Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - OLD Martinsville Speedway News

PAST CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY NEWS/RUMORS

Chicago sells out for 6th consecutive year: For the sixth consecutive year, Chicagoland Speedway has sold out of its Track Pack season tickets. "When you sell out on a weekend that also offers the [Chicago] White Sox-[Boston] Red Sox series, the Western Open and the Taste of Chicago, you know you've accomplished something," said Matthew Alexander, vice president and general manager of Chicagoland Speedway. "It just reinforces the knowledge and the feedback we've been getting over the past six years about the growth and popularity of motorsports in this market. The Chicago area is a proud sports community, and we're pleased that we have established ourselves as a premier sporting venue in a city which is so rich in tradition and history." In addition to the sold-out grandstands, suites and hospitality chalets, Chicagoland Speedway also filled up its expanded campground areas, including the new Keep You Cool Campground and Spice Things Up Campground.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-9-2006)
American Idol Runner-up to sing National Anthem at Chicago: 2004 American Idol runner-up Diana DeGarmo - who will be returning to Broadway in September to perform in the hit musical "Hairspray" - will sing the National Anthem for the USG Sheetrock 400, Nextel Cup Series race, at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, July 9. As part of the pre-race festivities, DeGarmo will sing the anthem a cappella style, fulfilling a long standing tradition of NASCAR and racing events throughout the country. Her performance will be punctuated with an overhead flyby of B-52s out of Barksdale Air Force Base.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-6-2006)
Will Ferrell Named Grand Marshal for Chicago: Columbia Pictures' "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," is coming to the Chicagoland Speedway on Sun., July 9, 2006 as the film's star, Will Ferrell, will serve as Grand Marshal for the USG Shttrock 400, Nextel Cup Series race. Ferrell's co-stars John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan and Leslie Bibb will be Chicagoland Speedway's honorary guests. Ferrell, who was nominated for a 2006 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in "The Producers," will declare the most famous phrase in racing, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" He'll then ride in the Grand Marshal car in front of the Pace Car, which leads the field of NASCAR drivers onto the track for the race.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(6-21-2006)
Chicagoland Speedway Track Packs on Sale: Track Packs for the 2006 season at Chicagoland Speedway are on sale to the general public. A Track Pack for Chicagoland Speedway's 2006 season, which ranges in price from $195 to $260, includes admission to five (5) races over two (2) event weekends. The NASCAR weekend returns with the USG Durock 300 Busch Series race on Saturday, July 8, and the USG Sheetrock 400 Nextel Cup Series race on Sunday, July 9. The 2006 season will conclude with the ARCA/IRL weekend, which includes the S.K. Hand Tool 200 ARCA Series race and the Chicagoland 100 IRL/Indy Pro Series... race on Saturday, Sept. 9, followed by the Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 Presented by Mr. Clean - the last race of the season for the IRL.. IndyCar.. Series - on Sunday, Sept. 10. In addition to 2006 Track Packs, Recreational Vehicle passes for the season, as well as Friday Practice/Qualifying tickets for NASCAR weekend, will also go on sale to the general public on Feb. 20. A Friday general admission event ticket for NASCAR weekend is $15 for adults and free for children 12 and under, and includes USG Pole Day as well as the USAC Silver Crown Series race that evening. The 2006 September ARCA/IRL weekend is a two-day event, with no Friday ticket for sale. There are five options for RVs in 2006: Infield Trackside (electric and non-electric); Infield Non-Trackside (electric and non-electric); Speedway Ridge; Lower Ridge (new this year); and Family Land Campground (new this year). RV spots range from $350 to $2,900. Because of the high number of fans on the 2006 RV Wait List, Infield and Speedway Ridge are no longer available. Call 815-727-RACE (7223) or visit www.chicagolandspeedway.com for more information about Track Packs, RV Spots or Friday Pole Day tickets for NASCAR weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.(PR)(2-24-2006)
2nd Chicago race? Lights? UPDATE: NASCAR chairman Brian France is expected to speak today on the possibility of Chicagoland Speedway adding a second Nextel Cup race to its schedule, perhaps as early as 2007. If that happens, the race track may also add lights, with either or both races landing on Saturday night on the schedule. If a second race at Chicagoland is added, the bigger questions would be when it would run and whether the date would be taken from another track on the circuit. The weather window for running in the area is short, and the fall collides with the college and pro football seasons. What's more, the Indy Racing League's date at Chicagoland is the second Sunday in September. The tickets for the IRL weekend are sold as part of this weekend's races as a package deal. Adding a third weekend to the package could slow sales, but splitting one of the two NASCAR weekends off separately could do the same thing. The Nextel Cup series stands at 36 races, plus two non-points weekends. France is said to want to expand to 38 races, adding a race at Chicagoland and one other site. If that doesn't happen, adding a race in Joliet would be more difficult, though not impossible, to accomplish. The France family owns NASCAR outright and has a controlling interest in the publicly traded International Speedway Corp., which is a 37.5 percent owner of the track, and owns several others, including Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Kansas and California. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. owns another 37.5 percent of Chicagoland, with the original Route 66 Raceway group owning the other 25 percent. It's also expected that the Route 66 drag strip will host only one NHRA weekend next year, with the spring race surviving and the fall race disappearing from the calendar.(Daily Southtown)(7-10-2005)
UPDATE - 2nd race?: Despite the fifth sellout in five years of Cup racing at Chicagoland, there is no plan to add a second event each season, according to NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. "We're real happy with the one we have, and it's a big weekend," said France, making his annual visit to NASCAR's second-biggest market, behind only Los Angeles. The Joliet track was sold out for Saturday's Busch race as well, and "I suspect we'll do a big TV rating," France said.(Chicago Tribune)(7-11-2005)
UPDATE - lights? NASCAR chairman Brian France confirmed that lights will be installed at Chicagoland Speedway, but wasn't about to announce a second Nextel Cup race before a contract is signed. That may not come about until the new television contract, to start in 2007, is negotiated.(Daily Southtown)(7-11-2005)
Chicago races are Sold Out: For the fifth consecutive year, Chicagoland Speedway has sold out its entire racing season. In addition to the sold-out grandstands, suites and hospitality chalets, Chicagoland Speedway also had to build more space in the Expo Village to accommodate sponsors... high demand for the 2005 NASCAR weekend. The three options for Recreational Vehicles...the Infield Track-side, Infield Non-Track-side and Speedway Ridge...will also be packed tightly for those fans who want to stay on-site. NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend for the USG Durock 300 NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday, and the Sheetrock 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Sunday. USG NASCAR weekend kicks off tomorrow with USG Pole Day practice and qualifying. Tickets for USG Pole Day are $15, children 12 and under are free. Chicagoland Speedway tickets are sold as ...track packs,... and the package also includes admission to the September 10-11 ARCA/IRL weekend, which features the 300-mile IRL.. IndyCar.. Series race and the Chicagoland 100 (IRL.. Menards Infiniti Pro Series...) on Sun., Sept. 11, as well as the S-K Hand Tool 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race on Sat., Sept. 10..(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-7-2005)
Toni Braxton to sing National Anthem at Chicago: Grammy Award-winning recording artist Toni Braxton will sing the National Anthem for the USG Sheetrock 400, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race, at Chicagoland Speedway on Sun., July 10. As part of the pre-race festivities, Braxton will sing the anthem a cappella style, fulfilling a long standing tradition of NASCAR and racing events throughout the country. Her performance will be punctuated with an overhead flyby of F-16s out of the 170th Fighter Squadron from the Illinois Air National Guard. Braxton is scheduled to perform the National Anthem at approximately 2:20 p.m. from the start-finish line of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-6-2005)
Baseball great ro be Grand Marshal at Chicago UPDATE: Former Chicago Cub Great and Hall of Famer Ryan Sandberg told Kurt Busch [who spent a day a spring training with the team] he will be the grand marshal (he'll get to say, "Gentlemen, start your engines") for the Nextel Cup race July 10 in Chicago. "I'd like to throw a little 'Holy cow' in there," he says.(paraphrased from FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-5-2005)
UPDATE: Chicago Cubs legendary second baseman and National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ryne Sandberg will be Grand Marshall for the USG Sheetrock 400, NASCAR Nextel Cup series race, at Chicagoland Speedway. Sandberg, who is scheduled to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. on July 31, will declare the most famous phrase in racing, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" He...ll then ride in the Grand Marshall car in front of the Pace Car, which leads the field of NASCAR drivers onto the track for the race.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-6-2005)
Local Chicago Area Businesses Given Chance to be Official Small Business of the Race: Thanks to Office Depot, small businesses in the Chicago area are getting the chance to promote their company in a unique and exciting way. Office Depot is offering Chicago area small businesses the opportunity to be named the ...Office Depot Official Small Business of the Race... for the USG Sheetrock 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. As the ...Office Depot Official Small Business of the Race,... the winning small business will have its company name featured on the #99 Office Depot Ford, driven by Carl Edwards in the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10 The winner will also receive a $1,000 Office Depot Shopping Spree, a VIP NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend experience at the race and a small business makeover featuring apparel and an office facility upgrade courtesy of Cintas. Office Depot...s ...Official Small Business of the Race... promotion ends on June 30. Customers can enter now by filling out a form at computer workstations at any of the participating Office Depot stores, or online at www.officedepotracing.com.(6-18-2005)
USG title sponsor of Chicago Cup race: Chicago-based USG Corporation announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Chicagoland Speedway to be the title rights sponsor for the NASCAR weekend of events at the 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Ill. USG is one of the nation's leading building materials companies and manufactures the renowned SHEETROCK. As part of the agreement USG, the preferred building materials partner of NASCAR, will assume the naming rights for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, NASCAR Busch Series race and NASCAR Pole Day at Chicagoland Speedway. Beginning with this year's July 8-10 NASCAR weekend, the following will be the official names of events that will take place during the three-day period:
- USG Pole Day ... Friday, July 8 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series Practice and Qualifying
- USG DUROCK.. 300 ... Saturday, July 9 (NBC, 2:00pm/et) NASCAR Busch Series race
- USG SHEETROCK.. 400 ... Sunday, July 10 (NBC, 3:00pm/et) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race
The races are named after two of USG's top brands - the company's SHEETROCK.. Brand Gypsum Panels and DUROCK.. Brand Cement Board, a high-strength ceramic tile backer that provides superior tile adhesion. In addition to the USG NASCAR weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Matt Kenseth's #17 Roush Racing Ford Taurus will carry the USG SHEETROCK Brand colors.
Along with the new title rights arrangement with Chicagoland Speedway and the sponsorship on Kenseth's Ford, the USG Racing Experience also includes the following elements:
- USG's partnership with the #17 Roush Ford and DEWALT Racing includes three primary sponsorship races and a major associate sponsorship at all of the other NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events.
- NASCAR promotional partnership with the "USG Improving The Finish" contingency award at each of the 36 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point races.
- USG sponsors "USG Night at the Races" at 26 local tracks that are part of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. The events are intended to give customers the opportunity to enjoy an evening of stock car racing. For more information about USG Corporation, visit the USG home page at www.usg.com. Individual game tickets for the second annual Racin’ the Bases Celebrity Softball Game, to be played on Thursday, July 7, 2005, are on sale now. Info at chicagolandspeedway.com.(Chicagoland Speedway)(5-16-2005)
Announcement at Chicagoland on Monday...sponsor? On Monday, May 16, Chicagoland Speedway and a Chicago-based Fortune 500 company will make a major announcement about the July 8-10 NASCAR weekend. Lesa France Kennedy, President of International Speedway Corporation, as well as NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Rusty Wallace and Matt Kenseth, will take part in the press conference. Also, Individual game tickets for the second annual Racin’ the Bases Celebrity Softball Game, to be played on Thursday, July 7, 2005, are on sale now. Info at chicagolandspeedway.com(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(5-14-2005)
Chicago Tix on sale Feb 21st: Track Packs for the 2005 season at Chicagoland Speedway will go on sale to the general public beginning 9:00 am (CT) on Monday, February 21, 2005. Track Packs can be purchased at the Chicagoland Speedway Ticket Office, by phone at 815-727-RACE (7223) or online at www.chicagolandspeedway.com.
A Track Pack for the 2005 season, which ranges in price from $195.00 to $260.00, includes admission to five races over two event weekends. The July 9-10 NASCAR weekend returns with the 400-mile NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race and 300-mile NASCAR Busch Series race. The 2005 season will once again conclude with the September 10-11 ARCA/IRL weekend, which includes the 300-mile IRL. IndyCar. Series race and Chicagoland 100 (IRL. Menards Infiniti Pro Series.), as well as the 200-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series race.
2004 Track Pack holders and race fans on the 2005 Track Pack Wait List had the first opportunity to purchase and the option to add seats for the 2005 season. Due to the renewal rate and the amount of fans on the waiting list, the "Finish Line Mid" section is no longer available and other sections are close to becoming unavailable as well. But, great seats are still available and the state-of-the-art design of the grandstands, track and infield allow excellent sightlines of the entire racing surface from every seat in the grandstands.
In addition to 2005 Track Packs, Recreational Vehicle passes for the season, as well as Friday Practice/Qualifying Tickets for NASCAR weekend will also go on sale Monday, February 21. A Friday general admission event ticket for NASCAR weekend is $15.00 for adults and free for children 12 and under. The 2005 September ARCA/IRL weekend will become a two-day weekend, with no Friday ticket for sale.
There are three options for RV's in 2005 - Infield Trackside, Infield Non-Trackside and Speedway Ridge. RV spots range from $500.00 to $2,450.00 and will include admission from Thursday through Monday noon on both weekends. Because of the high number of fans on the 2005 RV Wait List, Infield Trackside and Speedway Ridge are no longer available.
Call 815-727-RACE (7223) or visit www.chicagolandspeedway.com for more information about Track Packs, Friday event tickets for NASCAR weekend and/or RV Spots at Chicagoland Speedway PR)(2-4-2005)
Races looking for sponsors: at least four race tracks are looking for a title sponsor for their Nextel Cup races in 2005:
Chicagoland [Tropicana left, will miss the big orange]
Michigan [DHL lasted one year, will they be involved in NASCAR ?}
California [Pop Secret moved from the Rock for a year, General Mills
Talladega [EA Sports gone]
California is looking for $2 million for the labor day prime time race
(NASCAR Scene Print)(11-26-2004)
No More Big Orange on the Track: Three companies are under consideration to become the new title sponsor of Chicagoland Speedway's Nextel Cup race after Tropicana decided not to renew, the Daily Southtown newspaper of Chicago reports. Track general manager Matt Alexander would not identify the companies but told the newspaper that two of the three are based in Chicago and said all three have been involved with racing sponsorships in the past. The story said the sponsorship would cost about $3 million to $4 million a year.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(9-13-2004)
New York City Announcement coming in August? 2nd Chicago race? NASCAR chairman Brian France said Sunday he hopes to have an announcement "in the next month or so" for a track in the New York City area. NASCAR has looked at several sites in the area, with Staten Island discussed more than any other. "There's a lot of momentum in that market," France said. "What I know is they're a lot closer than they were just six months ago. And I think you'll see some positive announcements come, it would be my hope, in the next month or so." In addition to a track in New York, NASCAR has said it is looking for a site in the Pacific Northwest - most likely Washington or Oregon. And France said Sunday that the Chicagoland Speedway, site of Sunday's Tropicana 400, could get a second race. "You can't leave your core fan base on your way to another one, that wouldn't make any sense. There are plenty of races in the Southeast, there are always going to be," France said. "We do have to take the sport, from time to time, where we can impact a bigger audience." A second race at Chicagoland Speedway, about 45 miles southwest of downtown, would help increase NASCAR's visibility. NASCAR makes only a handful of stops in the Midwest, with Indianapolis and Michigan the closest tracks to Chicago.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(7-12-2004)
Sara Evans to sing National Anthem at Chicago: Triple platinum RCA recording artist, Sara Evans, will sing the National Anthem for the Sunday, July 11 Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Evans' stop in Joliet, Illinois occurs during her current national tour in support of her most recent album entitled "Restless." Evans, who is seven months pregnant with her third child, is very happy to take a break, especially on the stage of the largest sporting event in the state of Illinois. Fulfilling a long standing tradition of NASCAR and racing events throughout the country, Evans will sing the National Anthem during pre-race festivities acappella style without a formal instrumental accompanist. Her performance will be punctuated with an overhead flyby of a B-52 out of Barskdale Air Force Base and a 30 ft. X 50 ft. American flag unfurled by members of the United States Navy. Evans is scheduled to perform the National Anthem at approximately 3:20pm/et from the start-finish line of the 1.5 mile Chicagoland Speedway. The Tropicana 400 is scheduled to begin at approximately 3:30pm/et.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-8-2004)
Meijer Announced as presenting sponsor of the Tropicana 400: Officials from Chicagoland Speedway and Tropicana announced that Meijer will be the presenting sponsor for the Tropicana 400, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. The addition of Meijer allows Tropicana to build a promotional campaign in Midwest Meijer locations and allow for cross promotional opportunities in-store and at the track. For more information about Meijer visit www.meijer.com. For more information about Tropicana, visit www.tropicana.com. The Tropicana 400 Presented by Meijer is scheduled to take place Sunday, July 11, 2004 at Chicagoland Speedway. For more information about the July 9-11 NASCAR weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, visit www.chicagolandspeedway.com or call 815-727-RACE.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-6-2004)
Tix Still Available for Chicago: With less than one week to go before the July 9-11 NASCAR weekend, there are a limited number of great seats are still available! Track Packs can be purchased at the Chicagoland Speedway Ticket Office, by phone at 815-727-7223 or by clicking here.(7-6-2004)
Dodge Magnum to pace the race at ChicagoLand: When the field for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts their engines for the July 11, 2004 Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, they will be led to the green flag by the 2005 Dodge Magnum RT - the Official Pace Car of Chicagoland Speedway. The 2005 Dodge Magnum, which debuted this spring, returns with HEMI. power and rear-wheel-drive. Magnum is the first rear-wheel drive car for the Dodge brand in nearly 20 years. The legendary engine that powered Dodge's muscle cars of the 1960.s has been re-engineered and reborn as a modern, high-performance, fuel-efficient and durable powerplant known as the all-new 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Chicagoland Dodge Dealers Association is the official vehicle partner of Chicagoland Speedway and is using the July 11, 2004 Tropicana 400 to showcase the return of the Dodge muscle car. The Dodge Magnum RT Pace Car will have 20" wheels and Competition Graphics. It is powered by the HEMI engine, which has 340 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque and can go from zero to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds. The Chicago Metro Dodge Dealer Advertising Association (Chicagoland Dodge Dealers) represents the 55 Dodge Dealers in the metropolitan Chicago area. The Association has been a sponsor of the track since 2000.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(6-25-2004)
Chicagoland installing SAFER: The SAFER wall technology is currently being installed at Chicagoland Speedway by Jack K. Elrod Co., Inc. and will be completed in time for the July 9-11 NASCAR weekend. The SAFER Barrier at Chicagoland Speedway will run continuously for 2,289 feet from the entrance to Turn 1 through the exit of Turn 2 and 2,289 feet from the entrance to Turn 3 through the exit of turn 4. Additional SAFER Barrier with a length of nearly 1,169 feet will run along the front stretch tri-oval wall.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(6-25-2004)
SAFER at Chicago:
Question: Will Chicagoland Speedway have the SAFER Barrier in place for the July 9-11 NASCAR weekend?
Answer: "We made the decision quite a few months ago that Chicagoland Speedway would install the SAFER Barrier. Quite frankly, the studies show that it is indeed safer. We try to improve the experience for everyone, especially the competitors. And, if part of that is making the race safer than we need to look serious at that. The SAFER Barrier was the obvious choice for us to improve the safety for the drivers. That's why we made the decision months ago to move forward with it and we are now in the process of making that happen. It will be in place before the Tropicana 400, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway," said Matthew Alexander VP/GM of Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway PR/Site)
AND beginning Monday [June 14], the work crew from Elwood, the founding company of soft walls, will be at the speedway doing the installation. With the Tropicana 400 scheduled July 11, the project should be finished in plenty of time.(Herald News)(6-10-2004)
Lights? more seating ? at Chicago?
Question: Will Chicagoland Speedway install lights?
Answer: "That question goes back to if we have unlimited dollars to spend, I'd say install them right now. I'd love to see a weekend with a Friday night truck race, Saturday Busch race and obviously a Sunday Cup race, or something along that line. But, it's not as easy to say install lights at the track. You also have to remember that lights on the track means lights all around the facility, staffing, etc," said Matthew Alexander VP/GM of Chicagoland Speedway.
Question: Will Chicagoland Speedway add grandstand seats in the future?
Answer: "We are not looking to add seats in the immediate future. First, our egress and ingress traffic plan is solid. Relatively speaking, with almost 100,000 race fans driving in and out of the facility, we do an excellent job. If all of a sudden we added seats, but kept the same infrastructure in place, the plan wouldn't properly accommodate the extra fans. Until we can figure out a plan we feel can properly accommodate the extra 5,000 to 10,000 fans, we'll take adding seats slowly. Second, we're continuing to build our presence in the Chicago market and even though we have sold out our season each year and are proud of that fact, we still have yet to garner that huge demand for racing that is out there right now. What we don't want to do is add 25,000 seats and not have the demand there,” said Matthew Alexander VP/GM of Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway PR/Site)(6-10-2004)
Miller Announces Concert Series: Miller Brewing Company announced this year’s “Rock ‘n’ Racing” concert series will kickoff with a trackside concert featuring popular rock band Live during the NASCAR Auto Club 500, May 1 at California Speedway in Fontana, California. Miller’s Rock ‘n’ Racing program combines two of our country’s greatest pastimes – racing and live music. It will feature a series of trackside concerts at select NASCAR Nextel Cup and the Indianapolis 500, including:
May 1, Fontana, NASCAR Auto Club 500 featuring Live
May 22, Charlotte, NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge featuring Live
May 27, Indianapolis, IRL’s Carb Day featuring Blues Traveler
July 9, Chicago, NASCAR Nextel Cup Tropicana 400 featuring Puddle of Mudd
Sept. 4, Fontana, NASCAR Nextel Cup Pop Secret 500 featuring TBD band
During the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Rusty Wallace’s No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge will race with a special rock ‘n’ roll paint scheme featuring Puddle of Mudd to promote the July concert.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-30-2004)
Spoiler Change starting at Chicago: Nextel Cup director John Darby says teams will have to cut one-half inch off of the cars' spoilers before the race at Chicago on July 11. Many teams have reserved tests anticipating the change.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-26-2004)
RV Spaces Going Fast at Chicago ['It's an RV Clark']: The start of race season at Chicagoland Speedway is approximately four months away and Recreational Vehicle (RV) spaces are going fast! Due to the increased demand for Infield RV parking at Chicagoland Speedway, an additional 184 RV spaces are now available for race fans to purchase for the 2004 season. Spaces for the exclusive Speedway Ridge, which is located outside the track, above the back stretch, are no longer available, but a limited amount of spaces do remain in the infield area. Infield RV spaces are either located in the turns or along the infield side of the backstretch. These spaces bring you one step closer to your favorite teams and drivers. You may choose from a trackside or non-trackside RV space, depending on availability. Infield admission does not include access to the grandstand area, Speedway Ridge area, or to pit/garage area. This option does include all races and qualifying days on both race weekends. For more information about RV spaces at Chicagoland Speedway, or to purchase an infield RV space, call 815-727-RACE or visit www.chicagolandspeedway.com.(PR)(4-7-2004)
Track Passes on sale for Chicagoland: Track Packs for the 2004 season at Chicagoland Speedway are now on sale to the general public. A Track Pack for the 2004 season, which ranges from $195 to $260, includes admission to five races over two event weekends. The July 10-11 NASCAR weekend returns with the Tropicana 400 (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series) and the Tropicana Twister 300 (NASCAR Busch Series). The 2004 season will once again conclude with the September 11-12 ARCA/IRL weekend, which includes the Delphi Indy 300 (IRL IndyCar Series), along with the Chicagoland 100 (IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series) and the ReadyHosting.com 200 (ARCA RE/MAX Series). 2003 Track Pack holders and race fans on the 2004 Track Pack Wait List had the first opportunity to purchase and the option to add seats for the 2004 season. Due to the renewal rate and the amount of fans on the Wait List, as well as today's ticket sales, the “Finish Line Mid” and "Finish Line Low" sections are no longer available. But, great seats are still available and the state-of-the-art design of the grandstands, track and infield allow excellent sightlines of the entire racing surface from every seat in the grandstands. In addition to 2004 Track Packs, Friday Practice/Qualifying Tickets and Recreational Vehicle passes are also on sale to the general public now. Friday general admission event tickets for each weekend are $15.00 for adults and free for children 12 and under. There are three options for RV’s in 2004 - Infield Track-side, Infield Non-Track-side and Speedway Ridge. RV spots range from $500 to $2,150 and will include admission from Thursday through Monday noon on both weekends. Due to the increased demand for extra spaces in the Infield RV area at Chicagoland Speedway, an additional 184 RV spaces have been made available for race fans to purchase for the 2004 season. Call 815-727-RACE (7223) or visit www.chicagolandspeedway.com for more information about Track Packs, Friday event tickets and/or RV Spots at Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(2-22-2004)
Chicago Adds Infield RV Spaces for 2004: Due to the increased demand for extra spaces in the Infield RV area at Chicagoland Speedway, an additional 184 RV spaces have been made available for race fans to purchase for the 2004 season. Chicagoland Speedway currently offers guests the opportunity to purchase an RV space in the Infield and Speedway Ridge. The Infield area offers track and non-trackside spaces, while Speedway Ridge, located outside of the backstretch between Turns 2 & 3, offers race fans an extraordinary view overlooking the entire speedway. At this time, Chicagoland Speedway is fulfilling 2004 RV space requests for 2003 account holders. Once all orders are completed, 2004 RV Wait List requests will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. A non-refundable $25 deposit, good towards the purchase of a 2004 RV space, adds your name to the 2004 RV Wait List. Adding your name to the 2004 RV Wait List ensures yourself the best possible space available to all the action at Chicagoland Speedway prior to the general public on-sale date. If 2004 RV spaces are still available after wait list customers have been served, the remaining spaces will go on-sale to the general public beginning Monday, February 16, 2004 at 9:00am. The 2004 season at Chicagoland Speedway will open with the Tropicana Twister 300 (NASCAR Busch Series) on Saturday, July 10 and the Tropicana 400 (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series) on Sunday, July 11. The season will conclude with the Chicagoland 100 (IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series) and the ReadyHosting.com 200 (ARCA RE/MAX Series) on Saturday, September 11, as well as the Delphi Indy 300 (IRL IndyCar Series) on Sunday, September 12. For more information about RV spaces at Chicagoland Speedway or to place your name on the 2004 RV Wait List, call 815-727-RACE or log onto www.chicagolandspeedway.com.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(12-18-2003)
Illinois Track? The former Firestone plant in Decatur [Illinois] is being pitched as another home for NASCAR racing. Jamie Weiss of New Jersey based Queen Anne Realty, tells WAND News that his company has submitted a plan to turn 147 acres of the site into a 100,000-seat track called “Decatur Motor Speedway”. Weiss says his company has not heard back from NASCAR officials about their proposal. Weiss also says Queen Anne is in discussions with other companies about the Firestone property. Keen Transports has bought six acres of the property for an undisclosed amount of money.(WAND-ABC)[Jayski Note: with Chicagoland Speedway not too far away, not sure someone would do this - hint-hint: NY/NJ or the Northwest](10-30-2003)
Pretty Sad: Chicagoland Speedway offers free parking, but dozens of race fans feigning disabilities to get spots close to the entrance gates found themselves slapped with $100 fines and forking over the handicapped placards they had improperly obtained and unlawfully used. Joliet [IL] police seized 60 handicapped parking placards during the past weekend's races at the speedway and cited a total of 73 drivers during a two-day crackdown. Local officers were joined by Secretary of State police in the first half of the weekend's operations and ran Sunday's checkpoints on their own. They also will continue to coordinate their efforts with the state in the prosecution of the placard players stung Saturday and Sunday [for the IRL race weekend](Herald News)(9-11-2003)

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Chicago Announces 2004 Cup date: Matthew Alexander, VP/GM of Chicagoland Speedway, announced the 2004 racing schedule will initially include five races over two event weekends. The 2004 season will open with the Tropicana Twister 300 (NASCAR Busch Series) on Saturday, July 10 and the Tropicana 400 (NASCAR Nextel Cup Series) on Sunday, July 11. The season will conclude with the Chicagoland 100 (IRL Infiniti Pro Series) and the ReadyHosting.com 200 (ARCA RE/MAX Series) on Saturday, September 11, as well as the Delphi Indy 300 (IRL IndyCar Series) on Sunday, September 12.
"We are excited to once again welcome back NASCAR, IRL and ARCA to Chicagoland Speedway," Alexander said. “It is always our goal to give our Track Pack holders the most valuable motorsports and entertainment ticket in town and we will continue to look at ways to maximize our guests’ experience. We will keep working with sanctioning bodies and leagues to explore adding more events to the current schedule.”
Alexander urges race fans to act now so they don’t miss the 2004 racing action. “The world-class racing we have brought to the Chicago market has created a tremendous amount of excitement and an ever expanding fan base. Chicagoland Speedway and our Track Pack has quickly become one of the hottest tickets in the third largest market in the country. Because of the outstanding racing, our beautiful facility and the entertainment value we offer in our Track Pack, we have sold out our grandstands earlier each year since our 2001 inaugural season. I urge fans new to the sport and fans that have followed the sport for many years to purchase quickly so they are not caught looking for tickets that are not available next summer.”
2004 CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY SEASON SCHEDULE*
JULY 10-11 NASCAR WEEKEND:
July 10, 2004: Tropicana Twister 300 (NASCAR Busch Series)
July 11, 2004: Tropicana 400 (NASCAR Nextel Cup Series)
SEPTEMBER 11-12 ARCA/IRL WEEKEND:
September 11, 2004: ReadyHosting.com 200 (ARCA RE/MAX Series)
September 11, 2004: Chicagoland 100 (IRL Infiniti Pro Series)
September 12, 2004: Delphi Indy 300 (IRL IndyCar Series)
(Chicagoland Speedway PR)
So now have 31 of 36 races 'confirmed', looks like the last off weekend of 2004 will be July 18th as New Hampshire ticket holders report that July 25th is their July Cup date, see my 2004 UNOFFICIAL Tentative Nextel Cup Series Schedule and 2004 Cup Scheduling News/Rumors page.(9-5-2003)
Traffic/Parking Update for Chicagoland: The weather forecast for this weekend’s NASCAR/IROC racing at Chicagoland Speedway is calling for partly cloudy skies and temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees. Despite the good weather forecasted for this weekend, the parking lots at Chicagoland Speedway have taken on a large amount of rain over the past nine days. All of Chicagoland Speedway’s parking lots will be able to accommodate our guests, but the speedway is urging everyone to plan accordingly and leave at least one hour earlier than normal to assist them in the parking process. “The entire Chicagoland Speedway staff is dedicated to making sure our guests enjoy their stay at the races this weekend, and that begins with parking and our traffic plan,” said Matthew Alexander, vice president and general manager of Chicagoland Speedway. “I encourage all of our guests coming to the races this weekend to arrive early and tailgate in our free parking lots beginning at 7:00 am Friday – Sunday.”(Chicagoland Speedway)(7-11-2003)
Pole Day at Chicago - Tix still available: The Friday, July 11 Speedway SuperAmerica Pole Day promises to provide the most diverse on-track activity during the July 11-13 NASCAR/IROC weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Speedway SuperAmerica Pole Day will include practice and qualifying for both the NASCAR Busch Series Tropicana Twister 300 and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Tropicana 400. Tickets are $15, kids 12 and under are free.” More info at the Chicagoland Speedway site.(7-11-2003)
Chicagoland Cup Race Sold Out: Chicagoland Speedway announced a third sold-out season. The third consecutive sold-out season is another example that Chicagoland Speedway has become a major player in one of the nations premier sports markets.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(6-20-2003)
Chicago Close to a sell out; Pit Pass' for sale: The 2003 race season at Chicagoland Speedway is quickly approaching and Pit Passes for the July 11-13, 2003 NASCAR Weekend are close to being sold out. In addition to the approximately 1,500 Pit Passes that have been ordered by Founders PASS members in the first couple of weeks, Chicagoland Speedway ticket representatives placed over 2,000 additional Pit Pass orders today to our Track Pack Gold Members for NASCAR weekend. "That's tremendous," commented Matthew Alexander, vice president and general manager of Chicagoland Speedway, after today's flood of Pit Pass orders were placed. "The response this year from race fans for Track Packs and Pit Passes has been incredible," continued Alexander. "Track Pack holders with the opportunity to purchase Pit Passes should do so fast, because they will be sold out very soon." Also heading towards sold-out status is the 2003 Chicagoland Speedway season. After two consecutives sold-out seasons, 2003 is on the verge of being sold-out sooner than the first two seasons, so race fans need to order soon before being left out. "2003 is an important year for Chicagoland Speedway. As is our focus always, we are continuing to provide the most valuable motorsports ticket in town," said Alexander. "The 2003 Pit Pass program for NASCAR weekend is just one of the ways we are giving Track Pack holders the opportunity to maximize their race experience." Chicagoland Speedway's Pit Pass program is a limited offer and is based on a first-come, fist-serve basis only. Pit Passes were first offered to Chicagoland Speedway Founders PASS holders and are currently being offered to Track Pack holders with Gold ordering status. If Pit Passes remain after the Gold member's ordering period is complete, a letter will be sent to Silver and Bronze Track Pack holders indicating ordering information (subject to availability). Included with each Pit Pass purchased is a Friday Speedway SuperAmerica Pole Day Ticket. Each pass allows access to the pit areas for each day of the NASCAR race weekend. Pit Passes are available for $75 per weekend. With each purchased Pit Pass, holders receive access to the Pits for 3 race days. To gain access to the infield and pits, a daily admission ticket must accompany each Pit Pass. Pit passes are non-transferable and holders must be 18 years of age to gain access to the Pit area with a Pit Pass. Note: Chicagoland Speedway only communicates with the Account Holder of Record for security reasons. Account Holders with priority status that call prior to their specific "start date" will be unable to order. Please contact us according to your priority status and the corresponding start date listed above. Due to safety issues and size constraints, there are a limited number of Pit Passes available so order fast. You may only order one Pit Pass for each Track Pack purchased (i.e. If you purchased four Track Packs, you may purchase up to four Pit Passes). Each Pit Pass order will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis, subject to availability. Your Pit Passes will be sent in advance. No pick-up at speedway required. Call (815) 727-RACE for your opportunity to experience racing Chicagoland Speedway style.(Chicagoland Speedway)(4-29-2003)
Chicago Tix on Sale Monday: Track Packs for the 2003 season at Chicagoland Speedway go on sale to the general public beginning 8:30am Monday, February 17, 2003. Track Packs can be purchased at the Chicagoland Speedway Ticket Office, by phone at 815-727-RACE (7223) or online at either www.chicagolandspeedway.com or www.ticketmaster.com. A Chicagoland Speedway Track Pack for the 2003 season includes admission to six races over two event weekends. The July 12-13 NASCAR weekend returns with the stock car excitement of the Cup and BGN as they kick-off the second half of their season, as well as Round Three of IROC. The 2003 season will conclude with the September 6-7 ARCA/IRL weekend.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(2-15-2003)
New Director of Marketing at Chicago: Paul M. Connell has been appointed Director of Marketing and Sales of Raceway Associates. Connell will assume the role and responsibilities vacated by Matthew Alexander who moved to the position of Vice President/General Manager of Raceway Associates in the fall. Connell will maintain and enhance exiting marketing relationships with partners such as Tropicana, Dodge, Pepsi and Miller as well as to acquire new partnerships for the venue. His duties will also include the sales and management of corporate hospitality for both Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway Hospitality Village and suites. In addition to his responsibilities at Chicagoland Speedway, Connell will also oversee the day-to-day marketing, corporate sales and corporate hospitality of Route 66 Raceway. Prior to his move to Joliet, Connell spent three years in Atlanta, GA, managing motorsports programs for event marketing leader ignition, Inc. His duties there included brand management and media services for a variety of teams, drivers and sponsors in the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(1-21-2003)
Chicago Promotion: Matthew T. Alexander, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing of Raceway Associates, was promoted to the position of Vice President/General Manager of Raceway Associates. Alexander will assume the role and responsibilities vacated by Joie Chitwood III. Alexander began with Raceway Associates in the fall of 2001 and was instrumental in the first two sold-out seasons of Chicagoland Speedway and acquiring and maintaining the marketing relationships with partners such as Tropicana, Dodge, Pepsi and Miller. Matthew will work with Chitwood through the month of September and formally take over the duties of VP/GM on October 1.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-9-2002)
National Anthem at Chicago: Multi-platinum recording artist Jo Dee Messina will perform a one-hour concert Sunday, July 14 prior to the NASCAR Winston Cup Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL. The concert will take place on the start/finish line and is scheduled to begin at 11:30am. In addition to the concert Messina will also perform the National Anthem before the start of the Tropicana 400. Warner Bros. Records and Curb Records have also announced a compilation CD, Inside Traxx, to be released on June 11 including country music artists Messina, Tim McGraw, Hank Williams Jr., Neal McCoy, Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam and many others. Messina will contribute her single "Dare to Dream" to the 14 song CD. Other aspects of the program include additional 2002 concerts at Winston Cup facilities with artists from Inside Traxx and an Inside Traxx die cast car series. All Founder PASS and Track Pack ticket holders are invited to the Chicagoland Speedway grandstands, at no additional cost, beginning at 8:00 am to enjoy the Jo Dee Messina pre race concert and other pre race festivities(Chicagoland Speedway)(7-9-2002)
Chicago Sold Out: Chicagoland Speedway announced today the 75,000-seat grandstands are sold out for all six racing events during the 2002 season. The motorsports-specific facility in Joliet, Illinois welcomes back NASCAR July 12-14 for the Tropicana Twister 300, NASCAR Busch Series, and the Tropicana 400, NASCAR Winston Cup Series races. In addition to NASCAR, the True Value IROC Racing Series will bring 12 of the world.s best drivers to the 1.5-mile D-shaped asphalt tri- oval to determine who is the best driver in the world during Round Three of IROC XXVI on Saturday. The Indy Racing League will bring back its wheel-to-wheel 220+ mph racing in September for the Delphi Indy 300. In addition, the new Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series will make its Chicagoland debut at the state-of-the-art racetrack on September 8 along with the return of the ARCA RE/MAX Series ReadyHosting.com 200. In addition to sold-out grandstands, the Infield and Speedway Ridge will be full of Recreational Vehicles during the 2002 season. Chicagoland Speedway offered three options for RV's this year: Infield Track-side, Infield Non-Track-side and Speedway Ridge. Options in the Infield are no longer available and only a hand-full of spots on Speedway Ridge may still be purchased at this time. A waiting list for 2003 Track Packs will be compiled beginning today. Anyone interested in securing his or her place in the grandstands for the 2003 season should call the Chicagoland Speedway ticket office at 815-727-RACE to be added to the list. If fans were unable to purchase a Track pack before they sold out, they can enjoy either NASCAR Practice and Qualifying on SAM.S CLUB Pole Day Friday, July 12 or Indy Racing and ARCA RE/MAX Series Practice Day on Friday, September 6.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(7-1-2002)
Chicago almost sold out: With Chicago's two speed weeks fast approaching, tickets for the marquee event--the NASCAR weekend in Joliet--are nearly gone. Fewer than 1,000 tickets remain for the Busch and Winston Cup races July 13 and 14 at Chicagoland Speedway. An IROC race also will be held July 13.(Chicago Sun Times)(6-19-2002)
Chicagoland gets BGN sponsor: Tropicana will take over the title sponsorship of the BGN race as well as continue to sponsor the NASCAR Winston Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway (Tropicana 400). The three-year agreement and unveiled the name of the BGN race - the Tropicana Twister 300 presented by Sam's Club scheduled to take place Saturday, July 13, 2002 at 3:30pm/et.(Chicagoland Speedway)(4-19-2002)
Chicagoland Daytona 500 Party: on Sunday, February 17, Chicagoland Speedway is kicking off the 2002 race season with a Daytona 500 party at ESPN Zone in Chicago with special guest Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears. Doors open at 11:30 am and race fans can participate in trivia contests, Daytona 500 video game competitions and other fun games. Prizes include Chicagoland Speedway merchandise, Richard Petty Driving Experiences and other items. One grand prize winner chosen will be chosen from a post-race drawing. The Daytona 500 will be shown on the big screen at ESPN Zone and other special guests include Dan McNeil, Harry Teinowitz and John Jurkovic from ESPN Radio AM 1000, along with Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Spike Manton from WCKG 105.9 FM.(Chicagoland PR)(2-13-2002)
Chicago Motor Speedway suspends 2002 sched: Officials of Chicago Motor Speedway [this has NOTHING to do with Chicagoland Speedway or the Cup/BGN raves held there] today suspended the track's 2002 auto racing schedule, which includes the CART and the CTS Series races. Horse racing at Sportsman's Park is unaffected. Chicago Motor Speedway Chairman Charles Bidwill and President Chip Ganassi determined that the races are not financially feasible at the present time due to business and economic conditions in the motorsports industry today.(CMS Site)(2-5-2002)
Chicago Motor Speedway to shut down? UPDATE: Sources report the Chicago Motor Speedway, a one-mile oval track built outside of Chicago in Cicero, Illinois, is on the verge of shutting down. Radio station WSCR-AM reported on Monday the track was in financial trouble and would close its gates unless an additional cash influx was found. The news puts the track’s two scheduled events this year, the June 30th CART FedEx Series Target Grand Prix and the August 25th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sears 175, in jeopardy. Several members of the track’s management staff were terminated Monday, fueling speculation of the speedway’s demise. The opening of the Chicagoland Speedway in nearby Joliet may have been the knockout punch for the Cicero [IL] track.(RacingOne)(1-15-2002)
UPDATE: a Statement from Charles W. Bidwill. III on the CMS Site - "In recent weeks there has been a great deal of speculation in the media regarding the future of motorsports at Chicago Motor Speedway. Much of what has been reported is based on rumor, half-truths, and misinformation. First of all I would like to make clear that any issues regarding the Chicago Motor Speedway division of Sportsman's Park do not in any way impact our thoroughbred racing division, the National Jockey Club. Sportsman's Park in 2002 will present a 46-day season of live racing opening March 1 and continuing through May 4. Talks are ongoing with Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) on behalf of Chicago Motor Speedway to resolve certain issues that exist between us in regard to the running of the Target Grand Prix the weekend of June 28-30. At the present time Chicago Motor Speedway at Sportsman's Park is moving forward with plans for its 2002 auto racing season and fully intends to hold the Target Grand Prix as well as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in August.(CMS Site)(1-17-2002)
Chicagoland Cup Date: The Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway will be held July 14, 2002. The track will also welcome back the NASCAR Busch Series for the Hills Bros Coffee 300 race on July 13. Joie Chitwood, vice president and general manager of the Chicagoland Speedway, made the official announcement Sunday before the Delphi Indy 300 race. In the next several weeks, "track pack" owners have the opportunity to renew their tickets. If they do, they get an added bonus, free of charge, as the track welcomes the newly formed Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series.(Herald News)(9-4-2001)
Chicagoland Cooler Policy UPDATE no coolers: hearing from a few readers: Chicagoland Speedway has a policy that coolers, food, or beverages are not permitted into the speedway. Complaints/Comments can be directed to www.chicagolandspeedway.com. As stated here many times, I do not do polls, campaigns or the like. On the site, on the ticket order page, it states "For the comfort and security of our guests, coolers are not permitted."(6-28-2001)
UPDATE: When the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series visit the brand new Chicagoland Speedway the weekend of July 14-15, a new tradition may be started. In addition to hosting its first NASCAR events, it will also break with tradition by allowing no coolers to be brought into the grandstands(NASCAR.com)(7-3-2001)
Joliet Hotel Rooms, booked and a hotel fire: The Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet is opening up to ticketholders this weekend for the first time, and hotel rooms are booked all the way to Bloomington for the upcoming weekend of NASCAR racing in July. "We are just so, so busy," said Kathy Fordonski, special event lodging specialist for the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitor's Bureau, which is coordinating hotels for the event among 12 area convention bureaus. We are sending people south about 90 miles to Bloomington," Fordonski said. "North, it's all the way into the northern (Chicago) suburbs. Everything east of the track is totally full. West, it's all the way to Ottawa." The 2,300 or so rooms in the Joliet area are totally booked for the July 14-15 weekend, when the Speedway will host its inaugural races, the NASCAR Busch Series Hills Bros. 300 and the NASCAR Winston Cup Tropicana 400. Track officials are expecting at least a near sellout of the 75,000 grandstand seats, and more fans are expected in the nearby RV parking areas. It is likely that all 12 convention bureaus, stretching as far as Rockford and the Quad Cities, will have their hotels completely sold out by race weekend, Fordonski said.(Daily Southtown)
AND A hotel fire that spread through the attic of the Comfort Inn South early Tuesday didn't harm anyone, but put 67 local rooms out of commission less than three weeks before one of the biggest tourist events ever in Joliet. Management expects to find out today what it needs to do to reopen the hotel on South Larkin Avenue and whether it can be done before the first NASCAR races at the new Chicagoland Speedway(Herald News)(6-28-2001)
Chicago Opens: It was a sunny day on Saturday, June 23rd at Chicagoland Speedway as Joliet Mayor Arthur Schultz cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the $130 million Chicagoland Speedway racing facility in Joliet. Founder’s P.A.S.S. Members watched with smiles as they wandered the grandstands and met their personalized seats, then visited the infield for a day of music, food and of course… racing. An estimated crowd of 6,000 people participated in “Meet Your Seat Day” at Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)(6-25-2001)
ISC Looking to buy Tracks? International Speedway Corporation appears to be trying to add to its portfolio of race tracks. According to unconfirmed reports, ISC is trying to buy out Tony George's share of the new Joliet-Chicago track, trying to buy Pocono International Raceway, trying to buy Kentucky Speedway, and trying to buy Bob Bahre's New Hampshire Speedway. One report pegs ISC's price point for Pocono at $110 million, to which track owner Dr. Joe Mattioli said "That would be a nice down payment." Mattiolli then denied any sale pending and said he would have two Cup races again next season(Winston Salem Journal)(6-17-2001)
Chicagoland BGN Sponsor: Hills Bros Coffee will be the title sponsor of the inaugural BGN race at Chicagoland Speedway. The Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois and Hills Bros agreement designates that the first three BGN races.(Chicagoland PR)(6-14-2001)
ISC to buyout IMS? Hearing that IMS(Indianapolis Motor Speedway) Corporation has been offered a buyout package for their part in the Chicagoland Speedway from ISC(International Speedway Corportation - Daytona, Darlington, Talladega etc)(5-16-2001)
Tropicana and NASCAR? UPDATE 4 Chicagoland - Tropicana 400: hearing that Tropicana(orange juice....owned by, Pepsi) has some sort of announcement within the next week or so of a major sponsorship in NASCAR(3-7-2001)
UPDATE: looks like it is some sort of contest where you can win one of 24 Jeff Gordon Signature Chevy Monte Carlo's(3-8-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing it could be sponsorship of the Chicagoland Cup race? AND 3-Time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon Will Be On Hand To Help Unveil the Announcement . Chicagoland Speedway and some very special guests will make a MAJOR announcement regarding the upcoming race on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at 12noon/et(Chicagoland PR)(3-13-2001)
UPDATE 3: Chicagoland Speedway announced that it has a four-year sponsorship agreement with Tropican Products and unveiled the name if its inaugural Winston Cup race - the Tropicana 400, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 15th 2001 AND NASCAR announced an all-daylong practice sessions for Winston Cup and BGN competitors Thursday, July 12. Practice will begin at 9:00am and conclude at 5:00pm/ct. "NASCAR wanted to give the drivers and teams a full day to test the track and set-up their cars for the race on Sunday", said Joie Chitwood, Chicagoland Speedway vice president/general manager. The Thursday practice will provide fans the first opportunity to see the cars on the track and see the state-of-the-art facility. NASCAR also announced a one-day qualifying round for both Winston Cup and Busch Series on Friday, July 13th. Friday morning will provide a one hour fifty-five minute practice session for both series beginning with the Busch series at 9:00 am. Busch qualifying is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm with a best of two laps to decide all positions. Winston Cup qualifying is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm with the same format as the Busch Series(Chicagoland PR). Also hearing Gordon will have a special paint scheme for the event(3-14-2001)
Chicagoland Announcement: 3-Time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon Will Be On Hand To Help Unveil the Announcement . Chicagoland Speedway and some very special guests will make a MAJOR announcement regarding the upcoming race on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at 12noon/et AND Jeff Gordon is scheduled to answer phones in the Chicagoland Speedway Ticket Office Wednesday, March 14th.(Chicagoland PR)(3-13-2001)
Worker dies in accident at Chicagoland: A construction worker fell some 70 feet to his death Thursday afternoon at Chicagoland Speedway, plunging from a scaffold into the mezzanine seats. The unidentified man fell about 3 p.m., said Joliet police Lt. Dennis Goron. The man, an independent contractor with Bovis Lend Lease, reportedly was installing windows in skyboxes at the raceway, a 75,000-seat facility under construction off Laraway Road. Joliet firefighters responded to the emergency call and located the man about 120 feet up in the mezzanine level of the stadium. Paramedics called in the University of Chicago Aeronautical Network helicopter, and the injured man was airlifted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, IL. He reportedly died sometime after rescue workers loaded him onto the helicopter. The racetrack's director of public relations, Brian Crichton, had no information about what transpired prior to the accident. He said the man was working as an independent contractor, but Crichton did not know what his duties entailed. The workman's death was the first fatal accident at Chicagoland Speedway.(Herald News)(2-2-2001)
Chicago Tix: Following the announcement that Chicagoland Speedway completed a second race weekend by securing an ARCA RE/MAX Series race September 1, 2001, speedway officials unveiled the Track Pack ticket plan for the inaugural 2001 season. The Track Pack gives racing fans the opportunity to experience four major motorsports events at Chicagoland Speedway from the same great seats. The Track Pack will include the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series and NASCAR Winston Cup Series race weekend on July 14th and 15th, and the ARCA RE/MAX Series and Indy Racing Northern Light Series races on September 1st and 2nd. Prices for the Track Pack, which include grandstand seating for all four events, range from $175-$240 based on seat location. Track Packs will be available beginning at 9:00 am Monday, October 30. See the Chicagoland Speedway site for more info(10-14/30-2000)
First Cars at Chicago: Cup driver John Andretti drove the #19 Dodge Dealers Intrepid R/T and IRL driver Scott Sharp in the #8 Delphi Automotive Systems IRL car turned the first laps on the 1.5 mile oval at Chicagoland Speedway on Wednesday, Oct 26th(MotorsportsTV)(10-26-2000)
AND see a story at SpeedVision: Joliet Track Announces Marketing Partners by Ben Blake, along with an image of the two cars(10-27-2000)
Chicagoland News UPDATE 3: Joie Chitwood, the GM of ISC's new Chicagoland Speedway, appeared on "Victory Lane" on CLTV in Chicago Tuesday night. Here are some highlights: Chicagoland Speedway will soon announce the addition of a fourth event for 2001. The track has already secured Winston Cup, Busch, and IRL events. Season ticket (non-PSL) details will also be officially announced in 3-4 weeks. But Chitwood did state that season tickets would start at $175 and that they won't necessarily be renewable. Only PSL seats at this point are guaranteed renewable. The initial seating will only be 75,000 because they want to be "budget-conscious," but they will "look at expanding the facility" as ticket demand increases. The pavement at the Speedway will be tested using Indy cars, using telemetry to measure shock rebound. Once those measurements are satisfactory, the next layer of asphalt will be put down. The first row of seating in the main grandstand starts 12 feet off the ground and no permanent structures in the infield are higher than 14 feet, so every row in the Speedway should allow a full view of the track(MotorsportsTV)(9-13-2000)
UPDATE: the banking of the track is: Corners=18 degrees; Frontstretch=12 degrees; and Backstretch=5 degrees(9-15-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing the fourth event will be an ARCA event and that The ARCA series, now looking for a series sponsor will concentrate on tracks at or over a 1/2 mile in length and leave some of their traditional events(no more dirt?)(9-20-2000)
UPDATE 3: Chicagoland Speedway may quite possibly show up on the 2001 ARCA schedule. There is absolutely no truth to ARCA not returning to the dirt in 2001. Both DuQuoin and Springfield will be on the 2001 ARCA schedule(StockCarFans Newsletter)(9-22-2000)
Chicagoland News: Demand was so great for the initial offering of the Founders P.A.S.S. seats, Chicagoland Speedway announced the expansion of their premier seat offering to include additional Sky Tower and Tower seat locations. Chicagoland Speedway filled the original Founders P.A.S.S. (Preferred Access Speedway Seating) Sky Tower and Tower seat offering just weeks after they went on sale to the public. The state-of-the-art, 1.5-mile tri-oval facility will seat 75,000 race fans when it opens in the summer of 2001. The speedway design also includes suites, hospitality chalets, RV Parking and many other fan amenities to insure a world-class facility in Joliet, IL. Founders P.A.S.S seats provide racing fans the ability to pay a one-time fee and secure the best seat locations at the track, as well as to acquire special benefits otherwise not available to the general public, including the only way to guarantee renewal rights. Founders P.A.S.S. seats are stadium style chair seats personalized with an individual or company name. Privileges include access to preferred parking areas, listing in the inaugural souvenir program, guaranteed renewal rights and invitations to special events including track tours and Meet Your Seat Day. For more info, see the Chicagoland Speedway site(9-6-2000)
Chicago: see iamges of the Chicagoland Speedway at Under Construction Photos page(9-5-2000)
No New Walls: The recent concerns over concrete walls won't sway International Speedway Corporation from using the racing industry standard concrete wall at its new speedways. ISC senior vice president Lee Combs, giving an update to the media on construction of the speedways in the Kansas City and Chicago areas, said there are no plans to use or test experimental shock-absorbing walls at the new tracks scheduled to open next year(Speed Magazine)(7-18-2000)
Track/Race Columns concerning the two additional races(5-8/9-2000):
SpeedVision: NASCAR Invades Chicagoland, Heartland by Ben Blake
ESPN/AP: Joliet, Kansas City to host new races
That's Racin': Winston Cup officials announce dates for the two new races by David Poole
Roanoke Times: Martinsville race falls back - 2 new Winston Cup races likely push 2nd Martinsville race into mid-October by Dustin Long
Dallas Morning News: New tracks get NASCAR races by Tony Fabrizio
Kingsport Times News: Speedway makeover ‘has that Humpy feel,’ says Estes by Kenny Bruce
Greenville News: NASCAR adds races in Chicago, Kansas City areas by Mike Hembree
Philadelphia Daily News: New speedways to host added races/Notes by Bill Fleischman
Tennessean: Two tracks added to crowded slate by Larry Woody
St Petersburg Times: Schedule squeezes two more tracks in/Notes by Damian Cristodero
The State: NASCAR adds two tracks, races by Jim McLaurin
Races to be Added: In separate announcements planned for Monday, NASCAR will officially unveil its plans to add two races to its Winston Cup schedule next season. Sources say the Chicago area race will likely fall the week following the Pepsi 400, which annually takes place during the July 4th weekend at Daytona. The Kansas race is expected to take place in September or October. Neither race addition, which would bring to 36 the number of Winston Cup races next season, is expected to bring wholesale changes to the Winston Cup schedule, though the additions will require a few changes(That's Racin') AND Insiders believe the Joliet track will get a July race and the Kansas raceway will get a date in September. That could lead to a change in date for a race currently in September(New Hampshire? Richmond?)(SpeedVision)(5-7-2000)
Chicago Announcement UPDATE 2 Announement: Raceway Associates, the organization building the 1.5 mile oval racetrack in Joliet, IL, will announce the racetrack name, 2001 race schedule and corporate season ticket program on Monday, May 8th, 2000(PR)(5-2-2000)
UPDATE: Press conference is scheduled for 10:30am/et on Monday, May 8th at the Navy Pier in Chicago(That's Racin')(5-7-2000)
UPDATE 2 - Announcement: The Winston Cup date will be on July 15th 2001, there will also be a BGN event on July 14th, 2001. The track will be known as Chicagoland Speedway and has a site: www.chicagolandspeedway.com. There will also be an IRL race in September. The track will have 75,000 grandstand seats. The track will be a 1.5mile tri-oval with 18 degrees of banking in the turns, 11 degrees on the front stretch and 5 degrees on the back stretch. Ticket plans info can be found on the website(Edgy Tim's Illinois Prep Spotlight - Track Audio Announcement. Also there is a story on NASCAR Online and at the track website Chicagoland Speedway(5-8-2000)
Race Expansion: A new track in Kansas City and one near Chicago will be added to next season's Winston Cup schedule, though an official announcement may be a few weeks away, producing a 36-race season in 2001. None of the current tracks in the series will lose a race for 2001. See full story at That's Racin': Winston Cup schedule expanding to 36 races in 2001 and NASCAR goes for addition without subtraction by David Poole(4-24-2000)
Chicago Track Story at RacingOne: Chitwood Builds Kicks on Route 66 by Lee Spencer(4-26-2000)
Joilet Behind? UPDATE No: The Joliet-Chicago track under construction appears to be behind schedule. It had been expected to be one of next year's two additions to the Winston Cup tour, but it probably won't be ready to go on line until September 2001, possibly with an end-of-summer race(PitNow)(3-21-2000)
UPDATE: Route 66 Raceway's Joie Chitwood denied a report that construction of the 1.5-mile oval at the Joliet facility was behind schedule. "The weather has been good and we're very happy where we are," Chitwood said, reiterating that the track is projected to be finished in the spring of 2001(Chicago Sun Times)(3-22-2000)
Joilet(IL) Story: Taking Shape from the Herald News(IL)(3-17-2000)
Joilet Track in trouble? The local chapter of a civil rights group led by Rev. Jesse Jackson is preparing to protest and boycott a NASCAR and Indy-style racetrack if a black contractor from Joliet(IL) isn't hired to work on the project. Warren Dorris, president of the Joliet chapter of the Rainbow-PUSH coalition, said the track developers have reneged on a promise to hire Bouie Construction. Warren Dorris, president of the Joliet chapter for the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, said the track developers have reneged on a promise to hire Bouie Construction. Dorris, a councilman for the city's District 5, said developers of the $100 million project assured him Bouie, the largest minority contractor in Joliet, would be involved in building the track. If the construction firm isn't included in a second round of construction, Dorris said he is ready to launch a national offensive against NASCAR and the Indy Racing League, both partners in the track. Dorris said leaders of the national Rainbow-PUSH Coalition gave promises to support him at a Martin Luther King Day celebration last Sunday(News-Herald)(1-22-2000)
Chicago Track News: Will County Executive Charles Adelman voted to give a $10 million tax break to a Joliet racetrack developer who had lent Adelman thousands of dollars while he was scrambling to save his home and business from creditors. Full story at:(Chicago Tribune)(1-5-2000)
ISC Track News: Bill France says that tracks at Kansas City, KS, and Joliet, IL, both are on target for 2001 openings. ISC is building the Kansas City track and is a partner in the Joliet track. France also said ISC and developer Donald Trump are looking at "two or three different places," in the New York area and ISC still is eyeing Denver as a potential site(Roanoke Times)(11-14-1999)
Chicago: Wednesday the Chicago Motor Speedway announced that the NCTS was coming to the Windy City next season, marking the debut of the trucks in the Chicagoland area. The race is scheduled for August 27(Racer Magazine)(11-3-1999)
Ground Breaking ceremonies took place in Joliet, IL for the new 1.5 mile Raceway Associates Motorsports Park. Raceway Associates members, Bill France and Anton George were on habd as well as Cup drivers Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt and IRL drivers Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever Jr.(Herald News) also see the story at SpeedVision(9-29-1999)
Joilet Track: Bill France Jr., chairman of International Speedway Corp., and Tony George, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will be in Joliet, Ill., Sept. 28 for a ceremony marking the construction of the long-anticipated Chicago-area oval. France and George are working as Raceway Associates to build the track at Raceway Associates Motorsports Park(That's Racin')(9-16-1999)
Joliet Races? The owners and developers of a proposed 75,000-seat oval racetrack have received word from NASCAR and IRL officials that they will begin negotiating race dates for the new facility. Raceway Associates LLC, which is building the track, has received letters from both sanctioning bodies that they will begin discussing a schedule for the new track. See complete story at: New track gets boost from IRL, NASCAR(6-25-1999)
Joliet News: Although track developers refuse to speculate about possible names, city officials are hearing "Joliet" might not be included. Raceway Associates -- a partnership of the Indy Racing League, NASCAR and the existing Route 66 Raceway -- expects to break ground in August for the 75,000-seat track. Although city officials anticipate a economic boon from the $60 million track, luring the project to Joliet was a bold move requiring the annexation of about 920 acres at Laraway Road and Illinois 53. See complete story at: Track playing the name game and another story on the track: JT school board stays in enterprise zone(Herald News)(6-22-1999)
Joliet Permits: Another step has been taken to build a major-league stadium for stock car and Indy-style racing. After six hours of negotiating between the track developers and city officials, building permits for the $100 million facility proposed for southwest Joliet were awarded Thursday. The fee for the permit, which likely would be in the tens of thousands of dollars, was waived(Herald News). Also: Joliet City Manager, John Mezera, appeared on the "Corvette Collection Racer's Forum" on WJOL-AM on Saturday June 11, 1999 to announce that Raceway Associates had obtained the building permit for the construction of the 1.5 mile oval in Joliet, Illinois. The building permit with a stated value of approximately $60 million is believed to be the largest single building permit ever issued by Joliet. Work on the track is expected to begin in August 1999 with track to be completed in time for the 2001 racing season(6-14-1999)
Joliet News: I hear the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs has cleared the path for Joliet's new racetrack. DCCA yesterday gave final approval for the expansion of the DesPlaines River Valley Enterprise Zone to include the site of the racetrack on Route 53 near Laraway Road. The Motorsports Alliance was given approval for the expansion from the City of Joliet, City of Lockport, Will County Board and the Villages of Rockdale and Romeoville earlier this year. Although no exact groundbreaking date has been set, Chief of Staff of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ken Unger said last week they expect to begin construction shorly after the State approved the expansion. The new track will host events from Motor Racing's major circuits including the NASCAR/WINSTON CUP circuit. Unger says they hope to be open by the 2001 racing season. The 75,000 seat facility is expected to generate about $100 million of economic activity for the Joliet and Will County Areas. In response to this news report, Joliet City Manager John Mezera appeared on the "Scott Slocum in the Morning" show on WJOL-AM. Mezera stated that this is a great day for Joliet and the surrounding area. Although there will not be any "fireworks" tonight, this is a major day in the history of Joliet. Dale Coyne, President of Raceway Associates, also appeared on WJOL-AM. Mr. Coyne indicated that the development of construction plans for the track is underway. After allowing time for completion of the plans and bidding, it is anticipated that construction on the facility will start later this summer. This item, qualifying for "The Winston", practice at Indy, and NHRA qualifying will be discussed on the Corvette Collection Racer's Forum heard each week on WJOL-AM between 8:00am and 9:00am on Saturday morning(5-20-1999)
Juliet News: Companies headed by Tony George, NASCAR's Bill France Jr. and CART team owner Dale Coyne have formalized their plans to develop a new Chicago-area racetrack. A new company, Raceway Associates has been formed, with 75 percent owned by the Motorsports Alliance (George and France) and 25 percent by Route 66 Raceway (Coyne). Raceway Associates now owns Route 66 Raceway and has purchased 930 acres of adjacent land, where the new 1.5-mile oval track will be built. In addition, Coyne will be president of Raceway Associates, with Joie Chitwood III named vice president and general manager. Chitwood had been manager of administration for the Indy Racing League. See the rest of the SpeedNet article at: Plans formalized for new Chicago track(5-8-1999)
Joliet(IL) News: The developers of a proposed racetrack this week closed on 930 acres of land in southern Joliet Township. They also formed a new company that will own and operate the new speedway as well as the existing Route 66 Raceway. The land purchase and the creation of the new company indicate that developers are confident the state will approve the expansion of the Des Plaines River Valley Enterprise Zone to include the new racetrack. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs is expected to issue its decision on the enterprise-zone expansion within 30 days. See the rest of the article at: Racing firm buys land - Joliet track proposal: Company will handle 930-acre plan, Route 66(Hearld News)(5-6-1999)
Joliet Track(IL): The Joliet City Council approved revisions to the annexation agreement for the proposed motorsports facility. Prior to his vote, Councilman Joseph Shetina commented that it was important that the facility include "Joliet" in the name. Representatives of the Chicago Tribune and Copley Newspapers were present at the meeting. Neither of the reporters asked Mr. Shetina for an explanation of his comments. Rachel Conrad of WJOL-AM in Joliet obtained comments from City Manager John Mezera that encouraged the developers of the track to include Joliet in the name as a result of Joliet's strong support for the development of the facility(3-17-1999)
Joliet Track Drawing: Check out the drawing and layout of the proposed Joliet, IL race track at Joliet City Council Approves the Motorsports Alliance and Route 66 Raceway's Plans for new Race Track (3-15-1999)
Final Hurdle? The Rockdale Village Board on Tuesday approved the expansion of the Des Plaines River Valley Enterprise Zone. The change was one of the final steps in a process that should bring a new NASCAR/Indy track to the area near Laraway Road and Illinois 53. See complete story on the Joliet, IL track at Tax breaks for racetrack nearing final lap (Hearld News)(3-3-1999)
Joliet IL News: The 75,000-seat NASCAR/Indy racetrack appears to have hit the straightaway with the Will County Board's nearly unanimous support of expanding the enterprise zone to give the project tax breaks. County officials had voiced concerns that the project would cost the sheriff's and highway departments because of traffic control and road improvement needs. But about 11:30pm Wednesday(2/17), a five-page agreement was hammered out between track developers Motorsports Alliance, Will County and the city of Joliet, which annexed the 935-acre parcel where the track would be located. See the complete story - County green flags raceway and just last night - With Lockport's approval Wednesday night of economic incentives for Joliet's NASCAR/Indy racetrack, Rockdale next Tuesday is the final piece necessary to send the $100 million project to the state for consideration. Article at: Lockport OK with raceway(2-25-1999)
Joilet IL track: The 1.5-mile, 75,000-seat NASCAR/Indy racetrack faces its biggest hurdle to date Thursday when the Will County Board is expected to debate giving the project a 10-year property and sales tax abatement. See the rest of the story at: Track hinges on tax break, time (Herald News)(2-17-1999)
Joilet IL Racetrack showdown: Two stories at the Beacon News Hearld Site - Elwood forum: Neighbors grill developers over noise, congestion issues and County wants numbers, guarantees in writing(2-12-1999)
Joliet(IL) Track News: The developer of a $100 million racetrack proposed south of Joliet shifted gears Tuesday and pledged $3.7 million in road improvements to cope with traffic congestion near the facility. County officials said Tuesday's proposal by developer Motorsports Alliance Inc. is a far cry from the $39 million in road improvements they say are needed to avoid gridlock around the track.(Chicago Tribune)(2-11-1999)
More Joliet news: at the Chicago Tribune - Romeoville Joins Joliet in Support for Racetrack(2-9-1999)
Joliet, IL and the Church: .....But under a traffic management study unveiled last week, promoters of the NASCAR-Indy races suggest that the church move its Sunday services to Saturday so they would not coincide with the three to four hours of gridlock county officials expect around the track when races are held three Sundays a year. See the complete article at Church won't Yield to Racing Crowd(Chicago Tribune)(2-8-1999)
Joliet IL Track: The village board today(2-5) will discuss its role in Joliet's dream for a racetrack. Also on the agenda is land for a new school amid a growth boom in the village. The racetrack is planned for Joliet's southeast side, but Romeoville has a say in the issue: It has a vote on whether to expand a special "enterprise zone" to include the racetrack area. Inclusion would mean a tax break for the racetrack land. See complete story at: Romeoville leaders meet today to discuss track also Developers of the proposed NASCAR-Indy racetrack in southeast Joliet recommend no major road improvements to handle traffic into the 75,000-seat facility. County officials beg to differ. Ideally, about $40 million would be spent to widen to four lanes on parts of Arsenal, Laraway and Gougar roads as well as Briggs Street, said Sheldon Latz, county engineer. The developers' traffic plans and the county's concerns were presented at a meeting of the Will County Board executive committee Thursday. The paper site has a section devoted to the news on the track at The Future of the NASCAR Racetrack(Herald News)(2-7-1999)
Joliet(IL) Track update: a week old but....Developers of a NASCAR raceway in Joliet are on track to receive more than $10 million in tax breaks under an agreement allowing the 930-acre site into the Des Plaines River Valley Enterprise Zone. Enterprise Zone Board members Tuesday unanimously approved expanding the zone to include the site of the proposed $100 million track, planned on farmland along Illinois 53 near Manhattan Township. See complete story at: Proposed Joliet track gets first nod for enterprise zone(Chicago Sun-Times)(2-4-1999)
Illinois Rt 66 Track: A proposal to build a $100 million racetrack completed another important lap Tuesday when the expansion of a special district offering a property tax freeze was given preliminary approval. See complete story at Racetrack gets closer to key deal(2-3-1999)
Joliet Track UPDATE 3: I hear there will be a public meeting. Officials of Motorsports Alliance(a joint venture of Tony George and Bill France) will be there to reveal their plans to the city and public. On Tuesday the city council will vote on the proposal. According to an editorial in the Herald, the plan is suppose to pass easily. See the story at Deal may bring historic roar, $100 million track: Plan promises biggest private Joliet development ever(The Beacon News)(1-17-1999) -- see the outcome of the Sunday meeting in the latest Beacon News story at Track noise revs opponents, Special meeting: Councilmen ask about liquor, policing, Plano(1-19-1999) -- Updated story at the Joilet Herald News: Joliet OKs track, Giant racing complex: Council annexes land for $100 million plan(1-20-1999)
Chicago Track on tight schedule: How long does it take to convert a 70-year-old horse racing track nestled in the quaint Chicago suburb of Cicero, Ill., into a state-of-the-art, one-mile auto racing facility? Officials with the Chicago Motor Speedway hope the answer is about 12 months. Since ground was broken on the $65-million project on July 1, and with the track's first CART FedEx Championship Series race set for August 22, officials are on a tight schedule to complete the unique project. See the story at iRACE - Work proceeding on Chicago Motor Speedway(1-5-1999)
Illinois Track on Track: On Jan. 19 agenda : Councilmen want to capitalize on latest venture, see article at Copley Net - Joliet puts raceway on fast-track along with A history of efforts to put track in Plano(1-4-1999)
ISC in Chicago? Saw this in Steve Smith's latest article on iRACE - The current hot rumor -- that the International Speedway Corporation(Bill France, Jr), which controls NASCAR, may buy Dale Coyne's Route 66 Speedway near Chicago and build a big oval on the site(iRACE)(12-23-98)
Developers planning a $100 million speedway in Anne Arundel County are trying to build a similar track outside Chicago, a move that puts them in direct competition with NASCAR officials and could hurt their chances of bringing major races to this area. The recently renamed Chesapeake Motor Sports Development Corp., which plans a track on the Solley peninsula that's controversial, also has optioned land in Kankakee, Ill. The company hopes that within 90 days it can begin construction on the Illinois speedway, which would be bigger than the one proposed here. The Chesapeake group's Kankakee plans call for a 1.5-mile track and 60,000- to 70,000-seat stadium, much like the one planned for Anne Arundel. The group has optioned 800 acres on the border of the city and has asked city officials to annex the property. See the rest of the story at the Baltimore Sun(Sunspot): Track developer, NASCAR seen at odds.(thanks Ed)(7-5-98)
Officials from Sportsman's Park, in Cicero, Ill., and Target/Chip Ganassi Racing officially broke ground Tuesday(6-30-98) on construction of the Chicago Motor Speedway, a state-of-the-art facility for both horse and auto racing as well as family entertainment events. The reconfigured facility will feature a one-mile oval track for auto racing and a seven-furlong horse racing track. Construction will be completed in time for a fall 1999 Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) FedEx Championship Series race, the first motorsports event at the new facility.(www.cart.com), no plans at present for NASCAR to run at this track.(7-5-98)
"NASCAR needs to be in Chicago, and Roger Penske's Michigan Speedway, an hour west of Detroit, may not be hitting Chicago as hard as NASCAR men might like. There are a couple of proposed Chicago area tracks under discussion, but city politics in that town may be tough to handle . . . except for a company such as (RJ) Reynolds, if it could line up some strong support from other major stock-car sponsors such as McDonald's."(in part from the JournalNow - link in the stories section)(5-20-98)
CART team owner Chip Ganassi has formed a partnership that would build a 65,000-seat, one-mile flat oval at the Sportsman Park horse racing facility near Midway Airport on Chicago's southwest side. The IRL also is planning on building a superspeedway in the Chicago area in Plano, Ill., 50 miles southwest of the city. The project would involve the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and International Speedway Corporation of Daytona Beach, Fla, forming together as the Motorsports Alliance. The Plano track, when our track is up and running, hopes to have both an IRL race and hopefully a NASAR Winston Cup race and feels they are the only track in the Chicago market that has a good chance at running both series.(ESPNSportszone)(4-10-98)
News about another possible Chicago area track: Plans to introduce auto racing at Sportsman's Park are starting to take shape, sources said Wednesday, with the debut scheduled for Labor Day Weekend in 1999. To accommodate auto racing, Sportsman's plans a $40 million to $50 million renovation that will include a paved one-mile oval and increased spectator capacity to 65,000 or 70,000, up from its current 15,000 capacity for horse racing. The track has scheduled a news conference April 9 to announce its plans. The promoter for the CART race, which is tentatively envisioned as a 400-mile event known as the Chicago 400, will be Chip Ganassi, a source said. Ganassi--the owner of the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing team, which has won the last two CART championships--will share the financial undertaking with his friend, Sportsman's Park president Charles W. Bidwill III. Besides its CART race, Sportsman's also is believed to be interested in bringing in stock-car and truck racing to the Cicero facility. A source doubted that NASCAR, which favors larger superspeedways, would be interested in holding a Winston Cup race at such a facility, but added that races involving NASCAR's Busch Grand National and truck-racing series would seem to be very good fits. Various plans have been announced for auto racing facilities, most recently in West Chicago, Plano and near Joliet. But those so-called ``green-grass tracks,''--tracks built on open land--have been scaled back or halted altogether, leaving Chicago without a major auto-racing venue.(Chicago Sun-Times) link: CART plans for Sportsman's moving ahead .(3-29-98)
Speedway Motorsports, who own current race tracks at Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, Sears Point and Texas are looking seriously to build a track within 15 minutes from Chicago, IL. Their efforts to build a track near Atlantic City, NJ has been bogged down in red tape and they seem to be looking elsewhere(RPM2Nite)(3-11-98)
Confidence is very high that ground will be broken for the proposed Kankakee, IL area racetrack this year, according to the Baltimore, Md.-based developer. Joseph Mattioli III, one of the principals in the development, said Wednesday he expects the track to be ready for racing by fall 1999 or spring 2000. The developers plan a 1.5-mile oval track with seating for 60,000 to 70,000 spectators. The cost of such a project could be as much as $100 million. See the story at Daily Journal Online, Kankakee.(2-26-98)
Developer John McChurch said Thursday he has called off plans to build an auto racing track in Joslin, Ill but added that those who bought reserved seats will have the chance to get their money back. "We'd love to build it there, but we just can't do it," said Mr. McChurch, president of Quad-Cities Raceway Park. He blamed his inability to develop the project on Gov. Jim Edgar's refusal to lend moral backing to a proposed $33 million bond sale by the Quad City Region Economic Development Authority. Mr. McChurch declined to confirm or deny reports he was looking at two Davenport locations as future sites for the project. The company let its purchase options expire on an 800-acre site near Joslin, about 15 miles east of Moline, he said. Mr. McChurch said his plans to spend $42 million on a track that would accommodate 70,000 fans were contingent upon the governor agreeing to back bonds for the project. In November 1996, Gov. Edgar declined. One concern was the possibility of competition from a proposed Chicago track, Ms. Fowler said.(thanks Mike - Dispatch/Argus)(1-14-98)
"Motorsports Alliance, a partnership seeking to develop a racetrack near Chicago, has acquired an option to purchase about 700 acres in northern Illinois. However, alliance officials say they're still not assembled a complete track site. The alliance, comprised of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and International Speedway Corp., also is considering sites in northwest Indiana. The alliance needs additional land before it could build a track at the Illinois site. "We're still negotiating with other (land) owners," said Fred Nation, an IMS spokesman. The 700 acres under option is just north of Plano, Ill., about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The alliance started looking this summer at Plano after it called off plans in April to develop a track 30 miles west of Chicago"(SpeedNet)(10-9-97)
Another story about a possible Chicago area race track at: Group seeking Chicago raceway turns eye to Northwest Indiana(SpeedNet)(8-7-97)
From a reader who saw this in the Kankakee Journal: Illinois Sec of State George Ryan has announced initial plans for a speedway in Kankakee County, about an hour south of Chicago. The principal is Joe Mattioli and he has visited the area and has narrowed his choices down to 2 sites. Ryan headed a group that also included the people who designed and financed the United Center and Comiskey Park on a trip to Pocono to watch the Penn 500 and they were very impressed with the operation.No time tables were set, but Ryan said the Mattioli people are ready to put some money down now, see the story at Race Track (Kankakee Journal)(thanks Jon)(8-1-97)
FYI, old news: AJ Foyt withdrew from the the Kankakee, Ill race track project proposal back in late April. Foyt issued a statement that he's ending his involvement in that project because of inadequate financing(thanks Chris 6-25-97)
Per the Des Moines Register last week- The Quad Cities International Raceway lost the loan from Alex Brown & Sons. The company was bought out by Bankers Trust & decided not to invest in the project. Developer John McChurch said it would set the track back about three mos. but vowed to complete the project. The track has broke ground but is still mostly farmland at present(thanks Jay - 6-25-97)
Per the Rockford (Illinois)Register Star. There were plans to build a combination Drag Strip and 1 mile oval, but local opposition and the FAA (was to be built next to airport in Rockford) killed that. But now a combination drag strip and 1/2 mile oval are to be built in Joliet, Ill right off of highway 80. They already have a letter of intent from NHRA and said they would pursue a Busch and Craftsman Truck series race for the track. The consortium between ISC, Indy Motor Speedway, and John Menard (Wanted to build near Chicago, but that died) have no interest in this track yet, but the developers have been contacted by them. This could get bigger because the land has been bought and zoned already. (Not to be confused with the possible track in Kankakee). See the story at The Rockford Register - Dragstrip Dead(from a reader 6-23-97)
News about Quad Cities: 1) It has been an extremely wet spring, they don't want to bring in the heavy equipment to move the dirt until things dry out and they can work almost around the clock and get the job done quick. 2)They are trying to get a lower intrest rate but it appears they are not going to get it. The Quad Cities people feel that the Govenrnor is "playing favorites" with the track that is going in close to Chicago. 3)The track design was modeled after Texas and it was decided that maybe that layout had better be fixed on paper before large amounts of dirt were moved and then would have to be moved someplace else(6-3-97)
More info on the Quad Cities track: It is a proposed 1.5 mile track with initial seating for 50K fans. A drag strip will be adjacent to the speedway. One of the developers of the track is Ken Kohrs, who is the General Manager and PR man for Mile High Speedway in Denver. Plans are sort of at a stand still right now. From what I hear, the delay was due to trying to get more state funding(5-26-97)
The Quad Cities race-track venture is stymied for the moment, according to Humpy Wheeler, who helps run Bruton Smith's racing empire(The Smith Group are only consultants at this point). The new track, which is about two hours west of Chicago in (Davenport, Iowa or is it Joslin, IL), is one of Smith's projects under his Speedway Motorsports umbrella(per JournalNow). They are still working on the financing(5-24-97)
The DuPage(Chicago area) Airport track is dead. But I hear the same group (France, George and Menard) is now eyeing the sight near Joliet (been mentioned before by other groups), about 60 miles south of Chicago(4-30-97)
Bruton Smith & Corp buy into the Quad City, IL track(1996)

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