Karting: the county's national room

1962 / 1995 — present

Two histories in one name: Michiana Raceway Park, at 61870 Crumstown Highway in North Liberty — St. Joseph County ground, printed at the county frame — carries two pasts, and they are untangled here. The name descends from a track George Christie built in 1962 near Buchanan, Michigan, which the Lobaugh family ran for seventeen years. The ground is newer: Melvin McCallum built a kart track on an old gravel pit at North Liberty and opened it in 1995 as Mel McCallum's South Bend Raceway Park. The Lobaughs then took the North Liberty track over and brought their Michiana name with them — the track's own history says "by early 2003"; the trade press's account of the sale says they purchased it in 2004 — and the two tellings stand side by side.

National karting, in the county: Under the Lobaughs the track became one of American karting's national rooms. It hosted the Rotax Grand Nationals in 2012; World Karting Association Gold Cup racing in 2013, a year it operated as JET Karting; the WKA Manufacturers Cup Grand Nationals on 27–29 June 2014; rounds of the United States Pro Kart Series; and Route 66 Sprint Series weekends drawing more than 250 entries. Garry Lobaugh listed the business for sale in November 2022. The track's own site stands current as this history is written, and the track is carried here as operating; who owns it after the 2022 listing is not established in the record reached.

Sources:

1. Michiana Raceway Park, the track's own history (michianaracewaypark.com) — Christie's 1962 Buchanan track and the Lobaughs' seventeen years there; McCallum's gravel-pit track at North Liberty, opened 1995 as South Bend Raceway Park; the Lobaugh takeover "by early 2003" and the Michiana name's arrival; the 61870 Crumstown Highway address.
2. eKartingNews, 3 November 2022, and event reports 2013–2015 — the Lobaughs' purchase dated 2004; the 2012 Rotax Grand Nationals; the 2013 WKA Gold Cup under the JET Karting name; the WKA Manufacturers Cup Grand Nationals, 27–29 June 2014; the United States Pro Kart Series and Route 66 Sprint Series rounds and their 250-plus entries; and the November 2022 sale listing by Garry Lobaugh.