Is Anyone Else Aware Of This Development?

[CIRF]

I understand that this is not directly associated with dirt late model racing but it could be given the proximity of the dirt track in relation to the big track.

I vetted this a little bit and found that there is a real possibility this could happen. I reckon we shouldn't be all that surprised given the political climate in Illinois and even more specifically in chitcago and the collar counties. For as long as I can remember the chitcago urban inbred's have always been condescending towards racing.

Chicagoland Speedway has never truly been what everyone thought it would/should be but it seems nearly inconceivable that it would be shuttered and torn down. The crowds have actually been decent in recent years in comparison to some other NASCAR Cup events. No one wants to see any racetrack close and be torn down but it seems even the higher profile tracks aren't immune.

The other question would be, what effect would this have on the drag strip and dirt track?

http://www.apexoff.com/2020/05/10/death-by-warehouse-chicagoland-speedway-will-be-replaced/?fbclid=IwAR1x9arhbDfFXLG0-uEZbsZAdmZ0rlF4kB85as9ns82ZPznNFV8mkagQUPo

https://racingnews.co/2020/05/11/chicagoland-speedway-development-plans-suggest-nascar-track-will-be-torn-down/

[HoosierDirtFan]

I seen that yesterday. Track racing at Chicagoland isn’t that good. One of the worst tracks in NASCAR.

[Josh Bayko]

NASCAR got way too big way too fast in the 2000’s, and now the repercussions are coming to pass. I doubt Chicagoland is the last track that’s going to go the way of the ghost in the coming years.

[chathamracefan]

Don't know, but on Saturday mornings, I listen to Racin Boys show & they had Lee Spencer on. She was discussing the schedule & suggested that in her opinion, Chicagoland has seen it's last Nascar race. She did not get into specifics but she did make the comment.

As an aside, the Racin Boys show on Saturdays is a good listen. Based out of KC so there is a fair amount of talk specific to the tracks in that region as well as ASCS sprints, but there are some good interviews & nuggets about all sorts of racing.

[intel8]

We have attended events at the dirt track, racing was ok, but drivers said track was hard on motors, not many local cars in the support divisions plus the concessions were very expensive, $8 beer sticks in my mind. Nascar track should have been built farther away from Chicago, traffic on that old road was a joke especially the I 80 interchange.

[NeedforLMspeed]

Unless you're holding some other kinds of events also throughout the year especially between say first of May through early October, I would just think they're losing money left and right. If it's time to sell it's time to do it now while there's interest.

[hoosier race fan]

It would be a shame to see a facility like that repurposed into something other than a racetrack. However, it would not surprise me to see it suffer the same fate as Chicago Motor Speedway. Much like Ganassi’s short-lived Chicago Motor Speedway, ISC’s Chicagoland Speedway does not have a configuration that produces good racing with the current tours that race there. When the IRL raced at Chicagoland up until 2010 they usually had good races. They haven’t raced there in a decade, which took away a major series that would use the facility.

ISC could reconfigure it, but that would sink more money into an investment that probably wouldn’t change the fortunes of the track or the most likely outcome. It may prolong it’s demise (or accelerate it), but I wouldn’t expect the track to be there in 10 years.

[Barbecueboy]

Chicago needs room for more shooting galleries........NASCAR must go.

[GEAR_HEAD]

The dirt track never runs anything anyhow. Sherri canceled the Summer Nationals race last year on a picture perfect day because she never intended on running the race. Why bother scheduling anything if you don't want to run? Sadly UMP still gave her a race this year instead of holding her accountable.

[chathamracefan]

Chicagoland is a product of Nascar's bygone glory days. That place was built in the boom time (late 90's early 2000's). When it opened, you could only get tickets if you bought a season pass. As such I never attended a race there. With the sport's downturn in recent years, it can't be making enough to offset what they could unload it for.

The present environment may well be rapidly accelerating the decline of Nascar from a financial standpoint. They are in decent shape given the current tv deals (assuming they can put on races). When that deal expires, my sense is there will be a massive bloodletting on all fronts (tracks, personnel, etc).

The sport may well be forced to return to being a more regional sport in the near term cause of the pandemic & in the long term because of the financials.

[HoosierDirtFan]

The dirt track never runs anything anyhow. Sherri canceled the Summer Nationals race last year on a picture perfect day because she never intended on running the race. Why bother scheduling anything if you don't want to run? Sadly UMP still gave her a race this year instead of holding her accountable.

That's not why the Summernationals race was cancelled. The track is 42 miles from my house. Weather was crappy on the original date. The rescheduled date didn't work for them.

[foxfire2dirtracing]

Chathamracefan:

Your post above is absolutely correct about the current tv contract nascar has is what’s keeping them afloat. If not mistaken the tracks get either 55 or 65% of the tv revenue. When this current package expires & the next one is negotiated- I believe very big changes will be in store for the NASCAR world. Companies pay advertising agencies “big” money to see where their $$ are best spent. Attendance & tv viewers have declined in recent years and these companies/agencies are well aware of it.
Several years ago I stopped at a local grocery store where the Tide #17- Darrell Waltrip car was on display. The gentleman who was traveling/hauling/showing the car said he worked for the advertising agency that Proctor & Gamble hired you promote the race team. When NASCAR was growing -this companies wanted the races to be from the east coast to the west coast and not primarily a southern region thing. Corporate America took over NASCAR but it may be downsized back to its roots. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing in my opinion.

[WisWildManFan]

They took a lot of seats out of turn 1 and 4 few years back. I went to cup race last season place wasn’t 1/3 full

[CIRF]

Originally Posted by hoosier race fan

When the IRL raced at Chicagoland up until 2010 they usually had good races. They haven’t raced there in a decade, which took away a major series that would use the facility

You're spot on hrc! One of the best races I've ever seen on an asphalt track was an Indy Car race at Chicagoland! Sam Hornish and Al Unser Jr. raced the final 35 laps side by side with Hornish being the eventual winner by just a couple of feet. The Indy Car races were always head and shoulders above any of the 3 divisions of NASCAR and ARCA in regards to quality of competition and exciting racing.


IIRC ISC and Indy Car got into a pissing contest over something to do with promotion and Indy Car left. Indy Car actually drew decent crowds at Chicagoland.

Even as lackluster as the NASCAR racing has been over the years it will be a sad day if and when they raze the place.

As far as the dirt track is concerned our last 2 experiences attending racing events there have been disappointing to say the least. Last June 29th we attended the dirt track and they strung the racing out to the point that we left at around 12:30 AM prior to any A-mains being run. Again, IIRC there were only 3 total divisions in action that night. We very rarely leave an event prior to it's completion. We've heard they pack 'em in for the demo derby's (yeesh!) and monster truck shows so it may survive. We hope so even though we've got a bad taste for the place.

[GEAR_HEAD]

That's not why the Summernationals race was cancelled. The track is 42 miles from my house. Weather was crappy on the original date. The rescheduled date didn't work for them.

The weather was perfect for the rescheduled date. I was there. It couldn't have been nicer that day.

[chopter]

nascar screwed up with the changes they made over the last 20 yrs or so. we should be watching camaros,mustangs,and chargers racing instead of what they have now.

[FANSFund]

NASCARs contraction in recent years has been a very good thing and healthy for NASCAR racing. As many have previously stated, they grew at an alarming rate and built to what was to become the peak of their demand curve which is to say they over built.

That said, for people to throw away Chicago, and for that matter, the state of Illinois is somewhat short-sided. What other state offers more dirt tracks-per-capita than IL? Then you add surrounding states like WI, IA, MN, IN, OH, MN.
What business dominates all of those states? Farming and the Ag business who are by far one of the largest supporters of racing by business category.

Imagine how things would be different if Chicagoland had decided to embrace its IL and surrounding states roots and built a short-track style oval - small 1/2 mile or 3/4 mile. Replicate the Bristol magic in doing a concrete surface. Run the event on a Saturday night versus 3 pm at the end of June in hottest most humid part of the day. The venue still could have supported the 47,000 seats it currently has with the smaller track. Plus, they could hold ARCA and local/regional late model, modified and dwarf car events.

Not much thought when into building Chicagoland... it was built due to peak demand as fast as they could put it together. Now imagine if they could re-work what is currently there it into something unique and special to capitalize on a the demand of the region.

Respectfully,
Rich Olson
Minneapolis, MN

[Shiny Side Up 18]

Sounds like the track WILL NOT be affected.

https://kickinthetires.net/news/update-despite-industrial-complex-plans-chicagoland-speedway-will-remain/

[CIRF]

Imagine how things would be different if Chicagoland had decided to embrace its IL and surrounding states roots and built a short-track style oval - small 1/2 mile or 3/4 mile. Replicate the Bristol magic in doing a concrete surface. Run the event on a Saturday night versus 3 pm at the end of June in hottest most humid part of the day. The venue still could have supported the 47,000 seats it currently has with the smaller track. Plus, they could hold ARCA and local/regional late model, modified and dwarf car events.


Not much thought when into building Chicagoland... it was built due to peak demand as fast as they could put it together. Now imagine if they could re-work what is currently there it into something unique and special to capitalize on a the demand of the region.

Respectfully,
Rich Olson
Minneapolis, MNA lot of truth in that your statement, Rich. It has to become more obvious every day to the folks who were/are in charge at NASCAR or ISC, whichever the case may be, that they really screwed the pooch by hastily building so many tracks that mirror each other in length and configuration.

It's a blessing the NASCAR track's that were proposed and heavily lobbied for near New York City and Seattle, Washington were never built. That would only have compounded the issue.

As you previously said Rich, it's glaringly obvious that fans and potential fans would prefer variations of tracks such as Richmond and even Iowa. And, there is most definitely room on the schedule for another Bristol with some unique nuances, as well. Oh well, too late now.

Sounds like the track WILL NOT be affected.

https://kickinthetires.net/news/update-despite-industrial-complex-plans-chicagoland-speedway-will-remain/That's good to see, Shiny. Even though we've only attended a few Indy Car races, a couple of ARCA and Xfinity races each and even a race involving the short lived and disastrous USAC Gold Crown cars it would be sad for many of us as race fans to see it disappear. Glad it's not!

[HoosierDirtFan]

The weather was perfect for the rescheduled date. I was there. It couldn't have been nicer that day.

I wasn't talking about the weather on the rescheduled date!

[GEAR_HEAD]

I wasn't talking about the weather on the rescheduled date!

What's the difference? She rescheduled it, and canceled on a completely dry, sunny day.

[Shiny Side Up 18]

This should put the issue to rest.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXxPPOPX0AM_f3x?format=jpg&name=small

[Morgs153]

Oh my lord, the old Chicago Speedway. That place was originally a horse track in Cicero converted for auto racing. Barely 4 years of use and $70 million sunk into a place that was basically in the slums. When haulers lined up to go inside they needed guards to keep from getting ripped off before entering the joint. Whoever thought that place up deserved to p!ss away 70 mil.

The thing I never liked about the track in Joliet was that it was yet another Charlotte clone. Another D oval 1.5 mile cookie cutter Texas, Kansas, Atlanta track. They should have built a Rockingham clone.

I don't ever feel sorry for NASCAR screw ups. They bought a beautiful track at Pikes Peak just to close it down.

[CIRF]

Oh my lord, the old Chicago Speedway. That place was originally a horse track in Cicero converted for auto racing. Barely 4 years of use and $70 million sunk into a place that was basically in the slums. When haulers lined up to go inside they needed guards to keep from getting ripped off before entering the joint. Whoever thought that place up deserved to p!ss away 70 mil.

The thing I never liked about the track in Joliet was that it was yet another Charlotte clone. Another D oval 1.5 mile cookie cutter Texas, Kansas, Atlanta track. They should have built a Rockingham clone.

I don't ever feel sorry for NASCAR screw ups. They bought a beautiful track at Pikes Peak just to close it down.

We went to just 1 event at Chicago Speedway. It was an ASA 200 lapper with a 25 lap USAC National Midget race following the stock cars. There was more actual racing action and excitement in the 25 lap midget race than in the whole 200 lap ASA race.

I believe Chip "Nasty" Ganassi was heavily involved with the Cicero track along with the family that owns the Arizona Cardinal's NFL football team. That family is a long time staple of horse racing and horse racing track ownership in the chitcago area. Everyone involved took a thorough financial bath, and yes, it was/still is a high risk neighborhood. But that describes 90% of chitcago.