Head off to the races this season at speedways in La Salle, Morris

Start your engines! The 2025 racing season is about to get the green flag at pair of local speedways, promising plenty of thrills and fun for the family.

For La Salle Speedway and Events Center, it’s a return to racing after the track closed operations in 2021. Raceway President Tony Izzo Jr. said he is ready to welcome back fans to the speedway, which his family has owned and managed since 1992.

“Racing was always in our family,” Izzo said, explaining that thanks to his new partners, Justin and Genna McCoy, he’s able to reopen the speedway. “Racing, it’s in your blood, and I’ve missed it every day since.”

He grew up around racing. His father, Tony Izzo Sr., was a nine-time track champion at the old Sante Fe Raceway in Burr Ridge where he raced his No. 66 and went by the nickname Shaggy. In 2016, Izzo Sr. was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.

Izzo Jr. said he spent some time behind the wheel as well, but these days he is focused on the speedway relaunch and watching drivers around the quarter-mile dirt track. He’s been able to witness younger drivers incorporate more technology and science in their vehicle designs, reducing wind and promoting safety.

The first race of the season is Tuesday, May 6, and one of the track’s highlights will be the Illinois Valley Showdown on Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31.

In addition to racing, Izzo said he is trying to bring some events to the dirt track, such as a feature for Monster Trucks and a rodeo. The grandstand can seat 4,500 and the speedway located along U.S. Route 6 includes 55 acres of land.

“We are trying to bring more entertainment to the area,” Izzo said. “Our hearts are 100 percent in racing, but if we’re going to be a successful business we have to look outside of the box.”

Longtime race fans know the races are entertainment for all ages. Izzo said he’s proud to have a family-friendly show.

“There’s always time before and after to fully access your favorite drivers. We run a family-oriented show,” he said.

Family fun is a priority for the racing team at the Grundy County Speedway on Route 47 north of Morris as well. Managed by the Grundy County Fair Board, the speedway features the last remaining asphalt short track in Illinois, said Steve Bechtel, a Grundy County Fair Board member and event promoter.

Drivers have been pushing their vehicles to the limit at the Grundy County Speedway since 1971, and before the racing moved to its current location, race fans gathered at the Mazon Speed Bowl, built in 1947 and known for the high-banked, asphalt-paved quarter mile.

With the closing of the Rockford Speedway in 2023, the organizers for the Grundy County Speedway stepped up to host some of the popular races and bring them to the area, including an often chaotic Figure 8 School Bus Racing and the Figure 8 Trailer Race of Destruction.

“Last year we put a figure eight inside our oval,” Bechtel said, noting the race included plenty of collisions and excitement.

The Grundy County Speedway hosts racing nearly every week in the summer, including special races and events during the Grundy County Fair, running Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6 this year with a fireworks show, a Stars & Stripes 250 Enduro and Demolition Derby. One of the biggest races of the season for Grundy County Speedway is the annual Bettenhausen 100, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 13.

Race fans know it’s best to arrive early, providing time to walk the midway full of food options including grill favorites like hot dogs and burgers to pork chops and pulled pork. Fans can visit their favorite or the newest drivers in their pits as they prepare for each race.

“We open the gates and we invite fans to visit the drivers, who are just great,” Bechtel said.

The race drivers hail from throughout the Midwest, and with each race there’s young talent and seasoned drivers behind the wheel.

In addition to the vehicle races, Grundy County Speedway hosts car shows and events for children, including an Easter egg hunt and an October costume contest and candy scramble. Fun promotions include the Kids Power Wheel Races, where children can compete to drive battery-powered ride-on vehicles. Bechtel said the speedway also supports initiatives to help children, from bicycle giveaways to providing school supplies.

Tickets for races at the La Salle Speedway & Events Center and the Grundy County Speedway are available at the speedway websites and on-site during race days.

For more information, visit grundycountyspeedwayonline.com or lasallespeedway.com.