During Chicago’s auto racing heyday, a NASCAR race in Soldier Field ended in a razor-slim victory by Fireball Roberts
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune.Early stock car racing action at Soldier Field in 1952. The track hosted just one NASCAR Cup race in 1956 that was won by Fireball Roberts. Three NASCAR Convertible Series events were held from 1956 through 1957 as well, with Chicago native Tom Pistone winning the first of those.
“Granatelli had five guys on his payroll whose job was to wreck you,” said Tom Pistone, a NASCAR alum who grew up in Chicago, said in the Autoweek article. “It was crazy racing, but it brought out the people.” Anthony “Andy” Granatelli, left, president of the Chicago Auto Racing Association, with a trophy to be presented to the winner of the Soldier Field stock car title on Sept. 5, 1954. Tom Pistone, center, was the 1953 winner and point standings leader at the time, and Skippy Michaels was the 1952 champ and a 1954 contender.
Bad roads in Wisconsin led organizers to shorten the race to Evanston and back, a distance of about 54 miles. Run on Thanksgiving Day, the event gave Chicago bragging rights to America’s first automobile race.
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