Shifters Dragway (Pittsfield)
ClosedClosed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there.
- Shutdown area ran into a cornfield
- Raced
- 1962-64
- State
- Illinois
- What's left
- A good length of the old track surface is still there, in poor to good condition.
- Raced on
- Built as a drag strip
- Last race
- 1964
- Track
- 1/8 mile
- Surface
- Dirt with a clay starting line
- Location
- Roswell Kelly farm, three and a half miles east of Pittsfield
- People
- Shifters Car Club, builder and operator (1962-63)
- Roswell Kelly, landowner and track maintenance
- John Clark, operator (until 1964)
- Brenda Clark, operator (until 1964)
- Elevation
- 664 ft (202 m)
- Coordinates
- 39.60566, -90.75949
The Shifters Car Club built this short-lived eighth-mile dirt strip on the Roswell Kelly farm, three and a half miles east of Pittsfield, with the shutdown running into a cornfield. The Kellys and club members built the timing tower and fences, and Roswell Kelly maintained the track. Several loads of clay went down for a solid base at the starting line, which was watered for traction. The Shifters ran it for a year or so, then John and Brenda Clark ran it until it closed in 1964. Brenda was Kelly’s daughter. Pauline Kelly and the Kelly daughters, Brenda and Dolores Dean, ran the concession stand. Early on, Paul and Neil Lanslor classified the cars, and they were also involved with the White Hall Drag Strip.
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