Rockford Speedway

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Rockford Speedway
Rockford.jpg
Location Rockford, Illinois
Races Rockford 200
BAAR

The Rockford Speedway is a 0.25-mile (0.402-km) short track in Rockford, Illinois. It has become known as "the track that started ARLA" due to its holding the inaugural test race of the series in 1972.

The Rockford 200 was the season-ending race of the ARLA Elite Series from 1973 through 2001, but the track was dropped from the 2002 schedule. Negotiations between ARLA officials and the track promoters broke down because the promoters of the track wanted more money than the league was willing to pay, and so Rockford was cut from the schedule. Daytona became the new site for the season finale, which angered a lot of fans and teams from ARLA, as they said that Daytona is never a familiar site for the season finale, but the race was reinstated in 2009, due to overwhelming demand from the fans and teams, and the track promoters negotiating a new deal with ARLA.

After 2013, FARC dropped Rockford from the schedule after negotiations with track promoters broke down. However, a new agreement was reached in time for the 2017 season, and thus the Speedway returned to its place as the season finale. This turned into a one year arrangement after FARC officials introduced the Smash Beer Oktoberfest Nationals, which would move the season finale to a rotation of midwestern short tracks, including Rockford. The "200" is now a late model feature race, and will serve as the season finale for the FARC Tornado Alley Tour in 2021.

The Buckeye Association for Auto Racing visited the track in 2015. The TM Master Cup Series has also visited the track in the past.