Rt 66, Meadowdale-IL Intl Raceway & lives

[Guest]

I admit it ... I'm fascinated by how lives are intertwined, especially when people don't even realize it, and I'm fascinated by nostalgia (as you may remember from some of my posts). Put those two together ... and you have one helk of a combination.

Case in point ... the former Meadowdale International Raceway. In its heyday (1959-1969), the raceway featured many races along its 12-turn, 3.27 mile road course, situated NW of Chicago, in Carpentersville IL, north of the then new I-90 tollway. In recent years, it has been turned into what is now known as Raceway Woods ... a forest preserve that features a path that follows the old raceway concrete.

I recently became aware of this gem when someone from one of my message boards posted about it ... and I can hardly believe that something like this is nearly in my own backyard. Since then, I've learned that, Phil, the owner of the garage where my older 4 MCs are stored, went to many a race there. I've also learned that my Dad went to a few races there, that my brother-in-law played around in that area during the years that the track and park lay dormant, and that my bro-in-law's Mom can recall times when they heard the races from their home. This all just fascinates the helk out of me ... from the fact that it was a premier raceway ... to the fact that many people I know in some way or another "touched" the place, without knowing about the others' ties to it.

You can read more about Meadowdale Intl Raceway and Raceway Woods by surfing this website:
http://www.meadowdaleraceway.homestead.com/

...and take your time in doing so. Lots of cool links, including pictures from actual races, recent newspaper articles about the place, and lots of other cool tidbits.

Earlier today (Saturday), I drove out there to find where it was ... because I couldn't picture the entrance. I first found the entrance off IL RT 31 ... a very small place with just a sign and a placard giving some details. At this entrance, you can see the famous Silo (tho, I didn't know it at the time I saw it). Later, I drove out to the other entrance, the "main" entrance, off Huntley Rd. This entrance features a bit more parking (well, more defined parking, anyway) a couple different placards ... and a path that leads, apparently, directly to the old concrete raceway.

One of these days, I'm going to take time to go and walk around.....


Speaking of taking time ... I also want to find time to travel Route 66. My interest in this road was heightened by watching the movie "Cars" earlier this year. I was interested by how much the movie commented about this famous road. Earlier this week, I happened to catch a PBS special, "The Mother Road", about a mother and daughter duo who took a 3-week vacation to drive Route 66 from Chicago to California. In that special, I was amazed to see some of the scenes ... and just how true to Route 66 "Cars" was ... including the hotel with the Wigwam rooms..... Heh, now I REALLY want to see the movie "Cars" again, not only to see the '76/'77 MC featured as one of the announcers, but also to pay a little closer attention to the scenic details.... Now, if only I could find a job where I had 3 weeks vacation right away .


Heh ... I could go on and on about how different things like this interest me, including this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_W._Posvar_Hall

Specifically: Wesley W. Posvar Hall is a classroom and administrative building located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. (AND) The building stands on the original site of Forbes Field, home stadium of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team from 1909?1970. The stadium was dismantled starting in July 1971, and construction on the new building started soon afterwards and continued until 1974. The building incorporates many reminders of the famous ballpark?the home plate of Forbes Field remains near its exact spot, protected under lucite glass. The outfield wall is outlined in the sidewalk by bricks, and the portion of the famously deep left-center field wall still stands, marked "457 Feet".


I'm sure I could bore ya'll with various other things ... such as the Elgin National Watch factory right here in my hometown, stuff I've seen and learned about in my famous road trips, music and cars ... but, I won't.

Instead, I ask: Does any of what I've mentioned fascinate anyone else? Or, maybe there are things in your home area that are fascinating like this...? Or, perhaps I'm the only one that enjoys this type of thing...?

Hmmm...I believe my fascination with the "web of life" ... past, present AND future ... is one of the reasons why I love to meet people along my road trips.....



Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
"I knew she was a jewel in disguise" ... Kathy Mattea ... '455 Rocket'

 

[geebee]

I understand everything you are writing about. I drove a few sections of Route 66 coming back from California in 2004. I especially enjoyed Winslow, AZ because of the song with the line, "Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ." It was a very nostalgic moment for this older gal. They actually have a little park like area with a statue of a man standing on the corner.

There is a drag strip near Cincinnati, called Edgewater, that we all used to go to when we were in our "dating years" back in the late 60's. It is still operating but I am sure it reached its heyday long ago. Lots of good memories of those times and I can still remember the sounds and smells.

When I was growing up in the Cincinnati area, the Reds used to play at a ballpark called Crosley Field. Like the vast majority of cities, this field was torn down when the stadiums were built along the Riverfront area. I saw the Beatles perform at Crosley Field way back in 1964. A few years later, I used to go to Reds games because it was a popular weekend date place. The parents loved us going to games as a date because it was during the day and lots of people around to keep us out of trouble. All that is gone now which is really a shame. Kind of neat that Pittsburgh managed to keep some of the memories intact.

Progress is nice and is needed but it happens sometimes at the expense of history.

 

[Guest]

I drove a few sections of Route 66 coming back from California in 2004. I especially enjoyed Winslow, AZ because of the song with the line, "Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ." It was a very nostalgic moment for this older gal. They actually have a little park like area with a statue of a man standing on the corner.

*chuckles*

Sounds cool to me ... and yet another reason why I want to travel RT 66 sometime....and sooner rather than later. Did you take any pics that trip?

Progress is nice and is needed but it happens sometimes at the expense of history.

AMEN! Couldn't have said it better myself .

 

[geebee]

Here is one. The sign behind the statue reads, "Standin' on the corner."

 

[geebee]

And another. Although the sign is hard to read, it says: "Dedicated on Sept. 11, 1999 (interesting date, huh?) to the memorable song of the 1970s that made Winslow, Arizona a town to sing about on famous Route 66."

 

[geebee]

And one more - I could go for days but Ross would shoot me.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

This is how "blind" I am Cort. Did not even realize the Route 66 actually starts in IL. Guess I alway travel the same path. Well...last weekend I did drive Route 66 on the way to Utica IL. 294, 55, 88 (66).

Are you aware there is a Rt. 66 IL license plate Think you best sign yourself up for one of those

Happy trails my friend Here is a link for you.
http://www.il66assoc.org/

 

[Mary]

Cort,
Remember my suggestion to take Interstate 55 to St. Louis on your October trip? Interstate 55 from Chicago to St. Louis replaced Route 66, but for many stretches, Route 66 runs right alongside it. That's one reason why I love traveling from Cape to Springfield, IL; we get to to enjoy the Route 66 corridor. Here's a link if you want to take a look.
http://www.bikelib.org/route66/index.htm

 

[Lorraine]

Hey Cort!

Wow ! You never knew that was there? I'm surprised. I remember growing up in the sixties and going to races there with my boyfriend! I also remember when it shut down. I have never been there since they preserved it as woods! Yeah the Silo was the icon! Maybe I can meet up with you some Saturday or Sunday and go for a walk. We could get Gina, Steve, Perry and whoever else may want to join us. A little vr.com reunion. Well I see from some post a mini reunion has been talked about but know is on the same schedule.

Also I take the bus downtown back to the train station every evening on Historic Route 66. I think it's Madison Street. Does the movie show the downtown Chicago area? Just curious.

 

[Guest]

*grins*

Gina (geebee),
Thank you for sharing those pictures ... AWESOME!!!! He he he....sure wish I had time to make that trip . Love that song, too ... he he he.


Gina (LUV),
I had no idea there is a Route 66 license plate ... I'm guessing this is from the great IL DMV? Hmm...I may have to check that out. I wonder how expensive that would be for the 5 MCs.....he he he. And, thank you for that link! Lots of cool info there, too ... I'll have to take some more time later on to look through it .


Mary,
Hmmm...well, then I may just have to make that trip. I'm still torn tho, because no matter which way I go, I miss out on seeing several people ... and you know me ... I hate missing people. Heck, even missed Ben S in the Lima OH area a few weekends ago. Perhaps he didn't read my post, I'm not sure. Anyway, the possiblity of driving along Rt 66 in that stretch is a bit enticing....we'll have to see . And, also, Cool link ... thank you .


Lorraine,
Nope didn't know about it. I was shocked that Phil hadn't mentioned it ... nor had Eric (my sister's hubby).... Ah, well ... cool that I know now! I like the idea of a gathering there ... and ya know, a walk would do us all some good .

Did you, by chance, buy and keep any programs from the times you went to the races there?

The movie "Cars" does not show Chicago ... it starts in the south and travels across I-40 where the main character gets lost in a "forgotten Rt 66" town.... As for the PBS special, that DID show the mother and daughter leaving from downtown Chicago ... kinda cool .

 

[epstns]

Meadowdale. . .

Meadowdale. . .

Yeah, Cort, I remember driving in one event there -- the 1968 Volkswagen Grand Prix. This was an all VW event, and a friend of mine had a retired VW Bug "Mini-Stock" Race car (real trivia -- these things were modestly modified VW Beetles that were raced on the old O'Hare Stock Car oval, out near the airport.) Friend and I shared the fun, flogging his old beetle around the track. We also watched the drag races there once or twice. . .

 

[Lorraine]

Cort,

Unfortunately I did not keep any of the programs. I probqably left them in my boyfriends car. Who knows where they ended up! Sorry. Maybe we should do a mini reunion in October and eat somewhere near C-ville (route 31 side of course) and walk the path at Raceway Woods!

I did keep my Cub program that I got when I went to opening day in 1969, but sorry you can't have it. I got the signature of most of the players on it. Now that's a keepsake! It was also my first live Cubs game.

Oh and the name of the street is Adams not Madison, which is Route 66 in the loop area.

Steve I'm surprised you didn't correct me, being a city dweller and all!

 

[Guest]

STEVE!

You DROVE/RACED on that track? Holy cow! Do you still have the program from that '68 event ... and is your name on it? Wow ... that would be cool ... and I know some of my car buddies would be interested to know this! Heck, it'd be cool if Phil, the one who owns the garage where the older 4 MCs are stored, was actually AT that race ... he he he ... I'll have to ask him next time I see him .


Lorraine,

No worries about not keeping the programs ... somehow, I didn't think you had . As for October ... that, my dear, is a GREAT idea!

And, yes, I'd agree that Opening Day Program from 1969 IS a keeper! Will you at least let me see it??!?!?!

 

[Lorraine]

Steve I probably saw you racing only of course I didn't know you! Who would have thought we would connect 30 something odd years later due to valve issues! Small world.

Cort: As soon as I can unpack it out of my box of teenage memorabilia, I would be happy to show you the program. I went my friend Carol and her family to that game. She was surprised I had kept the program. I'm surprised she didn't! Anyway, it's with all my memorabila, like my autographed pictures of the Cryan Shames (when they played at Elgin High for a Sock Hop, my WLS Siver Dollar Surveys (which I collected religiously all through the sixties) and of course my Beatles cards and Beatle memorablia. Along with all the notes me and my friends use to pass back and forth between classes! I know there's other stuff in thee as well, so this will motivate me to drag out the box of stuff! I'll let you know when I get a chance to do that. Hopefully before our October walk!!

 

[Guest]

Steve I probably saw you racing only of course I didn't know you! Who would have thought we would connect 30 something odd years later due to valve issues! Small world.

Ya know ... it truly is a small world. In fact, Phil believes he may've been AT that race ... how cool is that?

Cort: As soon as I can unpack it out of my box of teenage memorabilia, I would be happy to show you the program. I went my friend Carol and her family to that game. She was surprised I had kept the program. I'm surprised she didn't! Anyway, it's with all my memorabila, like my autographed pictures of the Cryan Shames (when they played at Elgin High for a Sock Hop, my WLS Siver Dollar Surveys (which I collected religiously all through the sixties) and of course my Beatles cards and Beatle memorablia. Along with all the notes me and my friends use to pass back and forth between classes! I know there's other stuff in thee as well, so this will motivate me to drag out the box of stuff! I'll let you know when I get a chance to do that. Hopefully before our October walk!!

That would be wonderful!!!! I love old memorabilia (as if you couldn't tell )! Look forward to seeing the program ... and whatever else you want to bring...!

 

[epstns]

I only WISH my name had been on the program. I wasn't the "registered owner/driver" of the car -- only the back-up driver. Now we could look for the owner's name. . .

Fun, just the same. The world seems to shrink every day.

 

[Guest]

I only WISH my name had been on the program. I wasn't the "registered owner/driver" of the car -- only the back-up driver. Now we could look for the owner's name. . .

Hmmm...now, to get our hands on one of those programs .

Fun, just the same. The world seems to shrink every day.

*nods*

Yes, yes it sure does.

 

[Guest]

The world seems to shrink every day.

*grins*

Yep ... found out recently that one of the guys on the El Camino list was at the first race, Aug 15, 1958 ... and still has the original souvenir program.