For the 74th time, Macon Speedway, in Macon, IL will be celebrating the start of a new season, this coming Saturday, April 13. The fastest 1/5-mile dirt track in the world will have an action packed evening, featuring six different classes of racecars plus a pre-race driver autograph session on the track and CEFCU Kids Club.
Headlining the event will be the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models and BillingsleyRewards.com Modifieds. The two divisions are the fastest classes that compete on a weekly basis and are looked at as the premier divisions at the track. They feature a good mix of experienced veterans as well as younger drivers trying to steal some limelight.
The Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models will see a new champion this year, as the defending champion, Guy Taylor, is running Modifieds. In the BillingsleyRewards.com Modified class, Tommy Sheppard is back to defend his championship, but running with a new team.
One of the staple divisions at the track is very much the same but has a new name for 2019. The division formerly known as the B-Mods is now known as the Neal Tire & Auto Pro Mods. The class is a more economical form of the Modifieds. While they may look similar, the cars utilize a GM crate engine which makes things a little more economical. Cody Stilwell, of Godfrey, IL, claimed last year’s championship, his first at the track.
The DIRTcar Street Stocks will now be known as the Archer’s Alley Street Stocks at Macon Speedway. The division has an influx of new cars and drivers for 2019 so it should be a fun season. Last year, Boody, IL’s Shawn Ziemer claimed the championship. The division also has a number of specials at the track throughout the year with the Midwest Big Ten Series, the Midwest Stock Car Tour, and the John Osman Memorial.
The DIRTcar Hornets are back for another season of economical racing. The class, starting as a beginner division in the late 90’s, had a good mix of young and older drivers last year. 56 different Hornet drivers were on track in 2018 with Mike Eskew, of Springfield, IL, winning the championship. Eskew edged Jeremy Reed by just four points. Reed and Adam Webb have been frontrunners in the division for several years but are now focusing their efforts on other divisions. Reed has a Street Stock, while Webb has moved into the Pro Mod class.
Rounding out Saturday night’s program will be the Micros by Bailey Chassis. The Micros have an increased number of events scheduled for 2019 at the track. Four events this season will be POWRi sanction national events, while the track will also run twelve unsanctioned events for the class. A non-wing show for the class is also on schedule. The Micro class is predominately made up of young kids trying to garner experience, but a number of veterans fill out the field of cars.
Pits open Saturday at 3:00, which is an hour earlier than normal to help allow for opening night paperwork to get filled out. At 5:00, the grandstand gates will swing open, while hotlaps begin on track at 6:00. Racing is normally set for green at 7:00 but will be a few minutes later to allow for the on-track autograph session.
It is Millikin University college night at the track. In honor of this, current college students will be admitted free to the grandstands if they show a valid college ID. Otherwise, grandstand admission is $12 for adults and free for kids 11 and under.
For more information on the event or to view the full season schedule, visit www.maconracing.com.
Macon Speedway PR
