Key notes: Fairbury Speedway hosts the 36th annual Prairie Dirt Classic, a two-day event beginning with Friday’s four 25-lap, split-field semifeatures setting the lineups for Saturday’s consolations and 100-lap, $50,000-to-win finale. … Wednesday’s 50-lap, $20,000-to-win FloRacing Series-sanctioned One for the Road event serves as a weekend warmup, but isn't directly connected with the PDC; a 25-lap, $3,500-to-win Prairie Dirt Shootout for non-qualifiers will precede Saturday’s 100-lap feature. … Brian Shirley led the final 77 laps to win last year’s Prairie Dirt Classic, his first victory in his 20th start in his home state’s crown jewel; Shirley earned more than $88,500, including $38,500 in lap leader bonus money ($500 per lap led). … Bobby Pierce rallied from a lap-60 spin to win 2024’s PDC, his first in the lucrative event that had eluded him up to that point in his illustrious career. … Ricky Thornton Jr. had a similar rebound to win 2023’s edition after a mechanical glitch sent him back to sixth with 20 laps to go, leaving him charging to the win. Thornton is fresh off a $52,000 payday in July 18’s Silver Dollar Nationals at Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Iowa. … Brandon Sheppard is a three-time Prairie Dirt Classic champ (2017, ’19, ’22). … The PDC has won DirtonDirt’s Race of the Year honors four times (2013-’15, ’24), to go along with two DIRTcar Summer Nationals features held at the quarter-mile bullring (2011, ’20). … The DIRTcar Summit Modifieds conclude its summer stretch on the undercard with Friday’s split-field semifeatures preceding Saturday’s consolations and 40-lap, $5,000-to-win season finale. … Pits open at 9 a.m. and First Street grandstands open at 11 with hot laps at 5:30 p.m., daily. … Watch live on DIRTVision.
Who to watch: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., seeks his second Prairie Dirt Classic triumph and 18th WoO victory of the season.
Points chase: Before Fairbury: 1. Bobby Pierce (5,365); 2. Nick Hoffman (5,290); 3. Tyler Erb (5,051); 4. Tim McCreadie (4,957); 5. Ryan Gustin (4,902); 6. Ethan Dotson (4,809); 7. Daulton Wilson (4,756); 8. Dennis Erb Jr. (4,691); 9. Trey Mills (4,680); 10. Dustin Sorensen (4,595).
Expected entrants: Among drivers expected to join the top 10 in series standings: Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jason Feger, Max Blair, Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker, Mike Marlar, Garrett Alberson, Tristan Chamberlain, Chase Junghans, Tanner English, Jason Jameson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Mike Spatola, McKay Wenger, Logan Zarin, Brent Larson, Jake Little, Eli Johnson and more.
Next series race: July 25, Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, IL) $50,000
From staff reports
FAIRBURY, Ill. — Live updates from Friday’s 36th annual Prairie Dirt Classic prelim night at Fairbury Speedway, highlighted by four 25-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures for World of Outlaws Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Friday’s schedule
(All times local)
7-11 a.m. - VFW Post PDC breakfast (VFW Building on Locust Street)
9 a.m. - Pits open, Second Street grandstands open
11 a.m. - First Street grandstands open
Noon - Cornhole bags tournament (north beer stand)
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (WoO command center)
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying (3 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- First Modified semifeature (15 laps)
- Second Modified semifefeature (15 laps)
- Third Modified semifeature (15 laps)
- Fourth Modified semifeature (15 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Third Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Fourth Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
Thursday’s schedule
9 a.m.-4 p.m. - PDC charity golf outing (Indian Creek Country Club)
6:45 p.m. - Shriners Children’s auction (frontstretch midway)
8:15 p.m. - FALS Draw drawing (frontstretch midway)
9 p.m.-midnight - Stone Cold Cowboys country concert (north beer stand)
