Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Blackhawk Farms Raceway at a glance
- Location
- South Beloit, Illinois
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 1.95 mi (3.14 km)
- Turns
- 7
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1967
- Owner
- Paul Musschoot
- Address
- 15538 Prairie Rd
- Phone
- +1 815-389-2000
- Website
- blackhawkfarms.com
Track map and layout
Blackhawk Farms is a compact 1.95-mile, 7-turn circuit laid out on a 219-acre former farm straddling the Illinois-Wisconsin line, a few miles south of Beloit. The lap opens onto a long north-south front straight that lets cars build real speed before a tightening braking zone into Turn 1, then works through a mix of medium-speed sweepers and a tighter infield section before rejoining the straight. There is little elevation change compared with hillier Midwest courses, which keeps the circuit approachable for first-time track-day drivers while still rewarding smooth, momentum-focused driving. The track's modest size and single main straight make it a favorite for close, low-speed racing among vintage and club classes, and its proximity to Rockford and the Chicago/Milwaukee metro areas keeps it busy with weekday and weekend club events much of the season.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full circuit | 1.95 mi | Single standard configuration used for all car and motorcycle events |
Events and race weekends
Blackhawk Farms does not host a national professional series; its calendar is built around regional club racing, driver training, and vintage events. SCCA's Chicago Region and the Midwestern Council road-race club both run multi-day race weekends there, SVRA and AHRMA bring vintage car and motorcycle grids, and SCCA's Track Night in America program runs low-cost evening lapping sessions through the season. Motorcycle track-day operators also use the circuit regularly.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midwestern Council club race weekends | Midwestern Council | April-October | Recurring vintage and production-car race weekends |
| SVRA vintage weekend | SVRA | — | Vintage road racing |
| Track Night in America | SCCA | Spring-Fall | Evening open-lapping sessions, run periodically |
Getting there and parking
Blackhawk Farms sits just south of the Wisconsin border outside South Beloit, Illinois, roughly 90 miles from both Chicago and Milwaukee, making it reachable as a day trip from either metro area. Chicago Rockford International Airport is the nearest sizable commercial airport.
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) · about 25 min drive
Hotels and camping near Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Most weekend visitors stay in nearby Beloit or Rockford, but the track itself is a registered campsite and camping is common among club racers and track-day drivers during event weekends.
Where to look
Beloit, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois, both within about 20-30 minutes of the track.
Camping
On-site camping is permitted at no additional fee during event weekends; the grounds are registered as a campsite, and hot showers and restrooms are available.
RV
RV camping with electrical hookups is available on-site; specific hookup counts are not published.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Blackhawk Farms is one of the busiest club circuits in the Chicago/Milwaukee corridor. SCCA's Chicago and Milwaukee Regions and the Midwestern Council run regular HPDE, time-trial and club-race weekends, and motorcycle track-day organizations including Motovid run days there as well. Its small footprint and low cost relative to bigger regional tracks make it a common entry point for new track-day drivers.
Who runs days here
- SCCA (Chicago Region)car
- Midwestern Councilcar
- Motovid Track Daysmotorcycle
Typical cost: SCCA member full track-day entry roughly $275, non-members roughly $305
Spectator guide
Blackhawk Farms is primarily a club and driver-training facility rather than a spectator venue, so there are no permanent grandstands; fans typically watch from open viewing areas along the fence line, including a rooftop hospitality/viewing area added in 2008.
Best places to watch
The rooftop hospitality area near the tech building overlooks several corners of the infield section.
Weather
- Jun-Aug: warm and humid, typical Midwest summer highs in the 80s°F
- Oct: cool, variable fall conditions common toward the end of the season
History of Blackhawk Farms Raceway
A farm becomes a racetrack
Blackhawk Farms Raceway opened in 1967 on a 219-acre property straddling the Illinois-Wisconsin border near South Beloit, roughly a decade after Road America established the region as a hub for road racing. Designer Jerry Dunbar laid out a compact, 1.95-mile, 7-turn circuit for original owners Tito and Marcia Nappi, favoring a single long straight and a tight infield section over the sweeping, high-speed character of nearby Road America — a deliberate choice that made it cheaper to run and friendlier for club racers and driver training.
Steady club ownership
The Nappis operated the track until 1986, when Mike and Raymond Irwin purchased it and ran it for more than two decades. Ownership passed again in August 2007 to Paul Musschoot, a longtime SCCA racer and technical inspector, who invested in the facility the following year with a new tech building, a rooftop hospitality and viewing area, and drainage improvements. Throughout these ownership changes the track kept its identity as a grassroots venue rather than chasing professional series or major reconfiguration.
A club-racing fixture
Blackhawk Farms has never hosted a marquee national race, but it has quietly drawn notable names to its paddock over the decades, including several members of the Andretti family, Paul Newman, Sir Stirling Moss, and F1 champion Alan Jones, most through vintage and club events rather than headline races. Today the circuit is a mainstay of the Chicago-area club scene: SCCA's Chicago Region, the Midwestern Council, SVRA and AHRMA all run regular weekends there, and low-cost SCCA Track Night in America sessions bring newer drivers onto the track on weeknights through the season. Its modest size, flat layout and registered on-site campground keep it one of the more accessible road courses for first-time track-day drivers in the upper Midwest.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Blackhawk Farms Raceway?+
The circuit is 1.95 miles (3.14 km) long with 7 turns, run clockwise.
Where is Blackhawk Farms Raceway located?+
At 15538 Prairie Rd, South Beloit, Illinois, right on the Illinois-Wisconsin border, about 90 miles from both Chicago and Milwaukee.
Can you camp at Blackhawk Farms?+
Yes, the grounds are a registered campsite and on-site camping, including RV camping with electrical hookups, is available during event weekends.
Who runs track days at Blackhawk Farms?+
SCCA's Chicago Region and the Midwestern Council run the bulk of the car club racing and HPDE events, alongside motorcycle track-day operators such as Motovid.
When did Blackhawk Farms Raceway open?+
It opened in 1967, built by Tito and Marcia Nappi to a design by Jerry Dunbar.
Does Blackhawk Farms host any professional racing?+
No, it has never hosted a major national series; its calendar is built around SCCA, Midwestern Council, SVRA and AHRMA club and vintage events.
Other tracks nearby
- The Milwaukee Mile · 67 mi · road course & oval
- Chicagoland Speedway · 89 mi · oval
- Road America · 106 mi · road course
- RedBud MX · 150 mi · motocross
- GingerMan Raceway · 152 mi · road course
- Ironman Raceway · 208 mi · motocross
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.