Breaking News: Rail Splitter Nationals This Saturday Night Sept 23rd
Top Hats Awarded As Rail Splitter Nationals Signel End Of Season At Spoon River
The 2016 season at Spoon River Speedway came to a close Saturday night with the 2nd running of the Railsplitter Nationals, featuring some of the highest purses in the country for Pro Late Model, D2 Midget, and E-mod racing divisions.
And those purses drew interest outside the area as drivers from all over Illinois were joined by those from Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Oklahoma were entered among the 98 cars in attendance spread over four divisions.
The UMP Pro Late Model Division is the featured Division at the Railsplitter Nationals, as the winner’s share of the purse - $2,500 – makes it one of the largest in the nation.
Also at stake was the UMP Pro Late Model National Championship, along with Regional Championship and Track Championship Crowns. AJ May, in his first full season in the Division after rising through the ranks of the UMP Modified Division the previous seasons, was already assured of the Spoon River Speedway Crown before the night’s events, but defending UMP National Champion Jose Parga was within striking distance for the Regional and National Championships.
But in order to cut into May’s lead in National points enough to win the championship, Parga needed not only to finish well ahead of May in the night’s feature event, but needed a field of 29 cars to be able to achieve enough in bonus points to catch and pass the leader. 21 cars checked in prior to qualifying, and after the heats completed and the feature lineup set, it was official, May would be the 2016 UMP National Champion.
Rail Splitter Nationals Set as Season Finale At Spoon
This Saturday Night September 24th will be the Season Ending 2nd running of the Rail Splitter Nationals featuring the Perkins Seed House UMP Pro Late Models running 60 laps for $2500 to win. Look for all the top driver’s in the nation to be in attendance as the points battle will come down to this final point race of the season for the National Championship. The Zane Automotive Service UMP Modifieds will also be on hand running 30 laps for $2000 to win. The USAC/IMRA Speed 2 Midgets sponsored by NuTech Seed will run for the biggest purse ever paid out for this division as the 30 lap feature winner will take home $1500. A huge car count is expected as driver’s from all over the Midwest will be at Spoon to do battle to see who will be the first Rail Splitter Champion. To finish out the racing card will be the Farmington Locker E-Mods paying the 30 lap feature winner $1000. The top 9 driver’s in each division will do the frisbee give away which determines the feature starting positions. This will also be the last night for track points with three of the four classes running, still up for grabs. Fans and drivers will also vote for awards to be handed out at Spoon’s annual banquet later in the year.
Pit Gate opens at 3 with the Grandstands opening at 5. Hot laps are scheduled for 6 followed by time trials in Pro Lates, Modifieds and E-Mods. Racing to begin around 7:15.
General Admission $20 with Kids 10 and under FREE. All Pit Passes $40. Transponder Rental $10
Rain Date is Sunday September 25th
UMP Pro Late Models must have LM 40’s on all four corners.
ONLY UMP Pro Late Engines ALLOWED (GM FACTORY 604 or 602, UMP Seal 604, NE Smith Seal 604)
Driver’s will ONLY be allowed to compete in ONE division.
Payout can be viewed on our website below the normal night payout.
Throw Back To The Past Night Set For This Saturday Night Sept 17th
This Saturday Night will be a Throw Back to the Past as General Admission will only be $8 with Kids 10 and Under Free. All Pit Passes will be $25 with NO transponder Fee this weekend. Saturday Nights purse will be based on the backgate. 100% of the back gate will be paid out for each division based on how many people per class enters the pits by 6 o’clock. So make sure to have all your people there by 6. We have some sponsors that have donated for the purse like Zane’s Automotive Service, Monicals Pizza, Davis Ford and Pontiac and Denney Racing. So before you even enter the gate Modifieds have $700 in their kitty, Pro Lates have $600 in their kitty and E-Mods have $500 in their kitty. An example is posted below. The more per division you get in the pits the more the payout, just like the old days. So lets fill up the pits and Grandstands Saturday Night. We will also time Modifieds, Pro L/M and E-Mods and when the races are complete we will allow you 45 minutes for a test and tune to get your cars setup for next weekends Rail Splitter Nationals then its lights out. Make sure someone comes up and gets their check within those 45 minutes. Lets hope for good weather and I will see everyone Saturday Night.
MOWA Sprints and Lucas Oil POWRI National Midgets Invade Spoon River This Saturday Night
This Saturday Night Spoon River will host the 33rd running of the Tom Knowles Memorial featuring the 410 MOWA Sprint Car Series and the Lucas Oil POWRI National Midget Series. You won’t want to miss watching these cars racing at High Speeds around the 3/8’s mile oval, wheel to wheel just inches apart. Also on the racing ticket will be the Zane’s Automotive Service UMP Modifieds running for $1000 to Win and the always exciting Speed 2 Midgets sponsored by NuTech Seed running for $450 to Win.
Pit Gate Opens at 3 with Grandstands opening at 5
End of Draw 5:30 Hot Laps at 6 Followed by Sprint TT
Racing to begin around 7
General Admission $25 with Kids 10 and Under $10
All Pit Passes $40
Transponder Rental for Modifieds and Speed 2 Midgets $5
Speed 2 Midgets that wish to run with the Lucas Oil Midgets must run two different cars (One for each class) and pay two pit passes.
Kenny Wallace Joins List Of Modified Fall Nationals Champions
“This is the biggest dirt track race I’ve ever won,”, yelled a jubilant Kenny Wallace in Victory Lane Sunday night at Spoon River Speedway after capturing the 26th Annual Modified Fall Nationals event at the legendary oval. “And it’s the biggest check I’ve ever gotten or winning a race on dirt!”
Wallace got back around Josh Harris with three laps remaining in the 50-lap Main event, and held off the Owensboro, Kentucky driver for the win to add his name to the list of great modified drivers who have won the prestigious event, including several that were in the field Sunday in the event co-sanctioned by UMP and the American Modified Series.
“I was on that hard tire and just hoping and waiting for it to fire, and it finally did come to life,” said Wallace, the St. Louis native now living in and racing out of Concord, North Carolina. “I saw that (fellow NASCAR veteran David) Stremme found something up top and it was cleaning up a bit up there, so I went up there for a few laps. Then it started working in the middle and I picked up some speed in the final laps. I knew Stremme was running that soft tire, and pretty sure the leader (Harris) was on it, too, so I was kinda worried when this thing wouldn’t go, but eventually it did. I can’t be happier. ”
26th Running of the UMP Modified Fall Nationals at Spoon River Speedway
This Sunday Night Sept 4th at the Spoon River Speedway you will see some of the best Driver’s on dirt do battle on the high banked 3/8’s mile oval during the 26th running of the UMP Modified Fall Nationals with the American Modified Series on board once again. Once again the modified driver’s will duel it out in a 50 Lap feature paying the winner $5000. Last year saw over 60 modifieds and over 130 cars total show up with Newton, Illinois driver Chad Kinder taking home the $5000 pay check. Top driver’s in the Nation like National point leader Michael Long, second in National points Mike Harrison, Allen Weisser, Ray Bollinger and the AMS stars like Trent Young, Josh Harris, Matt Cooper, Mark Lamont with many more will be at the Spoon to do battle in the modified division.
Long and Dobey Pick Up First Modified Feature Wins at SRS
Two inches of rain on Friday and a soggy pit area on Saturday did not stop the show at Spoon River Speedway Saturday night, but a couple of showstopping feature wins did take place.
Quincy, IL driver Michael Long, leading the UMP National Modified Points Standings, made one of his occasional visits to The Spoon, and made it count in a big way, pulling away late to win his first feature at the legendary high-banked oval in the Zane’s Auto Service UMP Modified 20 lap feature.
“The track,” he said when asked in Perkins Seed House Victory Lane what the key to his victory was, “it was perfect up where I wanted to run the car. I haven’t always been good here, but I’m figuring it out. For the track to be this good after all that rain is impressive.”
The red-hot Long thanked his sponsors who are helping him make this run at the national title, Saturday’s win was his 4th in eight days at various Midwest tracks, he made it five feature wins in nine days with a win Sunday night in Quincy.
Long and Dobey Pick Up First Modified Features At Spoon River
Two inches of rain on Friday and a soggy pit area on Saturday did not stop the show at Spoon River Speedway Saturday night, but a couple of showstopping feature wins did take place.
Quincy, IL driver Michael Long, leading the UMP National Modified Points Standings, made one of his occasional visits to The Spoon, and made it count in a big way, pulling away late to win his first feature at the legendary high-banked oval in the Zane’s Auto Service UMP Modified 20 lap feature.
“The track,” he said when asked in Perkins Seed House Victory Lane what the key to his victory was, “it was perfect up where I wanted to run the car. I haven’t always been good here, but I’m figuring it out. For the track to be this good after all that rain is impressive.”
The red-hot Long thanked his sponsors who are helping him make this run at the national title, Saturday’s win was his 4th in eight days at various Midwest tracks, he made it five feature wins in nine days with a win Sunday night in Quincy.
Bollinger, May, Biswell Triumph At Spoon River
Ray Bollinger of Kewanee continued adding to his victory total in his quest for the UMP National Modified Points Championship Saturday at Spoon River Speedway, holding off Allen Weisser, himself in the hunt for the National Title, to win the Zane’s Auto Service Modified 25-lap feature and the $1,000 check to go with it.
The track hosted races for the first time since July 16th, after having to cancel two programs due to extreme weather conditions, and taking the annual planned break for the Fulton County Fair at the end of July, and it turned into a wild and wacky night of racing in all divisions.
Early in the Modified feature, Bollinger and Zac Oedewaldt, running 2nd and 3rd behind leader Brandon Roberts, got together coming down the front straight, with Oedewaldt’s car climbing the retaining wall but coming back down without rolling over before coming to a stop at the top of turn one, broken and done for the night. The closely matched field behind didn’t have much room or time to avoid, and the cars of Derrick Carlson and Zane Oedewaldt were also collected in the incident.
After the track was cleared, Bollinger was able to power past Roberts, who later said on social media his tires gave up on his #35, and grab the lead. Allen Weisser made his way around Roberts as well, and started to hunt down Bollinger, drawing up to his rear bumper before making several attempts to pass the Kewanee driver by diving low and hoping to slide up in front of Bollinger.
USAC Speed 2 Midget Summer Sizzler Series Invades Spoon on Sunday Night July 24th
Sunday Night, for the first time the USAC Speed 2 Midget Summer Sizzler Series Invades the Spoon. A large field of midgets are expected as driver’s from all over will see who can tame the High Banked 3/8’s mile oval.
Midget Purse is 1st- $500, 2nd- 350, 3rd- 250, 4th- 200, 5th- 175, 6th- 150, 7th- 125 and 8th down 100
Also running will be the Zane’s Automotive Service UMP Modifieds for $700 to Win and the Perkins Seed House UMP Pro Late Models running for $500 to Win. All Purses are guaranteed on Sunday.
Information for Sunday Night
Pits open at 4
Grandstands at 5
End of Draw 5:45
Hot Laps 6:15
Followed by TT
Racing to begin around 7:15
General Admission $15
Kids 10 and under are FREE
All Pit Passes $35
Transponder rental $5.00
Over night parking is allowed
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