Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Anyone ever been to this track?  Going for the first time this weekend, and curious about the sort of program they run.  Thanks. 

Half mile with long straights. Usually good races. Not far from the Mississippi. 

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

I an sorry, I saw Granite City and thought Illinois.  Never been to the MN track.

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. 

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.

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 

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. 

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.

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

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.