|| *Comments on Chicago Motor Speedway:* View the most recent comment <#13> | Post a comment <#post> 1. Beau posted: 11.09.2010 - 8:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This track didn't last long - opened in 1999, closed in 2003. Demolition began in early 2009, to make room for retail stores and parking. 2. Cooper posted: 03.08.2011 - 4:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Chicago Motor Speedway at Sportsman's Park located in Cicero, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, was built in 1999 by a group including Chip Ganassi, owner of Chip Ganassi Racing. In 2002 the 1.029-mile (1.656 km) oval shaped track suspended operations due to financial conditions in the motorsports industry. The track was also the site of horse races, when the track was called "Sportsman's Park". The track was one of two racetracks that hosted both auto and horse races (the other is Dover International Speedway). The track held CART races from 1999â??2002, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2000 and 2001. Chicago Motor Speedway also held American Speed Association (ASA) races. Portions of the motion picture Driven were shot at Chicago Motor Speedway. In 2003 the town of Cicero purchased the track for $18 million. During 2005 the main grandstands were torn down but the track itself remained. It's been reported that the site will be completely demolished and turned into a 11-acre (45,000 m2) outdoor festival park and 68 acres (280,000 m2) of retail stores and parking. On October 31, 2008 it was reported that contracts for the demolition of the remaining structures and track had been awarded. Demolition of the remaining Sportsman's Park structures and the track itself began January 5, 2009. It has been reported that the cost of construction was upwards to $70 Million USD. 3. Hyperacti posted: 10.28.2011 - 11:43 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) How much banking was in the turns? 4. Corey86 posted: 07.28.2014 - 11:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't the turns had any banking in them. I do know it was a flat track. The track was designed with pit entry and exit lanes on the inside of the turns. A section of pavement was is place to fill the gap between these lanes and the racing surface. However will very little banking and no kerbs to mark the inside racing surface, it was very easy for guys to cut the corner and use the extra pavement. I believe CART had a rule in place that would penalize drivers if over half the car was below the inside racing line. 5. Jeff posted: 02.13.2016 - 4:22 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) The track is now a Walmart 6. JRacingFast posted: 04.06.2016 - 9:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (3) I kind of wish that the Cup series would come here instead of Chicago land just because it would give the schedule and Chase more virtey.....My question is if this track was being built why did this team up with the Chicagoland track and make just one track since they were being built around the sametime 7. Tylor Thaber posted: 04.06.2016 - 10:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (4) @6 Three things. 1. They were three years apart 2. The track's been demolished you card and 3. That's not how you spell variety. 8. matthew posted: 03.13.2018 - 8:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) i went to both races 9. A posted: 06.14.2018 - 11:52 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The larger Chicagoland track is much farther out from densely populated areas, and thus traffic, parking, noise issues and such are very different. Chicago Motor Speedway was in a very urban area, and I cannot imagine it was a great location in a number of ways. 10. Jason24 posted: 11.23.2019 - 7:32 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The neighborhood where this track sat was not a good neighborhood. Cicero might not have any good neighborhoods honestly. But its amazing that this place got built in such a populated area in 1999. Even more amazing that a facility was built, closed and completely torn down all within a decade. Not just any facility either but one that hosted NASCAR and CART. 11. CC posted: 11.25.2019 - 7:37 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) They built another horse racing track called Hawthorne Race Course right outside of Cicero if you still want to watch some racing. It is also the oldest family-owned racetrack in North America. 12. Anonymous posted: 12.01.2019 - 7:32 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The area between the race track apron and the pit entry and exit lanes in the corners was paved but was colored green to look like grass. It looked *awful*. This is one of many tracks (along with Loudon, Homestead, Gateway, Pikes Peak and Fontana) that were built in the 1990s for open wheel CART/IndyCar racing but due to the CART/IRL Split are mostly known for NASCAR racing instead. CMS was the only one that didn't find a home with NASCAR, but I guess with Chicagoland opening there was no need for it. 13. RaceFanX posted: 01.03.2021 - 6:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The previously-mentioned Walmart takes up half of the former track property. The other half is now the distribution center for the Wirtz Beverage Group. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: