Rockford Speedway

Last updated
Rockford Speedway
RockfordSpeedwayArc.jpg
Location Illinois Route 173,
Loves Park, Illinois
Time zone UTC -6 (UTC-5 DST)
OwnerDeery family
OperatorDeery family
Opened1948
Closed2023
1/4 mile oval
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.250 miles (0.400 km)
Banking22°

Rockford Speedway was a 1/4 mile short track high banked asphalt oval located in Loves Park, Illinois on Illinois Route 173. Up until its demolition in 2023, Rockford Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway were the only racetracks running under NASCAR sanctions in Illinois. [1]

Contents

It hosted weekly local-level events during the summer racing season as well as occasional regional- and national-level events. Notable special events at the track included trailer races, [2] endurance races, [2] the Spring Classic, ALl-Star 100, Bahama Bracket Nationals, and the National Short Track Championship.

History

The track was built in 1947 by a Stanley Ralston and 6 other investors. Hugh Deery eventually bought into the speedway and was the sole owner by 1966. It was run by his widow, Jody Deery until her death in 2022, at which time David Deery took over management of the track. [3] [4] [5] It opened in 1948 as a midget car racing venue. [6] Despite a death in the pits at the speedway several weeks after opening, on June 16, 1948, [7] the track continued operation. Rockford Speedway is known for being the first track to develop an economical late model program [4] as well as being an early adopter of the short track Saturday night racing program. [5] Another one of Hugh Deery's innovations was to host a season-ending special event (which he titled the National Short Track Championship). [4] He was inducted in the Illinois Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2013. [4] Jody Deery was one of a handful of track operators on the 22-person nominating committee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. [8]

Over the years the track has also hosted concerts. On August 17, 1980, as a part of 'Rockford Speedway Jam 1980', Black Sabbath performed at the speedway as a part of their Heaven & Hell Tour.

The property was sold and will be redeveloped after the 2023 racing season. [9]

Track

The track is an asphalt-paved nominal 1/4 mile. The measured length of the track is 0.29167 miles (0.46940 km). [10] It is highly banked at the turns and relatively flat on the front and back stretches. It is banked at 22 degrees in the 50-foot (15 m)-wide corners and eight degrees in the 40-foot (12 m)-wide straightaways. Inside the 1/4 mile oval track is a figure eight track.

Programs

Weekly programs

2013 track champion Alex Papini Alex Papini 2013 Rockford Speedway champion Big 8 series.jpg
2013 track champion Alex Papini

The tracks offer two weekly programs during much of the season. On Saturdays it hosts a NASCAR-sanctioned Whelen All-American Series late model race, along with All American Sportsmen, American Short Trackers and Road Runners. On Wednesday nights it hosts The Road Runner Super Summer Series, Bandits, Winged Women on wheels, Figure 8's, Legends, Minicups, Bandoleros, and spectacular drags.

Notable racers and participants

Track champions include seven-time champions Bobby Wilberg (1991, 1995 - 2000) and John Knaus, with Joe Shear, Sr, (1967-1972) winning six titles. Both Knaus' son Chad and Shear's son Joe Jr. are NASCAR national series championship winning crew chiefs. Travis Kvapil started racing at Rockford at age 16 and was the 1994 track champion in the American Short Tracker division. [11] Rich Bickle was the track's sportsman rookie of the year in 1980. [12]

Several notable people started their racing careers at Rockford. NASCAR crew chief Chad Knaus was his father's crew chief for his championship race car. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series official John Darby got his start at Rockford in 1971 as an owner of a street stock. In 1976 he became crew chief for a late model that he owned which won the 1977 championship. He stopped owning the racecar in 1982 and became a track official. He moved up the NASCAR ranks as a technical official, and by 1994 he was the director for the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). After three years he was named the NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series director of competition.

Special events

Rockford Speedway hosted two ARCA Racing Series events between 1987 and 1988.

The track holds events in the ARCA Midwest Tour Series, Must-See Xtemem Sprint Car Series, Mid American Stock Car Series events, Big 8 Limited Late Model Touring Series, Midwest Dash 4 cylinder touring series, monster trucks, and enduros. Series that held races at the track include: NASCAR Midwest Series, [10] the Wisconsin Challenge Series, ASA Late Model Series Northern Division, and USAC National Midgets. [13]

In 2016 the speedway hosted the World of Outlaws sprint cars and late models in an event called the Outlaw Clay Classic. [14] The track was covered in clay for the first time in the track's history for two nights and racing was held on the track's temporary surface. [15]

National Short Track Championship

2008 field RockfordSpeedwayNSTC2008Field.jpg
2008 field

The track holds its annual National Short Track Championship (NSTC) the weekend closest to October 1. [6] The three day event usually has 12 divisions racing. [6] Track promoters decided to host the first 200 lap event in late 1966 to pit the best drivers in Chicagoland against the best drivers in the Central Wisconsin Drivers Association. [16] Drivers competing at the event are primarily from Illinois and Wisconsin, although drivers from other states often participate. [17] The event was sanctioned by ARTGO for several years, [6] and it became part of the CRA Super Series tour in 2004. [17] In 2005, it was part of the ASA Late Model Series. [18] It was not part of any tour for several years until the ASA Midwest Tour took over in 2011. From 2013 until 2020 there was no sanctioning body for the Super Late Models running at the event. The Super Late Models were replaced by the Big 8 Late Model Series as the main event of the National Short Track Championships starting in 2021, but they were still a part of the event. 16 drivers were invited to compete in a pair of 45 lap features at the Rick Bickle Super Late Model Invitational in 2021. This was being dedicated to Rich Bickle, who was retiring from racing at the end of the 2021 season. In 2022 the Super Late Models ran 48 lap and 49 lap features as part of the Jody Deery Super Late Model Invitational. This was being dedicated to Jody Deery, the long time owner of the Rockford Speedway who passed away in July at the age of 97. The Jody Deery Super Late Model Invitational was expanded in 2023 to a 147 lap feature event with a break after 97 laps. The Big 8 Late Model Series ran a 188 lap feature in 2021 and 2022 as the main event to crown the overall event champion. For the 58th running of the event in 2023, the main event was a 158 lap feature for the Big 8 Late Model Series.

The 59th running of the race in 2024 saw the race moved to Dells Raceway Park in September, and reverted to 150 laps, with the feature Super Late Model race now known as the Hugh Deery 150 in honor of the family. It remains a three-day race with multiple divisions.

Winners

Joe Shear was the first driver to win eight NSTC Super Late Model features (currently the "Hugh Deery 150") [6] and Steve Carlson tied his record in 2011. Other multiple winners include Jeremy Lepak, Dick Trickle, and Eddie Hoffman. [6]

The first event was won by Wisconsin short track racer Trickle by a lap over Chicagoland stock-car champion Roy Martinelli. [6] Trickle was billed as the winningest short track driver in history [19] with estimates of his win total between 1,000 and 1,200 races. Years later, Trickle commented, "I really do treasure that one in 1966. There were a lot of behind-the-scenes things that went on there. Number one, I had never run outside my own backyard, you might say, which is the central Wisconsin area. I never ran somewhere except in my own little circuit, but I had won there. The first time I ever stepped out of the central Wisconsin area was to the Rockford Nationals in 1966." [6]

Steve Carlson after winning the 2011 race, his eighth Steve Carlson Rockford Speedway 2011 NSTC winner.jpg
Steve Carlson after winning the 2011 race, his eighth
YearWinner
2024Ryan Farrell
2023Jeremy Miller
2022Austin Nason
2021Austin Nason
2020Max Kahler
2019Casey Johnson
2018Alex Prunty
2017Alex Prunty
2016Casey Johnson
2015Jon Reynolds, Jr.
2014Steve Rubeck
2013Eddie Hoffman [20]
2012 Rich Bickle [20]
2011 Steve Carlson
2010 Brett Sontag [21]
2009Josh Nelms
2008Josh Vadnais
2007Jeremy Lepak [16]
2006Jeremy Lepak
2005Eddie Hoffman
2004Eddie Hoffman
2003Ron Breese Jr.
2002Steve Rubeck
2001Eddie Hoffman
2000Steve Carlson
1999Steve Carlson
1998Steve Carlson
1997 Joe Shear
1996Steve Carlson
1995Steve Carlson
1994 Scott Hansen
1993Steve Carlson
1992Steve Carlson
1991 Butch Miller
1990 Rich Bickle
1989 Tim Fedewa
1988John Ziegler
1987 Joe Shear
1986 Mike Alexander
1985 Joe Shear
1984Al Schill, Sr.
1983 Joe Shear
1982 Joe Shear
1981Junior Hanley
1980 Jim Sauter
1979 Dick Trickle
1978 Dick Trickle
1977 Mark Martin
1976 Dave Watson
1975 Joe Shear
1974 Joe Shear
1973Mike Miller
1972 Joe Shear
1971Bill Retallick
1970Wayne Stallsworth
1969 Ramo Stott
1968William "Whitey" Gerken
1967Marlin "Shoes" Walbeck
1966 Dick Trickle

Images

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Trickle</span> American racing driver

Richard Leroy Trickle was an American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Bickle</span> American racing driver

Richard Allen Bickle Jr. is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Now retired from NASCAR racing, Bickle, who never completed a full season in the NASCAR Cup Series, had a long history in short track racing. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel described him in 2012 as a "stud on the short tracks in the late 1980s and early '90s and a journeyman who rarely caught a break in NASCAR." He won three NASCAR truck races and had a career-best fourth-place finish in the Cup Series in 218 career NASCAR starts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Speed Association</span> Motorsports organization of the United States

The American Speed Association (ASA) is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana, and later in Daytona Beach, Florida. The ASA sanctioned asphalt and dirt tracks in their ASA Member Track program along with racing series in the United States and Canada. The ASA currently sanctions the STARS National Tour, the Midwest Tour, the Southern Super Series and all CRA sanctioned series.

Jim Sauter was an American stock car racing driver from Necedah, Wisconsin. He formerly raced in all three of NASCAR's national series, and is best known for having been a test driver for the International Race of Champions, as well as winning two championships in the Midwest-based ARTGO Challenge Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a 6/10 mile motorsport racetrack located at the Nashville Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is the second-oldest continually operating track in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slinger Speedway</span> Racetrack

The Slinger Speedway is a quarter-mile paved oval automobile race track with 33-degree banked corners located in Slinger, Wisconsin. The track is billed as the "World's Fastest Quarter Mile Oval." The current track record was set by Jeff Bloom in a 410 extreme winged sprint car on August 21, 2010 at a time of 9.908 seconds. This is the first lap record under 10 seconds on a quarter mile oval track of any type, breaking Anderson Speedway's 10.28 second lap record. Bloom's lap eclipsed the track record set by USAC midget car driver Tracy Hines on May 17, 2008 at an elapsed time of 10.845 seconds. The lap was the fastest ever midget car lap on an asphalt quarter mile track. He eclipsed the long-standing mark of 11.095 seconds set by Tony Strupp's late model on June 12, 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin International Raceway</span> Racetrack

The Wisconsin International Raceway is an asphalt stock car racing oval and dragstrip in the Town of Buchanan, in Outagamie County, just outside Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison International Speedway</span> Stock car racing track

The Madison International Speedway (MIS) is a half-mile paved oval racetrack in the Town of Rutland near Oregon, Wisconsin, United States. With 18-degree banked turns, the track is billed as "The Track of Champions" and "Wisconsin's Fastest Half Mile." The weekly program at the track runs on Friday nights under NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series sanction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Geneva Raceway</span>

Lake Geneva Raceway was a motocross, demolition derby, off-road racing, stock car, and kart racing racetrack in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, US. It was billed as "Wisconsin's Busiest Racetrack." The track closed on December 31, 2006, and a nursing home named "Lake Geneva Golden Years" was built on the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Haseleu</span> American stock car racing driver

Nathan Haseleu is a racecar driver from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. His career peaked in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with four Top 10 finishes for Roush Racing. Haseleu has also competed in the ASA Midwest Tour, the CRA Super Series, and the Wisconsin Challenge Series. He lives in Marshall, Dane County, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-70 Motorsports Park</span> Racetrack

I-70 Motorsports Park, also known as I-70 Speedway, is a multi-purpose motorsports facility near Interstate 70 east of Odessa, Missouri, USA. The track, first opened in 1969, and has since been completely rebuilt and renovated in 2021 under new ownership.

The Snowball Derby presented by Bayou Fox Hooters is a 300-lap super late model stock car race held annually at the Five Flags Speedway, a half-mile paved oval track in Pensacola, Florida, United States. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is typically run on the first Sunday in December, although in some years it has been run on the second Sunday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid-Am Racing Series</span> Stock car racing series

The Mid-Am Racing Series, formerly Mid American Stock Car Series, is an elite sportsman traveling stock car racing series in the Midwestern United States. The cars are based on a 108" metric stock frame, less costly suspension parts and a maximum of 358 cubic inch engine. The car's roll cage and chassis were made of a design very similar to the same chassis a previous design of NASCAR cup chassis, but have also included more modern safety features such as plated door bars and the "Earnhardt bar" which runs from the roof to the dash. The series runs primarily on paved racetracks but also appears on dirt and road courses. The series is the highest form of racing available to sportsman-style, GM metric chassis stock cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dells Raceway Park</span> Racetrack

Dells Raceway Park (DRP), formerly known as the Dells Motor Speedway, is a car racing raceway located in the town of Lyndon, in Juneau County, north of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin just off of U.S. Route 12/Wisconsin Highway 16. It is a 1/3 mile asphalt track that is used for stock car racing. The track has hosted races featuring the ARTGO Challenge Series, the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series, the ARCA Midwest Tour, the Mid-American Stock Car Series, the Wisconsin Challenge Series, the Must See Racing.com Xtreme Sprint Car Series, Alive for Five Series, TUNDRA Super Late Models, and the Central Wisconsin Racing Association. The track, which opened in 1958, sits on 38 acres (150,000 m2) of

The ASA Midwest Tour is a pavement Super Late Model auto racing series based in the Midwestern United States with its headquarters in Oregon, Wisconsin. It was a developmental series of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), and currently of the American Speed Association, along with the CRA Super Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Shear</span> American racing driver

Joe Shear, Sr. was an American stock car racing driver from Clinton, Wisconsin. He won an estimated 350 races in his career, including four of his last five races. Fred Nielsen, Shear's car owner from 1975 to 1984 and 1986 to 1994, said that his team won 250 races and he estimates that Shear won 600 races. He won at least 30 track or touring series championships in his career. Even though he was known as a pavement driver, two of those championships were on the dirt at Freeport, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway</span> Racetrack

The La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway is a semi-banked asphalt oval racetrack in West Salem, Wisconsin. The outer track is 5/8 mile and the inner track is a 1/4 mile. The speedway has progressive banking in the corners, from 5 degrees on the bottom to 11 degrees on the top. The track was built at the fairgrounds for La Crosse County. It used to host an event on the American Speed Association (ASA) and the ASA Late Model Series before the demise of the series. It currently hosts annual touring events on the ARCA Midwest Tour and Mid American Stock Car Series. It hosts weekly stock car races which are sanctioned by the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. It was the first NASCAR-sanctioned race track in Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ty Majeski</span> American racing driver (born 1994)

Tyler Brad Majeski is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 98 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing, as well as in late model racing. He has also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, ARCA Menards Series, and ARCA Menards Series West in the past. He is the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Decker</span> American racing driver (born 1995)

Claire Decker is an American professional stock car racing driver. Decker was a 2014 participant in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Watson (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Dave Watson is an American racing driver from Milton, Wisconsin. Watson was the 1977 USAC Stock Car Rookie of the Year. He raced five NASCAR Winston Cup races with one Top 10. Watson won in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Grand American and IMSA.

References

  1. ↑ "NASCAR home tracks". NASCAR . Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  2. 1 2 Shepard, Robin (2003). The Best Breweries and Brewpubs of Illinois. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 30. ISBN   0-299-18894-9.
  3. ↑ Garrigan, Mike. "Rockford racing matriarch, Jody Deery dies at age 97". www.wifr.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Schaefer, Paul (April 10, 2013). "Racing Pioneer Hugh Deery Honored". localracing.nascar.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Jody Deery". 2008-04-16. Archived from the original on 2008-11-23. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Tradition Is The Keyword For Rockford's Annual Biggie". National Speed Sport News. 2007. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  7. ↑ "Bob Brown". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  8. ↑ Joy, Mike (8 March 2017). "NASCAR Announces Nominees For NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018, Landmark Award". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  9. ↑ Star, Rockford Register. "Rockford Speedway closing after 2023 season, 50-acre site to be redeveloped". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  10. 1 2 "MWS: Rockford Speedway October 19th preview". Motorsport.com. 2002-10-15. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  11. ↑ Ramsell, Kevin (2007-03-06). "Rockford Speedway is a "NASCAR home track"". wirace.come. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  12. ↑ Grubba, Dale (2000). The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing. Oregon, Wisconsin: Badger Books. pp. 158–162. ISBN   1-878569-67-8.
  13. ↑ "Rockford Speedway". USAC Mopar Midget National Championship. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  14. ↑ "2016 schedule". World of Outlaws . Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  15. ↑ Wackerlin, Jeff. "Rockford Set for Dirt Takeover". Motor Racing Network . Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Ramsell, Kevin (2008-09-23). "Getting Ready for "One Great Racing Weekend"" . Retrieved 2008-10-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. 1 2 Bolles, Bob. "National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway - A Day At The Races". Circle Track Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  18. ↑ "The Outdoor Channel to Televise 10 ASA Late Model Challenge Series Events in 2006". 2005-10-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  19. ↑ Grubba, Dale (2000). The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing. Oregon, Wisconsin: Badger Books. p. 214. ISBN   1-878569-67-8.
  20. 1 2 Huenefeld, Eric. "Hoffman Hustles to Fourth NSTC Crown". Rockford Speedway. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  21. ↑ Kuehne, Jordan. "Sontag Surges Into History, Slips On NSTC's Crown at Rockford". Rockford Speedway. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.

42°21′47″N89°01′01″W / 42.363°N 89.017°W / 42.363; -89.017

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.