World of Outlaws Prairie Dirt Classic
2022-07-30
Fairbury Speedway
600 South Third Street
Fairbury, Illinois 61739 

Event Description
The highly anticipated Prairie Dirt Classic returns to the schedule in 2022, again paying $50,000-to-win. Some of the best drivers in Late Model racing will make the trek to Central Illinois to try to win one of the most prestigious races of the season. Kyle Larson held off Bobby Pierce to win his first World of Outlaws Late Model Feature in 2021.

This event also caps off the Summit Modified Nationals Hell Tour with $500/feature on Friday and $5,000-to-win on Saturday, followed by the crowning of a champion.

series Racing
Summit Modified Nationals

Late Model Track Record
12.143 seconds by Kyle Strickler on 9/15/20

To Win Amount
$5,000.00

Feature Laps Length
40

To Win Amount
$5,000.00

Reserved Seating
Back stretch: sections A through I; front stretch: sections R, S, T, U.

Type of Grandstand
Bleachers - No backs

Stadium Seating
Stadium seats are not allowed

Handicapped Seating
In front of main covered grandstands on front stretch and a few select handicap spots on the first row of bleachers. Please email Infoatfals@gmail.com to request accessible seating at least one week in advance.

Handicapped Parking
Near the main front grandstands

Pit Age Limit
No Age limit - All minor's require proper waiver

Pit Gate Location
3rd Street entrance

Personal Coolers
They are allowed on the grounds, but NOT in the bleachers or grandstands.

ATMs
1

Alcohol Sales
Alcohol is available to purchase at the track. Only FALS purchased cans and alcohol allowed in the bleachers or grandstands. Alcohol is prohibited in the pit area until the races are over for the evening.

Smoking Policy
No smoking or vaping in the bleachers or grandstands at any time.

Parking Cost
Free

Camping Availability
non-electric, offsite, onsite

Camping Cost
Available day of race only

Closest Airport
Bloomington, IL (BMI / KBMI) Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal

Other Airport
Champaign, IL (CMI / KCMI) University of Illinois Willard Airport

Track Phone
(815) 692-3222

Track Email
fairburyspeedway@gmail.com

Track Type
0.250; Semi-banked

Late Model Track Record
12.143 seconds by Kyle Strickler on 9/15/20

Competitor Downloads
 https://www.dirtcarmembers.com/downloads.php

Competitor Info
Friday Tire Rule:
(Hoosier Tire LM-20 on all four (4) corners.)(LM-30,LM- 40 RR Option) You can change right rear tire for the showdown features.

Saturday Tire Rule:
(Hoosier Tire LM-20, LM-30 on all four (4) corners.)(LM- 40 RR Option)
(No limit on tires)

{Grooving and Siping is allowed both days}

WANTED IT MORE: McKinney Outduels Hoffman for First Modified Prairie Dirt Classic Victory at Fairbury

From Summit Modified races, the FALS Super Nationals, to the FALS Cup points championship, Mike McKinney had won just about every marquee DIRTcar UMP Modified race on the Fairbury Speedway schedule, except one. The Prairie Dirt Classic had evaded his grasp throughout his career, but now, it’s finally his.

“I wanted it more than anybody here, I can promise you that,” McKinney said. “It doesn’t matter who we beat, I just wanted to win this race. I’m glad it’s on our list now.”

Though his determination seemed unmatched, McKinney was forced to fend-off another driver with equal drive to win Saturday night – the newly crowned five-time DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals champion, Nick Hoffman.

The two waged a war of epic proportions throughout the final 15 laps of the 40-lap main event, swapping the lead twice in that span and bringing the crowd to the feet as they zoomed around the quarter-mile oval.

In the end, Hoffman came up just one spot short. For the second time this season, McKinney had gotten the best of the winningest Summit Modified driver.

“Mike just hit six perfect laps to beat me,” Hoffman said. “He did a great job.”

Their lane choices acted as weapons in their bullring battle for $5,000 – McKinney firing on the high side, right against the wall, while Hoffman swung down low, hugging the extreme bottom lane.

Hoffman had to drive from 11th on the starting grid after a rough Qualifying result on Friday set him back in his Showdown Feature. But with 15-to-go, Hoffman had just made the pass for second and was coming after leader McKinney.

Caution was displayed just two laps later, erasing McKinney’s half-second lead and putting Hoffman right on his bumper for the restart. The green dropped and Hoffman immediately challenged McKinney to his inside, taking the lead for the first time on Lap 28.

“Up until about 15-to-go, I thought I was gonna finish fifth in that race,” Hoffman said. “I just couldn’t get breaks and didn’t feel great in the car either. But some lanes opened-up and I was able to get to the lead.”

Hoffman led through Lap 34, when the caution was displayed for the final time. Though Hoffman got a great jump on the restart, McKinney hit his marks on the cushion, reeling the leader in and making the pass back for the lead with four-to-go.

“The harder I was running, the better it actually got,” McKinney said. “We had that last restart with six-to-go, and it took me a couple laps to get into a rhythm and get wound-up. Finally, I was able to shoot the gun and drive back by [Hoffman].”

Hoffman gave it everything he had on the bottom in the final laps to close on McKinney, but it proved fruitless. McKinney rounded Turn 4 for the final time and beat Hoffman to the line by .361 seconds to score a dramatic victory in the 32nd annual Prairie Dirt Classic.

“Getting out of the car and seeing all those people, it’s exactly what I thought it would be,” McKinney said. “It feels damn good.”

Though Mike got the biggest slice of Victory Lane glory, his father and crew chief David shared a part in the shining moment as well. The two took on a brand-new gameplan and joined the new Longhorn Chassis Modified program for the start of the 2021 season, putting in a ton of time and energy into learning how to master the new car. Though it wasn’t easy at first, David has helped accelerate Mike’s learning curve with the setup help, and together, they’ve finally bagged one of Fairbury’s most prestigious events.

“Sometimes I nail it and he can drive it with one hand,” David said. “Sometimes I miss it and he says, ‘I’ll make up for it.’

“How good is it for father and son to spend time together and race. I wouldn’t do it with anybody else, and he’s the same way.”

Though it doesn’t happen often in Summit Modified competition, Hoffman conceded to McKinney for the second time this season. He was bested by McKinney a few weeks earlier at Shadyhill Speedway in Indiana, and this time around, just didn’t feel as comfortable as he normally does out front at Fairbury.

“I just felt terrible everywhere in Turns 3-4,” Hoffman said. “I ran the bottom most of the race, but I tried the middle with a couple guys and just couldn’t make any speed off of 4. Normally, I feel like I get from Turn 4 to the flag stand better than anybody. I just didn’t feel that way tonight.”

Outside of the top-two, Tyler Nicely came home third after running up front all night. Six-time Summit Modified champ Mike Harrison came all the way out of a Last Chance Showdown event (17th on the Feature starting grid) to finish fourth, while Allen Weisser charged from 14th to round-out the top-five.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature 40 Laps | 00:33:14.718

1. 96M-Mike McKinney[2]; 2. 2-Nick Hoffman[11]; 3. 25-Tyler Nicely[3]; 4. 24H-Mike Harrison[17]; 5. 25W-Allen Weisser[14]; 6. 45-Chase Holland[6]; 7. 22-Josh Harris[9]; 8. 8-Kyle Steffens[10]; 9. 12H-Jason Hughes[16]; 10. 777-Trevor Neville[24]; 11. 8A-Austin Holcombe[7]; 12. 28M-Frank Marshall[1]; 13. 5-Steven Brooks[18]; 14. 37-Michael Ledford[22]; 15. 35W- Ethan Weber[12]; 16. 88S-Alan Stipp[23]; 17. 21D-Danny Schwartz[5]; 18. 5CS-Curt Spalding[19]; 19. 18L-Michael Long[4]; 20. 54-Zachary Hawk[21]; 21. 130-Chase Allen[13]; 22. 1S-Brian Shaw[8]; 23. 00-Ethan Dotson[20]; 24. 8K-Levi Kissinger[15]