Ground was broken on September 27, 1967, for Michigan International Speedway near the U.S. 12 and M-50 intersection in the Irish Hills. More than 2.5 million cubic yards of dirt were moved to create the oval racetrack. Developed by Detroit entrepreneur Lawrence LoPatin and designed by architect Charles Moneypenny, the facility was intended to be among the best and fastest of its kind in the world. Its hallmarks include a banked, D-shaped, 2-mile oval for high-speed racing and three road courses designed by Formula 1 great Stirling Moss. Michigan Governor George Romney, who had previously headed American Motors, drove the pace car on the day of the inaugural race in 1968. Besides LoPatin, owners included champion driver and businessman Roger Penske of Penske Motorsports, Inc., and International Speedway Corp., founded by Bill France. NASCAR acquired International Speedway Corp., including M.I.S., on October 18, 2019. In 2023, the property comprised about 1,400 acres and reflected numerous expansions, improvements, and state-of-the-art accommodations. Drivers and fans have said the race control tower, garages, and media facility are among the finest in the country. The inaugural event at M.I.S., attended by more than 25,000 fans, was won by Ronnie Bucknam on October 13, 1968, with an average speed of 162 mpg. More recently, drivers have called the course the fastest in the country, with stock cars entering corners at around 200 mph.