2006fairbury

Birkhofer led up until there was 17 laps to go and that's when he got caught up with the lapped car of Mike Mullvain and spun him into the wall ending his night. Babb took over the lead and was challenged by Mars with 6 laps to go but Mars go caught up with slower traffic and could not get past Babb. Babb takes home the 17th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic trophy and a $10,000 paycheck sponsored by Lynn Chevrolet Buick in Pontiac.

Erb took the lead from Steidinger on lap 8 of the 30 lap feature event and went on to win his second feature win of the year at Fairbury. Dauber, Freidman, Smith and Weaver battled the last 15 laps, but none of them could catch Erb or Steidinger.

Dehm won his third feature of the year at Fairbury and his second in as many weeks. Dehm started on the inside of the third row and weaved through traffic to take the lead on lap 14. With Funk trying the middle groove and Bachman and Cook on the high side, it looked at times like they may catch Dehm, but he made his way through lapped traffic to take home the checkered flag.

Dauber took the lead from Steidinger with 17 laps to go in the 30 lap event. Roger Long had led the first 6 laps of the event before Steidinger overtook him. Dauber passed Steidinger and ran out to a 10 car length lead before getting caught in lapped traffic with two laps to go. The lapped traffic slowed him down enough that Steidinger was able to make a charge but Dauber held him off to beat him by a car length at the line. It was Dauber's second win at Fairbury this year.

What a race. It was rough beginning as Gary May of Minonk broke on the first lap and hit the wall and collecting Joe Ross Jr. of Springfield, Greg Kimmons of Pleasant Plains and Rocky Griffin of Bloomington in the wreck. All four were done for the night. Once the racing got back underway, Steidinger jumped out from his pole position to a straight away lead. Smith who started sixth on the restart made his way through traffic and with 18 laps to go was in second place but a good 20-25 car lengths behind. With Steidinger running the middle of the track, Smith took to the high side and with 5 laps to go caught Steidinger. Unfortunately, both cars had lapped cars in their way that they had to contend with and Steidinger was able to hold off Smith by a car length at the line. It was an impressive run for Smith who had to retire in the heat race earlier after a 5 car pileup that ended the season for current modified points leader, Scott Bull. Bull, who has been driving Roger Long's 36 car, suffered a broken arm in the wreck and is out for the rest of the season.

Bachman restarted in fifth place after a caution with 8 laps to go and took to the high side. Bachman put on a show as he picked off cars lap after lap until Porth and Bachman were the only two out in front with 3 laps to go. Bachman took the lead with two laps to go but Porth retook the lead when the white flag came out. Bachman then took the lead coming out of turn two and beat Porth across the line by half a car length to win a very exciting feature.

Aug 5th - Vintage Car Night. Fans are welcome to come visit the hospitality tent before the races and meet some of the drivers from the past. There will also be vintage cars on display including the car that was in the movie "The Dale Earnhardt Story". These cars will also race during the nights racing program. Former drivers from Fairbury American Legion Speedway are going to be on hand to visit with fans and sign autographs including Jack Tyne, Dave Feese, Sam Lee, Tom Myers, Rich Harlan, Jim Horrie and many more. That night there will also be $1.00 draft beers and the Hornets will be racing. Qualifying starts at 6:30, Racing at 7:30.

Weaver makes it the 8th different winner in 8 weeks at the racetrack. Once again, a very good race track made for great racing as Dauber came from his 11th starting position to take second. He was catching up on the leader but ran out of laps. Weaver wins for the first time in a long time at a track where he used to make it a habit of going to victory lane.

The win was Wenger's first of the season at Fairbury and his second of the year. Wenger makes the 7th different driver in 8 weeks to win a modified feature. Wenger pulled a Tony Stewart celebration by climbing the fence on the backstretch in front of his fans to the delight of his hometown faithful that come to cheer him on. "I've wanted to win here for a long time." Wenger said. "I've come in second a few times but to win in front of your family friends is really special."

Next week is the 40 lap Curt Piercy Memorial race for Sportsman. The kids 11-12 year old Dash For Cash will also be that night. In two weeks, the Illinois Vintage Racing Club will have on display some classic race cars including the car that was used in the making of the film, "The Dale Earnhardt Story". The track would like to invite any former drivers from Fairbury's past to stop by the hospitality tent and thumb through some old memorabilia and enjoy some food and refreshments. This night will be a step back into memory lane as these Vintage race cars will actually put a race for the fans.

Mullvain and Joe Harlan had a great side by side battle until Harlan had to retire due to mechanical problems. Dauber and Mullvain battled nose to tail for the last 10 laps with Dauber pushing his way underneath Mullvain a few times only to be held off by the former track champion. It was the first feature win of the season for Mullvain and the seventh different winner in seven weeks at the speedway.

Dehm and Cook wagered a side by side battle for most of the race with Dehm on the high side and Cook on the low side. Cook actually beat Dehm across the line with one lap to go but Dehm carried momentum coming out of turn 4 to edge Cook and win his first feature win of the season and become the sixth different winner in seven weeks at Fairbury.

Jimmy Mars has made it a habit of coming to the Fairbury American Legion Speedway and walking away with a $10,000 paycheck. For the third time in a row including the 2005 Summernational race and the 2005 Prairie Dirt Classic, "The Iceman" as some call him, walked away with the big payday as the 2006 UMP Summernational tour went through Fairbury Saturday night.

Mars started on the outside of the front row and immediately jumped out to the lead on lap 1. Mars dominated the race from the lead but the real battle was for second as Don O'Neal, Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Jeep Van Wormer all occupied the spot at one time or another during the 40 lap event. O'Neal finished second followed by Miller, Birkhofer and Rodney Melvin rounded out the top 5. Van Wormer, Eric Smith, Wendell Wallace, Shannon Babb and Joe Harlan rounded out the top 10.

With just a few more trips to the Fairbury American Legion Speedway victory lane, Elk Mound, Wisconsin's Jimmy Mars will own the deed! Mars hit the hat trick tonight winning for the 3rd time in as many visits to the Midwest farm town speedplant. Mars also was victorious in his 2005 UMP Summer National visit as well as in the 2005 running of the Prairie Dirt Classic, and continued his streak tonight in the $10,000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event.

2 years to the date from the passing of UMP President and Founder Bob Memmer, all can be assured that Bob was looking down from above with a smile on his face at the racing action taking place in his brainchild summer national action that has come to be known as the place to be in June and July each year for those racers wanting hardcore day in and day out action.

In commanding fashion, Mars led from wire to wire, while behind him the field shuffled several times throughout the 40 lap event. In the early laps it was polesitter Jeep van Wormer challenging Mars, but by lap 11 Mars had moved to a straightaway ahead of Van Wormer who was then being challenged by Rodney Melvin. By the midpoint while Mars still had a healthy advantage, Van Wormer, Brian Birkhofer, Don O'Neal and Rodney Melvin would jab at each other with many laps Birkhofer and O'Neal swapping positions lap after lap.

When the checkers flew atop Mars it was O'Neal, Darren Miller, Birkhofer, Melvin, Van Wormer, Eric Smith, Wendell Wallace, Babb and Joe Harlan completing the top 10 on a track that was multi grooved all night long.

The evening began with Birkhofer setting the quick time touring the track with a lap of 12.95, joining Mars as the only two cars under the 13 second barrier. Birkhofer came within hundredths of a new track record which is currently 12.90.

Tomorrow night the UMP Summer National action will continue as the teams roll South on I-55 to the Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois located just off of I-270 outside Granite City, Illinois for a $6,000.00 to win A-Main 40 lap marquee event.

1. - Wes Steidinger - Fairbury This is Wes' 2nd feature win in as many nights for the "Fairbury Flier". The previous night he took home the Farmer City Feature win and then Saturday capped it off with the Fairbury win. Wes has been on a tear the last couple of weeks since he switched and put away the new car and went back to his old car. With a couple of second place finishes including one last week at Fairbury where he was leading with two laps to go before a bobble allowed Daren Friedman to pass him. "This car is our old car but it sure is fast." Wes said after the race. " We're going to keep driving this one until the wheels fall off."

1. Jim Farris - Odell It was a two man show between Farris and Dehm. Farris and Dehm pulled away while the other cars were running three and at one time four wide behind them. Dehm tried every line on the track to get around him, but Farris in his FRP Chassis car that he built held on for his first feature win of the season. "We just started building our own cars this year so this is our first win with our own chassis." Farris said. "We've been close on a few other occasions but this was the first win."

1. Jason Unzicker -El Paso There have only been two feature winners in the sportsman class this year, Rick Thomas won the first three of the year and now Jason Unzicker has one the last two as he beat Thomas by half a car length to win.

Next week 7/8 is the UMP Summernational race at the Fairbury American Legion Speedway. Some of the best drivers in the Midwest including Shannon Babb, Dan Schlieper, Jeep VanWormer, Richie Hedrick, Randy Korte, Steve Hillard, Darren Miller, Billy Drake, Dennis Erb Jr., and last years winner Jimmy Mars are expected to attend along with the talented list of Fairbury regulars. The late model feature race will be 50 laps with $10, 000 going to the winner. The race will be sponsored by Lynn Chevrolet Buick in Pontiac.

Mother Nature has had her way with the Fairbury American Legion Speedway the last two weeks forcing the cancellation of races. This week, the cars were just starting to hot lap when the skies opened with a heavy downpour.

The Fairbury American Legion Speedway was to hold the "Pappy and Bob Allen Memorial Race" with $2000 going to the late model winner last week;however, with the rainout the 40 lap race has been moved to this week with qualifying starting at 6:30 and racing starting at 7:30.

There will also be a couple of extra treats for the fans this week both young and old. There will be a 7-8 year old dash for cash and the "Raminator" monster truck will also be present to put on a car crushing demonstration. The Raminator is sponsored by Dempsey Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Dwight.

Erb started outside the pole and led from start to finish. Walden would get underneath Erb a few times but his tires wore out towards the end and Harlan took over second at the end with Harlan going high and Walden on the low side.

Joe Harlan and Wes Steidinger put on a good show running nose to tail for the last 15 laps with Steidinger getting along side of Harlan a few times just to have Harlan pull away. Harlan's first feature win of the early season.