Chiacagoland Speedway - has anyone ever been?

StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing

StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing

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Chicagoland Speedway - has anyone ever been?

I'm looking to go to Chicagoland Speedway next week but I've never been there before and was looking to get some thoughts on the place from people who have actually been.

Normally I don't care because I'd rather just go see the place for myself but they only sell "track packs" meaning I'd have to buy the nationwide/cup weekend race as well as the trucks/indy race. I think it's a bull**** rule and I'm not even sure I can go to the trucks/indy weekend.
 
Chiacago, Is that where Chia pets come from?
 
I live in Chicago, and this will be the 3rd year in a row that I've gone.

Yeah, the "Track Packs" are bull, but they can do this because the tickets are in high demand. Unlike Fontana, they haven't built more seats than the demand for tickets.

Unfortunately, the track hasn't found its niche. It's a fairly typical 1.5 mile cookie cutter track. It's only real unique feature being it's curved back stretch. This could have been a brilliant race changing feature, but it's not sharp enough to make it function any differently from a normal back stretch.

It also doesn't have anything unique for fans that you can't find at any other track. They do a free concert pole night, and they have some private party decks, but that's about it. You'll find the usual vendor booths, trailers, autograph sessions, etc. They do pit-passes, but they don't allow you to get into the garage except for the IRL race.

The racing has improved some what in the last 2 years. Now that the track has been in use for a while, there's enough rubber down that it allows for side-by-side racing all the way around. Kyle Busch pulled off an awesome pass on the outside of Johnson with 3 laps to go for the win. I think this was one of SPEED's best passes of 2008.

The drivers tend to like the track because it's smooth, and allows them to race cleanly. Don't expect a lot of crashes. The night race last year was a lot of fun, and both the IRL and Trucks will race under the lights for the first time this year. Thank God, too. The races under the hot summer sun were brutal.

Overall, it's just an average track. You probably wont see anything amazing here, but any race (even an average one) is always better live.
 
The best thing on the ground is the dirt track and that hasnt held a big stock car race in years unfortunately. the drag strip aint bad either. but the big track is pretty boring.
 
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