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American Speed Festival 2025: Unser Jr., Porsche 930 Turbo, fast lap competition
Posted by Talbot Payne on October 2, 2025
Pontiac — Metro Detroit’s fall auto enthusiast season draws to a close this weekend, Oct. 3-5, with the glitzy, 4th annual American Speed Festal at M1 Concourse auto club in Pontiac.
The 87-acre club’s Champion Motor Speedway will be the center of the action as race cars past, present, and future descend on the 1.5-mile track for hot laps Saturday and Sunday.
Significant racers like open-wheel IndyCars, NASCARs, sprint racers, endurance Le Mans prototypes, and crowd-pleasing drifters will fill multiple classes. The cars aren’t the only stars as the ASF will host famed race drivers including Master of Ceremonies and two-time Indy 500 champ Al Unser Jr.
ASF follows Detroit 4fest at Holly Oaks off-road park Sept. 5-6 and the Cars at the Station Sept. 19-20 at Michigan Central as the fall’s marquee car shows.
“The American Speed Festival is more than an event — it’s an immersive experience,” said M1 Concourse CEO Paul Zlotoff. “ASF gives motorsports fans unprecedented access to vehicles and the people who make them legendary. Its ability to draw participants and fans from across the nation to M1 Concourse reflects the festival’s growing prestige as one of America’s must-attend automotive celebrations.”
The weekend’s featured race car will be the Porsche 930 Turbo race car, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Numerous examples of the 930, produced from 1975 to 1989, will be on display. The Porsche was distinguished by huge rear fenders, rear wing and an air-cooled flat-6 engine with wicked turbo lag.
In addition to class laps, the weekend will feature the American Speed Festival Challenge — a series if competitions where drivers will vie for best lap time. Classes include the Ladies Race of Champions, featuring a handful of female pilots in Radical race cars. The five LROC competitors will be seven-time Indy 500 entrant Pippa Mann, Porsche Sprint Challenge driver Loni Unser, two-time NHRA World Championship drag racer Megan Meyer, USAC Midget champion Taylor Ferns, and GT4 America racer Laura Hayes.
On-track drifting demonstrations will be led by 2024 Taurus World Stunt Award winner Ele Bardha. Other notables at ASF will be 2016 motorcycle racing Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.
When not on track, the cars and their drivers (including the author of this article, who will be on hand in his 1966 Porsche 906) will be accessible to fans in the M1 paddock next to the 28,000-square-foot Event Center. In addition to historic IndyCars and sportscars, look for high-horsepower Can Am cars and modern Ferrari Challenge GT racers.
Unser will be on hand throughout the weekend signing autographs and posing with the 500’s iconic Borg-Warner Trophy — a rare sight outside the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
Unser will also host Saturday night’s Checkered Flag Ball charity event to raise funds for M1 Mobility’s Pontiac Community Foundation, which provides rides to some 20,000 people in need throughout the year. Tickets for the ball are $500 apiece and $5,000 for a table of 10.
M1
Before the cars rev up on track Saturday and Sunday, ticketholders will enjoy the Dine & Drive event from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. The event includes meals curated by top chefs, a tour of Oakland County roads in exotic cars and an exclusive private car collection viewing.
Back at the track on Friday evening, ticketholders can stroll the grounds for the Garage Reveal to view some of M1’s best car collections.
M1
The racing hardware will be complimented over the weekend by heritage car displays, gourmet food, family-friendly activities, music, and an aerial exhibition. The Scream N’ Rebels Vintage War Birds on Saturday will honor US service members by performing flyovers to honor US service members.
Event details
Location: M1 Concourse, 45399 Woodward Ave., Pontiac
Dine & Drive: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday (sold out)
Garage Reveal: 6-9 p.m. Friday ($200)
Checkered Flag Ball: 6-11 p.m. Saturday
American Speed Festival: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (General admission, $55, Club VIP ticket $175)