PONTIAC, Mich. – Just off Woodward Avenue north of Detroit is a special automotive facility called the M1 Concourse that hosts automotive events all year long, from mega Cars & Coffee gatherings to automotive press reveals. One their biggest, the American Speed Festival, comes at the end of the year and celebrates motorsports in America. This year the M1 Concourse hosted its 5th Annual American Speed Festival (ASF) for a weekend of paying tribute to great American race cars.
This sprawling complex located in Pontiac, Michigan, is a car-lover’s dream, with a 1.5-mile road-course track, a paved skid pad, a few hundred private-garage man caves and an events center. As you might expect, our own FordRacing.com photojournalist and Ford retiree, super-enthusiast Bill Cook, was there (along with his son-in-law and granddaughter) for the Saturday activities at the festival to get a look at all the racing machines and race-worthy Fords both participating and on display. He filed the following report:
“I spent most of Saturday at the 5th American Speed Festival at the M1 Concourse. I had a great time checking out a wide variety of race cars and supercars that were displayed. Many of them were on track all day: Vintage IndyCars, historic stock cars, modern drift cars, and sprint cars. The best part? Enthusiasts were able to access the Paddock to get close to the cars, talk to the owners, drivers and the teams working on them. Plus, Al Unser Jr,. two-time Indy 500 winner and Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, was honored as the 2025 Master of Motorsports. And a dedicated “Women in Racing” panel discussion was held with accomplished women motorsport drivers. They also competed on track.
“Entertainment included a large Kids' Zone, racing simulators, a beer garden, food trucks, and live music. The festival offered exclusive events for premium ticketholders. These included the "Dine & Drive" tour of local roads and the "Garage Reveal" night, where private garage owners at the M1 Concourse opened their doors to showcase their collections. It was a great way for a racing fan to spend a Saturday!””
As usual, Cook brought along his trusty camera and we asked him to track down the Fords or Ford-powered rides he saw there and send us a few photos to share with you in our gallery below – enjoy!
FORD RACING PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK
