Welp La Salle speedway is already under attack

jason88cubs · 7/14/25, 7:43 PM

https://www.shawlocal.com/illinois-v...ise-ordinance/

show your support by email the mayor

https://www.lasalle-il.gov/about-la-...ent/city-mayor

https://citizenportal.ai/articles/37...oise-extension

https://citizenportal.ai/articles/37...limits-in-2025

Midget98 · 7/15/25, 11:37 AM

This issue is all on the track. Reading the article, they were recently still racing at 1am in the morning. It is the responsibility of the track operators to be good neighbors. While racing all night long may be fine if you are at Eldora where the only neighbors are a couple farm houses within a 5 mile radius, LaSalle is not Eldora.

chathamracefan · 7/15/25, 1:53 PM

It is a bit of a double edged sword IMO. I was at the race where they over watered the track. Heats didn't start until 9:00 or so. I gave them a pass as the place had been shuttered for a few years & just getting back into the swing of things. Mistakes more likely to happen then. There was also a medical issue in the pits at the same time so I'm not sure how much of the late start was due to the track vs the medical issue that required the ambulance.

The track of course does bear responsibility to start on time & get done at a reasonable hour. The other side of it is the tracks that are in places where the city is more tolerant of the track allows those tracks to bring in bigger events which generate revenue for the community.

Fairbury, IL & Knoxville, IA are examples of this. Just think how much money the city of Knoxville would have lost over the years if in say 1960 the city put a bunch of rules on the track & the Nationals never became a thing.

LaSalle is a good track & hope they can be profitable in their return.

ISF · 7/15/25, 4:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chathamracefan

It is a bit of a double edged sword IMO. I was at the race where they over watered the track. Heats didn't start until 9:00 or so. I gave them a pass as the place had been shuttered for a few years & just getting back into the swing of things. Mistakes more likely to happen then. There was also a medical issue in the pits at the same time so I'm not sure how much of the late start was due to the track vs the medical issue that required the ambulance.

The track of course does bear responsibility to start on time & get done at a reasonable hour. The other side of it is the tracks that are in places where the city is more tolerant of the track allows those tracks to bring in bigger events which generate revenue for the community.

Fairbury, IL & Knoxville, IA are examples of this. Just think how much money the city of Knoxville would have lost over the years if in say 1960 the city put a bunch of rules on the track & the Nationals never became a thing.

LaSalle is a good track & hope they can be profitable in their return.

I believe you can add Macon & Jacksonville to the list of tracks that are embraced by their respective communities. Kenny Dobson at Jacksonville works with a curfew and does a remarkable job of staying within the parameters of said curfew and stays on the good graces of surrounding community. In regards to Fairbury the racetrack is the only game in town as is the case with Macon. Those communities have developed a high degree of tolerance given the economic impact those tracks command which isn't the case at La Salle or Jacksonville. Can't speak to Knoxville but I suspect the racetrack is the #1 attraction by a lot.

The downside for La Salle is that there hasn't been racing events held there in several season's and the locals, who are prone to making trouble, haven't had anything to whine about for those season's. Now they do. I have no way of knowing but I'd be wiling to wager a Jackson that the woman most vocal and vigilant wasn't living at her present location when the track was built back in the mid 1980's. The extended shut down gave those kind something to hang their hat on and they will no doubt play their hand to the limit.

I live well within an hour of La Salle Speedway and I know the family that is attempting to make a go of keeping it open and profitable and very much hope they can get a solid foothold and some of the local business's realize some economic benefit before the natives show up with torches and pitch forks at the front gates!

Grocery Guy · 7/15/25, 6:58 PM

I'm all for LaSalle making this remarkable comeback of a track and an event center. It's one of the brightest racing stories of 2025, especially the FLO opening night. Congrats to them and the local economic impact they can have.

BUT, how does a track overwater a speedway and not get started till 9pm? Especially after having big races already this year? How does a track race until 1am? The neighbors have a right to be mad. And the fans. Guess they get a pass for the ambulance issue. Here in Indy Circle City starts at 8pm and is regularly running near or past midnight. And they border a neighborhood. I'm waiting for their neighbors to revolt.

Race tracks have got to manage and get better! Good luck to LaSalle Speedway. Prove to the city and neighbors you are a viable business, economic impact and a good neighbor!