Ross Fosbender
3618 E. 1769th Rd.
Ottawa, IL 61350
815-434-9882
Places to visit:
Raceway Woods, Carpentersville, IL - Serenity in suburbia
Some say they can still hear the echoes of the sports cars, stock cars and Indy cars that once raced here. But for most of us Meadowdale International Raceway now lies silent, and the 360 acre property it occupied provides welcome open space and even serenity in the midst of bustling suburbia.
From 1958 to 1969 some of the most famous drivers in American racing history raced at Meadowdale. The track was 3.27 miles long and its 4,000-foot main straight was one of the longest in the country. Over 100,000 racing fans attended events there.
Starting in the mid-'90s local citizens and government bodies got together to save the property from development, and volunteers were mobilized to clean up the old track. It now provides a wonderful place to walk and enjoy. The property features the highest elevations in the area, so there are spectacular vistas of the Fox River valley.
The park has two entrances, one on Illinois Route 31 about 1.5 miles north of Huntley Road, and one on Huntley Road about a mile west of Route 31. The Route 31 entrance provides access to two artifacts of the race track- the Pure Oil silo and a steeply banked diving turn called Greg's Corkscrew or the Little Monza. However the major part of the course is difficult to access from this entrance. A washout requires navigating stream banks and stepping stones, then a substantial uphill climb discourages the easily winded.
A new entrance, opened in 2005, is on Huntley Road about a mile west of Route 31 and provides much easier access. A walk up a gentle hill from the gravel parking lot takes you to the level portion of the track surface. Much of the asphalt track paving is still in place. Other paths have been covered with wood chips. There are a few points that get flooded or muddy when it's wet, but these can be avoided.
About 4 miles of trail along the track and through the surrounding woods are accessible. About 60% of the track is shaded by trees. There are picnic tables in grassy areas near the Huntley Road gate. Portable toilets are located near the entrances. There is no drinking water or electricity on the property. Horse trailer parking and horse trails are provided, but no motorized vehicles are permitted beyond the parking lots. Parking and access to Raceway Woods is free.
Directions: Raceway Woods is located just west of Carpentersville, IL, about 30-40 minutes northwest of Chicago, 4 miles north of the I-90 Tollway on IL Route 31.
A website, www.meadowdaleraceway.homestead.com, deals mainly with the history of the racing at Meadowdale Raceway, but also includes access information, aerial maps of the property, and hiking notes.
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Note: I have no connection with Raceway Woods or any of its governing bodies. I am just a former racer at, and fan of, Meadowdale Raceway. My only goal is increase knowledge of its important place in American racing history. I maintain the website, www.meadowdaleraceway.homestead.com. (Just Google on Meadowdale Raceway. It's easier than typing all that.) Ross Fosbender, Ottawa, IL
