val . ▁The ▁track ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0   se ats . ▁The ▁track ▁was ▁originally ▁built ▁and ▁owned ▁by ▁Lawrence ▁H . ▁Lo Pat in , ▁a ▁Detroit - area ▁land ▁developer ▁who ▁built ▁the ▁speed way ▁at ▁an ▁estimated ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 4 – 6   mill ion . ▁Fin ancing ▁was ▁arranged ▁by ▁Thomas ▁W ▁It in . ▁Its ▁first ▁race ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁Sunday , ▁October ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁running ▁of ▁the ▁US AC ▁ 2 5 0 ▁mile ▁Championship ▁Car ▁Race ▁won ▁by ▁Ron nie ▁Buck num . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Roger ▁P ens ke ▁purchased ▁the ▁speed way ▁for ▁an ▁estimated ▁$ 2   mill ion . ▁During ▁P ens ke ' s ▁ownership , ▁the ▁track ▁was ▁upgrad ed ▁several ▁times ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁capacity ▁to ▁ 1 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁se ating ▁capacity . ▁ ▁Race ▁report ▁There ▁were ▁ 4 1 ▁drivers ▁on ▁the ▁starting ▁grid ▁for ▁this ▁event . ▁Gary ▁Fed ew a ▁( un cle ▁of ▁later ▁Bus ch ▁Series ▁driver ▁Tim ▁Fed ew a ), ▁Dick ▁Tr ick le , ▁US AC ▁veter an ▁Cl iff ▁H uc ul ▁of ▁Canada , ▁Ron nie ▁Thomas , ▁Joe ▁Bo oh er , ▁and ▁Howard ▁Mark ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁this ▁race . ▁In ▁this ▁ 2 0 0 -