History

GingerMan Raceway was developed by Dan Schnitta, a successful businessman from Chicago. Mr. Schnitta started his business career in real estate and has acquired many unique and successful entities, GingerMan Raceway being his most recent. Currently, his other main business venture is the GingerMan Tavern, a busy but friendly neighborhood watering hole at 3740 N. Clark St., one block north of Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Dan’s lifelong love for sports cars began when he acquired a Fiat roadster in 1966. A succession of sports cars grew into a collection, and casual Sunday drives grew into a passion for motor sports, culminating in the property purchase, design and construction of GingerMan Raceway in 1995. The spirit of real competition and an enthusiasm for the classic sport of wheel-to-wheel racing brought the vision of a great racetrack into reality.

Most racecar drivers will tell you it's always been their dream to get behind the wheel of a car and race. It's the challenge. It's the achievement. It's the thrill of speed. It's mastering the car.....and the track. For Dan Schnitta, it was all that.... and more. But, it was the track that held the final and greatest allure.

Dan was born of humble origins into Chicago's 18th and Halstead neighborhood, and spent time on Maxwell Street and Chicago's beaches as he matured into the driving force behind GingerMan Raceway. In high school he honed his driving skills in alleys on his motorcycle and the streets and race tracks with a Fiat Roadster. Meanwhile, Dan's business sense developed through various real estate venture profession and Tavern management (also named GingerMan). But his ultimate dream still hadn't been achieved. In fact, the call to action became too great to ignore in the early 90's.

By 1996, his dream became a reality. GingerMan Raceway has materialized out of the sand dunes as the first new track in the area since the 50's. Ask anybody that's raced there and they will confirm that Dan's dream adequately challenges their car control skills and delivers an exuberant ride. Ask any of the driver's support teams and they'll confirm that the accommodations and dining are a notch above most other venues. In both cases, they all want to come back for more.

Can you watch? Yes, most weekend events welcome spectators. There is usually a nominal gate pass fee, but once inside, you’ll find a number of great vantage points. You can watch the entire racecourse from the popular spectator hill. During the week GingerMan Raceway is used for testing and research by professional race teams, magazines, driving and racing schools, and driver training by law enforcement groups.

Can you race? Yes, most of the racers here are people like you who race as a hobby. Find out more about getting involved as a racer or race staff member by contacting the clubs that race here. All sports car, motorcycle and kart clubs require that you have suitable safety equipment for yourself and on your vehicle to race wheel-to-wheel. Most require that you attend a racing driver school to learn the safety rules and driving techniques before you can go on the track.

Can you just try a few laps? Yes, opportunities for a few laps around the track are available from time to time. Some clubs allow drivers and staff members to cruise in their streetcars during the lunch break. During their event, the Viper Club provides rides in their exciting cars in exchange for a $5.00 donation to a local charity.