Plymouth Motor Speedway’s Home Run Street Stock race brings families, racers together

PLYMOUTH, Ind. -- The engines were loud, the stands were full and $5,000 was on the line Saturday night at Plymouth Motor Speedway.

Twenty-eight drivers competed in the Home Run Street Stock race, a short-track event that brought racers and fans from across Indiana, Michigan and beyond.

While it may look like every car simply takes off at once, the night’s racing followed a specific format. Drivers first completed individual qualifying laps before moving into heat races, where smaller groups of six to eight cars competed for starting position.

A last-chance race helped finalize the field for the feature event, where one driver ultimately claimed the $5,000 prize.

The cars represented a range of make and engines, including four-cylinder and V-8 vehicles, Fords and older police cars.

On those tight Plymouth tracks, drivers can reach average speeds of about 90 to 95 mph. But for many at the speedway, though, the competition is only part of the appeal.

“I’ve been going to races for 42 years and just been having a lot of fun with short-track races,” said Jason Seltzer, a longtime fan. “It’s race cars, but more importantly, it’s the people in the pits that become family.”

That family atmosphere was evident throughout the night, with racers, crew members and spectators filling the pits and grandstands. Kris “Momma” Swan said racing has become a tradition for her family. Her husband, two sons and two grandchildren all raced at the speedway.

“It’s great,” Swan said. “I love it when they come off, win or lose. Both my grandchildren have amazing sportsmanship, and I like to watch them congratulate all the winners when they don’t win.”

The Home Run Street Stock feature capped off a night of local racing at Plymouth Motor Speedway, with one driver taking home the $5,000 top prize.