M-37 Dragway

Info Updates:

7/18/2018 - Ron Wood

I raced at M-37,and still have my trophies. I ran G/MP with a 65 Chevy ,and the nest year a 63 Nova in C/Gas class. Just found some pictures if you'd be interested in posting them. I can make copies, just need to know whom, and where to send them. I remember the grudge races that you could race anyone for bragging rights.

9/17/2013 - John Stick

I'm trying to find old pics of my dads 1970 plymouth roadrunner when he used to race there. Its orange in color grabber hood might of even had the blower motor in it at that time. Also used to race it at us 131 raceway.

8/28/2013 - Al Larsen

Hello again everyone. Well it saddens me to say, but my dad passed away July 13th, 2012. We hadn't found much more info on his car, but he knew I was seriously looking and I will keep looking. I am going to start on a clone of his car hopefully in 2014. I do have his original trailer he hauled it on and will be redoing that to the condition it was in when he built it. To Dan Jackson and Teka Jackson, if either of you see any views of my dads car in your pictures, could I purchase a copy of them from you? If you would care to share your pictures, please contact me at w_o_t_speedshop@yahoo. com or call me at 616-399-1725. I would love to see pictures of the track and cars from back then. Thanks again to all. Regards, Al Larsen.

4/9/2013 - waterwinterwonderland.com

I bought a new 1967 /396 Chevelle Super Sport/Slippery Sam I raced & won several trophys back in 1969 @ Brohman M-37 Dragway Best times of my life. I would really like to buy a vintage t-shirt/sweatshirt or any type of clothing that has M-37 Dragway on it. My size is x-large but xx-large wouild work. Please contact me at 231-759-3632. I live in Muskegon,Mi. Ask for Sam.

12/28/2012 - GREG WINDQUIST

WE WOULD GO THERE ON SUNDAYS,1975-1976. WE WERE IN OUR TEENS THEN. I HAD SOME NICE CARS, 1969 CHEVELLE,1969 CAMARO AND A 1973 CAMARO. BUT THE TROPHY I WON WAS WITH MY DADS 1973 PINTO WAGON. I ASKED WHAT CLASS WOULD THIS CAR BE IN? THE LADY SAID. V/STOCK. AND NO ONE IS HERE TODAY. SO I DROVE DOWN THE TRACK AND GOT A TROPHY! LOTS OF MEMORIES AND THE PEOPLE THERE WERE GREAT. I HOPE SOME OF THE GUYS SEE THIS AND WILL REMEMBER THIS AND THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD. THANKS.

7/23/2012 - Dan Jackson

I have several pics of racing at that track years ago ive race there myself several times if youd like i could send you some i have them scanned.

5/17/2012 - TEKA JACKSON

I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE PEOPLE THAT USED TO RUN THE DRAG STRIP IT ENDED THE YEAR I WAS BORN. WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD PHOTOS, TROPHIES ETC. MY GRANDPA PASSED AWAY 30 YEARS AGO AND MY GRANDMA IS STILL WITH US BUT IN POOR CONDITION. I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN FIND AND SEND YOU MORE PHOTOS:O).

5/7/2012 - Al Larsen

to John Griffes, From what I've found out from others was Mike Kymes was the original owner of the car. He sold it to Jim Bolton, who sold it to my dad. We have narrowed it down to being sold in 1972/1973. I'm planning on making a trip to White Cloud to talk to the people who are living in our house we lived in before moving to Brohman to see if they remember if my dad still had the car when they bought our house or if it was sold by then. If it was sold by then it would have sold in 1972, if we had it when they bought our house then the car sold in 1973. I've been looking for this car for almost 5 years and find nothing. It really has been lost. I have bought a nice 55 chevy bel-air post and have also bought the van axle, engine, trans etc. and am planning on making a clone of his car. He has given me all the trophies and all the time slips he had and I'm hoping to put together a nice display of it all. just wish I had his original car to go along with it. I do appreciate all the help, info, tips and well wishes I have received from everyone during my search. Thank you all. Al.

12/18/2011 - John Griffes

Al I think the car your dad had was sold to Mike Keyms from White Cloud I have coffee with him inthe mornings at Sallys, I'm sure it you got in touch with him he would love to talk, I also race there I had a 61 Chevy Convertable and ran the stock class, also Dave Ackerman from Fremont ran his 63 split window vette there.

8/14/2011 - Dennis Warner

I use to race at M-37 dragway in 1972-73. I drove a 69 Dodge Dart Swinger. I ran super stock.

6/18/2011 - Brian Baker

i was 16 when i first watched my brother race his 64' Ford Falcon and friends Bill Walstead race his 73' Chevy Nova, Bob Sincabagge raced a orange 69' Ford Torino, and another friend Richard Callen race a light blue 65' Chevelle Super Sport. And also Larry Leonard raced a Chevy Nova named The Eve of Destruction. another guy Doug Shaffer used to run a 70' Berger equipped camaro with a 302 4 speed motor. Memories of watching the races in 74' and 75' were great.

2/10/2011 - chuck vokes jr

if your looking for more pics of the track you can find them on the Grand Rapids street racers facebook page of on there site i was to young to have been able to enjoy this place one of the racers pictured is mike kozlic is a local cicrle racer (to bad he went bad lol) hope this helps out some of the peaple who are looking for info thanks chuck.

3/5/2010 - Dennis Holly

P.S. To the dragstrip site master,
Gratten Raceway use to hold Drag Races on sundays too. You might want to add this to the Dragstrip file. I have pics of the racing and also a Trophy for winning my class in 1974. Ken

7/23/2009 - Rick S

Hi All
I am looking for any photos or information on the General Tooler racing team from the late 60s.
They were based in Kalamazoo.

Thanks in advance.

Rick

4/9/2009 - Al Larsen

Tom P,
It was a 1/4 mile track. Sam Jackson was the owner, it was on his property that also housed his septic tank business as years went on. Not much there today...grass coming up through the cracks, timing tree still there and a couple buildings from the track. Sams wife Millie is still alive and thier son Frank "Frankie" as the locals remember him by, is living on the grounds now. I''m hoping to get up there with my dad this summer and try and get some pics and maybe more info about my dads car. I''m having trouble getting the pics posted on this site of the new pics I found of his car.....Have a great day, Al.

3/31/2009 - Tom p

AL: I AM FROM THE BUFFALO/NIAGARA FALLS AREA. I LIKE THE ARTICLE ON M-37 DRAG STRIP.WAS IT A QUARTER MILE OR AN EIGHTH MILE TRACK. THANKS.

2/2/2009 - Garrett Pierce

Wow, the pictures are really great! It''s nice to finally see proof that this was once a real live race track. I love the Rambler with the Injected motor under the windshield cowl! That thing must have been a blast to drive. Anyone know when the pictures were taken. Al, I hope you find your father''s car. It would be neat to see it when it''s restored. If you don''t it won''t be very difficult to replicate as those cars were extremely popular back in those days and it''s not to difficult to find a 327/4-speed for it. Good luck in your search.

10/4/2008 - Al Larsen

Hello everyone, at the bottom of the pictures is an old pic of my dads race car and the green dodge pick-up he used to tow it to the track. The 55 Chevy is in the background so it is not really a great picture, but if anyone recognizes it and has any information about it I would really appreciate it if you could drop me an email and let me know or give me a call sometime.

The 55 chevy was bought by my father in 1969, it was blue, basically stock suspension, had 55 SHAKER on the rear quarters and some other writing on the doors and front fenders. I believe it was bought from a Jim Bolton in the White Cloud area.

My father raced it that way a couple times during 1969, then pulled it apart and rebuilt it. He added a straight front axle, radiused the rear wheel wells, built a dual quad 327, and backed it with a 4 speed and 5:38 gears. The car was painted by Rodger Cousineau from Big Rapids/Paris Mi. area. The color I believe was 1965 chevy, code "P", Evening Orchid(pontiac also used it but called it Iris Metalic) and was trimed around the bottom of the car and around the edge of the top in 1965 Chevy code "N", Madera Maroon(pontiac used this as well, but called it Burgundy Mist). It also had a huge STP decal on the trunk lid. The windows were tinted Rose color. The front wheels were magnesium 5 spoke possibly ET brand, the rear wheels were just painted black steelies. He raced it in the D/Gas class.

The picture does show his dodge pick-up that was a light green color, but does not show the trailer he built to haul it on. The trailer was a tandem axle trailer that was painted the same colors as the car.

Anyone that can remember this car, has any information about it, has any pictures of it, or better yet knows where it is, if you could please let me know I would be very very thankful. My dad sold it somewhere around 1972-1974, but we have no idea to whom. If you know of someone who owned it I would love to contact them to see if they have any pics or knowledge of its whereabouts. I''m trying to locate it, if it is still around and not scrapped, so I can restore it. If it has been destroyed and you have proof of that, please let me know as well then I will stop searching and just start and build a clone of it.

I would like to thank the Web Master for posting the picture on here for me THANK YOU.

Thanks in advance for anyone who may contact me with any information at all.

10/1/2008 - Jerry Unger

I won my very first trophy at Brohman in 1972. It was O/S 1963 Corvair with a 3 speed. I took the class win. Got my butt kicked by my dad but he sure did brag about it to his friends though. I had a ball and nervous as hell. Miss that place was fun.

6/7/2008 - Ken Firlik

To Al Larson,
I SPENT MANY A SUNDAY At M.37 Dragway. I have pics from the track, but i''m not sure about your dads car. I''ll go threw my pics and look for you. I''ll be glad to share with you anything i can find. We also did a in car 8mm movie going down the track. I have to look for this stuff. It seems like only yesterdav............ Ken.

P.S. To the dragstrip site master,
Gratten Raceway use to hold Drag Races on sundays too. You might want to add this to the Dragstrip file. I have pics of the racing and also a Trophy for winning my class in 1974. Ken

5/30/2008 - Brian Ledford

Jimmy and Tom Ledford raced and watched at Brohman in their younger days, and it was where they got the idea to build Northern Michigan Dragway in the late 60''s.

8/30/2007 - Randy

AL...sounds good, can''t wait to see it...if you come down to the Detroit area, give us a heads up to stop by and say hi, weahter it be at a car show or dragway.

8/29/2007 - Al Larsen

Randy,

I''ll post pics for sure. When I get it done, I''ll probably let my dad run it for old times sake if he wants. It would be probably at either Kaleva dragway as he has raced there a couple times or over at Mid Michigan as he ran there when it was known as McBride dragway/Stanton Dragway. I myself will probably make some runs at those two places as well as running it at Thunderbird Dragway and US131/Martin Dragway. I also plan on taking it around to various nostalgia drags and car shows.

8/28/2007 - Randy

I was looking at an aerial from mapquest and cannot distinctly make out where the track was located as there is a LEFT hand 90 degree turn and a RIGHT hand 90 degree turn headed north. And is the septic company still open for business?

TO Al Larson, if and when you complete your dad''s car (weather it be the real one or a replica), please post the pics as a tribute! Also, where would you run the car at if you do get it going?

6/1/2007 - Chad Hinton

Hello. My dad John Hinton also raced at M-37 him and his bothers Jake and sam Hinton My Grandfather lived just down the road. My dad remembers your dad by the way John larsen.

11/12/2006 - Doug Stelling

Hello to anyone reading this i am a long lost realitive of the owners of the drag strip sam jackson was owner on wife my aunt is still runing the septic business any more info wanted please contact me thanks all doug

12/4/2003 - Tim

I was at the track today in Newago. They had turned it into a pasture and the timing light tower is gone. I could not investigate much further because the septic guy was watching me. The tower still remains and so do the funky track lights. It was really wierd to see the track the way it is now. Thanks

1/7/2003 - Web

I started drag racing 1n 1976 and never got to race at Broman Drag Strip bacause they closed in 1975. When heading north on M-37 just before the 90 degree turn out of Broman and looking to your left you can still see the track and the tower.

1/7/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

Located 14 miles south of Baldwin on M-37.

1/7/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

M 37 Dragway was closed in the late seventies due to lack of participants and also a legal suit involving one of the racers