Beloved Piece of Rockford Speedway Has Found a New Home in Wisconsin

If you grew up in the Rockford area and remember spending many summer nights listening to the engines roar at the Rockford Speedway, a piece of this city's racing history is now alive and well at the Madison International Speedway.

Rockford Speedway, Canva

Rockford Speedway Memories

It's a sad fact, the closing of Rockford Speedway left a pretty big hole in the hearts of local racing fans all over the Stateline area, and it still shocks me to drive down 173 and see the empty space where the speedway used to be.

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We may not be able to bring the legendary track back, but we can still see an important piece of it just across the Wisconsin border.

New Racecar Graveyard in Madison

In the years since the Rockford Speedway closed, many fans have been traveling to the Madison International Speedway to enjoy a night of racing action, and now we have a new reason to visit that comes with a trip down memory lane.

Madison International Speedway just opened a new Midwest Racecar Graveyard on its grounds, and it's definitely unlike anything racing fans in the Midwest have seen before.

The Midwest Racecar Graveyard will celebrate the history of Midwest Motorsports by showcasing retired and wrecked race cars from both asphalt and dirt short tracks. To be developed in the southern woods of Madison International Speedway, this display will honor the stories of drivers, teams, and memorable races, preserving the legacy of Wisconsin and Midwest racing.

But here's the part that's guaranteed to hit Rockford fans right in the feels...

The iconic Rockford Speedway sign that once greeted drivers along Forest Hills Road has found a new home in the graveyard!

There's another big piece of Rockford racing history attached to Madison's new graveyard attraction, the project is being curated by longtime racing promoter and familiar Rockford name, Chuck Deery!

The Midwest Racecar Graveyard is expected to continue growing through donations from racers and teams across the region, so every visit should bring something new to discover.

For anyone who still misses the Rockford Speedway, this isn't a replacement. Nothing ever will be. But it's a chance to reconnect with a piece of local racing history, and to reminisce about all the great summer nights we spent at the track.