Thunder Hill Speedway — The Hill Raceway, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Thunder Hill Speedway, now operating as The Hill Raceway, is a 1/3 mile dirt oval in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Originally known as Thunder Hill Raceway and briefly as Door County Speedway, the track has been a fixture of Midwest short-track dirt racing since the late 1990s, running primarily under IMCA Modified sanctioning.
The original RacingOnline.com covered Thunder Hill results and schedules from approximately 1998 to 2013, and the track’s backlink profile reflects that era — 83 editorial backlinks from race track directories, regional motorsport forums, and Wisconsin racing community sites point to this page.
Track Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Current Name | The Hill Raceway |
| Former Names | Thunder Hill Raceway, Door County Speedway |
| Location | Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (Door County area) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Length | 1/3 mile oval |
| Primary Class | IMCA Modified |
| Season | May – September (weekly racing) |
IMCA Modified Racing at Thunder Hill
The International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) sanctions weekly short-track Modified racing across the Midwest, and Thunder Hill has been part of that circuit throughout its operating history. IMCA Modifieds are purpose-built dirt oval cars — tubular steel frames, high-horsepower engines, and aggressive suspension setups designed for sideways, sliding racing on clay or dirt surfaces.
Thunder Hill’s 1/3 mile configuration produces tight, competitive racing. The shorter track length means lapped traffic becomes a factor quickly, and restarts after caution periods often produce the most aggressive racing of the night. IMCA Modified events at tracks like Thunder Hill typically run 20–25 lap features with heat races and a last-chance qualifier (LCQ) format.
Notable Drivers
Benji LaCrosse is the most prominent name associated with Thunder Hill Speedway. LaCrosse won the 2007 track championship at Thunder Hill/Sturgeon Bay and went on to win the 2006 IMCA Modified national championship — one of the highest achievements in American short-track dirt racing. LaCrosse also holds multiple Wisconsin state championships and is a recognised figure across the broader Midwest IMCA Modified scene, including at Luxemburg Speedway (Luxy Raceway) in neighbouring Kewaunee County.
Track History and the Wisconsin Short-Track Scene
Wisconsin has one of the densest concentrations of short-track oval racing in the United States. Within a reasonable driving radius of Sturgeon Bay, racers and fans can access multiple weekly racing venues — Thunder Hill (dirt), Luxemburg/Luxy Raceway (dirt), and paved ovals further south including Elko Speedway in Minnesota and Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin.
This density of tracks creates a pipeline of talent. Drivers who develop at weekly Thunder Hill events move through regional IMCA championships and, in some cases, progress to national-level racing. The Wisconsin/Upper Midwest short-track ecosystem has produced drivers who have gone on to compete in ARCA, ICTC (Interstate Championship Tour), and occasionally NASCAR national touring series.
Attending Thunder Hill / The Hill Raceway
The Hill Raceway operates a weekly racing schedule from May through September. Gates typically open in the late afternoon with racing under lights in the evening. Check the track’s current schedule on MyRacePass or the track’s social media for the most up-to-date class listings, event dates, and gate times.
Sturgeon Bay is located in Door County, one of Wisconsin’s most popular tourist destinations. The track is accessible from Green Bay (approximately 45 minutes south) and the broader Fox Valley area.
Related Pages
For more on Midwest short-track and oval racing betting, see our Speedway & Short-Track Oval Betting Guide. For ARCA Menards Series betting at Wisconsin tracks, see our guides to Madison International Speedway and Elko Speedway.