ELKHART, Wis. — Road America in Elkhart is home to a four-mile track. That track is also home to one driver who has reached a mark that no one has met before.
Mike Froh has been racing since 1972. He recently finished his 50th June Sprint race, something no other driver has done.
He first raced the June Sprints at Road America when he was 21 years old. Froh said it’s hard to imagine it’s been over 50 years since that race.
“Reflecting on that has been actually kind of difficult because it does remind me I’ve been doing this a long time and I’m getting older,” said Froh. “As much as I don’t want to grow up, but I guess I’ll have to, eventually.”
Froh used to volunteer with his dad at the racetrack when he was a teenager. Now, he is a well-known name at Road America. He said he still gets nervous sitting at the starting line waiting to take off.
“It’s a tremendous feeling to still be able to do this,” said Froh. “I can go back to thinking about my first race. My parents were here, and they were nervous as could be to see their kid on the racetrack. I was asked, ‘What’s my favorite thing about Road America?’ And it’s the people.”
Froh said he is thankful for all the support he has had along the way. That includes longtime friend and crew member Christopher Donlin.
Donlin has worked as a mechanic for Froh for 35 years. Donlin said if you add up the number of times Froh has gone around the track, it’s the same as the circumference of the earth.
“He has more laps around his track than any other racer,” said Donlin. “You know, when you add in 53 years of racing and then all the laps that he’s done in a pace car, no other driver has as many laps around this track as Mike does. So, the man is a legend.”
Froh said he is fortunate to have never had a bad wreck or career-altering injury. He said his goal was to make it to the half century mark, but now he may have other plans in the future.
“My wife said, ‘This is going to be your 50th June Sprints…so you’ve made your goal. Now, you’re going to retire, right?’ And I said, ‘I don’t think I said I was going to retire after 50. I just said, it’s a goal to reach 50. Now, the goal is I’d love to do 51 June Sprints.’ So, it’s exciting,” said Froh.
Whether it’s 51 or 55 June Sprints, Froh said he will be sporting the number 72 on his car. He said it’s a reminder of the year he made his dreams come true.