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.
AKA Manistee County Dragway
Eighth-mile dragstrip in Manistee County. Owned & operated by Tom & Sharon Ledford. Track managers Wayne & Brian Ledford. Track first opened Memorial Day 1970. TSI timing system. Fully lighted for night racing. 30 acre paved expansion spring 2017. 120' new concrete launch pad for 2016 season. New concrete burn boxes, expanded staging lanes and tower expansion in 2018. Complete resurfacing of race track from 60' to finish line in 2021 in addition to more paved pit roads, return roads and staging lanes.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Sept 21 2023
Kaleva-
The Authentic 231 Racing Series of 2023 is down to one final event this Saturday at Northern Michigan Dragway. All but one class championship has already been decided in the year of the underdogs.
At last Saturday''s event, half of the classes in competition saw first-time winners.
Travis Milliman of Ludington has had a fine season with his new race car. His 1988 Chevy Cavalier has cracked the top 25 in River''s Edge Tree Specialists Bracket II with only competing in about half of the season''s events. Saturday was his best finish, earning $1,500 for his efforts. Through 80 racers entered in the class, Milliman managed to take his first-ever Bracket II win over Bear Lake''s Corey Mikus. Houghton Lake racer Dan Snyder sealed his Bracket II championship that featured five quarter-final finishes and a pair of wins on the season.
SK Customs Pro Trophy had 86 entries in the competition. Final round found a pair of racers seeking their first win in the class. Russ Cavanaugh of Suttons Bay put down a stellar pass with his Camaro, to take the win over Kaleva''s Tim Crandall. Benzonia''s Kyle Kidder clinched the Pro Trophy season championship with another strong 6th-round outing.
Alumaclear Bracket I was a night for rear-engine dragsters, as the final 4 were all represented. The final saw Bud Roof of East Jordan take his third win of the season, defeating fellow East Jordan racer Patrick Boris. Roof also passed Kaleva''s Matt Omar for the lead in the points standings, setting up an exciting battle for the Bracket I championship this Saturday.
Knox Schmidt-Stoykovich nailed his fifth win on the season in Lee''s Offroad Advanced Juniors. The Kaleva racer earned his second-straight season championship. In ModuGo Mini Juniors, Bear Lake''s Eli Omar took the win, while his brother Emmett Omar sealed his first championship.
Eriksen Towning Street Trophy saw another first-time winner in the class, as Gabe Young of LeRoy drove a GMC pickup to a win against Bear Lake''s John Mackie. Saturday''s Authentic 231 Race Series Season Finale takes place with a start time of 1pm. NMD is located three miles north of Kaleva on Potter Road.
This time, it's Ford's turn to take on all other contenders. A great forecast has racers eager to get on track with this weekend's Blue Oval Battle 10.0 at Northern Michigan Dragway.
This Ford vs. World scorecard has been a nail-biter the past few seasons. Last year's event ended in a tie score, as an 8th-round Pro Trophy final decided the outcome.
Sponsored by C. Petersen and Sons Trucking and Excavating, along with Manistee Ford, this event will determine the championship for NMD's Top Doorslammer 2022 season.
Sean Nagy of Houghton Lake took a convincing championship at Mopars Against the World last month, setting another new track record for doorslammers. With his Ford Mustang's victory and bonus points for being #1 qualifier, Nagy moved into 3rd place in the season standings with 51 points. Ron Brow of Belmont is holding onto the lead in the class with his "Blue Mamba" '66 Chevy II, while Bill Heiges of Beulah is currently 2nd with his classic '37 Chevy. With up to 41 points up-for-grabs in the $2,500 to win race, any of the top 6 racers in the standings have a legitimate shot at taking the championship. Two qualifying rounds will take place Friday evening, and the 3 round main event goes down throughout Saturday evening.
A whopping $10,000 will go to the winner of Bracket II on Saturday evening, and $3,000 to the Bracket I winner. Friday evening will have great competition in both classes, as each competes for $2,000 to win. Over $40,000 in total payouts is set to be disbursed.
Action begins on Thursday evening with time trials starting at 4 pm for all classes, and will feature eliminations for Street Trophy and Junior divisions. Friday and Saturday both feature an 11am start time, with eliminations set to be underway at approximately 2 pm each day.
More info can be found on the NMD website at NorthernMichiganDragway.com. NMD is located three miles north of Kaleva on Potter Road.