There are race tracks that look like temples built for the racing gods. On the NASCAR level that might be a Daytona or a Bristol. For short tracks, what that temple might look like can range from a fairly modern fully accessorized facility to rural dirt battleground in the middle of a corn field.
In Palo Michigan, that cornfield is the home of Mid-Michigan Raceway Park. Owned and Operated by Gene Hendrickson, Gene doesn't pull any punches when it comes to talking about his track.
“We feature great racing. Side-by-Side racing. I put all my time and effort into having a great track to work on. I guarantee you that no owner in the state spends more time hands-on then I do. I'm proud of my track.”
Outside of SE Michigan, there might not be an area more impacted by Michigan's tough economy then the Ionia/Montcalm/Gratiot counties. Looking into the 2009 season, Gene says “Not too sure how things are going to go. It's going to be a tough year. Hopefully people will support the local tracks”
Like most local short tracks, Mid-Michigan Raceway Park competes against many other attractions seeking to provide entertainment. Gene says he has to be creative, but realistic in his promotions.
“We target a 30 mile radius to get folks out to the track”
For the racers, they know exactly what to expect from Gene. Very little changes. “We didn't make any changes to the rules for 2009. Everything is exactly the same. The drivers want a fast track that isn't too dusty. We will give them that.”
He mentioned that he was planning on bringing in a couple of special promotions this summer, might even have a stunt guy come in and jump through a camper-complete with explosion. As of press time, the schedule wasn't complete, but knowing Gene, he'll probably get it done. Mid-Michigan Raceway Park will be running on Sunday's for 2009.
Not surprising, the one big event you can bank on at Mid-Michigan Raceway Park is the Corn Harvest. Held every fall, the Corn Harvest is a throwback to the classic Dealer's Choice style races where every car has a class and every class has a feature to run. It is one giant party and without doubt the biggest attraction of the year in Palo.
For the fans that don't know Gene, he is a simple guy with a humble background. “I worked my whole life, I'm still working”. A truck driver and warehouse laborer, Gene understands what a hard day's work is. He has been racing since he was 18 years old. He still gets into a race car every chance he gets. Just last year he ran in the Great Lakes Nationals to his nephew who loaned him a ride. Over the last half century he drove cars at Portland, Auto City, Butler, and Oak Shade to name a few.
He lists Dale Earnhardt Sr. as one of his all-time favorites “he didn't lie, if he hit a guy; he would come right out and say that he did. A true race fan at heart, Hendrickson wants everyone to remember “the big shots of Nascar all got their starts at the local tracks. Please continue to support your local track.”
Gene admits that he spends a lot of time in the pits, that's the racer in him. He knows he needs to spend more time up front and is thankful his wife helps him with that. It's very important to him that the events run smooth. He also adds that racing is an addiction for both sides, Drivers and Fans. Be smart about it.
When asked if he had one final thing to say, Gene kept it simple “If you've never been to a race track you should try it just once.”
