{"id":35054,"date":"2025-10-02T08:52:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T12:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=35054"},"modified":"2025-10-02T08:52:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T12:52:54","slug":"american-speed-festival-2025-unser-jr-porsche-930-turbo-fast-lap-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/american-speed-festival-2025-unser-jr-porsche-930-turbo-fast-lap-competition","title":{"rendered":"American Speed Festival 2025: Unser Jr., Porsche 930 Turbo, fast lap competition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Pontiac<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Metro Detroit\u2019s fall auto enthusiast season draws to a close this weekend, Oct. 3-5, with the glitzy, 4<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0annual American Speed Festal at M1 Concourse auto club in Pontiac.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The 87-acre club\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Significant racers like open-wheel IndyCars, NASCARs, sprint racers, endurance Le Mans prototypes, and crowd-pleasing drifters will fill multiple classes. The cars aren\u2019t the only stars as the ASF will host famed race drivers including Master of Ceremonies and two-time Indy 500 champ Al Unser Jr.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/10\/01\/PDTN\/86451273007-asf-nascar.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"M1Concourse, Pontiac - The American Speed Festival features hot laps from a variety of racers like these NASCARs.\" width=\"568\" height=\"320\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_pg_img_cap\"><em>M1Concourse, Pontiac &#8211; The American Speed Festival features hot laps from a variety of racers like these NASCARs.<\/em><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">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\u2019s marquee car shows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThe American Speed Festival is more than an event \u2014 it\u2019s an immersive experience,\u201d said M1 Concourse CEO Paul Zlotoff. \u201cASF 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\u2019s growing prestige as one of America\u2019s must-attend automotive celebrations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The weekend\u2019s featured race car will be the Porsche 930 Turbo race car, which is celebrating its 50<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary. 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.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/10\/01\/PDTN\/86451278007-asf-variety.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The American Speed Festival sees a variety of cars, including, from left, IndyCars, Le Mans sportscars and Sprint cars.\" width=\"546\" height=\"308\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_pg_img_cap\"><em>The American Speed Festival sees a variety of cars, including, from left, IndyCars, Le Mans sportscars and Sprint cars.<\/em><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In addition to class laps, the weekend will feature the American Speed Festival Challenge \u2014 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">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.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_vp gnt_em_vp__yt\" data-g-r=\"vp_tp\" data-c-vt=\"youtube\" aria-live=\"polite\" data-c-vpd=\"{&quot;vid&quot;:&quot;Or0kDLEuHLg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;86450636007&quot;}\"><a class=\"gnt_em_vp_a gnt_em_vp__yt_a\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Or0kDLEuHLg?si=nZrko37zW7kTGEZ6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-g-r=\"vp_tg\" aria-label=\"Play YouTube video\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_vp_img\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Or0kDLEuHLg\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"583\" height=\"328\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">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.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_x__c gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3-ac2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Unser will be on hand throughout the weekend signing autographs and posing with the 500\u2019s iconic Borg-Warner Trophy \u2014 a rare sight outside the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Unser will also host Saturday night\u2019s Checkered Flag Ball charity event to raise funds for M1 Mobility\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/10\/01\/PDTN\/86451277007-asf-unsertrophy.jpg?width=660&amp;height=440&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The American Speed Festival's 2025 Master of Ceremonies will be Al Unser Jr.\" width=\"530\" height=\"353\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The American Speed Festival's 2025 Master of Ceremonies will be Al Unser Jr.\" data-c-credit=\"M1\">\n<div class=\"gnt_pg_img_cap\"><em>The American Speed Festival&#8217;s 2025 Master of Ceremonies will be Al Unser Jr.<\/em><\/div>\n<p><em>M1<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Before the cars rev up on track Saturday and Sunday, ticketholders will enjoy the Dine &amp; 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Back at the track on Friday evening, ticketholders can stroll the grounds for the Garage Reveal to view some of M1\u2019s best car collections.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/10\/01\/PDTN\/86451283007-asf-womencomp.jpg?width=660&amp;height=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The American Speed Festival will feature a Ladies Race of Champions in Radical race cars.\" width=\"529\" height=\"320\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The American Speed Festival will feature a Ladies Race of Champions in Radical race cars.\" data-c-credit=\"M1\">\n<div class=\"gnt_pg_img_cap\"><em>The American Speed Festival will feature a Ladies Race of Champions in Radical race cars.<\/em><\/div>\n<p><em>M1<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">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\u2019 Rebels Vintage War Birds on Saturday will honor US service members by performing flyovers to honor US service members.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">Event details<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Location: M1 Concourse, 45399 Woodward Ave., Pontiac<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span> newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Dine &amp; Drive: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday (sold out)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Garage Reveal: 6-9 p.m. Friday ($200)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Checkered Flag Ball: 6-11 p.m. Saturday<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">American Speed Festival: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (General admission, $55, Club VIP ticket $175)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pontiac\u00a0\u2014 Metro Detroit\u2019s fall auto enthusiast season draws to a close this weekend, Oct. 3-5, with the glitzy, 4th\u00a0annual American Speed Festal at M1 Concourse auto club in Pontiac. The 87-acre club\u2019s 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35054"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35056,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35054\/revisions\/35056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}