Rally, Rock and Race Weekend Speeds into Joliet Friday

Submitted by Nicole Meagher, Chicagoland Speedway

The first of two NASCAR weekends of summer racing kicks off this Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. The Rally, Rock & Race Weekend features three exhilarating forms of motorsports, including the STP 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series, and entertainment for the whole family, July 19-21.

The Rally, Rock & Race Weekend begins on Friday, July 19 with the Rock the Weekend Kick Off Party at the Route 66 Raceway Dirt Oval. The party will feature live entertainment from the Gina Glocksen Band, RC Races, driver appearances and more! At 7:00 p.m., fans can check out the 900-horsepower, 4,000-pound trucks of the Traxxas TORC Series as they thunder around Route 66 Raceway’s dirt oval. Shuttles will be provided to transport Chicagoland Speedway campground guests to the Dirt Oval and back to their campsites.

On Saturday, July 20, the Campground Wake Up and Shake Up will begin at 10:00 a.m., featuring kid-friendly activities with Dash, Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway’s mascot, and contests for guests to win camping gear. Later that day, NASCAR Nationwide Series practice begins, open to all fans showing a Sunday race ticket. Saturday night, the Traxxas TORC Series once again invades the dirt oval at 7:00 p.m. for the final night of Baja-style, off-road racing. There you can catch 11-time X-Games gold medalist Travis Pastrana behind the wheel as he attempts to conquer the Traxxas TORC Series.

The weekend kicks into high gear on Sunday, July 21, with a racing double-header featuring the STP 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. With a rare-off weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the STP 300 will take center stage in the world of motorsports at Chicagoland Speedway followed by the Ansell ActivArmr® 150, part of the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards, allowing the stars of tomorrow to compete on the 1.5-mile oval.

Action begins bright and early Sunday morning with music playing from the main stage in Champions Park as fans view the Armor All Classic Car Show, featuring cars from 1979 and earlier. The five winners will be chosen by voting among race fans and car enthusiasts in attendance to determine which classic cars are the Best in Show.

Race fans can also test their tailgating skills at the Miller Time Bean Bag Contest presented by Miller Lite before the green flag drops. At 12:30 p.m., stop by the Champions Park stage once again to catch the “STP Brake” for a chance at STP and Chicagoland Speedway prizes.

At noon, Chicago’s very own Lovehammers will take the main stage to put the Rock in Rally, Rock & Race with a free concert for all ticketholders. The Lovehammers are an alternative rock band whose sound is best described as a combination of pop-punk with grunge influences. They have headlined their own International Tours and played sold out shows at the majority of Chicago’s music venues. The Lovehammers have also appeared live on VH1 playing acoustic versions of their songs.

If you’re looking for exciting activities inside the race track, don’t forget our Pit and Infield Fan Zone Experience.  For just $25, the Pit and Infield Fan Zone experience is now open to non-season ticket holders while season ticket holders (sections A-F) receive a full season’s worth of passes free of charge. The $125 value makes July a great time to order a full season of excitement at Chicagoland Speedway.

Click here for the most current Rally, Rock & Race Weekend schedule including details on camping registration, shuttles and gate openings.