Mobile International Speedway

Mobile International Speedway
MIS
Location7800 Park Blvd Irvington, Alabama 36544
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (UTC−05:00 DST)
Coordinates30°30′49″N 88°13′11″W / 30.51361°N 88.21972°W / 30.51361; -88.21972
Capacity9,000
OwnerIda Fields/Eddie Shoemaker
OperatorJason Smith
Broke ground1964
Opened1965
ArchitectWalter "Skip" Wetjen
Major eventsFormer:
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Mobile 150 (2016)
ARCA Racing Series
ARCA Mobile 200 (2012–2015)
NASCAR Southeast Series (1991–1996, 2001)
CARS Tour (1998–1999)
Oval (1965–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.500 miles (0.805 km)

Mobile International Speedway is a 0.500 mi (0.805 km) paved oval track along U.S. Highway 90 in Irvington, Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It was built by Walter "Skip" Wetjen,[1][2][3] and opened in 1965.

History

During the golden age of stock car racing, the track held races with the likes of Gene Tapia, Wayne Niedecken Sr., Phil Wendt,[4][5][6] and other NASCAR drivers.[7] Longtime stock car driver Red Farmer won his 500th feature race at the track.[8]

From 1966 to 1968 the track hosted open-wheel racing and held the annual World 300 race for Supermodified racing, which attracted competitors that included notable drivers such as Bobby Allison,[9][10] Dale Hammac[11] and Armond Holley.[12]

In the 1980s, the track hosted races sanctioned by All Pro Stock, ASA, NASCAR Grand American, NASCAR All-American Challenge Series, and NASCAR All Pro Stock Car. They included drivers Donnie Allison, Rusty Wallace, Dave Mader III, Ronnie Sanders,[13] Mike Cope,[14] Freddy Fryar,[15] Junior Niedecken,[16] Jody Ridley[17] and others.[18][19][20]

More recently, the track has been home to a number of rising NASCAR and ARCA drivers including Rick Crawford, Kevin Swindell (a development driver for Ray Evernham),[21] Bubba Pollard (of Roush Racing: Driver X), Cale Gale and Grant Enfinger. Kevin Swindell holds the all-time track record.[22]

The ARCA Racing Series held the ARCA Mobile 200 at the track from 2012 to 2015, all of them won by local drivers: 1 win for Cale Gale and 3 for Enfinger. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East held the Mobile 150 there in 2016. Also, the NASCAR Southeast Series hosted 9 races at Mobile International Speedway, between 1991 and 2001.

The CARS Hooters Pro Cup Series also had run three races at the facility, between 1998 and 1999.

Film and television

Opening scenes from the 2009 film The Final Destination were shot at the track.[23]

Notes

  1. ^ "USCS News". www.uscsracing.com. Archived from the original on 2006-05-15.
  2. ^ National Sprint Car Hall of Fame website at http://sprintcarhof.com/article.aspx?id=178
  3. ^ Walter "Skip" Wetjen, promoter of local sports and World War II Vet, dies, Mobile Register, December 2, 2008, online at http://bama.live.advance.net/news/press-register/featobit.ssf?/base/news/122821293669790.xml&coll=3[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Photos of Wendt and crew at http://www.genetapiaracing.com/philwendt.htm
  5. ^ See, http://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=wendtph01
  6. ^ See Race Results for Wendt at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=5648
  7. ^ See Race Results for Niedecken at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=5665
  8. ^ See interview at, http://www.stockcarracing.com/featuredvehicles/scrp_0601w_charles_red_farmer/index.html Archived 2010-02-17 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ See photo and note at http://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=8766
  10. ^ See photos of more Supermodifieds from Mobile International Speedway at http://www.retrorockets.org/1/Volume38.htm
  11. ^ See photos of Hammac at http://www.genetapiaracing.com/dale_hammac.htm
  12. ^ See article about Holley at http://www.genetapiaracing.com/armond_holley.htm
  13. ^ See race results for Sanders at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=4373
  14. ^ See Race Results for Cope at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=825
  15. ^ See Race Results for Fryar at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=187
  16. ^ See Race REsults for Niedecken at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=5912
  17. ^ See Race Results for Ridley at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=826
  18. ^ See Composite Race Results at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist3.php?trackid=400
  19. ^ See 1982 Race Results at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist.php?year=1982
  20. ^ See 1983 Race Results at http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist.php?year=1983
  21. ^ Official Web Site of Kevin Swindell, http://www.kevinswindell.com/cms.asp?Page=kevin Archived 2009-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Official track web site, http://www.mobilespeedway.net/trackrecords.php
  23. ^ See, Starling, Bill, The Final Destination shoot scenes at Mobile International Speedway, Mobile Register, August 27, 2009, found online at http://photos.al.com/mobile-press-register/2009/08/final_destination_4_shoot_scen_9.html Archived 2015-06-22 at the Wayback Machine