The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear today announced the return of the Small Business Straightaway in 2024, but in a different location from last year.
The Small Business Straightaway will highlight more than 20 locally owned business from across Detroit in Campus Martius Park on Saturday and Sunday of race weekend, June 1-2.
In its new location, the Small Business Straightaway will feature a display of local merchants, from startups to well-established companies. The collection of commerce will showcase locally owned businesses, particularly those owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, as well as women-owned enterprises, from the seven districts in Detroit.
The Small Business Straightaway will be in the event’s new activation area on Woodward Avenue, just north of the racing circuit. Fans will be able to watch the on-track action on large video boards in Cadillac Square while a new collection of businesses will have a chance to sell their products and highlight their services.
Businesses interested in being a part of the Grand Prix’s Small Business Straightaway can apply online at Small Business Straightaway 2024. The deadline for applications is April 28.
In May, more than 20 Detroit-based organizations, representing the four business corridors across the city, will be selected from all qualified applicants using a points system. Additional weight in selection will be awarded to minority and woman-owned businesses, as well as businesses focused on sustainability initiatives.
“One of the sentiments we consistently heard from business owners across Detroit when we presented the idea of bringing the Grand Prix back downtown was that local merchants wanted the opportunity to be a part of the event,” says Michael Montri, president of the Detroit Grand Prix. “We were so excited to make that a reality last summer in the first Grand Prix on the streets of Detroit in more than 30 years.
“We saw Grand Prix guests experience some of the most creative and unique businesses from across the city in the Small Business Straightaway. Thanks to the continued support of our community partners, we can’t wait to make that connection again and create opportunities for more locally owned businesses to shine and benefit from a huge weekend of commerce in Detroit.”
Last summer’s Grand Prix attracted a crowd of approximately 150,000 people during the three-day motorsports festival in the heart of the Motor City. The first Grand Prix hosted in Detroit since 1991 generated $104.4 million in total spending for the greater Detroit region encompassing Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
Adding to the Small Business Straightaway experience, the Grand Prix will partner with the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA) to improve financial stability and well-being in Detroit’s small business community. The MBBA is dedicated to promoting the growth and prosperity of Black-owned enterprises. Through the support of the Grand Prix and its partners, the MBBA will help increase Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise certifications, build educational programs, and identify opportunities to work with major retailers.
For more information and tickets for the Detroit Grand Prix, visit here.
