Jones, MI - After taking over what’s now the Russell's M-40 Speedway in mid-July and bringing car and fan counts unseen at the facility in several years, owners Bill and John Russell are set for their first full season of ownership and promotion at the Jones, MI facility.
After many years of running sparingly with specials and a two-month run in 2020, M40 opened up for weekly racing in 2023, racing on Sunday afternoons. Two different groups promoted the track until the father-son duo bought the facility. Car counts continued to increase through the final month-plus of the season, highlighted by the Street Stock Showdown VI, when nearly 40 Street Stocks were on hand and a capacity crowd saw Kyle Santora take the win over Ricky LaDuke and Austin Maynard.
M40 is moving to Saturday nights in 2024, with five divisions on the weekly card. Street Stocks and Factory Fords return to the weekly lineup, as well as Hornets, which will be renamed Road Warriors. Mini Stocks and Outlaw Front Wheel Drivers are being combined to form the Xtreme Stocks. New to the weekly lineup at M40 will be the Michiana Limited Outlaws, a Limited Late Model class that will have similar rules to those further north at Kalamazoo, Springport and Galesburg.
Ticket prices will remain just $8 in 2024. Additionally, M40 just announced that no registration fees are required for drivers, no matter how often they race at M40.
The 2024 season officially kicks off on Saturday night, April 27 with the five weekly divisions. May 25 will see the first marquee event at M40 with the inaugural Michiana Limited Late Model Showcase, with the Midwest Classic Racers Dwarf Cars making an appearance two weeks later on June 8. The Midwest Super Cups and Engine Pro VROA Vintage Modifieds presented by Wyser Innovative Products will make two trips to M40 each.
A major Street Stock event returns to M40 with the inaugural Judgement Day on July 20. The National Compact Touring Series Presented by Rev X makes their return to M40 the next week, July 27 for their annual Down Syndrome Race. The event aims to raise awareness for down syndrome.
Saturday, August 10 will bring Supermodifieds back to M40 in the form of the Outlaw 350 SuperModifed Sprint Series. Based on Ohio, the series has traditionally called Sandusky Speedway and Lorain County Raceway home, but the series is venturing west for races at M40, Plymouth and Flat Rock in 2024.
Season championships will be decided on Saturday, September 7. That will serve as the last race of the season at M40 Speedway.
The full schedule can be seen at https://m40speedway.net/schedule.
For more information on Russell’s M40 Speedway, go to their website at m40speedway.net. They can also be found on Facebook at Russell’s M40 Speedway.
Story - Koty Geyer
Photo - Koty Geyer