After the curtain fell on Rockford Speedway’s 76th season, a piece of news unfolded in February 2023. The storied track, a fixture in the racing world, is set to undergo a major transformation. The Deery family, long-time stewards of the speedway, passed the baton to HJS Development, guided by Shorewood Development, sealing the track’s fate. 

But change is easier said than done. Emotions are running high, especially for Travis Kvapil, a name synonymous with the NASCAR Truck Series. In a bid to keep the memories alive, Kvapil turned to the power of social media. His Twitter plea was more than just words; it was a call to action. He reached out to Dale Earnhardt Jr and the iRacing community, hoping to immortalize the track in the digital realm.

Dale Earnhardt Jr might have just received another responsibility of preserving yet another legendary track

Misfit Productions, announced that they have been busy at Rockford Speedway, a 1/4 mile short track high banked asphalt oval. They’ve been there, capturing every adrenaline-filled moment on the legendary track. Their mission is to bring the electric atmosphere of racing into our living rooms. Misfit Productions is all about showcasing the speed, the drivers, and the fans who live and breathe this exhilarating sport.

While that is one of the ways to preserve the racetrack, Travis Kvapil, NASCAR Truck Series champ, proposed a different route to keep Rockford Speedway’s spirit alive. He made an emotional appeal online, tagging Dale Earnhardt Jr and Rockford Speedway. His message was a trip down memory lane, sprinkled with nostalgia and a touch of sadness. He wrote, “Stopped at one of my fave childhood spots. Grew up going here every Sat. night…cut my first laps here too! Wanted to stop and see it before it’s gone! Times change, but hurts to see it going away. We need to push for ⁦@iRacing ⁩@iRacingMyers⁩ to keep it around forever.”

But the virtual racing world itself is facing a bit of a bumpy road. If Rockford Speedway could make a pit stop in the NASCAR eSports universe, it might just secure its legacy. As for the Forest Hills Lodge, a landmark since 1977, it bid its final farewell on June 1, 2023. The team there did a stand-up job, helping relocate events planned at the venue. Now, the building is set to make way for new developments.

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And what about the Speedway? Well, Deery says HJS Development is using only half of it. For the rest Deery’s got plans for a memorial on the grounds, paying tribute to the track’s heroes, its Walk of Fame stars, and his parents, who poured their hearts into the Speedway.

It seems Kvapil’s inspiration might have come from a similar story – other racetracks that have found a second life in the virtual world of iRacing. So, who knows? Rockford Speedway might just be gearing up for a new kind of race.

A digital salute to iconic racetracks

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1. First up, let’s talk about Wild West Motorsports Park, the birthplace of super truck thrills. Added to iRacing in May 2019, this track is now just a memory, having closed its doors for good.
2. Then there’s USA International Speedway, a staple for street stock racers in iRacing. What many might not know is that this track bit the dust shortly after iRacing took off. Its final race was in 2008, and now, where roaring engines once echoed, warehouses stand.
3. Now, onto the Phoenix Road Course, or as iRacing buffs know it, the Legacy Phoenix Road Course. It’s a 1.5-mile marvel with 12 challenging turns. The track has seen better days, though. After a series of makeovers, the original road and rally courses gave way to parking lots, leaving only the oval from the Legacy layout.
4. Concord Speedway’s story is quite the rollercoaster. Starting as a dirt track in 1982, it transformed into the world’s fastest half-mile tri-oval. However, its design evolution didn’t stop there. It later became a 7/10th of a mile pentagon track, hosting NASCAR races, but now it’s just a chapter in racing history.
5. Oran Park Raceway in Australia, a favorite for V8 Supercars and even a two-time Australian Grand Prix host, is another one we lost. It shut down in 2010, making way for housing developments. Today, only street names hint at its glorious past.
6. Auto Club Speedway, or Fontana Speedway, was a hit with NASCAR fans right up to its last race in 2023. But progress waits for no one. It shrunk from a two-mile track to a half-mile one, with the rest of the land going to new developments.
7. And finally, there’s the Twin Ring Motegi Oval in Japan. Not as famous but a blast to drive on iRacing. The 2011 earthquake dealt it a tough hand, and it hasn’t hosted a race since. Yet, it saw some action in 2017, a ghostly echo of its former glory.

These tracks may be gone in the real world, but thanks to iRacing, they live on in the digital realm, keeping the spirit of racing alive for fans everywhere.

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