Checkered Flag Ball 2025

M1 Concourse in Pontiac hosted its fifth annual Checkered Flag Ball at the Event Center at the motorsport’s track and private garage campus on Oct. 4, in conjunction with the annual American Speed Festival. Civic and industry leaders from across metro Detroit enjoyed culinary delights, a plated dinner, live entertainment, and an awards program. The evening’s honored guest was the 2025 American Speed Festival’s Master of Motorsports award recipient Al Unser Jr., a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the CART championship. The ball supports the Pontiac Community Foundation through M1 Mobility, which provides free van rides to almost 20,000 people in need. // Photographs by Patrick Gloria