Chicagoland's Route 66 Raceway Brings Professional Motorsports to the Midwest
20 August 1997
Chicagoland's Route 66 Raceway Brings Professional Motorsports to the Midwest
JOLIET, Ill., Aug. 20 -- After much speculation about who
would be the first to build a professional motorsports facility in the Chicago
market, Route 66 Raceway is officially under construction.
Route 66, that great Mother Road that ran from Chicago to California and
spawned so many a motorist's love affair with the automobile, is about to host
the Midwest's most modern and multipurpose motorsports facility. The vision
of a group of Joliet investors and the support of the City of Joliet have made
this dream a reality. The approval process has been completed and ground has
been broken with over 80% of the site work completed on the 250 acre facility
located 2 miles south of Interstate 80 on Route 53 (Historic Route 66) in
Joliet, Illinois.
"This type of professional sports and destination attraction will bring
great benefits to the people of Joliet," commented Joliet Mayor Arthur
Schultz. "With the concerts and special events activities planned for this
facility, complimented by the river boats and hotel expansions, Joliet is fast
becoming an entertainment and business hub for the Midwest."
The racing facility will open in May of 1998 hosting an NHRA National
Event on May 28 through May 31. "It is very significant that we are able to
bring NHRA Professional Drag Racing to the Chicago market," reported NHRA
President Dallas Gardner. "This is the third largest market in the country
and ranks No. 1 or 2 for the sponsors in motorsports, and we're delighted to
accommodate them."
Located 23 miles from Chicago on the original Route 66, Route 66 Raceway
will be owned by a group of area investors headed by Indy car team owner Dale
Coyne. "This is an exciting project in the world of motorsports," reports
President and CEO Dale Coyne. "There has not been a new drag racing facility
built in over 1O years. This new facility will be the first true Stadium of
Drag Racing."
The 20 million dollar "Stadium of Drag Racing" will consist of a 4 story,
38 suite complex complete with video and multimedia capabilities. Completely
surrounding the start line will be a 40 row, fully backed grandstand for up to
30,000 spectators with expansion planned to 40,000 seats within three years.
Extensive use of video and audio will give fans up close exposure to drag
racing and entertainment. "The starting line will be center stage, giving
participants a feeling never before experienced at other facilities," comments
Coyne.
The drag strip will open with an NHRA National Event and host several
other large events throughout the year including professional racing, car
shows, special events and a host of concerts. Weekly racing for both amateur
and professional enthusiasts will also be held at the raceway giving Chicago
area racers a new modern home of which they can be proud.
Located 23 miles from the City of Chicago, the project will also include a
l/2 mile clay oval for Professional racing and exhibitions including the World
of Outlaws, Sprint Cars, SODA Off-Road Trucks, AMA Motorcycles, Monster Trucks
and Tractor Pulls. A uniquely designed 3/8 mile paved oval will be located
inside the clay oval giving multipurpose use for weekly racers of stock cars,
truck and midget divisions an opportunity to compete at a safe and modern
racing facility.
A two-mile road course, go-cart track and skid pad areas will provide many
uses for the facility including racing, testing, driving schools and corporate
outings.
"This is an exciting project for the racing fans of Chicago and the
Midwest," reports Coyne. "We are proud to be building a modern racing
entertainment facility that will meet the needs of a vast cross section of
racers and fans."
SOURCE Route 66 Raceway