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  Sports Creek at Swartz Creek !     

Sports Creek RacewaySports Creek Raceway Logo

2020 Update

Sports Creek Raceway was a five eights mile harness track located in Swartz Creek, which is about ten miles west of Flint. It was a winterized, glass enclosed grandstand, and clubhouse. Racing was traditionally scheduled during the winter months. The clubhouse seated 2,000, and included a dinning room that seated 480. The grandstand had a capacity of 4,500. Simulcasting was featured year round. There was parking for 2,400 cars.    

Sports Creek RacewayWelcome to Sports Creek

Sports Creek Raceway near Flint, Michigan was the second harness track to open in the state in the nineteen eighties. While Saginaw Valley was the first new track to open since 1950, Sports Creek was the first new facility built since that date. Unlike it's sister track in Saginaw, Sports Creek is still in operation.

Sports Creek Raceway traditionally closes out the year and starts a new season in Michigan harness racing. Along with Northville Downs and Hazel Park the trio provide year round harness racing in the state. Sports Creek at Swartz Creek, say that fast five times.

 In 2011 Sports Creek a non racino venue was cut to only sixteen live racing dates, making horseman think they should probably look elsewhere to race. Brad Kramer and Kody Massey each had 29 victories tying them for the driving crown.

In 2012 Sports Creek picked up a few more dates, but only ran two cards a week. To make up for fewer days, sixteen races were run at each card. Marc St. Louis picked up the leading rider title. Sports Creek was on track to open again in 2013.

On the final night of racing ever at Sports Creek, New Years Eve 2014, two drivers based in Ohio, Ron Wrenn Jr. and Aaron Merriman both showed up to battle for the years driving titles. Only separated by a few races, Ron Wrenn Jr. accounted for six wins on the card and came away with the crown.

In a break from tradition in Michigan, I actually made it to Sports Creek twice, although I never saw a live race there. The first time was by accident, I was in Kalamazoo heading for Buffalo, what I didn't realize was that my GPS was trying to take me through Canada, not down into Ohio. As I was nearing Flint I realized something was amiss, then I saw a sign for Sports Creek Raceway, so as not to have been a total waste I stopped off for a couple of simulcast races. The second time was the Mount Pleasant Meadows trip, I pulled up to an empty track on a Friday afternoon, there was someone outside, probably the General Manager who told me there had been some bad weather and the power was out, but he let me roam around and take some pictures. I guess that was my last trip there.

2020 Update

Sports Creek Raceway is a bit of an enigma in 2020. Under new ownership since 2018, the track was licensed to race thoroughbreds in both 2019 and 2020, but has not yet opted to use it. The whole thing may just be a ploy hoping they can get a casino licensed, which probably ain't happenen in Michigan. One thing for sure about the track that hasn't run since August 2014, is that it's still standing. One of only two in the state.