Manistee County Dragway/Northern Michigan Dragway (Kaleva)

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Northern Michigan Dragway is an eighth-mile strip near Kaleva in Manistee County that runs IHRA bracket racing and a series of brand-themed weekends such as Mopars Against the World, the Bowtie Challenge and the Blue Oval Battle.

Raced: 1970-present
State: Michigan
Raced on: Built as a drag strip
First race: May 30, 1970
Track: 1/8 mile
Address: 13991 Potter Rd
Bear Lake, MI 49614
People: Tom Ledford, co-founder and owner (1970-)
Jim Ledford, co-founder (1970)
Sharon Ledford, owner
Sanction: IHRA
Elevation: 757 ft (231 m)
Coordinates: 44.41009, -86.02077
Contact: northernmichigandragway.com (231) 362-3439 [email protected]

Big races

Mopars Against the World

Late July (July 22-25, 2026, 29th annual) · Brand-themed race weekend

Four-day Mopar gathering with racing and a car show, the track's longest-running special event.

Event page

Blue Oval Battle

August (Aug 20-22, 2026) · Brand-themed race weekend

A Ford-focused race weekend, in its 14th year in 2026.

Event page

Bowtie Challenge

Late June (June 25-27, 2026) · Brand-themed race weekend

A Chevrolet-themed race weekend, held for the 16th time in 2026.

Event page

Bonfire Salute

Memorial Day weekend (May 22-24, 2026) · Special event weekend

Three-day holiday weekend race, in its 12th year in 2026.

Event page

Regular bracket events, Street Nights and SICK Michigan Miles

April to September · Weekly bracket and street racing

Saturday bracket points races, Friday street nights and test and tune sessions, plus a Sick Michigan Miles stop in August. Regular-event spectator admission is $15.

Event page

Sick Michigan Miles

Raced here 2025, 2026 · drag-and-drive

A drag-and-drive: racers drive their street cars from track to track over several days and race at each stop.

Event page

History

Manistee County Dragway is three miles north of Kaleva. According to Brian Ledford, brothers Tom and Jim Ledford started it as a partnership on the family farm of their mother, Marie. It opened May 30, 1970, and the first day ended in tragedy. Howard Nickelson of Ludington was about halfway down the track when his dragster’s clutch exploded. A piece of the flying pressure plate struck Alan W. Merritt, 24, of Manistee, who died about an hour later, and the driver broke his foot. It was renamed Northern Michigan Dragway by 1995 or earlier. Tom and Sharon Ledford own it, and it runs as an eighth-mile strip.