Chicagoland Speedway was opened in 2001, the result of over five years of effort by Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George, International Speedway Corporation Chief Executive Officer Bill France and nine local Joliet entrepreneurs: George Barr, Jim Bingham, Dale Coyne, Jerry Papesh, Ed Rensi, Steve Spiess, and Dale, Jack and Rex Steffes. The 75,000-seat, $130 million Speedway is the largest sporting facility in Illinois and occupies over 1,300 acres.

Chicagoland Speedway's sister facility, Route 66 Raceway, was opened in 1998 and was the best, most modern facility built for drag racing at the time. It was an instant success, not only with race fans and participants, but in Joliet as well.