The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck -based stock cars . The series is one of three national divisions of NASCAR, ranking as the third tier behind the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and the top level NASCAR Cup Series .
152-550: Future: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Henry Ford Health System 200 (1999–2000, 2002–2020, 2025) Michigan International Speedway (formerly named as the Michigan Speedway from 1997 to 2000) is a 2.000-mile (3.219 km) D-shaped oval superspeedway in Brooklyn, Michigan . It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR , CART , and IndyCar races. The facility
304-399: A 2-mile (3.2 km) oval designed by Charles Moneypenny and an "extension" road course layout designed by Moss, with Moss stating that the road course was split into three layouts meant to accommodate different skill levels of racers; one at 1.25 miles (2.01 km), one at 2.25 miles (3.62 km), and one at 3.5 miles (5.6 km). An opening date for MIS was set for October 6, 1968, with
456-549: A 2002 rule change that mandated that any driver competing in a NASCAR national touring series (Truck, Busch, Cup) or any regional series race on the weekend of a national series race must be at least 18 in order to comply with the Master Settlement Agreement. After NASCAR phased out tobacco sponsorships, the minimum age for regional touring series was changed to 16, and the Truck Series' rule regulated
608-478: A 250-mile (400 km) IndyCar -style race inaugurating the facility; the date was later pushed back a week. For MIS' first race, two grandstands seating 12,500 were constructed, putting seating capacity at 25,000. In September, Gordon Johncock and Wally Dallenbach Sr. ran the first testing laps at the facility, with Johncock setting a fastest lap of 182.92 miles per hour (294.38 km/h). MIS opened as scheduled on October 13, 1968, with Ronnie Bucknum winning
760-626: A bit premature." Penske's purchase was approved by judge David Patton on June 1, with Penske paying $ 2.7 million for the facility. Upon the purchase's approval, Penske stated in a press conference that he aimed to renovate the garage area and numerous spectator amenities along with repaving the oval's surface. He also cautioned that the track's schedule may be cut down depending on how races in June and July of that year did. General manager Frank Cipelle left his position soon after Penske's purchase, being replaced by John LeFere. Official attendance estimates of
912-430: A constant basis. That's just how the system works." BKR ended up shutting down after the 2017 season. To cut costs, NASCAR required teams to use sealed engines, with teams not being allowed to run at most three races with a previously used engine. Additionally, NASCAR reduced the maximum number of pit crew members allowed over the wall for a pit stop from seven to five, and required teams to only take either fuel or tires on
1064-707: A dispute with NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. over how stock car racing should expand its popularity. In January 1970, ARI merged with the STP Corporation ; by this point, ARI had amassed over $ 15 million in debt. Weather and subsequent attendance declines that year further compounded ARI's financial issues. Throughout the first half of 1970, LoPatin faced criticism for his handling of the Atlanta International Raceway, with AIR track officials leading campaigns to sack LoPatin after several executives either left or were fired by LoPatin. LoPatin
1216-404: A dog-leg chicane on the track's backstretch to slow down speeds for IndyCar races; however, the idea was scrapped after testing. In 1988, MIS expanded grandstand seating capacity to "over 40,000." In 1992, Clifford Allison became the second fatality to occur at the facility when he crashed during a practice session for a NASCAR Busch Series race. Numerous leadership changes occurred until
1368-732: A full-time return to NASCAR with a full factory-backed effort. While Dodge continued to race in the other series until 2012, the Ram Trucks division (spun off from Dodge after the Fiat Group took control of Chrysler) raced in the Camping World Truck Series in Dodge's place. In 2014, Ram pulled out, leaving the Nationwide Series as the last series with teams fielding Dodge. As of the 2021 season, no teams in
1520-462: A half race, which allowed them to learn conserving the truck. Some drivers used the rules to learn tire conservation for other series. In 1997, NASCAR started phasing pit stops. During the 1997 season, trucks could only legally take fuel and make adjustments during pit stops during the race. Tire changes were still illegal except for emergency causes and at break times. For a short time in 1995, NASCAR adopted traditional short-track rules by inverting
1672-484: A jog around Parma . West of the county airport , the Jackson business loop follows M-60 southward, and I-94 travels through the north side of Jackson . North of downtown, US 127 merges in from the north and runs concurrently with I-94 around the city. Southeast of Michigan State Prison , US 127 departs to the south, and I-94 continues eastward through the rest of the county. The freeway runs north of
SECTION 10
#17327873883811824-534: A meeting in a Burbank, California hotel on April 11, 1994; the meeting ultimately led to the creation of the "SuperTruck Series". Four demonstration races were held at Mesa Marin Raceway , Portland Speedway , Saugus Speedway and Tucson Raceway Park . Tucson held four events that winter, which were nationally televised during the Winter Heat Series coverage. Sears, Roebuck, & Co., through
1976-718: A merger with the Atlanta International Raceway (AIR). Within the first couple months of 1969, he announced the construction of the Texas International Speedway and the purchase of controlling interest of the Riverside International Raceway . Later in the year, LoPatin stated his intents of building another facility in Burlington County, New Jersey . LoPatin's business endeavors were seen as
2128-724: A minimal role in this " minor league " series, there is no controversy like the disputes over " Buschwhackers " in the Busch (later Nationwide, now Xfinity Series). No current Cup regulars drive a full Truck Series schedule, although Cup driver Kevin Harvick owned his own team in the series until 2011, Brad Keselowski owned his own team until he announced its cessation of operations in 2017. A current Truck Series field could be split into three groups: Cup drivers that compete as owner-drivers like Busch, or to receive additional money like David Gilliland ; Truck regulars who compete full-time in
2280-445: A minimum age of 16 for any oval circuit two kilometers (1.25 miles) or shorter or road courses, with a rule of 18 for ovals 1.33 miles or longer. In later years, though, the Truck Series has also become a place for Cup veterans without a ride to make their living which included Ricky Craven , Jimmy Spencer , Dennis Setzer , Brendan Gaughan (who started his career in a family-owned team, and after his Nextel Cup attempt, returned to
2432-620: A network of roadways important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. The freeway carried 168,200 vehicles on average between I-75 and Chene Street in Detroit , which is the peak traffic count in 2015, and it carried 12,554 vehicles immediately west of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron , the lowest traffic count in 2015. As the state trunkline highway closest to the lake shore in these areas, I-94 carries
2584-481: A new campground area. In 2019, the ownership of MIS switched hands to NASCAR when ISC and NASCAR merged in a $ 2 billion buyout. That same year, a new care center was built in the track's infield. In October 2021, NASCAR's director of marketing for the American Midwest, Joe Fowler, replaced a resigning Rick Brenner to become the track's general manager. As of 2024, MIS runs one annual NASCAR Cup Series race
2736-409: A new logo in the process. At the end of 2000, Haskett retired after 14 years of service, being replaced by W. Brett Shelton as general manager. In 2004, the track's walls were replaced with SAFER barriers in response as part of an effort to make the track safer in the wake of the death of Dale Earnhardt . That same year, Shelton announced the construction and renovation of numerous amenities, including
2888-521: A northerly bypass of Jackson opened, and the former route through downtown on Michigan Avenue became another Bus. US 12. By the next year, the western half of the Jackson bypass opened, including a bypass of Parma . In 1954, a new bypass of Kalamazoo and Galesburg opened; US 12 was rerouted to follow the new highway while M-96 replaced part of the old route and US 12A in the area. The first planning maps from 1947 for what later became
3040-415: A number of cars at the front of the grid after complaints about some races where drivers led the entire event. That was dropped quickly after some races ended as walkovers for drivers, leading entire races. A more popular rule that was effective until the middle of the 2004 season was the "overtime" rule. Unless interrupted by weather, Craftsman Truck Series races had to end under green flag conditions, and
3192-541: A pavement truck racing series. They visited NASCAR Western Operations Vice President Ken Clapp to promote the idea, who consulted Bill France Jr. with it, but the plans fell apart. Afterwards, Clapp told the four to build a truck before NASCAR considered it. Bakersfield fabricator Gary Collins built a prototype truck, which was first shown off during Speedweeks for the 1994 Daytona 500 and tested by truck owner Jim Smith around Daytona International Speedway . The truck proved to be popular among fans, and NASCAR arranged
SECTION 20
#17327873883813344-485: A race at Fontana replacing Mansfield) airing on Fox as NASCAR on Fox events. These broadcasts were discontinued in 2011. On August 13, 2013, Speed was converted into Fox Sports 1 (FS1), continuing with all Truck Series race broadcasts, whereas some practice and qualifying sessions were moved to sister channel Fox Sports 2 (FS2). For the 2014 season, the Fred's 250 at Talladega had its race broadcast moved from FS1 to
3496-694: A racetrack that would serve the Detroit , Cleveland , and Chicago areas. Four months later in July, LoPatin announced initial plans to build the Michigan Motor Raceway, a 400-acre (160 ha), 100,000-seat track on the intersection between Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 23 in Ann Arbor, Michigan . Although groundbreaking was scheduled to start on October 1, the plan was killed that same month due to mounting opposition from local residents. Another site approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of
3648-510: A response to the rising popularity of auto racing in the United States in the 1960s, with LoPatin being a key figure in said expansion. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS was ran on June 15, with Cale Yarborough winning the event. In November, the track's first general manager, Frank Cipelle, was appointed. By the end of the 1969 racing season, although the racing at MIS was praised, weather problems during all four major races in
3800-696: A result, MIS submitted a bankruptcy petition , entering receivership . The ousted LoPatin was asked by Richter to create a financing plan to save the track from liquidation in March; however, all plans fell through, and the track was ordered to be sold at a sheriff's auction in December. Initially, an offer was made by the Manufacturers National Bank of Detroit for $ 1.458 million was made in December, with oil businessman Pat Patrick and car dealership owner James S. Gilmore Jr. taking over
3952-533: A rule similar to those used in longer-distance Super Late Model events such as the Snowball Derby that limited how long a race can go before a competition caution for pit stops or adjustments in an effort to reduce green-flag pit stops, with which younger and more inexperienced drivers were unfamiliar. The limit was 20 minutes of green flag racing (in theory 75 laps at Bristol, or 60 laps at Martinsville), without beneficiaries being awarded. Upon each restart,
4104-503: A segment between Galesburg to Battle Creek. The overall 45-mile (72 km) section from Paw Paw to Battle Creek was dedicated on December 7, 1959. In addition, a new northwest–southeast section of freeway was built east of Ypsilanti to create a more gradual curve in the routing between present-day exits 185 and 186, the original routing of the Willow Run Expressway having followed present-day Wiard Road. Signage for
4256-598: A single number for a more direct routing of a Detroit–Chicago freeway; the state proposed rerouting I-94 to replace I-92 in the state, but retained the I-77 designation. On June 27, 1958, AASHO adopted their original numbering plan for Michigan, minus the state's proposed changes. Around the same time, a section of M-146 near Port Huron was converted into an approach freeway for the Blue Water Bridge. In January 1959, officials announced that sections of US 12,
4408-492: A single pit stop in 2009. This requirement was abandoned for the 2010 season. Starting with the 2011 season, NASCAR implemented a new rule that allows drivers to compete for the drivers' championship in only one of the three national touring series (Cup, Xfinity, or Truck) in a given season. On January 19, 2016, NASCAR announced the introduction of a playoff format similar to the NASCAR Cup Series Chase for
4560-483: A stop. In 1996, some races went to two intermissions for full tire and fuel stops, while longer races were stopped at three times—a limited break near the one-quarter and three-quarter marks for fuel stops, and at the halfway point for fuel and tire stops. If tire wear was a concern, NASCAR also permitted two-tire changes if necessary in the first and third period breaks. These rules were influential in driver development. Drivers had to learn to conserve tire wear for up to
4712-446: A two-story, solar-powered media center. In 2011, further renovations were announced to the facility's tram system and the track's scoreboard. The following year, the track was repaved for the fourth time in its history. In the 2010s, MIS underwent a mass capacity decrease. In 2010, track officials announced the removal of 12,000 seats in the track's third turn in an effort to modernize the track. In 2012, MIS track officials also announced
Michigan International Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-632: A venue twice per year. In the midst of the CART–IRL split in the mid-1990s, CART organized a second event in 1996 that was made to rival the Indianapolis 500 : the U.S. 500 , which ran on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. However, after one iteration of the event, the race was scrapped. As of June 2019, the fastest official race lap records at Michigan International Speedway are listed as: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The 2023 season
5016-464: A western bypass of Detroit which was under construction at the time. The Willow Run segment was also resurfaced at this point, as the old road bed did not contain steel mesh. Construction of this interchange also obliterated a partial interchange with Huron River Drive. The final section of I-94 in Michigan opened to traffic on November 2, 1972, when the connection across the state line into Indiana
5168-934: A western entrance to the city. Further east, the Interstate intersects M-39 (Southfield Freeway) and passes the Uniroyal Giant Tire in Allen Park . I-94 then turns to the northeast through the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn before turning back easterly on the Edsel Ford Freeway into Detroit. I-94 traverses Detroit in an east–west direction well inland of, and parallel to, the Detroit River . The freeway intersects I-96 (Jeffries Freeway) and M-10 (Lodge Freeway) on
5320-644: A year: the Firekeepers Casino 400 , held in August. For most of its existence, it ran two annual Cup Series events a year: one in June, and one in August. Both events held their inaugural events in 1969. With the exception of 1973 when the August race was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts, the tradition continued until 2021, when NASCAR removed the June race from their annual schedule. Along with its Cup Series races, lower-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series races have also been held. Until
5472-641: Is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana , to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan . In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo and runs eastward through several metropolitan areas in the southern section of the state. The highway serves Benton Harbor – St. Joseph near Lake Michigan before turning inland toward Kalamazoo and Battle Creek on
5624-455: Is currently owned by NASCAR , and is led by track president Joe Fowler. Michigan International Speedway is served by U.S. Route 12 and M-50 . The facility has a capacity of 56,000 as of 2021. Along with the main track, the track complex also features three road course layouts of varying lengths designed by British racing driver Stirling Moss , which utilizes parts of the oval, parts located within track's infield, and parts located outside of
5776-557: Is served by U.S. Route 12 and M-50 , and covers over 1,400 acres according to The Daily Telegram . As of 2021, MIS has a capacity of 56,000 according to Autoweek . At its peak, the track boasted a seating capacity of 137,243 in 2006 according to Autoweek . MIS contains three luxury seating options: the Acceleration Club in the track's fourth turn, the Champions Club located underneath the track's press box, and
5928-517: The Black River north of downtown. On the eastern bank of the river, there is one final interchange for M-25 and BL I-69/ BL I-94 before the freeway reaches the toll and customs plazas for the twin-span Blue Water Bridge. Past these plazas, I-94/I-69 ascends the approach to the bridge which crosses the St. Clair River to Point Edward ( Sarnia ), Ontario. At the international boundary at the center of
6080-790: The Craftsman brand, served as the sponsor of the series on a three-year deal, and the series was renamed to the Craftsman Truck Series in 1996. In addition, the series' $ 580,000 purse is larger than the Busch Grand National Series ' fund. While a new series, it garnered immediate support from many prominent Winston Cup Series team owners and drivers. Prominent Cup owners Richard Childress , Rick Hendrick , and Jack Roush owned truck teams, and top drivers such as Dale Earnhardt and Ernie Irvan also fielded SuperTrucks for others. The series also attracted
6232-742: The Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2019, the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 2020, and a return to the Camping World name in 2021 and 2022. Stanley Black & Decker, which acquired the Craftsman brand in 2017, took over starting in 2023. The idea for the Truck Series dates back to 1991. A group of SCORE off-road racers (Dick Landfield, Jimmy Smith , Jim Venable, and Frank "Scoop" Vessels ) had concerns about desert racing 's future, and decided to create
Michigan International Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-534: The Interstate Highway System included a highway along I-94's route in Michigan. This highway was included on the 1955 plan for the "National System of Interstate and Defense Highways" with a proposed spur in the Battle Creek area. The modern I-94 was numbered I-92 between Benton Harbor–St. Joseph and Detroit with I-77 from Detroit to Port Huron in the August 1957 plans. In April 1958, the MSHD wanted to provide
6536-667: The Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport , the Interstate passes into the southeastern corner of Kalamazoo before entering Comstock Township . The freeway intersects the eastern end of Business Spur I-94 (BS I-94) at a partial interchange near Morrow Lake in the township. I-94 continues out of the eastern Kalamazoo suburbs, paralleling the Kalamazoo River through the Galesburg area. Before crossing into Calhoun County on
6688-841: The Lake Michigan Circle Tour south of Benton Harbor – St. Joseph and the Lake Huron Circle Tour in the Port Huron area. Sections through the Detroit area are named the Detroit Industrial and Edsel Ford freeways. I-94 in the state is either a four- or six-lane freeway for most of its length; one segment in the Detroit area has up to 10 lanes total near the airport. I-94 enters Michigan from Indiana south of New Buffalo. The freeway runs northeasterly through rural Michiana farmland in
6840-689: The Michigan Legislature . O'Hara was a World War II veteran who served in the US House of Representatives from 1959 until 1977. During his tenure in Congress, he procured federal funds for the construction of I-94 through his district. The first attempt to name the highway after him failed in 1991, but the honor was included in a budget bill passed in 1997. The section of I-94 was dedicated on October 16, 1998, after donors privately raised nearly $ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 17,000 in 2023 ) to pay for
6992-1144: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway (November 8, 2024). 1995 M. Skinner 1996 R. Hornaday Jr. 1997 J. Sprague 1998 R. Hornaday Jr. 1999 J. Sprague 2000 G. Biffle 2001 J. Sprague 2002 M. Bliss 2003 T. Kvapil 2004 B. Hamilton 2005 T. Musgrave 2006 T. Bodine 2007 R. Hornaday Jr. 2008 J. Benson Jr. 2009 R. Hornaday Jr. 2010 T. Bodine 2011 A. Dillon 2012 J. Buescher 2013 M. Crafton 2014 M. Crafton 2015 E. Jones 2016 J. Sauter 2017 C. Bell 2018 B. Moffitt 2019 M. Crafton 2020 S. Creed 2021 B. Rhodes 2022 Z. Smith 2023 B. Rhodes 2024 T. Majeski Interstate 94 in Michigan Interstate ;94 ( I-94 )
7144-478: The St. Clair River . The Interstate travels along the western edge of residential areas for Marysville and Port Huron as it continues northward. Immediately west of downtown Port Huron, it intersects I-69; the two freeways merge and turn first east and then north through an interchange that also features connections to BL I-69 . I-94/I-69 turns back to the east about a mile (1.6 km) north of their confluence to span
7296-520: The business loop for Marshall follows I-69 southward. Continuing eastward, I-94 traverses rural land on the north side of Marshall. The freeway runs north of, and parallel to, the Kalamazoo River through eastern Calhoun County. It angles southeasterly toward Albion before returning to an easterly course on the north side of town. I-94 crosses into western Jackson County before intersecting M-99 . From there, it runs generally due east with
7448-531: The Championship : the format consists of eight drivers across three rounds, with two drivers being eliminated after each round. Starting in 2020 season , the playoff was expanded to 10 drivers, with two being eliminated after the first round and four being eliminated after the second round. Camping World signed a seven-year extension in 2014 to remain the title sponsor of the Truck Series until at least 2022. On May 8, 2018, NASCAR and Camping World announced
7600-654: The Chrysler Chelsea Proving Grounds in Chelsea next to the M-52 interchange. As I-94 continues easterly, it passes into the western edge of the Ann Arbor area. West of downtown, the M-14 freeway splits off to the northeast, and the Interstate turns to the south and southeast to curve around the south side of the city. The freeway passes between Briarwood Mall and Ann Arbor Municipal Airport . On
7752-589: The Craftsman brand from Sears in 2017 —under which the series would return to being known as the Craftsman Truck Series beginning in 2023. As part of the deal, Stanley Black & Decker also became the official tool brand of NASCAR. Most of the first drivers in the series were veteran short track drivers who had not made it or struggled to thrive in the other NASCAR national series; for example, 1991 Featherlite Southwest Tour champion Rick Carelli had failed to qualify twelve times for Cup races across 1991–1994, with only nine career Cup starts, but he finished sixth in
SECTION 50
#17327873883817904-487: The Detroit Industrial Expressway, continued the route of the Willow Run Expressway eastward into Detroit. Both highways were built to move workers from Detroit to the industrial plants at Willow Run during the war and were later incorporated into I-94 in the 1950s as part of a Detroit–Chicago highway. The section of I-94 northeast of Detroit was named after former Congressman James G. O'Hara by
8056-828: The Fox broadcast network. For the 2018 season, the UNOH 200 at Bristol aired in prime time on Fox. For the 2020 season, the Clean Harbors 200 aired on Fox. In 2022, the CRC Brakleen 150 was moved to Fox. In 2023, the Tyson 250 was moved. Motor Racing Network has exclusive radio broadcasting rights to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The series was notable in seeing the return of Chrysler Corporation factory-supported race vehicles to
8208-543: The I-94 freeway to follow I-196, and I-94 continues its course away from Lake Michigan. South of Coloma , the trunkline turns eastward and roughly follows the Paw Paw River on a course that takes it south of Watervliet and Hartford . Between the latter two cities, the freeway transitions from northeastern Berrien County into western Van Buren County . It curves around and between Lake Cora and Threemile Lake near
8360-456: The IRL taking over, the race distance was decreased to 400 mi (640 km). IRL raced annually at the track until 2007, when the IRL failed to renew a deal to keep racing at the facility; the IRL remains the last open-wheel series to have raced at the facility. The latter fall date ran until 1986, when the date was dropped from CART's schedule in efforts to eliminate instances of CART racing at
8512-654: The Interstate parallels the north shore of Belleville Lake . East of the water body, it intersects I-275 near the northwest corner of Detroit Metropolitan Airport and angles northeasterly through the southwestern Detroit suburbs along the Detroit Industrial Freeway. I-94 uses the Gateway Bridge over the single-point urban interchange (SPUI) at US 24 (Telegraph Road) in Taylor ; these bridges were inspired by Super Bowl XL and provide
8664-412: The Lodge Freeway and the Edsel Ford Freeway was built in 1953 as the first full freeway-to-freeway interchange in the US. In mid-1956, the M-112 designation was decommissioned and replaced by a rerouted US 12. During the mid-1950s, the Detroit Streets and Rails campaign proposed a high-speed rail line in the median of the Willow Run, Detroit Industrial and Edsel Ford freeways; instead of building
8816-401: The Port Huron area started in late 2013 to rebuild and reconfigure the I-94/I-69 interchange outside the city. The project improved 3.7 miles (6.0 km) of freeway, replaced several bridges and ramps and cost $ 76 million (equivalent to $ 98 million in 2023 ). In June 2014, MDOT closed the ramps from I-69 eastbound to BL I-69 through the interchange until later in the year. The project
8968-530: The Taylor Police Department, who was killed in 2010 while helping motorists who had car trouble. There are nine highways related to I-94 in Michigan. The first is the spur into downtown Battle Creek numbered I-194 and nicknamed "The Penetrator" and officially called the "Sojourner Truth Downtown Parkway". This auxiliary Interstate Highway runs for about three miles (4.8 km) to connect I-94 northward into downtown. The other eight highways are business loops of I-94 that connect various cities' downtowns with
9120-534: The Truck Series began racing at Eldora Speedway , the first time NASCAR had raced at a dirt track since the 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series season. As of the 2023 season, the series races on 21 tracks: one dirt track ( Bristol ), two road courses ( Circuit of the Americas and Mid-Ohio ), five short tracks ( Bristol , Martinsville , Richmond , North Wilkesboro , and Indianapolis Raceway Park ), three superspeedways ( Daytona , Talladega , and Pocono ) and nine intermediate ovals. The second most recent addition to
9272-484: The Truck Series competed primarily on short tracks and tracks in the Western United States ; the series' inaugural schedule included races at tracks in Arizona , California , Colorado , Oregon and Washington , with only five races in the Southeastern U.S. , such as Louisville Motor Speedway , which was not run by the Cup Series. Additionally, the longest tracks run by the series, Phoenix International Raceway and Milwaukee Mile , were one mile long. By 1998, most of
SECTION 60
#17327873883819424-487: The Truck Series field Ram trucks. The Truck Series was the first major NASCAR series to feature Toyota , with the Toyota Tundra model making its debut in the series in 2004 ; Toyota had previously competed in the mostly regional level Goody's Dash Series . The Japanese automaker became the first foreign nameplate to race in NASCAR during the sport's modern era. Toyota would later join the Cup series and Xfinity series as well, doing so in 2007 . All figures correct as of
9576-442: The Truck Series' title sponsorship would be switched to its subsidiary Gander Outdoors starting in 2019, renaming it the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. The series was slightly renamed to the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 2020, but returned to the Camping World Truck Series branding the following season. On August 26, 2022, NASCAR announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with Stanley Black & Decker —which had acquired
9728-418: The United States , connecting to the Lodge Freeway ( M-10 ), and for comprising the first complete border-to-border toll-free freeway in a state in the United States. The highway has one auxiliary route, I-194 , which serves downtown Battle Creek, and eight business routes . Various segments have been dedicated to multiple people and places. The entire length of I-94 is listed on the National Highway System ,
9880-489: The Victory Lane Club near the track's pit road. In March 1966, treasurer of the newly-built horse racing track Windsor Raceway , Lawrence LoPatin , expressed hopes of expanding the raceway into a "resort complex". After a visit to the Florida-based Sebring International Raceway , he decided that the first phase of expansion would include the construction of a "Grand Prix type auto-racing track, from 2.5 to 2.9 miles in length." After studying several markets, he decided to build
10032-415: The Wayne–Macomb county line and the end of the freeway near Mount Clemens was filled in when another section of freeway opened. In late 1964, a plan was approved to improve the interchange with Telegraph Road ( US 24 ), as the original interchange did not feature access in all directions. North of Albion , the route of the freeway previously crossed a branch of the New York Central Railroad at-grade;
10184-399: The West Side, passing the main campus of Wayne State University before entering the East Side at M-1 (Woodward Avenue). Immediately east of the interchange with I-75 (Chrysler Freeway), I-94 forms the southern border of the Milwaukee Junction district. The Edsel Ford Freeway continues through residential neighborhoods of Detroit's East Side. The Interstate turns more northerly, mimicking
10336-450: The Willow Run, Detroit Industrial and Edsel Ford expressways were to be given the I-94 designation, temporarily co-designated with US 12. These sections connected Ann Arbor to Detroit, along with a bypass of Kalamazoo to Galesburg and a bypass of Jackson. Later that year, additional segments of I-94 were opened, starting with a 10-mile (16 km) section from Hartford to Coloma, then another from Paw Paw to Kalamazoo which connected with
10488-421: The area. US 31 was rerouted to follow its new freeway section for 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from the previous end of the freeway at Napier Avenue that opened in 2003 to I-94 at BL I-94, where US 31 then followed I-94 to the I-196 interchange as before. This new routing opened on November 9, 2022. In December 2022, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) procured a statewide tolling study. Under
10640-510: The attention of drivers like sprint car racing star Sammy Swindell , Walker Evans of off-road racing fame, open-wheel veteran Mike Bliss , and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville . The inaugural race, the Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway , was held on February 5; the race, featuring an event-record crowd of 38,000 spectators, concluded with eventual series champion Mike Skinner holding off Cup veteran Terry Labonte to win. Only one team from
10792-409: The auction was delayed twice, on January 10, 1971, the Associated Press reported that MIS' financial problems were resolved, with ARI selling its 48% interest of Riverside International Raceway worth $ 425,000 to avoid the auction. However, a year later, although Richter admitted that they were able to make a profit in the 1971 racing season, it was not enough to pay off the facility's debentures . As
10944-412: The break in a time without stress. However, starting in 1998, NASCAR introduced competition cautions, with each team being awarded four sets of tires; with this rule change, the halftime break was abolished starting with the race at Pikes Peak International Raceway . In 1999, full pit stops were added, with drivers being allowed to pit during races, but were not allowed to change more than two tires during
11096-512: The business loop for Benton Harbor and St. Joseph ( Business Loop I-94 , [BL I-94]). The Interstate curves further inland to bridge the St. Joseph River near Riverview Park. East of Benton Harbor, I-94 meets the other end of BL I-94 at an interchange where US 31 merges onto the freeway. East of the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport , I-94/US 31 meets the southern end of I-196 ; US 31 departs
11248-630: The center of Detroit was being planned in the 1940s, it was unofficially named the Harper–McGraw Expressway after the streets along which it was to run. There was some initial support to name it after Roy D. Chapin , the late president of the Hudson Motor Car Company and a former US secretary of commerce under President Herbert Hoover . On April 23, 1946, the Detroit Common Council voted instead to name
11400-461: The clock restarted from 20:00, and each caution for an incident reset the clock back to 20:00. As is the case in the short track rules, no competition caution would be used in the final 20 laps, except for tracks where lap times are 50 seconds or greater (Pocono or Mosport), where the limit was ten laps, or Eldora because of its format. In 2017, this was replaced with the stage system adopted by all other NASCAR national series that season. Initially,
11552-478: The company into major amounts of debt. In 1973, American Raceways sold ownership of the speedway to motorsports businessman Roger Penske , who saved the facility from financial ruin. Under Penske's leadership, the facility was expanded extensively. In 1999, the facility was sold off to the France family -owned International Speedway Corporation (ISC). MIS underwent major downsizing in the 2010s in efforts to modernize
11704-414: The construction of a "multi-level sky lounge" built behind the frontstretch grandstands. In 2006, Shelton retired from his position, giving the position up to Roger Curtis, California Speedway 's vice president of marketing and sales. Renovations to the first turn grandstands were announced in 2008. The following year, track officials announced the demolition of the track's old media center, replacing it with
11856-426: The construction of a luxury campsite complex, in the process tearing down grandstands in the track's third and fourth turns. By 2014, after another set of grandstands in the track's third turn were torn down, capacity was recorded to be as low as 71,000. In 2016, Curtis resigned from his position, being replaced by minor league baseball executive Rick Brenner. In 2018, seating capacity went down further to 56,000 to build
12008-549: The crossing was eliminated when the tracks were removed in 1968. The sections originally designated as the Willow Run Expressway were rebuilt from Rawsonville Road in Belleville to Ozga Road in Romulus starting in 1972. As part of this reconstruction, the segment between Haggerty and Ozga roads was widened from four to six lanes, and the eastbound lanes were realigned to facilitate construction of an interchange with I-275 ,
12160-471: The designation terminates on the Blue Water Bridge at the Canada–United States border . The first segment of what later became I-94 within the state, the Willow Run Expressway, was built near Ypsilanti and Belleville in 1941, with an easterly extension to Detroit in 1945. This expressway was initially numbered M-112 . In the mid-1950s, state and federal officials planned an Interstate to replace
12312-460: The early 1980s, MIS added seating capacity a total of three times, adding in 1981, 1982, and 1985. In 1986, MIS underwent another resurfacing that was completed in time for the 1986 Miller American 400 . That same year, MIS oversaw its first driver fatality when NASCAR driver Rick Baldwin crashed during a qualifying session on June 16, dying 11 years later in a coma due to complications from the crash. The following year, track officials planned to add
12464-599: The early 2000s, open-wheel racing was commonplace at the facility. Major open-wheel races at MIS were primarily sanctioned by three organizations: the United States Auto Club (USAC), Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and the Indy Racing League (IRL). USAC held its first event at the speedway in October 1968; the speedway's inaugural event. After failing to renew the following year, USAC
12616-403: The facility if the purchase went through. By March 1973, Patrick along with two other businessmen agreed to buy out the facility for $ 2.5 million, with the sale effective on June 14. However, on May 26, motorsports businessman Roger Penske announced that he had taken over the option to purchase the facility from Patrick, with Penske stating that the announcement of Patrick buying the facility "was
12768-437: The facility to seat more than 100,000. Renovations and incidents under Penske's early leadership remained slow. Initially, Penske sought to construct a roval -style road course contained within the infield of MIS to replace the original road course layout, but the plans were postponed due to a contractor's strike. In 1977, a resurfacing of MIS' track surface was announced in August and completed approximately two months later. In
12920-424: The facility, with capacity decreasing to more than half of its peak. Track ownership again changed hands in 2019, when NASCAR merged with ISC. The track in its current form is measured at 2.000 miles (3.219 km), with 18 degrees of banking in the turns, 12 degrees of banking on the frontstretch, and five degrees of banking on the backstretch. Numerous road track layouts exist within the track's infield and outside
13072-450: The family operation), Rich Bickle , Andy Houston , Todd Bodine , Bobby Hamilton Jr. and previous champions Johnny Benson, Mike Skinner, Ron Hornaday , Ted Musgrave , and Jack Sprague . Older drivers dominated the series, most with Xfinity and Cup Series experience: in 2007, all the top-10 drivers were over 30 years of age, and 7 of the 10 had Cup experience, as did every race winner except Erik Darnell . Even though novice drivers play
13224-471: The fastest lap counting. At tracks longer than 1.25 miles each truck only gets one timed lap. Road course events use a 2 part knockout qualifying format similar to Formula 1, with the top 12 qualifiers from Q1 advancing to Q2. At the event at Eldora, qualifying sets the lineups for a series of heat races which then determines the lineup. Initially, the series used a number of rules that differed from both Winston Cup and Busch Grand National Series racing. Most of
13376-543: The first ever race at the facility amidst a crowd of 55,108. Although the race was seen as a success, the facility experienced major traffic problems, with traffic jams on the two-lane U.S. Route 12 being reported as long as 7 miles (11 km). Three days after its inaugural race, NASCAR signed a 10-year contract to run two NASCAR Grand National Series races annually. In the following months, LoPatin striked numerous business deals to grow what would eventually become American Raceways, Inc. (ARI). In December, LoPatin announced
13528-649: The first lap of a green-white-checkered finish, the entire situation would be reset. This rule meant some races would be greatly extended. In 1998, a CBS -televised race in Pikes Peak scheduled for 186 laps ran 198 laps (12 extra laps) because of multiple attempts, and the last such race, in Gateway International Raceway in 2004, lasted 14 additional laps (16.25 miles). A July 24, 2004 rule change for NASCAR's three national series meant only one "green-white-checkered" finish can be attempted, and
13680-426: The first races were no longer than 125 miles in length, with many being 150-lap races on short tracks. To save teams money by not requiring teams to hire pit specialists and buy extra tires, and because some tracks – Saugus Speedway , Flemington Raceway , Tucson Raceway Park , Evergreen Speedway and Colorado National Speedway most notably—did not have a pit road safe enough for pit stops , or had pits outside
13832-446: The first season of the series, FDNY Racing , is still racing in the series today. At the end of the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule, Craftsman ended its sponsorship of the series. Subsequently, Camping World signed a seven-year contract with NASCAR, rebranding the series as the Camping World Truck Series. With decreasing money and increasing costs, the series has struggled financially with sponsorship and prize money,
13984-492: The first state to complete a border-to-border toll-free Interstate within their state, running for 205 miles (330 km) from Detroit toward New Buffalo, creating the longest toll-free freeway in the country at the time. In January 1962, the US ;12 designation was removed from the I-94 freeway. In the process, the designation was transferred to replace the US 112 designation in its entirety. After this transfer, I-94
14136-525: The freeway from the New Baltimore area northward. The eastern terminus of I-94 in the Port Huron area was dedicated on October 14, 1964, signaling the completion of the highway between Marysville and the Blue Water Bridge. This completion displaced part of the M-146 bypass of Port Huron, the southern leg of which was retained as a connector to present-day Lapeer Road. Two years later, the gap between
14288-404: The freeway's right lane, while also moving the carriageways of I-94 closer together. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed after attempting to take off from Detroit Metropolitan Airport , killing all but one passenger upon exploding at the I-94 overpass over Middlebelt Road; that overpass was not damaged in the crash. The freeway was closed until August 18, and a memorial
14440-808: The freeway, the Legislature added the designation by passing Public Act 305 of 2002. The name was dedicated in ceremonies at a rest stop along the section of I-94 on September 28, 2002. Another piece of I-94 in Calhoun County was designated in 2004 as part of the Underground Railroad Memorial Highway. Starting in 1990, the National Park Service started working to identify routes of the Underground Railroad . The Battle Creek area
14592-421: The grandstand seating capacity to over 125,000. In 1996, MIS renamed itself to Michigan Speedway in order to be named similar to other tracks Penske owned. On July 26, 1998, three fans were killed and a further six were injured during a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) event when a crash involving Adrián Fernández sent a tire into the grandstands. In response to the incident, the protective catchfence around
14744-571: The highway after Edsel Ford , the son of Henry Ford and president of the Ford Motor Company from 1918 until his death in 1943. Two other original sections of I-94's predecessor highways in the Detroit area were given early names. The westernmost of these is the Willow Run Expressway, named for the Willow Run complex. The plants at Willow Run produced B-24 Liberator bombers for Ford Motor Company during World War II. The second,
14896-695: The highway signs. A segment of I-94 in Battle Creek between the exits for BL I-94 and I-194 was named the 94th Combat Infantry Division Memorial Highway by the Michigan Legislature in 2002. The name honors the US Army's 94th Infantry Division , which was activated at nearby Fort Custer in 1942 and served with distinction in the European theater of World War II. Because the unit originated in Battle Creek, and its number matched that of
15048-435: The inaugural Truck Series championship. It is worth noting that most of the early champions have become NASCAR Cup Series regulars later in their careers, such as 1995 champion Skinner, who joined Richard Childress Racing 's Cup team in 1997, competing on a full-time basis until 2003. Professional football coach Jerry Glanville was among the series' first drivers. As the years went on, a number of younger drivers debuted in
15200-404: The incident occurred or how severe it was). Ironically, the first Truck Series race under the new rules ended with a yellow flag on the final lap. In 2014, NASCAR banned tandem drafting , a method of racing in which two vehicles would line up with each other to gain speed, from the Truck Series. Drivers who commit the act are black-flagged. In the 2016 season, the Truck Series experimented with
15352-585: The junction with the northern end of M-51 . About four miles (6.4 km) further east, I-94 crosses M-40 south of Paw Paw . Continuing eastward, the Interstate runs through Mattawan before entering western Kalamazoo County . In Texas Township , the freeway enters the western edges of the Kalamazoo suburbs. South of the campus for Western Michigan University 's College of Engineering & Applied Sciences in Portage , I-94 intersects US 131 . Near
15504-707: The lakeshore and travels to the west of Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township . It turns back to the northeast at 23 Mile Road at the interchange with M-3 and M-29 . North of 26 Mile Road, the freeway exits the northern suburbs and passes into farmland in The Thumb region. South of Michigan Meadows Golf Course, I-94 crosses County Line Road and enters St. Clair County . The freeway continues northeasterly as far as Marysville before turning northward near St. Clair County International Airport . From there, it runs roughly parallel to
15656-575: The latter often being low, while the former would prompt teams to shut down to reduce in size. Teams like Richard Childress Racing , a Cup team with 31 Truck wins, shut down their Truck operations; in RCR's case, after the 2013 season. After the 2014 season, Brad Keselowski stated his Brad Keselowski Racing team had lost $ 1 million despite recording a win that year, and told the Sporting News : "The truck series, you have to be able to lose money on
15808-546: The mid-1980s. In 1978, LeFere resigned from his position as general manager, being replaced by Citibank executive Jim Melvin. Melvin left soon after to become the president of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), being replaced by United Airlines executive Rick Nadeau in November 1979. Nadeau left track leadership three years later to become a sports marketer for a printing company, with Darwin Doll replacing Nadeau. Doll held
15960-639: The next two races reached 88,500, being seen as a success in local Michigan media. As a result, Penske approved the running of a doubleheader IndyCar race, revitalizing the track. By the next year, Penske proclaimed in the Detroit Free Press that MIS had the "greatest potential of any track in the U.S.", with Penske stating in an interview with the Free Press ' Joe Falls that he aimed to expand seating capacity if attendance remained high. Penske later stated that year that he hoped to eventually expand
16112-487: The northwest to round Beadle Lake , intersecting M-294 before spanning the Kalamazoo River. East of the river crossing, the freeway meets an interchange for M-96 , M-311 , and the eastern end of the Battle Creek business loop near FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Emmett Township . Turning back eastward, the Interstate exits the eastern Battle Creek suburbs and continues to an interchange with I-69 near Marshall ;
16264-563: The original location was then considered. In April 1967, the site was revealed to be in Lenawee County in Cambridge Township , with LoPatin later stating in a press conference the following month that he hoped to start construction on the track in the next 90 days pending the formation of a financing plan for a budget of $ 4 million. By September, local media reported that the now 700-acre (280 ha), $ 4.5 million facility
16416-414: The original route of US Highway 12 (US 12). By 1960, the length of I-94 was completed from Detroit to New Buffalo. Two years later, the US 12 designation was dropped from the freeway. Subsequent extensions in the 1960s completed most of the rest of the route, including the remaining sections between Detroit and Port Huron which superseded the routing of US 25 . The last segment opened to
16568-510: The position until 1986, when he was replaced by Gene Haskett when Doll left to serve as the general manager of Sears Point International Raceway . In the 1990s, MIS underwent mass expansion to accommodate a growth of popularity in NASCAR. In 1990, Haskett announced further renovations to the facility, including the addition of 5,779 seats, additional bathrooms, and a new backstretch concrete wall. Two years later, 11,700 seats were added to increase
16720-428: The proposed New Jersey project, in October, Manufacturers National Bank initiated foreclosure proceedings to pay off over $ 1 million in overdue mortgage payments, with local Michigan law stating that the speedway had to be sold at a sheriff's auction in order to pay off the overdue payments. Despite the law, MIS general manager Frank Cipelle stated that the chances of the auction ever happening were "very little". After
16872-419: The public in 1972 when Indiana completed its connection across the state line. Since completion, I-94 has remained relatively unchanged; a few interchanges have been rebuilt, a second span was constructed for the Blue Water Bridge, and, in 1987, a plane crashed on the freeway during takeoff from the airport in Detroit. The routing of I-94 is notable for containing the first full freeway-to-freeway interchange in
17024-604: The race at Mesa Marin Speedway as part of its Wide World of Sports program. In 2001, NASCAR moved the series exclusively to cable, first with ESPN, and in 2003, switched to Speed , a network which provided supplemental coverage for Fox's coverage of NASCAR events . Network television returned to the series from 2007 to 2010 when two races per season (the Kroger 250 at Martinsville and the City of Mansfield 250 at Mansfield , with
17176-399: The race can end under yellow in one of four situations—inclement weather, darkness, the yellow flag waving because of an incident during the final lap of a race, or the yellow flag waving after the one attempt at green-white-checkered begins. This was later extended by NASCAR to three attempts. (Although reducing the Truck Series attempts at a green-white-checkered finish to one, the rule change
17328-539: The race weekend was being staged by CART and not NASCAR, its rules had to be followed. As a result, the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was effective. Thus, any driver who participated in the race weekend had to be at least 18 years of age. The rule affected Roush Racing 's No. 99 truck driven by Kyle Busch , as he was underage at the time (16) and thus disqualified from the event despite having already qualified. The issue resulted in
17480-451: The rail line, special boarding stations adjacent to dedicated bus lanes in the interchanges along the highway were used. In other parts of the state, other segments of highway were built to bypass the cities along the future I-94 corridor. In 1940, a southern bypass of Battle Creek opened along Columbia Avenue, and the former routing through downtown on Michigan Avenue became Business US 12 (Bus. US 12). In late 1951 or early 1952,
17632-535: The river, the Interstate designations jointly terminate, becoming Ontario Highway 402 . The first major overland transportation corridors in the future state of Michigan were the Indian foot trails. One of these, the St. Joseph Trail, followed the general route of the modern I-94 across the state from the Benton Harbor – St. Joseph area east to the Ann Arbor area. The State Trunkline Highway System
17784-406: The rule mandated that all races must end with a minimum of two consecutive laps in green flag condition, often referred to as a "green-white-checkered" finish . Since racing to the yellow flag was prohibited until 1998 (and again in 2003 under the current free pass rule ), scoring reverted to the last completed lap, and until racing back to the line was legalized in 1998, if the yellow waved during
17936-418: The season affected attendance and in turn, the facility's profits. American Raceways' troubles were soon publicized after their director of operations, Les Richter , left the company. MIS lacked a United States Auto Club (USAC) event after 1968 due to MIS disagreeing with USAC for the amount of purse money needed for a USAC race, depriving fans of promised major IndyCar racing. In addition, LoPatin entered into
18088-424: The seating capacity to "about 70,000" along with a new 96 ft (29 m) tall scoreboard. By 1993, with the addition of 6,700 seats, track attendance for races began to rival the Michigan state record for attendance at a sporting event. Amidst criticism of the track surface for being too bumpy, the track surface was repaved in the winter of 1995. Additional seats were added in 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1999, increasing
18240-415: The second span between Port Huron and Point Edward, Ontario in 1995. In July 1997, the second span opened. The original span was closed for rehabilitation, and both were opened to traffic in 1999. The interchange with US 24 (Telegraph Road) following its mid-1960s redesign had only two bridges, and left-hand exits were used throughout. This interchange was reconfigured in 2005 to a SPUI design that
18392-463: The series schedule is Atlanta Motor Speedway , which returned to hosting Truck races in 2015 after a two-year absence. The most recent addition to the series schedule is North Wilkesboro Speedway which returned to hosting Truck races after a twenty-six–year absence. The 1995 season's races were nationally televised on ESPN , TNN , ABC and CBS . Of the 20-race schedule, TNN aired ten races, while ESPN aired seven races and CBS two, while ABC aired
18544-447: The series, using the series as a springboard for their racing careers. NASCAR stars Greg Biffle , Kevin Harvick , Jamie McMurray , Kurt Busch , Carl Edwards , and Kyle Busch each started in the series. A 2001 Truck Series race incident resulted in a significant NASCAR rule change. In early November of that year, the Truck Series was running as a support race for CART 's Marlboro 500 , that series' final event of its season; since
18696-522: The series; and young drivers who use the Truck Series to enter NASCAR. A Truck Series field currently consists of 36 trucks in races with qualifying. Previously, 32 trucks comprised a field, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the field was increased to 36 in races with qualifying and 40 without to accommodate as many trucks as possible. For most races, a single-truck qualifying format is used. For tracks 1.25 miles and shorter, each truck gets two laps with
18848-410: The shoreline of Lake St. Clair , and exits Detroit for Harper Woods . Just north of the interchange for M-102 (Vernier Road), the freeway crosses 8 Mile Road and enters Macomb County . Running northward through Macomb County, I-94 meets the eastern end of I-696 (Reuther Freeway) about three miles (4.8 km) north of the county line in St. Clair Shores . The freeway continues to parallel
19000-485: The short tracks were phased out in favor of speedways of 1 to 2 miles in length, and more of the races were held at tracks that hosted Cup and Busch events concurrently, but some races were held with CART and Indy Racing League events. Road courses were phased out by 2001, the last race being in 2000 at Watkins Glen International , but returned in 2013 with the Truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park . Also in 2013,
19152-466: The southeastern corner of Ann Arbor, I-94 intersects US 23 and continues around the south side of Ypsilanti . South of that city, the freeway also carries US 12 and crosses the Huron River north of the river's mouth at Ford Lake . I-94 jogs southeasterly around the south side of Willow Run Airport complex, separating from US 12 and entering Wayne County . South of Willow Run,
19304-717: The southwestern corner of the Lower Peninsula and parallels the Lake Michigan shoreline about three miles (4.8 km) inland. I-94 traverses an area just east of the Warren Dunes State Park as the freeway runs parallel to the Red Arrow Highway, a former routing of US 12 named after the 32nd Infantry Division (Red Arrow Division). The freeway crosses its companion highway south of St. Joseph; Red Arrow turns northward carrying
19456-523: The state's Interstate Highways was placed on hold pending finalization of the numbering scheme, and by late 1959 that signage was being added starting with I-75 and followed by the other open segments of freeway in the state. Sections of freeway opened in southwestern Michigan in 1960 between the Benton Harbor–St Joseph area and between Jackson and Ann Arbor; the latter was built over existing portions of US 12. In this year, Michigan became
19608-422: The study, I-94 would be the first highway to be converted into a toll road starting in 2028. Lawmakers have not yet acted upon the department's recommendation in the proposal. Construction began on August 7, 2023, on a privately funded three-mile (4.8 km) MDOT pilot project to upgrade the left lane for connected and autonomous vehicles between Ann Arbor and Detroit. As the original expressway through
19760-503: The track was increased by four feet. In May 1999, Penske, who by this point owned numerous tracks under the Penske Motorsports Inc. name, including Michigan Speedway, agreed to merge the company with the France family -owned International Speedway Corporation , officially merging approximately two months later. The following year, the speedway reverted back to its original Michigan International Speedway name, revealing
19912-425: The track's confines. In the 1960s, Windsor Raceway owner Lawrence LoPatin ordered the construction of Michigan International Speedway to expand his recreational holdings. The facility was completed in 1968, running its first races in October of the same year. Soon after, the track fell into financial trouble after a series of business decisions by LoPatin to expand his auto racing company, American Raceways, sunk
20064-505: The track's confines. As part of the original construction plan, a road course designed by British racing driver Stirling Moss was made. The road course is split into three different layouts made to cater to different abilities of racers. Different layouts of 1.250 miles (2.012 km), 2.250 miles (3.621 km), and 3.500 miles (5.633 km) were reported by the Lansing State Journal . Michigan International Speedway
20216-534: The track, starting with the second race of the series in Tucson, NASCAR adopted a five-minute "halftime" break, in place of pit stops, where teams could make any changes they would want to the truck. The only time tire changes were possible were for the interest of safety, such as a tire failure, or a danger to the tire. The rule was popular with television and fans, and was spread for the entire schedule afterwards as pit reporters could interview drivers and crew chiefs for
20368-480: The tracks. Chrysler withdrew its factory support of its Dodge and Plymouth brands after the 1972 season to cut costs, though teams continued to campaign cars with Plymouth and Dodge sheetmetal and power plants until 1985. Chrysler funded a small R&D effort, with factory funding and support for Dodge to return to NASCAR for the Craftsman Truck Series with the Dodge Ram pickup truck in 1997. By 2001 Dodge made
20520-687: The west side of Battle Creek , I-94 has the only driveway on any of Michigan's Interstate Highways for a gate providing access for military vehicles into the Fort Custer Training Center . The Interstate enters Calhoun County southwest of the W. K. Kellogg Airport and enters the city of Battle Creek. Immediately east of the county line, the freeway has an interchange with the western end of Battle Creek's business loop . Next to Lakeview Square Mall , I-94 meets its only auxiliary Interstate in Michigan: I-194 . I-94 turns to
20672-427: The west side of the peninsula. Heading farther east, I-94 passes through rural areas in the middle of the southern Lower Peninsula, crossing I-69 in the process. I-94 then runs through Jackson , Ann Arbor , and portions of Metro Detroit , connecting Michigan's largest city to its main airport . Past the east side of Detroit , the Interstate angles northeasterly through farmlands in The Thumb to Port Huron , where
20824-588: Was M-19 from Detroit northeast to Port Huron . On November 11, 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), and the original route of US 12 replaced the highways from the state line northeasterly to Detroit; US 31 overlapped the highway between St. Joseph and Watervliet . The remainder of the future I-94 corridor
20976-412: Was able to return to the facility in 1970. Starting in 1973, USAC sanctioned a second event at the track that took place in the fall. USAC continued to race at MIS until 1978, when CART took over both dates. The track's summer date was extended to a 500 mi (800 km) race in 1981. The race was sanctioned by CART until 2002, when the IRL officially took over the sanctioning rights for the race. With
21128-533: Was active in the railroad during the Civil War, and the section of I-94 between exits 98 and 110 east of Battle Creek was included in the memorial designation. In June 2012, after a resolution passed by the Michigan Legislature was signed by Governor Rick Snyder , a portion of I-94 in Taylor between Inkster and Pelham roads was named the Auxiliary Lt. Dan Kromer Memorial Highway after a 20-year veteran of
21280-687: Was completed in December of that year. A pair of bridges called the Gateway Arch Bridges (alternately "Gateway to Detroit" ) was incorporated in the new interchange. In 2011, construction was started to widen I-94/I-69 approaching the Blue Water Bridge and to allow for dedicated local traffic and bridge traffic lanes. The lane configuration changes confused drivers in the area, especially motorists with outdated GPS devices; because of this, MDOT installed updated signs complete with American and Canadian flags to help prevent drivers from heading to Canada by mistake. Additional construction in
21432-657: Was completed in September 2015. In 2016, the sections of I-94 from the Indiana state line to the M-63 interchange was designated as part of the West Michigan Pike Pure Michigan Byway . The West Michigan Pike originated in efforts in the 1910s to improve a highway along the western part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and to increase tourism along the Lake Michigan shore. The auto trail
21584-553: Was created on May 13, 1913, by an act of the Michigan Legislature ; at the time, Division 6 corresponded to the rough path of today's I-94. In 1919, the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) signposted the highway system for the first time, and three different highways followed sections of the modern I-94 corridor. The original M-11 ran from the Indiana state line north to Coloma where M-17 connected easterly to Detroit . The third highway
21736-485: Was dedicated. This last segment in Michigan between M-239 and the state line opened when Indiana completed an 18-mile (29 km) segment of freeway in their state. The interchange with the Southfield Freeway ( M-39 ) was closed entirely in 1985 to replace the original exit design, which included four on-ramps that sharply merged into the left lanes of I-94. Reconstruction added new on-ramps that merge into
21888-427: Was eventually superseded by US 12 and US 31 after the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926. In 2020, work began on the final link of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway to connect the US 31 freeway to I-94 east of Benton Harbor. The project cost $ 121.5 million and involved reconstructing the interchange with the eastern terminus of BL I-94 and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of I-94 in
22040-415: Was fired from his position as chairman of ARI on July 30, 1970, on the condition that the company continue its commitments to running the remaining events at ARI-owned tracks the following month. Les Richter, who had left the company a few months earlier, was appointed as the new chairman of ARI. Although MIS track officials stated optimistic hopes of revitalizing ARI by ending its mass expansion and cancelling
22192-557: Was given the M-112 designation at the time. The expressway was extended eastward as the Detroit Industrial Expressway into Detroit; the first section opened in 1943 and the remainder was completed in March 1945. Land acquisition for the Edsel Ford Freeway started in 1945. Originally referred to as the Crosstown Freeway, the freeway became known as the Edsel Ford Freeway following an April 1946 petition. The interchange between
22344-557: Was later installed near the interchange between I-94 and Middlebelt Road. The completion of I-69 in the 1980s, and the approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement , increased traffic at the Blue Water Bridge. A new toll and customs plaza was built in 1991, and, later the next year, an international task force determined that traffic on the existing structure was exceeding capacity. Environmental planning started in 1993, and construction started on
22496-551: Was no longer concurrent with US 12, except for the Ypsilanti bypass. In 1963, the freeway was extended south of New Buffalo to end at M-239 . Traffic was diverted down M-239 into Indiana where State Road 39 carried traffic the rest of the way to the Indiana Toll Road . By the end of the year, a section of highway opened between Mount Clemens and Marysville, and US 25 was rerouted to run concurrently along
22648-456: Was part of NASCAR's implementation of the rule to the Cup and Busch Series due to complaints regarding NASCAR's policy at the time regarding late race cautions; the policy stated that a red flag would be thrown during a late race caution to attempt to ensure the race would finish under green but if a caution occurred after the window for the red flag, the race would end under caution regardless of where
22800-493: Was served by US 25 between Detroit and Port Huron. The first span of the Blue Water Bridge opened between Port Huron and Point Edward, Ontario , in 1938. The first segments of upgraded highways along the future route of I-94 were added during World War II . Construction on the Willow Run Expressway started in 1941 before the US entered the war. It was opened on September 12, 1942, to provide improved access to Ford Motor Company 's Willow Run bomber plants. The highway
22952-497: Was set to open sometime in 1968. To finance the facility, track officials filed a registration statement in October to publicly offer common stocks and debentures that totaled approximately $ 3 million. Groundbreaking on the Michigan International Speedway (MIS) occurred on September 27, 1967, with British racing driver Stirling Moss commencing construction. Initial plans for the facility included
23104-677: Was the first with Stanley Black & Decker holding the series' naming rights . Previously, Sears, Roebuck & Co held title sponsorship from 1995 through 2008 with the Craftsman brand, during which the series was known as the NASCAR SuperTruck Series in 1995 and the Craftsman Truck Series from 1996 through 2008. Camping World took over the sponsorship to dub the Camping World Truck Series from 2009 through 2018, followed by
#380619