History
John Jones owned and operated Motion Raceway from its very beginnings. Operating from 1970 until its demise in 1983, The track was originally a quarter-mile strip but moved to a 1,000-ft configuration when its 3,000-ft total length became insufficient. Motion Raceway hosted both NHRA and IHRA National Events, and drew nationally known names such as Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world.
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is the second largest drag racing sanctioning body after the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
Donald Glenn "Don" Garlits is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. He is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Always a pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rear-engine Top Fuel dragster, an innovation motivated by the loss of part of his foot in a dragster accident. This design was notably safer since it put most of the fuel processing and rotating parts of the dragster behind the driver. The driver was placed in front of nearly all the mechanical components, thus protecting the driver and allowing him to activate a variety of safety equipment in the event of catastrophic mechanical failure or a fire. Garlits was an early promoter of the full-body, fire-resistant Nomex driving suit, complete with socks, gloves, and balaclava.
After the 1983 season, the track was closed, the stands were removed, as was the fuel island. The Hemi-powered in-ground starter for the cars was removed, and filled in. Later, Motion's tower was moved a short distance north to Macon Speedway, in Macon, Illinois.
Macon Speedway, located in Macon, Illinois is one of Illinois's premier dirt ovals. It is also one of the longest continuously-operating racetracks in the state.
Macon is a city in Macon County, Illinois, United States whose population was 1,213 at the 2000 census, and 1,128 at a 2009 estimate. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies 11 miles South of Decatur.
Several rumors circulated over the years as to the reason for the track's demise. Arguably the most popular was that the owner was robbed of the purse money at gunpoint. There were also rumors almost every year since the track's closing, that it would be re-opening the following year, or later in the year.
Today
For several years (up until 2008), the track itself had been used for grain storage by Moweaqua Farmer's Co-Op. They would lay the grain on the track, and cover it with tarps until it could be moved into the elevator. The town of Moweaqua, in Shelby County, Illinois is approximately 5 miles north of Motion Raceway.
Moweaqua is a city in Shelby and Christian counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,831 at the 2010 census.
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 22,363. Its county seat is Shelbyville.
Plans had been in place for Motion Raceway to be re-opened. May 3, 2008, was to see racing return to Motion Raceway. Greg Clayton of New Covenant Performance, who was to be in charge of the racing, posted on his website a statement that plans had fallen through. He had secured insurance, but both policy submissions were rejected by the owners of the property. It was also stated that people had entered the property at night, and had caused damage to the property.
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,800. Its county seat is Taylorville.
Greenwood Raceway was a horse racing facility in Toronto.
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that will be effective at both ends.
Sebring International Raceway is a road course auto racing facility in the southeastern United States, located near Sebring, Florida.
Riverside International Raceway was a motorsports race track and road course in the Moreno Valley area, a suburb just east of Riverside, California. Riverside was a hot, dusty place. It was at times, also a dangerous place, yet it is remembered with affection by drivers and fans alike, as the home of road racing in southern California. It was also considered one of USA's finest tracks. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989, with the last race, The Budweiser 400, won by Rusty Wallace, held in 1988. After that final race, a shortened version of the circuit was kept open for car clubs and special events until 1989.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) is an American corporation that owns and manages racing facilities that host NASCAR, IndyCar Series, NHRA, World of Outlaws and other motor racing series. The company's headquarters are located at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. SMI owns nine racing facilities with a combined seating capacity of approximately 885,000. In addition to operating racetracks, SMI owns Performance Racing Network (PRN), U.S. Legends Cars International, and co-owns Motorsports Authentics.
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing facility near Nazareth in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004 in two distinct course configurations. In its early years, it was a dirt twin oval layout. In 1987 it was reopened as a paved tri-oval that measured just slightly under 1 mile.
Kenneth Schrader is an American professional racing driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while driving part-time in the ARCA Racing Series, as well as at Eldora Speedway in the Camping World Truck Series. He raced in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 1981 to 2013. He is a first cousin once removed of fellow NASCAR driver Carl Edwards.
Richmond Raceway (RR) is a 0.75 miles (1.21 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races. Because of Richmond Raceway's unique "D" track shape, Richmond is no longer considered to be a true "Short Track" like the mecca of short tracks, Martinsville Speedway. Many NASCAR Drivers do not associate Richmond Raceway as a "Short Track" as they are more in line with mile tracks because of the multiple racing grooves and banking.
Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.
James Preston Cook was a stock car racer who competed in the NASCAR Grand National Series and NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model (PCLM) Series. Born in Illinois, Cook lived in Boston before relocating west across the United States to Norwalk, California.
Roosevelt Raceway was a racetrack located in the town of Westbury in Long Island, New York. Initially created as a venue for motor racing, it was converted to a ½-mile harness racing facility. The harness racing facility operated from September 2, 1940 until July 15, 1988. It was the original home of the Messenger Stakes, part of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers. The raceway hosted the event until it closed. It was also the first track to use the now universal "mobile starting gate". The operation was sold in 1984 on the condition it was to remain an operating racetrack, but the facilities deteriorated, attendance dropped off and the plant was no longer profitable. Roosevelt Raceway's closure was controversial.
There has been auto racing in Illinois for almost as long as there have been automobiles. Almost every type of motorsport found in the United States can be found in Illinois. Both modern and historic tracks exist in Illinois, including NASCAR's Chicagoland Speedway and Gateway International Speedway. Notable drivers from Illinois include Danica Patrick, Tony Bettenhausen, and Fred Lorenzen.
Birmingham International Raceway, (BIR) was a 5/8-mile oval paved racetrack located at the Alabama State Fairgrounds in the Five Points West neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama. It was used primarily for late-model automobile racing.
The Stardust International Raceway was an auto racing track in present-day Spring Valley, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Valley. It featured a flat, 3-mile (4.8 km), 13-turn road course, and a quarter-mile drag strip. Some track maps depicted the road course with 10 numbered turns. Stardust International Raceway was developed in 1965 by the Stardust Racing Association, a Nevada corporation headed by the primary owner of the Desert Inn and Stardust hotel-casinos. The track was developed ostensibly to attract high rollers to the Stardust hotel. The Stardust Racing Association also owned the property and functioned as event promoter. In 1966 it began hosting the season finale of the Can-Am championship. In 1968 the USAC Championship Car series held a race at Stardust. The drag strip hosted the NHRA Stardust National Open in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1971. The Stardust Racing Association was dissolved on April 1, 1968, 1 day after the USAC Stardust 150. The hotel and raceway were sold in January 1969 to the Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation, and the new ownership closed the track shortly thereafter. Larry Horton, the track's manager, re-opened the drag strip in August 1970 and ran drag racing events until October 1971. Real estate developers Pardee Homes acquired the Stardust International Raceway property and related adjacent properties in August 1970 and built the Spring Valley community. Pardee commenced residential development on a portion of the property as drag racing events were still in operation directly adjacent. A subsequent racing facility, the Las Vegas Speedrome, opened in 1972 across from Nellis Air Force Base. The Speedrome property was later redeveloped into the current Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Decatur Junction Railway is a Class III railroad which operates in the state of Illinois. It is one of several short-line railroads owned by Pioneer Railcorp
The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Nine NASCAR Grand National races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory.
