Sheboygan County’s world-renowned motorsports destination is celebrating a major milestone this year.
2025 marks Road America’s 70th anniversary of bringing racers and fans from around the globe to the track in Elkhart Lake, which has become known as “America’s National Park of Speed.”
Road America was founded by engineer Clif Tufte after the rise of street racing was halted due to its increasing danger.
After breaking ground in 1954, the first race took place in September of 1955 and has continued to thrill fans ever since.
John Ewert, Road America’s Communications Director, spoke with SeehaferNews.com on how the track has been able to endure for 70 years
“We are publicly owned and privately traded, much the same as the Packers,” he explained. “That still continues to this day. We’re constantly reinvesting funds back into the facility to make improvements and we’ve done so, as well, for 70 years.”
Ewerts says that this has allowed them to stay true to the values the track was founded on while adapting to an ever-changing motorsports landscape.
The track’s 4-mile layout remains unchanged from the original outline that was laid out by Tufte in the 50’s and that challenging layout is an integral part of why drivers are so keen to come back year after year.
Drivers to not only compete but win at Road America over the years include AJ Foyt, Marco Andretti, Will Power, and many more.
A major factor in the 70 years of success at Road America is its longest-running event the June Sprints, which was held last weekend.
Ewert explained, “It’s certainly significant when you think about the number of cars. On average, it’s around 400 cars. So, it’s a large amount of competitors in pretty much every class of racing. So you’ll see production-type cars like Hondas, B-Specs, and Mazdas all the way up to open-wheel-type formula cars, formula Fords, spec-racer Fords, and things like that,” Ewert added.
It is just one of the many events that have molded Road America into what it is today.
Ewert finished with one word to describe what Road America is to him: experience.
“It’s something that’s easy to experience,” he noted. “You’re not putting out a lot of cash and once you come through the gates, the world is your oyster from a motorsports standpoint.”
The 70th season for “America’s National Park of Speed” is just getting started with numerous major events planned throughout the spring and fall.
A full list of events can be found by visiting roadamerica.com.
