The Chicago Speedway is a 1.5 mile D shaped oval located in Joliet, Illinois. http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/chi/index.html The Construction of this race track was a massive effort that took over five years to complete. The idea for a major motor sports facility goes back as far as 1995. NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation Chairman Bill France Jr. and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Chairman Tony George had an informal meeting in 1995. Due to the success of the first Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and with the new construction of tracks in both Texas and Las Vegas, the two thought that another Mid West track to host NASCAR and Indy Racing League races was needed. http://www.chicagolandspeedway.com/About-Us/Facility-History.aspx

The two companies formed a partnership with John Menard known as the Motorsports Alliance and began to look at locations for their new track. After several locations were considered, they finally decided to construct the track on property right beside the old Route 66 race track in Joliet, Illinois. They broke ground on the facility in September of 1999, and it hosted its first races in July of 2001. In total the construction of this facility cost 130 million dollars.

Many call this track a typical NASCAR cookie cutter 1.5 mile D shaped oval. However this track is unique has it is really one continuous urn as the backstretch ahs a very noticeable bend to it. The turns are banked 18 degrees, while the front stretch has 11 degrees of banking and the backstretch has just 5. http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/chicago/index.html

On July 14, 2001 NASCAR Driver Jimmie Johnson became the first driver to win a race at the facility when he won the inaugural Nationwide Series race. One day later Kevin Harvick won the first ever NASCAR Cup series race at this track.

Given its NASCAR race dates in the middle July, following the 2007 season the track ownership decided to install lights at the facility and move the annual racing events to the nighttime. Kyle Busch would win the first race there under the lights.

In August of 2008 it was announced that the track would gain a NASCAR Camping World Truck series race form the Atlanta Motor Speedway in schedule realignment. Kyle Busch would win the first truck race at this track, giving him a victory in all three of NASCAR’s major touring divisions at this track. http://www.nascar.com/races/truck/2009/data/schedule.html