Made for Speed

The high-speed testing track was the key to operations at the Packard Proving Grounds. Its 2 1/2-mile oval had 31-degree banked curves that allowed drivers to reach high speeds. On June 14, 1928, after winning that year's Indianapolis 500, race car driver Leon Duray drove his Miller Special to a record lap speed of 148.7 miles per hour, a record that stood until the late 1940s. The Timing Stand at the east side of the track provided observation areas for timing and other test measurements. Nearby off-road courses put Packard automobiles through punishing conditions, including sand traps, suspended railroad ties, water baths, and hill climbs. Through 28 years of vehicle performance testing, no driver's or mechanic's life was lost at the Packard Proving Grounds.

Michigan · United States