International Speedway history

By 1955, France's dream of a modern speedway facility in Daytona began to take shape when he entered into negotiations with the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities Authority to construct and operate a $2.5 million motorsports arena.

In November of 1957, the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities Authority signed an agreement with France and his Daytona International Speedway Corporation to lease the property indefinitely.

With much fanfare and publicity, the Daytona International Speedway hosted its inaugural race on February 22, 1959.

The last motorcycle race on Daytona Beach was held in 1960; one year later it was moved to the Speedway, with Roger Reiman winning the first Daytona 200 on a Harley-Davidson.

In 1962, Dan Gurney won the first Daytona Continental Sports Car Race in a Lotus Ford.

In 1963, Sam Bartus purchased the track and paved the quarter-mile.

For a short while, it was the fastest racetrack for stock car racing until the Talladega Superspeedway opened in 1969.

The 1970’s found the best drivers in the Midwest calling Madison home as drivers such as Joe Shear, Johnny Ziegler, Dick Trickle, Tom Reffner, and Jim Back drew huge crowds to the speedway.

In 1980 Fred Nielsen purchased the track, re-opened it and hired ARTGO promoter John McKarns to run the speedway.

Bob and Tony Zider purchased the track in 1983 and installed the concrete grandstands and a backstretch scoreboard.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan was the Grand Marshal for the NASCAR Winston Cup Race, won by Richard Petty.

In 1987, Craig Hemmen bought the track from the Ziders and made a major change.

These two tracks were the fastest on the series schedule until the advent of restrictor plates in 1988.

On May 18, 1992, the first race under Erickson’s ownership took the green flag and Madison International Speedway was officially born.

Current NASCAR star Matt Kenseth won the MIS track championship in 1994.

Also responsible for providing catering services to corporate customers in suites at these facilities, in 1995 Americrown expanded its services to other unaffiliated sporting events, such as the LPGA championships.

Finally, in July of 1996, the company opened Daytona USA, a motorsports museum and theme park complex that includes such attractions as interactive media, racing exhibits, theaters, and a racing museum.

In 2001, ISC would continue its trend towards modern facilities by constructing Kansas Speedway near Kansas City.

The Fillner family owned the track until 2002, when they sold it to current owner Terry Kunes of Orland Park, Illinois.

The speedway underwent major renovations in the summer of 2004, including new garages, a Turn 1 tunnel, a four-story Daytona 500 Club, new Gatorade Victory Lane, and UNOH Fanzone.

In 2006 the quarter-mile “Ring of Fire” was built to allow other divisions to race at the track.

In 2007, ISC bought out its partners in the company to take control of both tracks.

On June 1, 2009, John R. Saunders took over as President of ISC, becoming the first ISC president without a "France" surname.

In 2011 the ARCA Racing Series returned to Madison after a nearly forty year absence.