Motorsport in Illinois
Notable drivers from Illinois include Danica Patrick, Tony Bettenhausen, and Fred Lorenzen.
National stock car racing touring series (such as NASCAR Monster Energy Cup, ARCA, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series) race mainly on 4 tracks in Illinois: Chicagoland Speedway, near Chicago, Gateway International Speedway, Near St. Louis, and the mile dirt tracks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds near DuQuoin, Illinois.
Off-road racing can be found at temporary tracks at Route 66 Raceway to the permanent facilities at Lincoln Trail Motorsports Park.
Motorcycle racing is held on permanent road-courses in northern Illinois, as well as motocross and hill climbs throughout the state.
One of the most well-known motorcycle races in the U.S. can be found at the Illinois State Fairgrounds 1-mile (1.6 km) oval track.
Several tracks host sports car racing in Illinois, although it is not prevalent with few road courses such as Blackhawk Farms Raceway.
Track sizes vary from the short and tight 1/5 mile Macon Speedway to the 1-mile (1.6 km) ovals at Springfield and DuQuoin.
The one mile (1.6 km) dirt Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack in Springfield has had a long and varied past.
The Allen Crowe Memorial 100, named in honor of the Springfield resident, is held there every year during the Illinois State Fair.
many notable names have raced and won here, including Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, Davey Allison, and Benny Parsons.
Chicagoland Speedway is the sister track to Route 66 Raceway, which boasts a 1/4-mile NHRA sanctioned dragstrip as well as a 1/2-mile dirt oval that has hosted World of Outlaws Late Models, Team Demolition Derbies, and off-road races sanctioned by CORR (at the time SODA).
Gateway International Raceway, located across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri, is another of Illinois' largest tracks.
The Current owners are NASCAR stars Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, Tony Stewart, and local promoter Bob Sargent.
The speedway, which operated between 1956 through 1968, was initially surrounded by farm fields and was situated just south of Chicago's famed O’Hare International Airport.
Over the years many famous names have raced there, including Benny Parsons, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Kyle Petty, Kenny Roberts, Ramo Stott and Tony Stewart.
Today, the site of this former track is home to a relatively upscale multi-family housing complex just south of 91st street in Burr Ridge, IL.
