Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Site of the Bank of Elkhart Lake
Where the Elkhart Lake Road Races Began...
Elkhart Lake Historic Race Circuits
Preservation Society
and
National Exchange Bank and Trust
Erected 2012 by Elkhart Lake Historic Race Circuits Preservation Society & National Exchange Bank and Trust.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1949.
Location. 43° 49.965′ N, 88° 1.076′ W. Marker is in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, in Sheboygan County. Marker is at the intersection of Square Street and South Lake Street, on the left when traveling west on Square Street. Marker is a large metal plaque, mounted at eye-level, facing Square Street (north), directly on the National Exchange Bank & Trust building at this intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 54 South Lake Street, Elkhart Lake WI 53020, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Elkhart Lake Road Race Circuits (within shouting distance of this marker); 1951–52 Start/Finish (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Hard Left (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Lake Street Walkway (approx. ¼ mile away); Ted's Turn (approx. ¼ mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Peck's Alley (approx. 0.3 miles away); Briggs' Bend (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elkhart Lake.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Elkhart Lake Road Races
Also see . . .
1. Bank Marker Dedication. The Preservation Society joined with The National Exchange Bank to erect a historical marker honoring the Village citizens whose vision foresaw that SCCA sponsored open road sports car racing could change the future for the Village of Elkhart Lake. (Submitted on July 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. A Brief Hisory of Open Road Racing in Elkhart Lake. The open road sports car races held in 1950 through 1952 were conceived and operated by the members of the Chicago Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Jim Kimberly is acknowledged as the person who selected Elkhart Lake and was the driving force behind organizing the races along with Fred Wacker, Karl Brocken and C. Bayard Sheldon. At the time, Elkhart Lake was at a low point in its economic history and Jim Johnson, President of the Elkhart Lake Bank, felt that the races would bring a new energy to the area. (Submitted on July 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. The History of Road America. In the early 1950's, sports car races were being run on the streets in and around Elkhart Lake. When the state legislature banned racing on public roads, a man named Clif Tufte organized a group of influential local citizens and leaders of the of the Chicago Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). This group developed plans and sold stock to build a permanent racecourse. The overall vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of Tufte, a highway engineer, who chose 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland outside the Village of Elkhart Lake for the track. Tufte's dream became a reality in April 1955, the natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area was utilized for the track, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines. By September 10, 1955, the track's first SCCA national race weekend was held. (Submitted on July 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2018. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 296 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.