Every year,
NASCAR has two Sprint Cup Series races at the
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in Brooklyn, Michigan. The first race is traditionally held on Father's Day weekend--the third Sunday in June. The second race is held on the third Sunday in August.
A full house at the track, along with all the workers that are required to make things run smoothly, means that around 140,000 peo
ple have needs. NASCAR races and their fans have become an iconic symbol of pop culture in the new millenium. The logistics of handling that many people is difficult to imagine. There has to be food, drink, rest areas, parking, and lodging available to take care of the throng of fans that gather for these huge events. Bringing in more food and drink and rest stations has not been a problem. Lodging, on the other hand...
Brooklyn, Michigan, is a town of about 1,200. Jackson is the nearest "big" city with a population of just 36,000. Ann Arbor, Toledo, and Detroit are much bigger cities, but they are 30, 47, and 80 miles away according to google maps. When it comes to lodging for the horde of race fans, there are not a lot of options that are convenient. Building and filling more hotel and motel rooms is not a viable option for the other 50 weekends in the year.
Many fans
are relatively local and will be in and out in a day. The majority of overnight fans invade the numerous campgrounds for a very casual experience. There is only one chain hotel in Brooklyn--it's a Super 8. That means that there is an opportunity for nearby towns and villages to promote their mom and pop hotels and a fair number of bed and breakfast inns.
We own the
Munro House B&B in downtown Jonesville. According to google maps, we are located 23.3 miles (about 27 minutes) from the track on U.S. highway 12. Although we typically cater to romantic couples on weekends, we reserve the house for NASCAR fans over these 2 weekends each year. Unlike some nearby properties that command a rate 5 times normal with a 7 night stay required, we hold our prices consistant with the rest of the year and only require a 2 night stay.
Some of our NASCAR people have been coming here longer than we've owned the house--10 years. Our policy towards NASCAR fans is that when you stay with us, you get dibs on the same race weekend next year. We see a lot of familiar faces for each race season. We generally contact all of last years peeps after the first of the year to see if they will be returning for the same race. Most do, but some don't. When someone opts out, that opens up a room for a first timer.
It is probably a good idea to stay 2 nights anyway. The officials get cars out of their par
king lots as efficiently as possible. But the closest interstate highways are about 20 miles away, so traffic is pretty slow until you get there. When you consider waiting among 140,000 people to get in and get out of the track, race day can be a very long ordeal. Staying the night before and the night after is almost always a very good idea. If you want to also attend time trials or the Busch series race on Saturday, an additional night accommodation is a good option.
We tend to get traditional race fans--mostly couples who are here to watch the race and to watch everyone else go wild. Our clientele has been responsible and respectful. They are a very good fit for us. We don't have to worry about things getting loud or out of hand. They get a comfortable night sleep, a big breakfast, and have a straight shot to the track. Some folks leave early and we pack them breakfast to go--after all, we offer bed
and breakfast.
Race fans who only want to spend one night will be lucky to find a place within an hour of the track. Most every lodging property requires a 2 night stay (or more) for these special event weekends. Find a place to stay and if you get there and like it, ask for dibs on next year's race.
Mike Venturini - Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) features the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday August 21 in Brooklyn Michigan. Over 100,000 fans are expected for the main race on Sunday, with smaller crowds on Friday for Pole Day and on Saturday for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series running of the VFW 200.
Many fans will arrive for a full week of activities at MIS. Most of them will be staying in their luxury RVs. The rest of the fans will arrive for 3 days, 2 days, or just 1 day of racing action. Many of these fans will be camping, as there is a shortage of hotel/motels within a half hour of the race track.
For those fans who want to avoid the possibility of camping during a heat wave or in rainy weather, the Munro House Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville offers rooms for couples who prefer a comfortable bed in a quiet house just 30 minutes West of the track on US-12. This fine lodging facility is a step up from hotels and motels near MIS. Jonesville also has a dozen restaurants with cuisine ranging from fast food, to family dining, to fine dining. Fuel, ice cream, and a Super Wal-Mart are also in town to take care of your needs.
A great weekend of racing can be very comfortable when your headquarters is in Jonesville.
