Illiana Motor Speedway

Motorsport venue
Name = Illiana Motor Speedway
Nicknames = | Time = CST −6
Location = 7211 U.S. 30
Schererville, Indiana 46307
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Capacity = 7,000
Operator = Mike Mikuly
Broke Ground = 1947
Opened = 1947
Construction_cost=
Architect = Harry Molenaar
Former Names = Illiana Speedway
Events = ASA, CRA, HOSS
Layout1 = Oval
Surface = Asphalt
Miles_first = True
Length_km = .805
Length_mi = .500
Turns = 4
Banking = Straights: 8°
Turns 14°
Record_time = 15.994
Record_driver = Brian Gerster
Record_team = Gerster Racing
Record_year = 2007
Record_class = HOSS
Layout2 = Oval
Surface2 = Asphalt
Length_km2 = .402
Length_mi2 = .25
Turns2 = 4
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Layout3 = Figure Eight
Surface3 = Asphalt
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The Illiana Motor Speedway is a race track located in Schererville, Indiana, United States and was built in 1947. Located about 35 miles from downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States; the Illiana Motor Speedway is the only 1/2 mile paved oval in the Chicago area.Fact|date=February 2008

History

When the track opened, in 1947, it was a 1/2 mile dirt track. In 1964 the track was paved. Today the track is a 1/2 mile asphalt oval with in inner 1/4 mile. During the 1962 season the tracks owner Harry Molenaar created a season ending 100 lap race called the "Tony Bettenhausen Memorial" dedicated to the memory of former open wheel Indy car and local racer Tony Bettenhausen who died a year eariler in a racing accident. In 2000 the Speedway was repaved for the first time in nearly 40 years and current owner Mike Mikuly bought the track and also installed cement walls to replace the old guard rails. The following year in 2001 the Turbo Stox division was introduced with great success racing on Illiana's 1/4 mile. 2001 was also the last year for the Street Stock division at Illiana. For the 2003 season Track owner Mike Mikuly decided to add a Limited Late Model division to Illiana Motor Speedway's racing card; bring the tracks number of racing divisions to four. The Limited Late Models run a crate (spec) engine. The crate engine is considered to be a lot cheaper to race then the engines used in the Super Late Model division. The very next year in 2004 track owner Mike Mikuly decided again to add another division to Illiana's weekly racing program; 4 Cylinder Pure Stocks and would race on the tracks 1/4 mile.

External links

* [http://www.illianaspeedway.com/ Official Site]