GingerMan Raceway, Racing Circuit

GingerMan Raceway lies just east of South Haven in southwest Michigan, established in 1995 by Chicago club racer Dan Schnitta, who set out to build a friendlier venue for racers and visitors after less-than-ideal experiences elsewhere. The track takes its name from the Ginger Man Tavern that Schnitta owns near Wrigley Field, and it sits within more than 300 acres of shaded woodland, generous paddock space and a stocked fishing pond meant to give the feel of a state park. The layout was designed by Alan Wilson, a go-to architect for club-level circuits, who prioritised clear, golf-course-smooth run-off and at least four genuine overtaking points to keep racing close and minimise costly damage for amateur drivers. The original 1.879-mile course has 11 turns, around 40 feet of elevation change and a technical Turns 7-to-10 section that lets a well-driven small car match more powerful machinery. Its purpose-built racing surface used a polymer asphalt chosen to resist break-up while staying high-grip without excessive tyre wear, and the design earned a Safe Track Award from Victory Lane magazine. The facility opened for testing in late 1995 and ran its first full season in 1996, mainly SCCA car racing and club motorcycle events. In 2010 a new extension at Turn 10 stretched the course to 2.21 miles, and reconfigured run-off made reverse-direction running possible, giving four layout variants in all. The whole circuit can be viewed from a central spectator hill between Turns 3 and 7. The entire track was repaved for the 2015 twentieth-anniversary season, yielding faster lap times. The nearest major airport is Grand Rapids, just over an hour to the north.

Operated by: GingerMan Raceway, Ltd.