CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer Dork
1/5/13 10:03 p.m.

I like to browse Google Earth looking for back roads to drive. I found what appears to be an old track in MI that I haven't heard about. it is about 4000 ft long. It currently is listed as a camping ground, but it definitely looks like a racetrack from the past. Anyone know about it?

Copy and paste these coordinates into Google Maps to look:

42°16'16.10"N, 84°15'45.55"W

JohnRW1621
JohnRW1621 PowerDork
1/6/13 5:09 a.m.

Wow, that is a hell of a campground with 1100 sites, 700 of which are all-"seasonals" otherwise known as more permanent placements.
http://www.greenwoodacrescampground.com/index.html

I pulled the coordinates up on www.bing.com/maps which has a cool feature called "bird's eye" view which is not straight down like aerial view but more from the side.
The track pavement is in really bad shape. The picture show they are storing some boats in the old paddock.

Looks like it was a neat track back in it hey-day (which was likely quite a while ago.)

chandlerGTi
chandlerGTi Dork
1/6/13 9:00 a.m.

Wow! In the "history" it doesn't list anything about a track but it does say that it was owned by a road construction supervisor. Maybe he practiced his concrete work at the campground?

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson SuperDork
1/6/13 9:44 a.m.

HHmm, tarmac in bad shape. Tarmac rally cross anyone

CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer Dork
1/6/13 9:53 a.m.

^^^ I like that idea!

i was going to take a run out that way today, but then realized I'd just probably see a snowy field.

drsmooth
drsmooth New Reader
1/6/13 4:04 p.m.

Can't find any information about there ever being a track there. But what I did find out is this property was the location of Michigan's Woodstock. Goose Lake international Music Festival

Newspaper Article about the eventhttp://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=13036

After doing some further reading it appears the previous owner tried to hold a snowmobile race there.

He renamed the facility Wonderland Park and promoted it as a family-friendly destination, but even an attempt to stage a snowmobile race there was stopped by local officials. While Songer was eventually exonerated, Goose Lake was destined to be a one-off.
fidelity101
fidelity101 Reader
1/7/13 11:18 a.m.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

I wish the SCCA would let us...

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson SuperDork
1/7/13 11:31 a.m.
fidelity101 wrote: In reply to Adrian_Thompson: I wish the SCCA would let us...

Seriously? I konew I hated the Sactimonious Car Club of Arseholes for a reason. Time to talk to AROC, MSCC or other for a tarmac rallycross type event.

banzaitoyota
banzaitoyota New Reader
1/7/13 11:45 a.m.

I thought SCCA stood for Sports Car Communists of America?

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson SuperDork
1/7/13 12:00 p.m.

Silly Car Club of the Anonymous.

Type Q
Type Q Dork
1/7/13 1:27 p.m.
drsmooth wrote: Can't find any information about there ever being a track there. But what I did find out is this property was the location of Michigan's Woodstock. Goose Lake international Music Festival Newspaper Article about the eventhttp://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=13036 After doing some further reading it appears the previous owner tried to hold a snowmobile race there.
He renamed the facility Wonderland Park and promoted it as a family-friendly destination, but even an attempt to stage a snowmobile race there was stopped by local officials. While Songer was eventually exonerated, Goose Lake was destined to be a one-off.

My Family lived nearby on Gilletts Lake when the festival happened. I remember my dad telling me they could the concert pretty clearly all weekend. He complained about the noise from I-94 which was built after they bought their place. I suspect he and my Mom were part of the opposition to more concerts.

Type Q
Type Q Dork
1/7/13 1:41 p.m.

You reminded of a place I rented carts North of East Lansing in the 80's. It looks like pavement is still there. The coordinates are these according to google. 42.785032,-84.482412

xflowgolf
xflowgolf HalfDork
1/7/13 1:46 p.m.
Type Q wrote: You reminded of a place I rented carts North of East Lansing in the 80's. It looks like pavement is still there. The coordinates are these according to google. 42.785032,-84.482412

The East Lansing kart track is still active: http://www.karttrack.com/

It's built up all around it now though. Apartments / condos / strip mall shopping type stuff.

Type Q
Type Q Dork
1/7/13 3:42 p.m.

In reply to xflowgolf:

Interesting. I googled East Lansing Cart Track and came up with nothing. I must of done it wrong. The last time I was there was 1980. (Man I feel old all of sudden.)

Nice to see it still in service.

CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer Dork
3/25/13 6:42 a.m.

Bump from the dead. So I felt like driving this weekend and took a trip out to this place. I only saw one turn before I couldn't go any more due to the campground. I'm more convinced it used to be a track of some sort. The land is very hilly around it and the one turn I could see was banked and in a hillside. One of these days I'm just going to call the place and find out the story.

spitfirebill
spitfirebill UltraDork
3/25/13 7:20 a.m.

Definitely a race track. And that is a heck of a campground.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UltraDork
3/25/13 9:27 a.m.

Glad this popped up again. Here's a screen shot from Google Maps. From some quick paper engineering it looks to be approx. 2,000-2,200 feet long and about20 feet wide on average. Someone has to find the story behind this as a track. I still vote for an non sanctimonious car club of the afflicted rallycross style even here.

scardeal
scardeal Dork
3/25/13 9:32 a.m.

I'd be up for that.

patgizz
patgizz UberDork
3/25/13 9:56 a.m.

well, call them and talk nicely. i'll put truck tires on my impala to get it a little higher off the ground and head up.

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