7-11 RACING WITH A MESSAGE
Humble Racer an Unlikely Advocate for Lost Speedways
by Matthew Dillner / Lost Speedways
Dan Wilken is a racer at heart. A retired Truck driver, the 63-year old now spends his time with family and having fun behind the wheel celebrating the heritage of the Sport he loves.
Dan wheels a vintage racecar with the Midwest Jalopies Vintage Stock Car Club. The club mainly races in Iowa and Wisconsin.
“It’s home built car from junk,” says Wilken. “It's a '47 Chevy coupe, with a Chevy, 292 cubic inch straight-six. Our club runs either straight-sixes, or Flathead Fords. We race to win, and sometimes wreck. We also race for free because we love racing, and love old cars.”
Dan Wilken's Vintage Jalopy Racecar in action. (Midwest Jalopy Stock Car Club Photo)
The remains of Freeport Speedway Park from above.
5/20/14.
Dan Wilken poses next to the grandstands moved from Freeport Raceway Park that are now at The Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin.
That Love of racing is expressed on the back of this racecar, a message that reads: “Support Your Local Race Track, While You Still Can!”
“I wanted it on the trunk so traffic behind me would get the message. I hope everyone spreads the word. I posted the photo on Facebook and it has a lot of clicks.”
There is more than a love of the sport behind the message hand-painted on the back of #7-11.
“We lost our home track in Freeport, Illinois a few years ago,” says Wilken.
Freeport Raceway Park was a ½ mile dirt track located next to the Stephenson County Fairgrounds. Opened in 1937, the historic facility’s life came to an end amidst some controversy in 2010. The signs for Freeport, the buildings and grandstands are all gone. All that remains of this once-mighty Midwest dirt track is a footprint of speed.
“I raced at Freeport a little in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I’ve been a fan since the green flag dropped on the first race I ever saw at Freeport.
“At lot of us in Northwest Illinois grew up there and are still sick about it. People have different views, so I won't get into the politics, but I'll never be convinced it (the track’s closure) was all done above board.”
The humble Shannon, Illinois resident is not boastful of his racing or the message he carries on his car. Instead, he chooses to the humble approach talking up his fellow competitors and of course, bragging on his children and grandchildren.
As far as racing goes, Wilken hopes to continue to race his vintage Jalopy racecar. He was awarded Rookie of the Year by the club in 2012 and is also a voting member of the Illinois Stock Car Hall of Fame. Wilken has efforted to make sure Freeport is well represented in the relatively new HOF. While he hopes to provide as many artifacts as possible to the Hall, a part of the Freeport track has new life.
“Our bleachers live again at The Dells Raceway Park, in Wisconsin,” adds Wilken.
While fans can go to The Dells and sit on a piece of Freeport racing history, the memory of his beloved racetrack and a truly powerful message is alive and well on the back of Dan Wilkens racecar.
“I guess the good news is I'm so slow that people have time to read the message.”
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A powerful message.
