Mount Clemens Race Track

Apr 21, 2026 - 17:41
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Mount Clemens Race Track

Updated per editor recommendations.

← Previous revision Revision as of 12:10, 21 April 2026
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'''Mount Clemens Race Track''' was located on a 55-acre site along North River Road near the I-94 freeway in [[Mount Clemens]], [[Michigan]], in suburban [[Detroit]]. The property was purchased after [[World War II]] by Mount Clemens resident Dr. Clayton Stubbs. The land was an old harness racing site, the Clinton Driving Park, which had not been used for racing since about 1925. About 1950, local race drivers were using the dirt track to practice for their races at the [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway]] and approached Dr. Stubbs about cleaning up the track and offering races there. Dr. Stubbs agreed to their proposal, and the Mount Clemens Race Track opened on September 3, 1951, with 5,000 fans in attendance.https://www.mtclib.org/DocumentCenter/View/429/race-track
'''Mount Clemens Race Track''' was located on a 55-acre site along North River Road near the I-94 freeway in [[Mount Clemens]], [[Michigan]], in suburban [[Detroit]] and opened on September 3, 1951, with 5,000 fans in attendance. name="auto">https://www.mtclib.org/DocumentCenter/View/429/race-track. Grandstand seating 5,500 featured an adjacent picnic and playground area, and the grounds included half-mile, quarter-mile ovals and a figure-eight./>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-mount-clemens-race-trac/185721467/|title=Mount Clemens Race Track, 1967 article|date=August 24, 1967|pages=25|via=newspapers.com}}


The raceway hosted stock car races on weekends, including female drivers, along with special events including a [[demolition derby]] and kid's [[Big Wheel (tricycle)|Big Wheel]] races. Grandstands seating 5,500 featured an adjacent picnic and playground area, and the grounds included half-mile, quarter-mile ovals and a figure-eight.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-mount-clemens-race-trac/185721467/|title=Mount Clemens Race Track, 1967 article|date=August 24, 1967|pages=25|via=newspapers.com}} Notable drivers included [[Joy Fair]], a prolific winner on short-tracks in the Midwest,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2011/12/10/joy-fair-champion-driver-at-mcrt-dies/|title=Joy Fair, champion driver at MCRT, dies|date=December 10, 2011}} Canadian driver [[Junior Hanley]],{{Cite web|url=https://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/mount-clemens-race-track-1981-junior-hanley-margaret-odom/|title=Mount Clemens 1981 – David Allio • Racing Photography Archives|date=June 25, 2021}} [[NASCAR]] driver [[Tracy Leslie]],{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmshof.org/index.php/inductees/inductees/361-tracy-leslie|title=Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame - Leslie, Tracy 2015|website=www.mmshof.org}}
Notable drivers included [[Joy Fair]], a prolific winner on short-tracks in the Midwest,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2011/12/10/joy-fair-champion-driver-at-mcrt-dies/|title=Joy Fair, champion driver at MCRT, dies|date=December 10, 2011}} Canadian driver [[Junior Hanley]],{{Cite web|url=https://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/mount-clemens-race-track-1981-junior-hanley-margaret-odom/|title=Mount Clemens 1981 – David Allio • Racing Photography Archives|date=June 25, 2021}} [[NASCAR]] driver [[Tracy Leslie]],{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmshof.org/index.php/inductees/inductees/361-tracy-leslie|title=Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame - Leslie, Tracy 2015|website=www.mmshof.org}}
and [[NASCAR]] legend [[Dick Trickle]].{{Cite web|url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150712/NEWS/150719952/july-15-1985-car-race-track-draws-fans-when-sun-shines|title=July 15, 1985: Car-race track draws fans – when sun shines|date=July 12, 2015|website=Crain's Detroit Business}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/Mount_Clemens_Speedway|title=Mount Clemens Speedway - The Third Turn|website=www.thethirdturn.com}}
and [[NASCAR]] legend [[Dick Trickle]], {{Cite web|url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150712/NEWS/150719952/july-15-1985-car-race-track-draws-fans-when-sun-shines|title=July 15, 1985: Car-race track draws fans – when sun shines|date=July 12, 2015|website=Crain's Detroit Business}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/Mount_Clemens_Speedway|title=Mount Clemens Speedway - The Third Turn|website=www.thethirdturn.com}}> and even featured performances from the [[Tommy Bartlett Show]], aan acrobatic water skiing show in a lagoon inside the track.>


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Owners placed the race track on the market in 1985, and sold it to the city of Mount Clemens in March, 1986. The track equipment was sold at auction the next month and Mount Clemens Race Track ended its 36-year history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mt-clemens-race-trac/185721203/|title=Mt. Clemens Race Track, Puscas column, 1983|date=May 4, 1983|pages=49|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mt-clemens-race-trac/185721288/|title=Mt. Clemens Race Track, 1984|date=August 2, 1984|pages=123|via=newspapers.com}}. The city of Mount Clemens then sold the race track property in 1987 to Gebran Anton and Riverside Associates, and was converted to use for the [[Gibraltar Trade Center]], which opened in 1990.https://www.mtclib.org/DocumentCenter/View/429/race-track#:~:text=The%20land%20was%20an%20old,erected%20in%201916%20by%20the
For the opening of the 1954 season, a man-made lagoon was created at the race track, and Mount Clemens Race Track would
feature auto races and boat races. Small outboard craft were set to race on the lagoon, and the [[Tommy Bartlett Show]] from Cypress Gardens, Florida, was brought in to entertain the crowds with acrobatic water skiing. The water show opened on July 11, but the premiere was marred by an accident in which one of the performers fell and was mangled by the twin propellers of the tow boat. The skier recovered from the deep lacerations on his back, and the water show went on through the summer drawing good crowds, but it was not repeated the following year. The lagoon became a
landscape decoration thereafter.

In June, 1977, Dr. Stubbs sold Mount Clemens Race Track to Dr. Henry Winkler and his
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wife, Cynthia, who continued to operate the track. After a divorce, Cyndy Winkler placed the race track on the market in 1985, and sold it to the city of Mount Clemens in March, 1986, for the sum of $725,000. The track equipment was sold at auction the next month and Mount Clemens Race Track ended its 36-year history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mt-clemens-race-trac/185721203/|title=Mt. Clemens Race Track, Puscas column, 1983|date=May 4, 1983|pages=49|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mt-clemens-race-trac/185721288/|title=Mt. Clemens Race Track, 1984|date=August 2, 1984|pages=123|via=newspapers.com}}

The city of Mount Clemens then sold the race track property in 1987 to Gebran Anton and his
Riverside Associates, and was converted to use for the [[Gibraltar Trade Center]], which opened in 1990.https://www.mtclib.org/DocumentCenter/View/429/race-track#:~:text=The%20land%20was%20an%20old,erected%20in%201916%20by%20the


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