Amber Green Dragways/Rock Falls Raceway (Eau Claire)

History

Dr. Ralph C. Frank filed incorporation papers for Amber Green Dragways, Inc. on May 8, 1969, for a strip on ninety acres eight miles southwest of Eau Claire. It was sanctioned by the National Association Automobile Racing, and the first race was June 16, 1969. His son Bill Frank managed it from the opening through 1972. The strip started out only thirty feet wide. For 1970 it was doubled in width and the shutdown was lengthened by 1,000 feet, for 3,900 feet overall. Canadian Darrell set the track record of 7.42 seconds at 230 MPH in his AA/FD. In 1972 the track averaged 125 entries each Sunday. Richard “Whitie” Knutson managed it in 1973, and Bill Frank came back in 1974 with help from his brother Peter. After the 1978 season it was advertised for sale at $105,000. Under new owners it became Rock Falls Raceway in 1979, with Greg Weaver as manager. Phil Weissenberger of La Crosse, a frequent winner that year, won bracket 1 on July 4, 1979, at 12.67 seconds in his ‘69 Dodge Super Bee. Along with the usual classes the track ran categories such as High Noon, Last Chance Eliminator and King of the Hill. Al Corda owned it in the early 1990s.