Car show revives memory of when Elgin was car racing epicenter

More than a century ago, drivers in the fastest machines on four wheels sped around an eight-mile course in the Fox Valley for a $1,000 prize, a silver trophy and the right to call oneself the top racer in the Midwest.

Those Elgin Road Races are long gone, but memories of those competitions that drew thousands of spectators and, some historians say, were the first organized stock car races in the U.S., took center stage last week.

The 50th annual Elgin Road Race Car Show, hosted by the Fox Valley Model T Ford Club and the Elgin National Road Race Association, featured antique and classic cars on display. Many wrapped up the day with a ceremonial lap on the route that made up the old racing circuit.

Among those checking out the cars were residents of Avantara, a rehabilitation hospital in Elgin whose parking lot was home to the show.

“It’s nice for them to go out and they’re having fun,” said Avantara office manager Sheila Heinzinger of Gilberts.