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The fourth annual event returns Aug. 8 to the former drag strip at MBS International Airport
FREELAND, Mich. — Hundreds of classic cars, vintage dragsters and custom-built machines will return to the former Tri-City Dragway on Saturday, Aug. 8, for one of the Great Lakes Bay Region’s largest automotive gatherings.
The fourth annual American Gasser’s Tri-City Dragway Car Show will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 7840 Sarle Road on the grounds of MBS International Airport. Public gates are scheduled to open at 7 a.m.
Organizers expect about 700 vehicles if the weather cooperates. The lineup will include classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, customized vehicles and racing machines tied to the old drag strip’s history.
Among the scheduled attractions are the Motown Shaker and Brigader funny cars. Several notable top fuel dragsters may also attend, along with cars that competed at Tri-City Dragway during its original run from 1966 through 1978.
The Motown Shaker is scheduled to fire its engine at noon near the former track tower. The demonstration will offer visitors a rare chance to hear and see a vintage-style racing machine operating on the old dragway property.
“This history that has come from this place is amazing, and I look forward to hearing stories from races again this year,” Micah Fleming, founder and president of Tri-City Dragway Inc., told the Midland Daily News.
Car Show Supports Drag Strip Restoration
The car show is more than a display of polished chrome and restored Detroit steel. Proceeds will support Tri-City Dragway Inc., a nonprofit organization working to improve the former racing property and pursue the possible return of drag racing.
The quarter-mile strip opened in 1966 and hosted top fuel racing and other major events before closing in 1978. Although the pavement and several structures remain, restoring the facility for racing would require regulatory reviews and approvals involving MBS International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration, state agencies and local governments.
Tri-City Dragway Inc. has leased airport property surrounding the old strip and has cleared overgrown areas, cleaned the grounds and worked on abandoned facilities. The organization sought additional land from the airport earlier this year as part of its long-term plans.
The size of the annual car show shows that interest in the property remains strong. It does not, however, mean racing is certain to return. MBS Airport Director James Canders said in March that the organization still faced several regulatory hurdles.
Last year’s show attracted about 700 vehicles. Organizers say more than 670 show cars have attended during recent years, drawing thousands of visitors to the airport property.
Live Music and Food Trucks Planned
The Coleman Road Band will begin performing at 10 a.m. in the vendor area. The group plays classic rock, blues, country and dance music. Visitors may bring lawn chairs.
Food trucks, merchandise vendors and displays will also be available. The merchandise tent opens at 8 a.m.
The main event ends at 2 p.m. Afterward, vehicle owners will have an opportunity to take photographs in front of the old dragway tower. The property will close to the public at 4 p.m.
Admission is charged by vehicle rather than by person. Spectator vehicles cost $10, regardless of the number of passengers. Registration for a show vehicle costs $25 at the gate. Advance registration costs $20.
Road Construction Will Affect Arrivals
Visitors should expect altered traffic patterns because of construction near the airport. The intersection of Freeland and Garfield roads is closed, and organizers have established a new entry system to reduce backups.
Traffic will be processed through several lanes on the drag strip pavement. Drivers approaching from the northwest should use Hotchkiss Road to Hospital Road, according to event information provided to the Midland Daily News.
Motorists should avoid Buck Road between Garfield and Hospital roads. Drivers of low-clearance show cars are also advised to plan carefully because some detour routes include uneven pavement and residential streets.
Detailed maps and arrival directions are available on the Tri-City Dragway entrance instructions page.
Leadership Change Follows Saturday’s Tri-City Dragway Car Show
Saturday’s event will be the final car show directed on-site by Fleming, who recently graduated from Central Michigan University and is moving to North Carolina for a new job. He plans to remain president of the nonprofit’s board and assist with finances and the leadership transition.
Don Morse, Connie Johnson and Tony Svetic are expected to assume larger roles. Svetic helped organize the first show in 2023 as an Eagle Scout project and will serve as assistant car show director.
For Fleming and other supporters, the gathering has become an annual measure of public interest in the former track. Whether that support eventually puts race cars back on the starting line remains unsettled. For one Saturday, however, the property will again be filled with the cars, noise and spectators that once defined it.
FAQs
When is the 2026 Tri-City Dragway Car Show?
The show is Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. Public gates open at 7 a.m., and the main event runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where is the Tri-City Dragway Car Show held?
The event is held at the former Tri-City Dragway on MBS International Airport property, 7840 Sarle Road in Freeland, Michigan.
How much does admission cost?
Spectator admission is $10 per vehicle, regardless of the number of passengers. Show vehicles cost $25 when registered at the gate.
What vehicles will be at the show?
Organizers expect about 700 classic cars, muscle cars, hot rods, customized vehicles and vintage dragsters if weather conditions are favorable.
Will racing take place at the event?
No racing has been announced. The gathering is a car show held on the historic dragway property. The Motown Shaker funny car is scheduled for an engine demonstration at noon.
Tri-City Dragway Car Show Event Details
What: American Gasser’s Tri-City Dragway Car Show
When: Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026; public gates open at 7 a.m., show runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Former Tri-City Dragway, 7840 Sarle Road, Freeland
Admission: $10 per spectator vehicle; $25 for show vehicles registered at the gate
Scheduled attractions: About 700 vehicles, Motown Shaker engine firing at noon, Coleman Road Band, food trucks and merchandise vendors
Information: Tri-City Dragway event information
Sources: Tri-City Dragway and the Midland Daily News.
