# 4 HO Tracks Northern Illinois



## Post442 (Mar 23, 2008)

Speedway Auto Mall in Machesney Park,Il has four tracks set up in the back of the showroom. Our local cub races there a couple of times a year. Illinois HOPRA has also held a few races there. Our club will be racing there this Sunday, March 16th. The tracks are available to run on anytime the dealership is open. The sales people will not bother you. Two of the tracks currently run. The other two still need some work. They are set up for alligator clip controllers. The dealership is about five minutes west from I-90 on IL-173. PM me for more information.

Doug


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

nice

cool that they let you do that


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Now that's cool. Obviously someone there is a fan of slots. Maybe one of the owners???

Sweet selection. Kinda what Henry does at his house, 4 different layouts. Circuit racing.


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

Very cool! If those were in our dealership we'd never get any work done.....LOL


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## 9finger hobbies (Mar 11, 2008)

Please pm me some more info. Address mainly and what dealership. Machesney is about 70 miles north of me , but I happen to be working there for a couple of days the next few weeks... Is picture #2 a drag strip ?


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

My guess on the 2nd pic would be an unfinished tri oval like Pocono speedway.


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## Post442 (Mar 23, 2008)

PM sent to 9 finger. The owner is a long time friend of one of our racers. They used to race at each other's houses on two lane temporary tracks. Met them when the 82 HOPRA Nats were held in Rockford, IL. The tri-oval was a down and back oval that was changed to the tri-oval about ten years ago. We never painted where the old track was. We are always looking for new racers. We have 10 diehard racers plus a few grand kids racing.


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## Grampa Ho (Feb 25, 2009)

the tri oval has been there for years and canned motors seem to work best as I recall. none of my pancakes could stay on if you stopped on the straights. it is a big set up and out of the way in the back of the show floor. they also have some nice restored and clean older cars on display. the tri oval was the only track there when I was there. my son used to live in lower rockford and we stumbled across this place. easy to get to and it is by the rockford speedway if that helps for the area.


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## Whiteylightning (May 28, 2013)

I am so thrilled to have finally found the Rockford group. Is the tri oval currently running?


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## Gareth (Mar 8, 2011)

What an awesome set up. I like the narrowing and widening effects on the routed track with the use of corners that are not just 45 or 90 degrees.

What is the white "Dunlap" bodyshell sat on the floor? Is it for one of the bodied go-karts or for a midget car? Either way, I absolutely love it!


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## Post442 (Mar 23, 2008)

The Dunlap body is the last name of the driver. It's for some class of mini-stocks that is run at Rockford Speedway, which is across from Speedway Auto Mall. Speedway Auto Mall has been involved in racing for a long a time. Both as drivers and sponsors.Tommy Kendall and Jack Baldwin even drove for them in the Firestone Firehawk series year ago.
The road course next to the oval and the oval are available to anyone who wants to stop by and race. Just bring your cars and controllers. There are a few old AFX controllers that can be used. All the tracks are set up for alligator clips. The routed track also has controllers wired in, but I'm still working on getting it going.


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

Wonder if they will be open on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, I will be driving right past there on my way to Lacrosse, WI and will stop in and turn a few laps Bob Beers PS closed Sundays, darn it..... just looked it up.


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## Rick Voegelin (Oct 27, 2006)

That is an excellent collection of tracks -- lots of different types of racing!

Thanks,
Rick V.


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## Ratwagon64 (Dec 23, 2011)

I used to race HOPRA and raced at the 82 nats. Raced at a few tracks in the Rockford area with the IL. Hopra guys.


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## Rawafx (Jul 20, 1999)

Those were the good old days, weren't they Pat?(a.k.a. Ratwagon64)

Bob Weichbrodt
[email protected]
Winston-Salem, NC


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## Post442 (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi Pat and Bob,
It's been a while. Pat, do you still go to the swap meet in Highland? Bob, if I remember right, didn't you fly back for a few IL HOPRA's after you moved? One of the guys in our club bought Rick's 82 National's track in 1984. We still race on it.

Doug


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## Ratwagon64 (Dec 23, 2011)

Bob, yes they were.


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## Ratwagon64 (Dec 23, 2011)

Doug, yes I still go to the swap meet. Back racing the pancake cars now. You still have the 56 chevy?
Pat


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## Rawafx (Jul 20, 1999)

Hi Doug, I never flew, unless you are referring to those late-night speed runs on the Interstates with my turbocharged LeBaron Convertible! I seem to recall Mark Rosenwinkle flying into Chicago and hitting up either HOPRA or MARA club races.
Check our HO slot car club's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447623615289103/

Bob Weichbrodt
[email protected]
Winston-Salem, NC


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## Post442 (Mar 23, 2008)

It has been a while since I posted about the tracks at Speedway Auto Mall. Our club in the Rockford, Il area will be racing on the 68' foot road course this Sunday. Practice starts at 10 AM. We will be racing HOPRA style polymod cars. On Sundays, we enter at the service department door on the north side of the building. The banked oval is up and running and available for hot laps also. The tracks can also be used anytime the dealership is open.


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## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

Cool tracks ! Too bad polymods are to fast for my old eyes,hell sometimes the pancakes are!:wave:


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

very nice setup


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