ILLINOIS
The Illini State
.
From the travels and adventures of the “World’s #1 Trackchaser”
All-Time Favorite Illinois Track: Peoria Speedway (current and former location) – Peoria Current lifetime trackchasing state rank: 1 Best Memories: Wow! I grew up in Illinois. I’ve seen a lot of good stock car racing there. As this is written I’ve seen racing at nearly 2,600 different racetracks in 85 countries. Nevertheless, my all-time favorite track is the Peoria Speedway. The Peoria Speedway at the Mt. Hawley location was the first racetrack I ever visited. That would have been in about 1955 (age 6). Then in 1965, the track relocated to its current location on Farmington Road. Can you imagine seeing racing at that many locations and the FIRST track I ever saw is still my favorite today! The first track I ever saw outside of my hometown was Speedbowl Park in Sterling. They raced on Sunday nights when I went there in the late 60s. Lots of tracks across the country raced stock cars back then. I’ll bet more than five of the drivers who competed at Sterling raced in NASCAR Cup events, however briefly, at one time or another. How many little tracks could lay claim to that fact? Sterling was the first place I saw my all-time favorite driver, Darrell Dake, race. Another track I discovered during my high school years was the famous Rockford Speedway. The Rockford Nationals was one of my all-time favorite “specials”. The best ever was seeing Ramo Stott and Dick Trickle go fender to fender for 200 laps. The Freeport Raceway held their events on Sunday nights. I didn’t love the track so much but the competition Freeport drew on Sunday nights in the late 60s/early 70s was top shelf. From 1980-83 the famous but now-shuttered Santa Fe Speedway was our “hometown” track. They put on some great local programs as well as top sprint and stock car specials. Sorry to see that track go. I’ve seen racing at more than 100 tracks in Illinois. Illinois has never been a big source of county fair or novelty racing for me. That means I’ve seen really good local “bullring” racing mainly on small dirt ovals. Tracks like Fairbury, Raceway Park, East Moline, Lasalle, Kankakee, Springfield, Macon, Quincy, Granite City, Belle-Clair, Jacksonville, Sycamore and DuQuoin have all been visited dozens of times. Those race visits featured some of my all-time favorite drivers including Don Bohlander, Ronnie Weedon, Ed Bolen, Lloyd Caldwell, Rocky Nohl (my very first favorite driver!), Herb Shannon and more. I’ve seen about twenty figure 8 races in my home state. I’ve been to less than a handful of real road course racetracks. Illinois has been a state for short track oval racing, almost all of it on dirt. Maybe that’s why the Peoria Speedway has remained my all-time favorite track after all these years and dirt short track late model racing is still my favorite. I’m also proud to have been inducted into the Peoria Oldtimers Racing Club Hall of Fame in 2011. I was able to join so many of my Peoria Speedway boyhood heroes in this club. The Peoria Oldtimers Racing Club was founded in 1981 by Scott Shults You can check out PORC by clicking on this link. If you see a track link in the above list simply click on it to be transferred to my Trackchaser Report. Here you will be able to read about my adventure at this particular track. Not only will you learn about my time at the track but you’ll hear about all of the interesting people, places and things I encountered during the entire trip, coming and going, to that speedway. Most of my Trackchaser Reports will also include a photo album and YouTube video. Check it all out. Don’t be afraid to use the “search” box in the upper right corner of my website’s home page. Just type in the track name or whatever and you’ll be directed to the place you want to be. Below is a key to surface types and track configurations so you can understand the above list just a little bit easier. Surface types: D-dirt; P-paved; M-mixed Configuration types: O-oval; RC-road course; F8-figure 8 track
#
TRACK
CITY
STATE
COUNTRY
DATE
TRACK TYPE
1
Peoria Speedway – Mt. Hawley
Peoria
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980 (circa 1955)
DO
2
Peoria Speedway – Farmington Road
Peoria
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980 (1965)
DO
3
Speedbowl Park
Sterling
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
4
Rockford Speedway
Rockford
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
PO
5
Rockford Speedway
Rockford
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
PRC
6
Freeport Raceway
Freeport
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
OUTER-DO
7
Sycamore Speedway
Sycamore
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
OUTER-DO
8
Fairbury Legion Speedway
Fairbury
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
9
Grundy County Speedway
Morris
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
PO
10
Santa Fe Speedway
Hinsdale
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
OUTER-DO
11
Santa Fe Speedway
Hinsdale
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
INNER-DO
12
Illinois State Fairgrounds
Springfield
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
13
Champaign Motor Speedway
Champaign
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
14
Farmer City Raceway
Farmer City
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
15
Knox County Fairgrounds
Knoxville
Illinois
United States
Pre-1980
DO
16
Raceway Park
Blue Island
Illinois
United States
June 16, 1981
PO
17
Kankakee Fairgrounds Speedway
Kankakee
Illinois
United States
July 17, 1981
DO
18
Springfield Speedway
Springfield
Illinois
United States
August 14, 1981
DO
19
East Moline Speedway
East Moline
Illinois
United States
August 23, 1981
DO
20
Charleston Speedway
Charleston
Illinois
United States
July 31, 1982
DO
21
Joliet Memorial Stadium
Joliet
Illinois
United States
June 4, 1983
PO
22
Casey Park
Casey
Illinois
United States
June 18, 1983
DO
23
Spoon River Speedway
Canton
Illinois
United States
May 19, 1984
DO
24
Vermilion County Speedway
Danville
Illinois
United States
June 7, 1987
DO
25
Bureau County Raceway
Princeton
Illinois
United States
August 21, 1992
DO
26
LaSalle Speedway
LaSalle
Illinois
United States
August 22, 1992
DO
27
Macon Speedway
Macon
Illinois
United States
August 19, 1994
DO
28
Quincy Raceway
Quincy
Illinois
United States
August 20, 1994
DO
29
Fayette County Raceway
Brownstown
Illinois
United States
September 2, 1994
DO
30
Tri-City Speedway
Granite City
Illinois
United States
May 11, 1996
OUTER-DO
31
Macomb Speedway
Macomb
Illinois
United States
August 9, 1997
DO
32
Mercer County Raceway
Aledo
Illinois
United States
August 10, 1997
DO
33
Red Hill Raceway
Sumner
Illinois
United States
October 5, 1997
DO
34
Jacksonville Speedway
Jacksonville
Illinois
United States
August 6, 1998
DO
35
Gateway International Raceway
Madison
Illinois
United States
May 29, 1999
DO
36
Mount Vernon Speedway
Mount Vernon
Illinois
United States
May 29, 1999
DO
37
Chicago Motor Speedway
Cicero
Illinois
United States
September 12, 1999
PO
38
Winnebago County Raceway
Pecatonica
Illinois
United States
August 8, 2001
DO
39
Boone County Fairgrounds
Belvidere
Illinois
United States
August 12, 2001
DF8
40
Rockford Speedway
Rockford
Illinois
United States
Retroactive – 2001
PF8
41
Sixty-Seven Raceway Park
Godfrey
Illinois
United States
June 13, 2002
DO
42
Sycamore Speedway
Sycamore
Illinois
United States
July 12, 2002
DF8
43
Sycamore Speedway
Sycamore
Illinois
United States
July 12, 2002
INNER-DO
44
Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet
Illinois
United States
July 14, 2002
PO
45
Route 66 Speedway
Joliet
Illinois
United States
September 6, 2002
OUTER-DO
46
Freeport Raceway
Freeport
Illinois
United States
September 27, 2003
INNER-DO
47
Coles County Speedway
Loxa
Illinois
United States
May 22, 2004
DO
48
Lincoln Motorsports Park
Casey
Illinois
United States
May 22, 2004
DRC
49
Highland Speedway
Highland
Illinois
United States
June 8, 2004
DO
50
Belle-Clair Speedway
Belleville
Illinois
United States
June 13, 2004
DO
51
Charleston Speedway
Charleston
Illinois
United States
June 13, 2004
DRC
52
Wayne County Speedway
Wayne City
Illinois
United States
July 16, 2004
DO
53
Soggy Bottom Raceway
Greenup
Illinois
United States
July 17, 2004
DRC
54
Warren County Fairgrounds
Roseville
Illinois
United States
July 30, 2004
DF8
55
Warren County Fairgrounds
Roseville
Illinois
United States
July 30, 2004
DO
56
Gateway International Raceway
Madison
Illinois
United States
July 31, 2004
PRC
57
Clay County Fairgrounds
Flora
Illinois
United States
September 26, 2004
DO
58
Clay County Fairgrounds
Flora
Illinois
United States
September 26, 2004
DF8
59
Lincoln Speedway
Lincoln
Illinois
United States
September 26, 2004
DO
60
Southern Illinois Center
DuQuoin
Illinois
United States
January 16, 2005
DO
61
Autobahn Country Club – North
Elwood
Illinois
United States
June 4, 2005
PRC
62
Durand Downtown Circuit
Durand
Illinois
United States
July 3, 2005
STREET-RC
63
Monroe County Fairgrounds
Waterloo
Illinois
United States
July 27, 2005
DF8
64
Will County Fairgrounds
Peotone
Illinois
United States
August 24, 2005
DF8
65
Jules Raceway
Wilmington
Illinois
United States
August 28, 2005
DO
66
Edinburg Veterans Memorial Park
Edinburg
Illinois
United States
September 4, 2005
DF8
67
Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Rockton
Illinois
United States
May 21, 2006
PRC
68
Tri-City Speedway
Granite City
Illinois
United States
June 25, 2006
INNER-DO
69
Pike County Speedway
Pittsfield
Illinois
United States
July 13, 2007
DO
70
Soil MX
Bone Gap
Illinois
United States
July 21, 2007
DRC
71
Warren County Prime Beef Festival
Monmouth
Illinois
United States
September 5, 2007
DO
72
Warren County Prime Beef Festival
Monmouth
Illinois
United States
September 6, 2007
DF8
73
Shepp’s Speedway
Alexander
Illinois
United States
June 28, 2009
DO
74
Knox County Fairgrounds
Knoxville
Illinois
United States
August 6, 2010
DF8
75
Route 66 Speedway
Joliet
Illinois
United States
August 25, 2010
DRC
76
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
DuQuoin
Illinois
United States
September 6, 2010
DO
77
Avcom Park Speedway
Avon
Illinois
United States
October 9, 2010
DO
78
Henderson County Fairgrounds
Stronghurst
Illinois
United States
July 21, 2011
DF8
79
Route 66 Speedway
Joliet
Illinois
United States
July 23, 2011
DF8
80
Route 66 Speedway
Joliet
Illinois
United States
July 23, 2011
INNER-DO
81
River Bottom Raceway
Deer Creek
Illinois
United States
October 2, 2011
DO
82
Autobahn Country Club – South
Joliet
Illinois
United States
April 21, 2012
DO
83
Quad City Speedway
East Moline
Illinois
United States
July 14, 2013
DF8
84
Henderson County Fairgrounds
Stronghurst
Illinois
United States
July 20, 2013
DO
85
Iroquois County Fairgrounds
Watseka
Illinois
United States
July 21, 2013
DF8
86
Champaign County Fairgrounds
Urbana
Illinois
United States
July 26, 2013
DF8
87
Abingdon Fairgrounds
Abingdon
Illinois
United States
August 23, 2013
DF8
88
Ealyville Speedway
Mechanicsburg
Illinois
United States
July 12, 2014
DO
89
Clinton County Fair
Carlyle
Illinois
United States
July 16, 2014
DO
90
Southern Illinois Raceway
Marion
Illinois
United States
August 1, 2014
DO
91
Sangcris Speedway
Edinburgh
Illinois
United States
August 3, 2014
DO
92
K-3 Speedway
Kankakee
Illinois
United States
October 18, 2014
DO
93
Gateway Motorsports Park – Dirt RC
Madison
Illinois
United States
May 17, 2015
DRC
94
HBR Raceway
Buncombe
Illinois
United States
July 18, 2015
DO
95
Christian County Fairgrounds
Taylorville
Illinois
United States
July 22, 2015
DO
96
Champaign County Fairgrounds
Urbana
Illinois
United States
July 24, 2015
DO
97
Lake County Fairgrounds
Grayslake
Illinois
United States
July 31, 2015
DF8
98
Lake County Fairgrounds
Grayslake
Illinois
United States
August 2, 2015
DO
99
Multi-Purpose Arena @ Illinois State Fairgrounds
Springfield
Illinois
United States
August 21, 2015
DF8
100
Multi-Purpose Arena @ Illinois State Fairgrounds
Springfield
Illinois
United States
August 21, 2015
DO
101
Bedrock Raceway
Belleville
Illinois
United States
June 10, 2016
DO
102
Rockford Speedway
Rockford
Illinois
United States
June 30, 2016
DO
103
Raceway Bar & Sports Complex
New Berlin
Illinois
United States
August 14, 2016
DO
104
Henry County Fairgrounds
Cambridge
Illinois
United States
June 25, 2017
DF8
105
Jo Daviees County Fairgrounds
Warren
Illinois
United States
August 6, 2017
DO
106
Coliseum Covered Arena
Springfield
Illinois
United States
March 22, 2019
DO
107
Tri-County Speedway
Mendota
Illinois
United States
September 1, 2019
DO
108
Edgar County Fairgrounds
Paris
Illinois
United States
July 21, 2021
DO
109
Viola Boyz Backyard Speedway
Viola
Illinois
United States
September 10, 2021
DO
110
Boone County Fairgrounds
Belvidere
Illinois
United States
August 12, 2022
MIXED-RC
111
Sebastian Speedway
Gladstone
Illinois
United States
August 27, 2022
DO
112
Bureau County Fairgrounds
Princeton
Illinois
United States
August 28, 2022
DF8
113
Mapes Family Farms
Stockton
Illinois
United States
April 21, 2023
DRC
114
Exit 7 Motorsports Park
Colona
Illinois
United States
August 11, 2023
DO