The early 1950s sports car world roared with road race fever. Financed by the postwar boom, many enthusiasts clamored for a Midwest road race to test their exciting new sports cars. Chicago Region SCCA members Jim Kimberly, C. Bayard Sheldon, Karl Brocken, and Fred Wacker scouted for a location. They found the rolling Kettle Moraine at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ideal.

Elkhart Lake Businessmen’s Association enthusiastically supported the idea, so a challenging 3.35-mile road circuit was selected over local roads, and races organized for July 23, 1950. The tight turns and rolling hills would give drivers ample opportunity to test their driving skill and their car’s performance.

The 1950 races, featured Ferraris, Healeys, Jaguars, and MGs that entertained an impressive crowd of 5,000 eager spectators. Six events were held. The feature 60-mile race was won by Jim Kimberly of Neenah, an executive from Kimberly-Clark, driving his Ferrari 166 MM. Sara ‘Sammy’ Chapin, an accomplished aircraft pilot and daughter of Hudson Motor Company founder Roy Chapin, won the 15-mile ladies' race in a Healy. By the last race, it was clear that road racing had a future in Elkhart Lake.

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Official program for the 1951 Elkhart Lake Road Race. It contained information about the competitors, articles from leading figures of the sports car world, and advertisements from dealers around the country. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Building upon the first races’ success, organizers ensured the 1951 and 1952 races appealed to sports car enthusiasts from across the nation. Organizers expanded the course to 6.5 miles, with the route now going through downtown Elkhart Lake. John Fitch, Phil Hill, Briggs Cunningham, Dave Garroway, and other nationally renowned drivers competed. A Monte Carlo style rally attracted participants from all over the country. Spectators showed up in droves, with estimates topping 50,000 in 1951 and claims of 100,000 in 1952. Area residents welcomed the publicity and revitalized economy.

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Sports cars race through downtown Elkhart Lake in 1952, with a mere snow fence and straw bales as protection for onlookers.

Sports cars race through downtown Elkhart Lake in 1952. Snow fence and straw were the only safety protection for spectators. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Although road racing proved exciting and popular, safety soon became a major concern. Despite safety measures, a car spun out during the 1952 race resulting in minor injuries to eight spectators. Accidents in road races in other parts of the country proved fatal. Soon legislatures, including Wisconsin, banned racing on public roads. Road racing still had a future, just not on public roads.

Road America Founded

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Clif Tufte circa 1970. Tufte envisioned a better way to race and built that vision into Road America. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Despite the public road ban, Clif Tufte insisted racing continue at Elkhart Lake. His solution: build a private, purpose-built course! Tufte had the experience, property, and contacts to make this vision a reality. A local highway engineer and quarry operator, Tufte explored area roads and developed plans for a 4-mile track duplicating his favorite turns. The course combined challenging corners and long straights that promised drivers full range of their cars’ speed and capability. Tufte soon revealed his plans. SCCA officers were so enthusiastic they scheduled a national race event for September 1955, despite the fact the course hadn’t even been built! Wasting no time, Clif Tufte, and area residents Ed Leverenz, Terrett Arndt, and Gertrude Laun incorporated Road America, Inc. in October 1954. They quickly began selling stock in the new company. Keen for racing to return, Elkhart Lake residents and race fans enthusiastically bought stock to fund construction.

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Bulldozer and truck excavate turn 11 near the Kink in spring 1955. Photo by The Sheboygan Press. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

In the spring of 1955, Tufte surveyed and marked the course with the help of college student Lester Laun and his friends. Most grading was complete by June 30th. Work progressed at a record pace to meet the tight deadline. Coming down to the finish line, the track was completed just in time for the first practice!

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Reliance Construction Co. laying asphalt at Turn 3 in late summer 1955. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Road America is one of the first purpose-built road racecourses. When Tufte started promoting the idea, the concept had never been done before. By the time Road America opened, several other road courses were in development. Tufte and Road America had set the standard.

First Race

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“It is good.” Clif Tufte surveys completed track before the start of Road America's first race, September 1955. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Road America’s first races were the weekend of September 10, 1955. The feature race was an exciting race-long duel between Phil Hill driving his Ferrari 750 Monza and Sherwood Johnston and his D-Type Jaguar. The two cars were nose-to-tail or side-by-side through almost the whole race. In a true photo finish, it was Hill by a nose! There couldn’t have been a more thrilling finish between two of the best cars and drivers of the era.

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L-R Sherwood Johnston looks on as Phil Hill receives trophy from Harley Earl. Hill would go on to be the World Champion for Ferrari in 1961. Presenter Harley Earl was head of General Motors Styling and one of the most influential men in the Detroit auto industry. Courtesy of Road America Archives.

Clif Tufte had done it! The days of road racing had looked like they were over when Tufte first set out to build a purpose-built track. That track was organized, designed, laid out and built in record time. The first race attracted some of the best drivers in the country and ended with an exciting photo finish! When the first race was over it was clear Road America indeed had a bright and promising future.

[Sources: Interview with Road America staff Tim Kemmis, John Ewert, Spring 2023. Schultz, Tom. Road America: Five Decades of Racing at Elkhart Lake. Indianapolis, IN: Beeman Jorgensen Inc., 1999; Schultz, Tom. Celebrating 50 Years of Road Racing. Elkhart Lake, WI: Road America, 2004; Laun, Peter. "Burning up the Lake: Racing on Elkhart Lake's Historic Race Circuit." Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 90, no. 3, Spring 2007; Povletich, William. "Mr. Road America: How Clif Tufte Changed the Course of Road Racing History." Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 104, no. 4, summer 2021; Elkhart Lake Historic Race Circuits. "Racing History." historicracecircuits.com; "Road Racing Planned near Elkhart Lake." Sheboygan Press, December 28, 1949; "Elkhart Lake Road Race Is Being Planned." Sheboygan Press, July 8, 1950; "Sports Cars To Race At Elkhart on Sunday." Sheboygan Press, July 19, 1950; "Sports Cars Compete In Elkhart Lake Road Race." Sheboygan Press, July 24, 1950; Pfister, Walter. "More than 125,000 View Elkhart Races Jam Village As Sport Cars Zoom Course." Sheboygan Press, September 8, 1952. "One Accident Mars Kimberly Race Sunday." Sheboygan Press, September 8, 1952. "Track Plans Approved At Elkhart Lake." Sheboygan Press, October 18, 1954; "Elkhart Lake Race Track Is Board Topic." Sheboygan Press, November 5, 1954; "Work Is Under Way On Elkhart Lake Race Track." Sheboygan Press, May 4, 1955; "Road America Races Get Under Way." Sheboygan Press, September 10, 1955.]