So I have a couple of questions about these three tracks..

Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL. Where is the best view from the grandstands? Are there any good places for breakfast near there or along the route to Springfield, IL?

Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL. Same questions as above.
We are looking at stopping at one of them before going to Springfield for the Silver Crown race. Still undecided, so looking at options.

At Springfield.. Can you drive into the infield and park to enjoy the race from down there? I called the Illinois State Fair and the young lady I spoke with told me that you can not park in the infield or enjoy the race from down there. I noticed in the video replay from last year that there were cars, trucks, campers, and tents up so I want to know if this is something new or am I mistaken? We will be attending the Shinedown concert afterwards, so are there any restaurants open late night during the fair? Or just normal fast food type of grub? I will probably have a 14 year with me so nothing adult only, but you can drop that info in also just in case he does not go.

Also, we will be staying the night there in Springfield so looking for good place to eat breakfast in town before heading over to track for the ARCA race?

Thank You

I got your breakfast place in Springfield. Charlie Parker’s Diner. It is the goods. Both of those are good tracks. Tri City has bleachers that are a bit rickety. I don’t like to sit up high there. I believe Lincoln has a Powri show on that Friday night.

MDD, most anywhere on the front stretch at Tri-State will be good. Good sight lines from about 1/3 of the way up all the way to the top will give you the best vantage point.

You'll want to be as high up as possible at Lincoln. Pretty good sight lines from most anywhere.

To my knowledge the infield parking policy has not changed at The Mile. Just last year we had some close friends come to the Bettenhausen Memorial who wanted to hang with the #12 team and they parked in the infield. I always go through the turn 1 tunnel to the infield and walk over to turn 3 to watch the cars during hotlaps. There were vehicles lining the inner fence with people watching the action on the track from there. That was also last year. You will DEFINITELY want to watch hot laps in the infield of turn 3. It's spectacular!! If you choose to park in the infield and watch the race from there it'll be a bit tough to see the main straight away but you'll have a great view of the back stretch and turns 3 & 4. Unless there is a specific reason you want to watch from the infield you probably would enjoy the race more from the grandstand.

Just a word to the wise, some of the people you'll talk to on the phone at the fairgrounds are college kids who are part time help. I've learned the hard way a couple of times over the several decades of attending the State Fair races that those kids, as often as not, don't know what their talking about and they don't care if they give you erroneous info. If I were you I'd call Track Enterprises and ask them what the race day infield parking and spectating policy's will be. Someone at TE should be able to give you reliable information.

There is a cafe on N. Dirksen Parkway about 1/4 mile north of Sangamon Ave. that has a great breakfast. I can't think of the name of the place now but it'll be on the west side of Dirksen. You can't miss it.

At Springfield last year I parked in the infield then walked in to the grandstand for the race using the turn one pedestrian tunnel. Assuming things are the same drive into town from the north to avoid fair traffic and enter the track gate 6 tunnel to the infield on the north side of the track.

You skip the fair entrance fee going this way also. You buy an infield ticket as you drive in. If you then want to go in the grandstand walk through the turn one tunnel, turn right and stop at the grandstand ticket booth and you purchase a ticket upgrade for like $10ish. If you also wanted to go to the fair its a left turn after turn one tunnel and buy fair ticket.

Now they sell fair parking in the infield after the race and asked that everyone leave within in an hour or so after the race or move to a fenced of area near turn four if you where staying. So all things being the same and your staying for a show that would be your option.

I always leave and head to the south side of town for a bite at Darcy's Pint. A popular Irish place. Then shoot over to Macon for a midget show. Darcy's is a nice place, try there horseshoe. good fill you up food. family friendly Open till 1:00 AM Saturdays per website.

You have to try Uncle Linneys in Pontoon Beach,we eat there everytime we go,just down from the Best Western Plus.

https://unclelinnysrestaurant.com/un...staurant-menu/

In Springfield try the IHOP on Dirkson across from the Comfort Suites.

Oh yes the racing is pretty good at both tracks too.😀

Tri-City in Pontoon Beach, Il - I like to sit 3/4 way up between start finish line halfway to turn 1

Springfield Mile for Silver Crown - been parking inside the track for years and Jungle Jim's Cafe is like 1/4 mile from entrance to fairgrounds, a diner for a good breakfast before the race. Has tons of racing memorabilia, pics etc, many race fans in there before the race

Thank you everyone for the reply and recommendations. Also, thank you for the clarification on the infield parking situation. I will also call Track Enterprises to get the scoop from them as I had a feeling that the lady I spoke with at the Fair office probably didn't give accurate information.

ISF,

Why do you say to watch hotlaps from turn 3 vs. turn 1? And as far as preference, I have been to two Silver Crown races on dirt, one at the Indy Mile and one at Terre Haute. Understand you can't see the whole race/track from the infield at the mile but keep in mind we will be there early as I do enjoy the whole day of festivities with hotlaps, qualifying, consolation race, etc. and I will have a 14 year old with me whose attention span is not always there. So we enjoy throwing a football or baseball back and forth during down time and we enjoy grilling out in the infield at tracks when we get the chance. But I will run it past the group and see if they prefer to be in the infield or the stands, either way is fine with me.

If the weather doesnt change,all you might be doing is looking for breakfast places.......

If you have time check out the Dana Thomas House in Springfield. It is a classic Prairie Style Frank Lloyd Wright house. Maybe the most interesting house ever.

Abraham Lincoln's Grave was interesting also. Quite interesting story and structure at Oak Ridge Cemetary.

The reason for the advise to watch hot laps in Turn #3 is because turn #1 generally has a hospitality tent set up and the area between the pit exit and the meat of turn #1 is quite congested. Over in turn #3 the area is populated with other fans and is for the most part wide open to wander to and from viewing areas for the most optimum experience of watching the drivers hurdle down the backstretch and throw the big, beautiful SC cars into #3 at 150+ MPH!! Watching in turn #1 doesn't afford you quite as much unencumbered view of the front stretch due to the stage and other things on the front stretch.

Given your circumstances the large open area's of the infield may be preferable and would be great for the younger folks who would favor periodic diversion from the on track action. The grilling aspect of spectating from the infield is also a great idea. Since we camp on the fairgrounds most of the week leading up to race weekend we never really have given that much thought but grilling would surely add favorably to the whole days' enjoyment, and after all, that's the reason we all attend races!

You might give some consideration to stopping at Mighty Macon Speedway for the POWRi midget show in the evening following the Bettenhausen Memorial. Macon, more often than not, produces some of the best racing of that weekend. Macon is just a 45 minute drive east of Springfield. You wouldn't have to rush getting there from the fairgrounds since the checkers fly on the Bettenhausen Memorial well before 4 PM. If you opt to take in the racing activities at Mighty Macon you'll want to set high in the middle of either the front or backstretch. Just thought we'd throw that out there.