Where do you drive your sportscars? | FerrariChat

Where do you drive your sportscars?

Discussion in 'Chicago' started by Nader, Nov 23, 2017.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Nader

    Nader Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2011
    990
    East of Seattle
    I recently visited my college buddy, who lives in Elmhurst, and has a small but growing collection of fun sports cars. He was excited for me to drive and experience them. We spent the day driving on a gridwork of crumbling surface streets, from traffic light to traffic light. No elevation changes, which I expected from prior visits there, but no curvy roads. I remember this being the case when I visited him when he lived in Mundelein, and Oak Park.

    He said highway on-off ramps are places to have some fun. And he seemed to be serious. I find this hard to believe, but he's a Chicago native and a car guy. He started out in high school with an old muscle car. After my experience there, I thought the Chicago area is best suited for short bursts of straight-line acceleration that muscle cars offer. I wonder if my buddy was just being lazy and not wanting to venture farther than a half-hour from home.

    So, where do you guys really drive your cars? Do the roads get curvy outside of town? Are there any twisties within city limits?
     
    tomc likes this.
  2. ScreaminRevs

    ScreaminRevs Formula Junior

    Apr 4, 2004
    406
    Chicago
    The curvy roads are few and far between in these parts, especially when restricting oneself to a half hour radius. You have to find a nice road that hugs a river -- Illinois, Missisippi, etc. Also, and this is way beyond half hour from the western burbs but the roads in southern and central WI might satisfy some of your criteria. Take a ride to Mt Horeb (just outside Madison) and try some different paths to the New Glarus area; there are curves galore. Pick up some of their beer, too. It's pretty good and only sold locally.
     
    Nader likes this.
  3. F1tommy

    F1tommy F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2007
    10,254
    Chicagoland USA
    Full Name:
    Tom Tanner
    You have to go 10 miles in either direction. Elmhurst is very urban and you are lucky to get over 50 !! Down south it gets much better as they have alot more parkland and it is hilly. Down by Cog Hill and Lemont I have found some areas with alot of hills and turns and cops. By the way, Elmhust has some of the worst roads around, although they are fixing some of them. That town has money so it makes no sense other than it is old.
     
  4. wmuno

    wmuno Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2007
    430
    Wilmette, Illinois
    Full Name:
    Bill Muno
    For the Norhtern Suburbs, a drive up Sheridan Road through the ravines is a great route. Go as far north as you want, then make your way over to the Edens Expressway for a high speed run back south.
     
  5. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa

    Nov 2, 2003
    8,810
    illinois
    Full Name:
    mark k.
    Drive it every day (live 300 ft from Sheridan Rd), 30 mph limit and most cars drive way below that so you are stuck behind a Prius, since passing is either illegal or impossible.
     
    ChicagoFerrari likes this.
  6. ChicagoFerrari

    ChicagoFerrari Karting

    Dec 19, 2013
    125
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Sean
    Was going to say the same thing. Sheridan is beautiful but slow...


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  7. The Nutsack

    The Nutsack Formula Junior

    Oct 7, 2014
    615
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Started this thread a few years ago and it died pretty quick.

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/best-driving-roads-near-chicago.493566/

    I wonder how many Chicago Fchatters actually drive their cars...That would be an interesting thread itself.

    The area around Galena is great. Did it again last month and just wish I had more time to spend. So many turns and twists that I didn't have time to explore. I think it was really top notch and will definitely go back. Minimal traffic, nice roads, just great. But it's a 3 hour drive to get there.

    There's an area where Route 41 hits Waukegan Road near Gurnee with a bunch of on and off ramps that can be fun for a short drive. Mostly industrial area so minimal traffic on nights and weekends and no residential areas to stress over.
     
  8. Townshend

    Townshend F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 20, 2005
    6,672
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Walter
    CBS had an article a couple of years ago of some of them: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-scenic-drives-near-chicago/

    I try to drive as often as possible, even during nicer days in the winter. This is from last December when it was in the 50s, almost hit 60 I believe.

    I'm up for a drive if anyone else wants to explore!

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  9. JP365

    JP365 Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2007
    1,340
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    John F
    I turned a 12.4 mile drive yesterday into a 34 mile milkshake and burger run yesterday. Drive em when you can.
     
  10. Nader

    Nader Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2011
    990
    East of Seattle
    Huh, so options are pretty limited after all. Luckily, you all have a number of decent race tracks within a couple of hours of you. Not the least of which is Road America. Hell, even I, surrounded by incredibly scenic mountain roads and technically difficult race tracks, made the 2,000 mile trip there, twice, to race there.
     
  11. F1tommy

    F1tommy F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2007
    10,254
    Chicagoland USA
    Full Name:
    Tom Tanner
    Yes, Road America has to be the best if not one of the top 2 tracks in North America with a good sized fan base filling it up on race weekends. Love that place, and I have been to almost all the big road courses in N.A. to compare.
     
  12. speedsport

    speedsport Formula Junior

    Mar 14, 2013
    496
    IL/WI
    Full Name:
    Michael
    From Mundelien there are some decent roads about 40 minutes away. Best stuff in the area is near WI/IL border surrounding Lake Geneva. There are a bunch of designated "Rustic Roads" that are the best we have.

    http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/travel/road/rustic-roads/southeast.aspx


    Combine some of the rustic roads with the surrounding roads and a stop in Lake Geneva and you've got a great afternoon drive. I live in the area, so I'm sure I speak for all of us and ask that you please drive reasonably.
     
    tickerhound likes this.
  13. The Nutsack

    The Nutsack Formula Junior

    Oct 7, 2014
    615
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Mike
    was just up in your area the a couple days ago. Beautiful roads, mostly 55mph limits and the further west and north you go the nicer it gets. I used to have a house in LG but sold it a couple years ago...always loved the entire area since I was a kid.
     
  14. tickerhound

    tickerhound Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2016
    362
    IL
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Agree with speedsport, I live in Johnsburg close to the IL/WI border and I like to head west towards Lake Geneva. Nice roads without a lot of traffic or cops.
     
  15. Nader

    Nader Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2011
    990
    East of Seattle
    Thanks for the suggestions. I'd forward a link of this discussion to my buddy, but I don't want him to think I was ungrateful for his sharing of cars. I think he just has time management issues; we always seemed to be in a rush between his household errands, and had no real time to go out in the country to find nice roads. You really need to set aside at least half a day to go joyriding outside the big city.

    I grew up in St. Louis. About a half-hour west in Chesterfield, at least in the '80's, you'd get out to Wild Horse Creek Rd. near Babler State Park, and it was like The Tail of the Dragon, just a little shorter. Currently, here outside of Seattle, we have numerous mountain roads with switchbacks, and flowing twisties in the hilly wine country. But some of the best driving I ever experienced was in my '80 Triumph Spitfire, all 70 h.p. of it, on the country roads outside of Galesburg, IL where I went to college.
     

Share This Page