Race Tracks in Illinois
Illinois punches above its weight in American motorsport: it is home to World Wide Technology Raceway, the only track in the country that has hosted both a NASCAR Cup Series race and an IndyCar oval race in the same season, and to Chicagoland Speedway, which returned to the NASCAR national schedule in 2026 after a seven-year absence. Around those anchors sits a dense grassroots scene — Route 66 Raceway and Byron Dragway for NHRA-style drag racing, Blackhawk Farms Raceway and Autobahn Country Club for SCCA and NASA road racing, and a long run of small-town paved and dirt ovals (Grundy County, LaSalle, Macon, Fairbury, Farmer City, Tri-City, Belle-Clair) that race weekly through the season. The Illinois and DuQuoin state fairgrounds still stage the historic "Mile" dirt-track dates for USAC Silver Crown cars every summer. Downtown Chicago hosted a NASCAR Cup street race from 2023-2025; it is on pause for 2026 with an eye on returning in 2027.
26 venues listed across 8 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk Farms Raceway | South Beloit | 1.95 mi | 7-turn private road course on the Wisconsin border used by the Midwestern Council, SCCA, VSCDA and SVRA for club racing and vintage events. |
| Autobahn Country Club | Joliet | 3.56 mi | Members' motorsport country club with two combinable circuits (1.45-mile North, 2.09-mile South) hosting SCCA Track Night in America and private track days. |
Ovals and speedways in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Wide Technology Raceway | Madison | 1.25 mi | Formerly Gateway Motorsports Park; 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval near St. Louis hosting a NASCAR Cup/second-tier doubleheader and NHRA and IndyCar dates. |
| Chicagoland Speedway | Joliet | 1.5 mi | 1.5-mile D-shaped oval that lost its NASCAR date after 2019 and sat mostly dormant before NASCAR's Cup and second-tier series returned to the track in 2026. |
| Grundy County Speedway | Morris | 0.333 mi | 1/3-mile paved oval racing weekly since 1946 across ten divisions; picked up a NASCAR home-track sanction in 2025. |
| Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack (Springfield Mile)Seasonal | Springfield | 1 mi | One of the oldest tracks in the US; the dirt mile still hosts the annual USAC Silver Crown "Bettenhausen 100" plus DIRTcar sportsman racing each August. |
| DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack (DuQuoin Mile)Seasonal | DuQuoin | 1 mi | Historic one-mile clay oval that has run the USAC Silver Crown "Ted Horn 100" in Ted Horn's memory every September since the 1950s. |
Dirt tracks in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbury American Legion Speedway | Fairbury | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile clay oval and multiple-time DIRTcar Track of the Year, famous for the World of Outlaws/DIRTcar "Prairie Dirt Classic" each July. |
| Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City | 0.25 mi | High-banked quarter-mile dirt oval on the fairgrounds racing since 1938; hosts the World of Outlaws "Illini 100." |
| Tri-City Speedway | Granite City | 0.375 mi | 3/8-mile dirt oval in the Metro East, running Late Models, Modifieds and Street Stocks weekly plus Lucas Oil and MLRA touring shows. |
| Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Speedway | Belleville | 0.25 mi | Rebuilt quarter-mile dirt oval on the St. Clair County Fairgrounds that reopened in August 2026 with UMP Late Model, Modified and POWRi programs. |
| LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile dirt oval running Sprints, Late Models, Modifieds and Stock Cars weekly, plus FloRacing "Night in America" specials. |
| Macon Speedway | Macon | 0.2 mi | Self-described "world's fastest 1/5-mile dirt oval," racing since 1946 with a full Saturday-night UMP weekly program near Decatur. |
| Illinois State Fairgrounds RacetrackSeasonal | Springfield | 1 mi | One-mile dirt oval on the state fairgrounds, home of the USAC Silver Crown Bettenhausen 100 and the ARCA Springfield 100 each August during the Illinois State Fair. |
| DuQuoin State Fairgrounds RacetrackSeasonal | Du Quoin | 1 mi | Historic one-mile dirt oval, the Magic Mile, that hosts the USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 and ARCA Menards Series racing during the Du Quoin State Fair in late August and early September. |
Drag strips in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route 66 Raceway | Joliet | 0.25 mi | NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile strip next to Chicagoland Speedway, owned by NASCAR; hosts the Route 66 NHRA Nationals and a weekly dirt oval program. |
| Byron Dragway | Byron | 0.25 mi | NHRA member track since 2011 and one of the widest two-lane strips in the country; home of the World Power Wheelstanding Championships. |
| Cordova Dragway Park | Cordova | 0.25 mi | IHRA-affiliated quarter-mile strip along the Mississippi River, built in 1956 and one of the oldest drag strips still operating in the US. |
Motocross and off-road in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Trail Motosports | Casey | — | 235-acre, four-track motocross complex including the "Bomber" pro track; hosts the Midwest's Thor Showdown Series, which regularly draws 800+ entries. |
Karting in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept Haulers Motor Speedway | Sheridan | — | Outdoor kart circuit southwest of Chicago that hosts regional club series such as Cup Karts North America and Vintage Karting Association race weekends; its walk-in rental karting business has closed. |
Street circuits and temporary in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Street CourseDormant | Chicago | 2.2 mi | Downtown Grant Park street circuit that hosted NASCAR Cup and Xfinity races from 2023-2025; NASCAR paused the event for 2026 with a planned return in 2027. |
Closed and historic in Illinois
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford SpeedwayClosed | Loves Park | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile paved oval that ran for 75 years before closing after the 2023 season as suburban development overtook the site. |
| Meadowdale International RacewayClosed | Carpentersville | 3.27 mi | SCCA road course built in 1958, notorious for its "Monza Wall" corner; closed in 1969 and is now hiking/biking trails in a forest preserve. |
| Chicago Motor SpeedwayClosed | Cicero | 1.029 mi | Chip Ganassi-backed 1-mile oval around the old Sportsman's Park horse track; opened 1999, lost its NASCAR/IRL dates to Chicagoland Speedway and closed in 2002, demolished 2009. |
| Raceway Park (Illinois)Closed | Blue Island / Calumet Park | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile stock car track billed as the "World's Busiest Track" in the 1950s; ran 1938-2000 before demolition for a shopping center. |
| Speedway ParkClosed | Maywood | 2 mi | Short-lived 2-mile wooden board track billed as America's fastest and safest course when it opened in 1915; closed by 1918. |
Race tracks near the big cities in Illinois
Near Chicago
- Chicago Street Course
- Chicagoland Speedway · about 40 min
- Route 66 Raceway · about 40 min
- Autobahn Country Club · about 45 min
- Grundy County Speedway · about 60 min
- Concept Haulers Motor Speedway · about 70 min
Near Rockford
- Byron Dragway · about 25 min
- Blackhawk Farms Raceway · about 25 min
- LaSalle Speedway · about 70 min
Near Metro East / St. Louis area
- World Wide Technology Raceway · about 15 min
- Tri-City Speedway · about 10 min
- Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Speedway · about 5 min
Near Springfield
- Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack · about 5 min
- Macon Speedway · about 45 min
- Farmer City Raceway · about 70 min
Major race weekends in Illinois
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enjoy Illinois 300 (NASCAR Cup Series) | World Wide Technology Raceway | September | NASCAR Cup |
| Nu Way 225 (NASCAR second-tier series) | World Wide Technology Raceway | September | NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series |
| NASCAR Cup and second-tier weekend | Chicagoland Speedway | July | NASCAR |
| Route 66 NHRA Nationals | Route 66 Raceway | May | NHRA |
| Bettenhausen 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack | August | USAC Silver Crown |
| Ted Horn 100 | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack | September | USAC Silver Crown |
| Prairie Dirt Classic | Fairbury American Legion Speedway | July | World of Outlaws / DIRTcar |
Track days and driving experiences in Illinois
Blackhawk Farms Raceway and Autobahn Country Club are the region's main open-track venues, hosting SCCA Chicago Region, NASA Great Lakes, the Midwestern Council and Track Night in America sessions through the season. Byron Dragway and Route 66 Raceway run regular test-and-tune and grudge nights for drag racers of any skill level. Expect roughly $175-$300 for a single HPDE/track-night session at Blackhawk Farms, and higher membership-tier pricing at the private Autobahn Country Club.
Frequently asked questions
Does this list include horse racing tracks?+
No. This guide covers motorsport (car, motorcycle and off-road) venues only; Illinois's horse racing tracks such as Fairmount Park and Hawthorne Race Course are not included.
Where can I watch NASCAR in Illinois?+
World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison hosts a NASCAR Cup/second-tier doubleheader each September, and Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet returned to the NASCAR national schedule in 2026 after a seven-year absence.
Is the NASCAR Chicago Street Race happening in 2026?+
No. NASCAR paused the downtown Chicago street race for 2026 after three years (2023-2025) while it works with the city on a new date, with an eye on returning in 2027.
What's the best track for a first track day in Illinois?+
Blackhawk Farms Raceway near South Beloit is the most beginner-friendly, with frequent SCCA and Track Night in America sessions; Autobahn Country Club near Joliet is the other main option, run as a members' club.
Where can I see NHRA-style drag racing in Illinois?+
Route 66 Raceway and Byron Dragway are the state's two NHRA-affiliated strips, with Cordova Dragway Park running IHRA-sanctioned events along the Mississippi River.
Are there still dirt short tracks racing weekly in Illinois?+
Yes — Fairbury American Legion Speedway, Farmer City Raceway, Tri-City Speedway, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Speedway, LaSalle Speedway and Macon Speedway all run weekly dirt oval seasons, mostly UMP/DIRTcar-sanctioned.
Venue list checked against 31 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.
Illinois track guides on RaceTrackWorld
Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Address: 15538 Prairie Road, South Beloit, Illinois 61080 USA Website: http://blackhawkfarms.com Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (+1) 815-389...
Chicagoland Speedway
Address: 500 Speedway Blvd., Joliet, IL 60433 USA Website: http://www.chicagolandspeedway.com Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (+1) 815 722 55...
World Wide Technology Raceway
Address: 700 Raceway Blvd., Madison IL 62060 USA Website: https://www.wwtraceway.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (+1) 618-215-8888 Hote...