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Topic: Granite City WoO
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Page 1 of 1 of 13 replies
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June 03, 2019 at
12:53:44 PM
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01/14/2014
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Anyone ever been to this track? Going for the first time this weekend, and curious about the sort of program they run. Thanks.
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June 03, 2019 at
01:30:38 PM
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Half mile with long straights. Usually good races. Not far from the Mississippi.
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June 03, 2019 at
04:49:42 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ThePurple73 on June 03 2019 at 01:30:38 PM
Half mile with long straights. Usually good races. Not far from the Mississippi.
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Are you thinking of the old 1/2 mile in Granite City, IL (that doesn't even exist any more) ?!? I've never been to the MN Granite City, but it looks like it's a 3/8...
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June 03, 2019 at
04:59:13 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: chilly on June 03 2019 at 04:49:42 PM
Are you thinking of the old 1/2 mile in Granite City, IL (that doesn't even exist any more) ?!? I've never been to the MN Granite City, but it looks like it's a 3/8...
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It is a 3/8 mile located in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, near St. Cloud about an hour northwest of the Twin Cities. The track has gone by other names such as Golden Spike. I've been there once for a 360 Special some years back. I'm not planning on going Wednesday for personal reasons and nothing against the track. It's one of the local weekly tracks that runs WISSOTA classes in this area. I'm sure the racing will be good, it's got some banking and is wide enough.
Stan Meissner
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June 03, 2019 at
05:14:20 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: chilly on June 03 2019 at 04:49:42 PM
Are you thinking of the old 1/2 mile in Granite City, IL (that doesn't even exist any more) ?!? I've never been to the MN Granite City, but it looks like it's a 3/8...
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I an sorry, I saw Granite City and thought Illinois. Never been to the MN track.
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June 03, 2019 at
05:22:22 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ThePurple73 on June 03 2019 at 05:14:20 PM
I an sorry, I saw Granite City and thought Illinois. Never been to the MN track.
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No prob! The part that made it extra confusing was you said it's not far from the Mississippi. St. Cloud/Sauk Rapids is actually not far from the Mississippi either (the far northern reaches!) ... twilight zone... ha
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June 03, 2019 at
05:35:52 PM
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If memory serves this is a track that ran a couple of midweek shows with the WoO when they had those reduced purse races. Now they’ve graduated to running a full purse event.
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June 03, 2019 at
06:04:54 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: chilly on June 03 2019 at 05:22:22 PM
No prob! The part that made it extra confusing was you said it's not far from the Mississippi. St. Cloud/Sauk Rapids is actually not far from the Mississippi either (the far northern reaches!) ... twilight zone... ha
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The one in Illinois is Pontoon Beach IL, called Tri-City and is 3/8's now. Been to a bunch of WOO and USAC sprints and midgets there. Pontoon Beach is there beside Granite City, seems the race track has always been there.
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June 03, 2019 at
08:58:01 PM
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Funny thing. I almost posted earlier today as the description matched the old granite city IL track to a t. Only about a mile or 2 from the Mississippi. LOL
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June 03, 2019 at
10:59:49 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ThePurple73 on June 03 2019 at 06:04:54 PM
The one in Illinois is Pontoon Beach IL, called Tri-City and is 3/8's now. Been to a bunch of WOO and USAC sprints and midgets there. Pontoon Beach is there beside Granite City, seems the race track has always been there.
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Pontoon Beach annexed the land the old 1/2 mile track sat on in Granite City, IL... or something like that. Kevin Gundaker bought the property & basically dismantled the 1/2 mile... built a whole new 3/8 mile in its place. From google earth, you can still faintly see the outline of the 1/2. I saw one WoO show at the 1/2 in the early 2000’s and a USAC sprint show a few years later where Darland sailed outta turn 3 in hot laps (Hoffman 69). I didn‘t really like the 1/2... corners were too sharp & it was too narrow. It was a scary place to watch winged sprints, quite honestly. WoO had at least one annual date for years at the old 1/2, but don’t think they’ve raced on the new configuration. I’ve had plans to see USAC sprints/midgets foiled by bad weather, so have yet to see a race on the “new” track.
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June 04, 2019 at
12:01:39 AM
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The new track at granite city IL is much more friendly on motors than the old 1/2. The outlaws used to really fly around that place. Kevin Gundaker does a nice job. Several special events in multiple classes during the year they also get pretty good local support on their weekly shows.
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June 05, 2019 at
11:54:21 AM
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This message was edited on
June 05, 2019 at
11:55:42 AM by ThePurple73
Reply to:
Posted By: chathamracefan1 on June 04 2019 at 12:01:39 AM
The new track at granite city IL is much more friendly on motors than the old 1/2. The outlaws used to really fly around that place. Kevin Gundaker does a nice job. Several special events in multiple classes during the year they also get pretty good local support on their weekly shows.
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It is funny how times change and what tracks are known by,
People used to say Knoxville, Sedalia, Granite City, Little Springfield, Springfield Mile, West Memphis, Lincoln(meaning the Nebraska fairgrounds), Des Moines, Olympic.....some known by town, some by name.
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June 05, 2019 at
12:05:34 PM
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Tri city speedway in Illinois used to have 3 one night shows per year my dad and I would go to everyone of them when I was a kid. Good races track was very narrow slammin sammy had these amazing turn one dives that would leave you in amazement. I am really amazed why they don't have a woo sprint car show they would make a KILLING. I'm assuming it has something to do with running Lucas oil latemodels there all the time. I love late models too but I think they would PACK the place if they had woo sprints
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June 11, 2019 at
11:21:17 AM
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Well it turned out to be a nice night. Good racing, and Granite City is a really racy little place. The track itself was great, but the only knock I have is the grandstands. Tightest most uncomfortable stands I've ever seen. If somebody in your row wanted out, you literally had to stand on your seat to let them by. Other than that, nice little place, and the slide-jobs in the feature between Gravel and Sweet were great! Now on to Beaver Dam in a couple weeks.
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