Why Michigan International Speedway runs so fast

Michigan International Speedway is built for speed. The oval is two miles around, shaped like a wide letter D, with long straightaways and sweeping turns banked at 18 degrees. NASCAR’s 2025 analysis found an average Next Gen pole speed of 192.04 mph at Michigan, the fastest average on that year’s schedule. It also counted 13 of the 15 fastest non-superspeedway pole speeds in NASCAR history at this track. Those are qualifying figures, not a promise that every race lap runs at 200 mph.

The track broke ground in 1967 and held its first race on October 13, 1968. Its first NASCAR race came on June 15, 1969. The original owner entered bankruptcy protection, and Roger Penske bought the deed at the Lenawee County courthouse in 1973. NASCAR became the owner when it completed its acquisition of International Speedway Corporation in 2019.

One location detail trips people up. The track is just south of Brooklyn and uses Brooklyn in its public identity, but it sits in Cambridge Township in Lenawee County. The village of Brooklyn is across the county line in Jackson County.

For a visit, treat the schedule as live information. MIS currently promotes one annual summer NASCAR weekend, along with other track experiences and events during the year. Race names, sponsors, dates, and traffic plans can change. The official schedule and fan guide carry the current details for camping and routes through the Irish Hills.