Drag racing is back at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, near Chicago.

The track has not hosted any type of drag race since the end of the 2019 season.

Now, August 5-7, the NHRA North Central Division 3 race will take place. On August 4 there will also be a Test and Tune session.

“It’s a good deal,” said William Tharpe, director of the NHRA’s North Central Division. “A lot of people were involved in this behind the scenes and it was a huge effort by a lot of people on both sides. We’re very excited about it because it’s a huge market for us there. We have so many great racetracks in this area and we have such a great history in the Joliet area and this track is one of the finest facilities yet built. He is still in great shape. »

Route 66 Raceway was opened in 1998. It hosted NHRA national events from 1998 to 2019.

“We didn’t know how the pandemic (COVID-19) was going to unleash and we were looking for opportunities, and it took about a year and a half to two years of planning to get things up and running. .

“We just completed an event in Columbus, Ohio, our Jeg’s Sports Nationals, and a Lucas Oil race that was unfortunately spoiled. We had over 600 entries for this event itself. So we’re looking to see at least 500-600 Route 66 entries. That’s our hope.

The classes that will compete at Joliet will be Top Dragster and Top Sportsman, Comp, Competition Eliminator, Stock, Super Stock, Super Gas, Super Comp and Super Street as well as Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to show facility management now what the capability is with a smaller stroke,” Tharpe said. “Then imagine a national event coming back. There’s the ticket sales, the infrastructure is already in place, and everything that would flourish by bringing a single event back. It’s kind of a preview of what it could be. It’s a whole new clean slate (with track management) that’s why we have the opportunity we have right now.

“We’re just looking to have a good, safe event and get a few people in the stands. Have a good run and see what else happens.