LOVES PARK, Ill. — The legendary Rockford Speedway is preparing for its Last Lap Season as the historic quarter-mile asphalt track is planning more than 50 events before closing in October.
An era of entertainment history will transition at the completion of the season for Rockford Speedway, as the nearly 50-acre site has been transferred to HJS Development for commercial development.
Rockford Speedway General Manager David Deery spoke on behalf of the Deery family, longime promoters of the facility.
“For years we have watched the surrounding area evolve into a vibrant retail corridor, this day has been coming and while it’s great for the city, it stings for the thousands of fans and racers who have made Rockford Speedway their family for generations,” Deery said. “We know this will be the last year for our major events losing use of the property in front of the speedway along highway 173 as that area will be developed first, with the track itself remaining until further land sales.”
Speedway President Susan Deery also spoke regarding the upcoming season.
“This is a sad day for the racing community and our speedway family,” she said. “Generations of families have been involved — racing, watching, working — and to see it come to an end breaks my heart. We are very proud of the contribution the speedway has made to the racing industry, as the starting spot for so many in racing and business, and the impact this place has had on the greater state line community, but it doesn’t take away the sadness.”
The historic race track has hosted thousands of race events which drew the sport’s biggest stars and received national attention, as well as concerts, flea markets, carnivals, rodeos, holiday events, and circuses. Over the years, the speedway has provided a venue for hundreds of charitable events and was the source of part-time employment for thousands of state line youth.
Since 1948, fans have packed the stands at Rockford. Hugh and Jody Deery took sole ownership of the speedway in 1966, and the flamboyant pair were on the leading edge of promotion and fan engagement.
The National Short Track Championship set the tone for postseason big multi-day events. Racing of all types, from the midgets in the 1940s, hot rods in the 1950s, stocks in the 1960s, up to today’s lineup have filled the summer nights.
Even though the track is closing after 76 years, there will be plenty of memories during the final season that opens in March and concludes with the Last Lap Season Finale Oct. 21, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29.
The 58th annual National Short Track Championship is set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
The Rockford Late Models, Roadrunners, Short Trackers, Figure 8, Sportsmen, Original Sixers, Bandits, Super Stox and Spectacular Drags have been Rockford standards and will be featured during the final season.
Recently passed owner Jody Deery resisted developers for many years but had begun discussions of development following the devastation of the COVID-19 shutdowns.
Longtime fan, driver, employee, and track official Steve Dickson was overwhelmed by the news.
“This is going to hit people hard — kids talk about their grandparents who used to race here, or as a kid coming here and sitting in the old wooden bleachers, the place was always packed,” Dickson said. “There’s a lot of history here, this news will tug on a lot of hearts.
“There’s always been something going on, whether it was stock cars, monster trucks, bicycles, concerts, midways, rodeos, car shows. Anything you can imagine over the years went on here. It’s a nice facility. It’s been a great place to work, nice people, a great family to work for. I really hate to see it happen. Times are changing and with what’s going on with the neighborhood, it might be the right decision to make. I can’t say anything other than I’ve enjoyed being here.”
HJS Development, managed by Shorewood Development, has embarked on the redevelopment for the entire parcel including the Rockford Speedway, Forest Hills Lodge, and the adjoining vacant land which will occur for the years ahead.
“The property is the last developable property for Loves Park on 173 and is in demand,” Shorewood Development principal Ryan Fitzgerald said. “Shorewood understands the speedway has been a family entertainment tradition and realizes this will leave a void in the city of Loves Park and the racing world, however, the development opportunities along the 173 corridor are limited creating pressure on the Deery family.”