches short of a perfect 1/3rd mile. Kalamazoo Speedway is not and never was a 3/8th mile. It is actually 223 feet 9 inches short of 3/8th and it is a world record nothing.

12/26/2014 - Todd Noble

My Dad and Jerry Lind, who flagged at Kalamazoo for many years were best friends. We were there every single weekend throughout the 70's and 80's. I was awlways getting rides in the pace car, pictures taken by Rays Racing Photos with the drivers and crews. Kind of a big deal for a kid who loved racing. Used to love watching this Tri-Sac modified's!! Dean Best, (I was in love with his daughter!) Willie Stutzman, Sammy Sessions, Bob Seelman, all a few of the names I remember. I became good friends with Bob and Cherie Friend, and spent a lot of time hanging around that #75 street stock pit. Good memories for sure.

7/29/2012 - ron miller

i am trying to find pics and old movies of races at Kalamazoo speedway of my dad and uncles back in the mid to late 60s if anyone can help please email and let me know thank u very much.

6/1/2012 - Roger Mason

As a youngster (9Yrs old) I lived in Alamo. and knew the Kitsmillers well. I rode my 3spd Englisy Bike around the track. It was a oiled clay trace in the beginning and made a mess of my Bike.

1/19/2011 - Bryant Cox

I have raced at several short tracks in Michigan as well as Indiana Fairgrouds. My favorite track to race will always be Kalamazoo Speedway. I love to run supershoe weekend and have only finished second place,(3 times). I may give another try this year in a slower car.

1/11/2011 - Randy

In my estimation, The greatest racetrack to watch a race BAR NONE No bad seats in the house Absolutely the best racing in the state.

11/30/2010 - Josh VanDusen

fastest 3/16 mile track in the world.

11/30/2010 - Josh VanDusen

to lay a long argument as to track lengths between kzoo and m40 to rest i tested a theory on google earth and niether track is a 3/8 mile ,try it yourself.

8/20/2009 - Jeff Nelson

I was black flagged driving the pace car at a Super Modified event in the 80's at the Zoo. I was there as crew chief for the number 88 Super Modified of Wild Willie Stutzman out of Goshen, Indiana. Some may remember me as I was known then in the Super Modified community as 'Wing Tips'.

After the first heat the super drivers were complaining about the slow start provided by the official race track pace car. Super Modifieds are injected methanol powered cars with no clutch or transmission that require push starts. Once under way the supers are prone to loading up if required to run at too low speed - (imagine trying to idle through a parking lot at 5 MPH in fifth gear in a manual transmission car). We spoke to the pace car driver about the problem but still had problems during the second heat both on the start and during cautions.

For the feature I hoped into the yellow street Camaro lettered like Willie's race car that advertised his water softener company 'Du-Mor water - Goes in hard, comes out soft'. I pulled out onto the track and the supers soon picked up my car instead of the track's pace car. The official pace car gave way and pulled off the track leaving me to pace the supers. I began circling the track at a speed high enough that the supers could keep their engines cleaned out. The track flagman took exception to the higher pace speeds and started signaling me to slow down every time I brought the pack around. Each time I would drop the speed by just a notch which was apparently not enough to satisfy him. He jumped from the wall onto the track and walked close to our line of cars as we came around gesturing wildly at me to slow down more. After a couple more laps of this I brought the pack around and out of turn 4 to the sight of him frantically and dramatically throwing the black flag at me. I turned one more lap to be sure there was no confusion and he repeated his black flag ceremony again.

I pulled off the track and it took another 12 laps to get the track pace car back out, pick up the pack, and line up well enough to get a sputtering, loaded up start to the race. After the race in the pits Willie and the other drivers complained again about the slow starts, but privately Willie came up to me and told me how embarrassing it was to see the pace car lettered with his company name black flagged. To this day that was the first and only time I know of that the black flag thrown at a pace car (of course it just happened to be one I was driving).

'Wing Tips' Jeff Nelson

3/24/2008 - Craig Nelson

Gofastervideo offers video in DVD format for anyone who wants a copy of a certain night or event. Even if you just want one race. Keep the price cheap so everyone can afford it. Also postings to youtube allow everyone to watch something from the Kalamazoo Speedway. Video back to 2004 (VHS) and have a copy of the 1985 Dealers Choice. Also have or can create custom music videos for any driver who wants one of there car. One of the best places you can spend your entertainment dollar is right there at the track every Saturday night all summer long!

3/20/2008 - Sean Fitzgerald

Lot's of good Kazoo video on Youtube

3/19/2008 - Terry Newell

Kalamazoo Motor Speedway was formerly known as the BK Speedway, for its owner Bob Kitzmiller. I believe a 3/8 mile asphalt oval.

1/18/2008 - Randy

From my research, Kalamazoo Speedway opened in July 1950. It appears to have started life as a dirt track

1/23/2007 - Brent

I have a video for sale of the 1985 Dealers Choice at Kalamazoo Speedway along with a video of a Winged Midget race at Whittemore and many other videos from Tri City, Dixie, Auto City and Owosso Speedway. These videos are from 1985 to 2005. Send me a email for a list of what i have. xlcrmoemoney4@charter.net

1/15/2007 - Randy Day

This track was the world's fastest 3/8ths paved oval in the world untill late 2006. The track owner Gary Howe also owns the M-40 Speedway that is now the world's fastest 3/8ths paved oval but look for this track to get the record back in 2007 with a run what you brung race. I travel from Traverse City to race here every week it is the best track in the state.

12/13/2006 - DALE LEONARD

The track has always been this size.

11/29/2006 - Sean Fitzgerald

Was this track ever larger or always this size?

11/22/2006 - DALE LEONARD

THIS TRACK IS ALSO THE ONLY NASCAR SANCTIONED IN MICHIGAN BESIDES MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

5/9/2006 - Sean Fitzgerald

What a great field of Supers, Limiteds an , sportsman and pure stocks last night. Super competitive racing, a total of 23 races including the two rained out heats from the week before. 1st time there. Very friendly people everywhere. Sat next to an older gent that was really cool as far as cluing me in to who was who and what was what. 280 miles round trip but worth it once and a while, if not every weekend. The program moved along super quick and the track staff really had there stuff down pat! No one was sitting around the stands moaning come on already, which seems to happen a lot at some other tracks. A really pro show. Kinda reminded me of Flat Rock but just a little bigger. The grandstands have been totally built up differing from the photo below. Ill be back there for the big show on July 17th!

11/26/2003 - Web

Bob Kitzmiller was an avid race fan who followed racing in southwest Michigan. In 1949 some of the local drivers and car owners were looking for a different track to race on. Bob had a large pasture for his cattle and he thought he could put a track there.

Bob lived on Owen Drive about 10 miles north of Kalamazoo. So in the summer of 1949, Bob moved his cattle to a new location on his farm so he could build a track on the pasture land.

He took his 1949 Mercury to the spot he picked out and put a stake in the ground and drove an oval to mark out the 3/8 mile that he wanted. It took him three times to get the exact distance of 3/8 of a mile. Then he marked his tire tracks with more stakes to check the distance. The tire tracks mark the inside of the track which still stands today, as the fastest 3/8 mile in the world.

Bob knew he had a lot of work to do to get it opened by next year (1950). Many car owners and friends came out to help work on the new track. A cement block grandstand was built along with a judges stand and retaining wall. Lights were put in later for night racing.

Sunday afternoon racing was planned for the first couple of years. Things started coming together and on July 20, 1950, Bob was able to open his new dream. On that afternoon there were 16 cars that showed up and about 300 fans that welcomed a new race track to Kalamazoo.

Ward Sootsman was the announcer and Roy Yeager was the starter.

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Kalamazoo Speedway - Kalamazoo MI