Already a successful businessman and owner of a small fleet of Midget Racers, Joe Shaheen's next enterprise would be to build a race car track. Construction of a quarter-mile dirt oval began in the spring of 1947 on the site where a diary farm had once thrived on the Eastside of town. 

He would become the builder, owner, and promoter. He supervised or did the track preparation himself. Soon, you will learn were he built and indoor dirt racing facility as well. 

The front marquee read "Springfield Speedway", but over the decades out-of-towners would call it "Little Springfield" in contrast to the Illinois State Fairground mile across town, but locals as well as myself, it was "Joe's".

By the summer of 1947, central Illinois had become one of the postwar hotbeds for Midget Car racing and since most other nights by now were taken, Joe opted to run Monday nights. As planned, the pit gate did swing open in July of this year for a race. Spectators came in droves, so bleachers on the backstretch went up with no delay for the overflow crowds.

At about this time or earlier, Joe bought three brand new (Frank) Kurtis Kraft Midgets and three new engines as well. Two would be powered with an (Fred) Offenhauser motor and the other one with a flathead Ford V8. He then hired Chuck Weyant and Pete Romcevich to chauffer the Offys, #38 and #39, and hired mechanic Orville Fursch to wrench them both. Harry Myers handled both driving and mechanical duties for the V8.

The Midwest Racing Association was the area sanctioning body. Other track running under this banner and operating within 50 miles of Springfield were Lincoln, Farmer City, Macon, Shelbyville and Pana, and Walsh Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, 100-miles away.

Joe was loyal to his workforce, spectators, sponsors, drivers, car owners and particularly to Our Flag and Country. Our National Anthem would be played prior to the running of the first race while a racer circled the oval displaying the Colors. Harry Terril was with Joe each step of the way. He was the head ticket seller out-front and managed the purse payouts. Another such staff member was Glen Sharp who opened the gate where the racers entered and exited the racing surface.

Throughout the early years drivers came from countless states. Regulars from Texas were: Dick Word, Jimmy Hicks, Loyes Harris Lloyd Ruby, Elmer "Rabbit" Musick; Gene Hartley and Leroy Warriner traveled from Indiana; Jimmie Caris from Florida; Ray Knepper, Clyde Dillon, Ben Chesney, Russ Fox, Jerry Kempf, Jack Stroud, Tommy "Shorty" Burns, from the St Louis area; Cletus "Cowboy" O'Rouke, Don Brennan, Gus Klingbeil, Danny Kladis, Johnny Roberts and Bryon Fisher came down from Chicago; and Harry Turner and Frank Burany from Wisconsin. Other area chauffeurs from nearby towns included: Don Branson, Chuck Marshall, Dwight Brown, and Red Hamilton. Local favorites were Rex Easton, Oscar Russell, Sr., Chuck Weyant, Harry Myers and Steve Orme.

Andy Granatelli had crafted an agreement with Joe in 1948 to bring his Hurricane Hot Rod Association drivers and cars down from Chicago. Don Freeland, Chuck Leighton and Pat Flaherty were among his rising stars. This series was drawing crowds over 20,000 per event in Chicago's Soldier Field. The Springfield promoter displayed his enthusiasm for the series by purchasing a "hot rod track roadster", painting it his usual colors of yellow and dark blue with plenty of chrome and numbering it 39 in red. The races ran on a weeknight and attendance was satisfactory for a while.

In 1950, Joe purchased a Big Car to run the American Automobile Association August Illinois State Fair race. It too, was painted the customary Shaheen colors and numbered 39. He selected Rex Easton to be the driver, but the AAA board called him an outlaw from the Midwest Racing Association and didn't okay him to drive that day. Another Illinois chauffer, who didn't have a ride, set fast time. He would start from the pole and after pulling away from the field, then a tire went down and Tony Bettenhausen was no longer a challenger. The car would be campaigned numerous times in the future and its finest finish did occur October of 1950 with Midget driver Neal Carter in the cockpit. Carter qualified seventh and took the checkers in second position. In the mid 60s, the wheelbase was shortened, fitted with a roll cage, and continued to race with an Offy engine by Chuck Weyant in the Modified class at Joe's. 

Interest in Midget racing dwindled all through the early 50s. Even as other area tracks were shutting down, Joe supplemented his weekly program with Coupes and Stock Cars and switched his racing night to Sunday.

Since Friday nights were now open, Joe began to schedule Midget races again once or twice each month. Typically the St. Louis Auto Racing Association from St. Louis, Missouri, and later AAA or USAC races were scheduled.

The 1960s did lead to more changes as the Coupes gave way to Modifieds and Stock Cars to Late Models. By the late 1960s, the Mods looked similar to a sprint car because chaises, front axles and rear end assemblies were now being bought from a profession speed shop. From this time onward to the end the divisions were classified as Sportsman, Late Model and Sprint Car.

The inaugural Astro Grand Prix for USAC Midgets at the Huston Astrodome was scheduled for January, 1968. Joe was contacted and hired to create an indoor temporary quarter-mile dirt oval there.

Joe and his confidants sought a season finale. A joint decision, Joe's of course, was reached to run a Super Weekend for two nights of Sprint Cars racing on the second Friday of October, followed by a separate program the next night, leaving Sunday as a rain date. The original one was held in 1975 with an excess of 150 sprinters registering opening night and roughly 200 the next night.

Following a number of successful Super Weekends a third day of racing was added. It was run on the State Fairgrounds mile and it was successful as well. But, after Cliff Johns of Vincennes, Indiana, and Ron "Doc" Dawson from Lima, Ohio were fatally injured in succeeding years, Super Weekend returned to the two-day format.

Sprint Car driver Bobby Dunn, Jr., dearly loved racing his car. He built and maintained it himself with the help of a friend, but died young. He believed he had contacted Agent Orange while severing his country in Vietnam. His final request was to have his ashes spread over the Springfield Speedway. His family held a well-attended memorial gathering in the center of the track and later that day his wish was carried out.

When Joe's health began to decline and the rumor mill ran wild and all rumors were just gossip. But, a family decision was reached that the final checkered flag would fall at the end of the 1988 season. On the final night, spectators and racing rigs were slow in leaving. It seems that each one wanted to be the last. Sprinters and a few Late Models would pit on the infield asphalted. Each took a departing lap before leaving. My wife and I stayed for about and hour, so we don't know who was last. But it must have given someone immense fulfillment and possibly bragging rights.

Joe lived on for nearly 18 more months. I was pleased to be asked to be a pallbearer. The speedway was on the way to Oak Hill Cemetery, as the motorcade approached the track it pulled into the North parking lot. The Hurst headed to the track for one ending circuit before continuing on our way. Joe could be mischievous at times and I'm certain his sprit was grinning knowing he was the first and last to circle the Springfield Speedway. His headstone reads, Joe Shaheen, and bears the likeness of two crossed checkered flags with numbers of 38 and 39.

The heirs' decision was to sell the track and bordering land. The track stands and bleachers were soon dismantled board by board and a shopping center was soon built.

The Springfield Speedway and Joe Shaheen have a special place in my Heart.

Marvin E. Scattergood

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