Huge World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series event set for 29th annual running on July 27-28

The Prairie Dirt Classic (PDC) presented by Bank of Pontiac at Fairbury American Legion Speedway (FALS) already draws a huge crowd and is well known as one of dirt Late Model racing’s most thrilling events. This year, though, even more fans will have an opportunity to witness the intense action that has made the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series extravaganza a three-time winner of DirtonDirt.com’s Race of the Year.

When the 29th annual running of the PDC takes place July 27-28 at the high-banked, quarter-mile oval located in the middle of the idealic Midwest town of Fairbury, DirtVision.com and DirtonDirt.com will provide live pay-per-view video coverage of every lap of competition for the first time ever. In addition, the weekend will be recorded for later broadcast on the CBS Sports Network, exposing the race to a wider television audience.

Set apart by the green-to-checkered excitement on the track and the passionate FALS fans, the PDC will again set the bar high in 2018 with the top drivers in the country chasing a $30,000 prize from a total payout of $93,000 posted for the 100-lap Feature that highlights Saturday night’s grand finale.

A long-standing event that has reached elite status since FALS officials partnered with the World of Outlaws tour in 2013 to expand the race to two days and move it from its traditional Labor Day weekend position, the PDC will for the second straight year begin with a Friday-night program that features four 25-lap World of Outlaws “Showdown” qualifying features paying $2,500 to win and $200 to start apiece. The July 27 card will see drivers split into four features based on qualifying times with the top four finishers in each race transferring to the next night’s 100-lap headliner and the top two redrawing for starting positions in first four rows of the PDC.

The Saturday, July 28 program will include three Last Chance Showdowns that move six more drivers onto the century grind. Two World of Outlaws and two FALS provisionals will round out the 26-car starting field for the PDC, while one more starter could come from the ninth annual Prairie Dirt Shootout presented by Summit Racing Equipment for non-qualifiers that offers its winner the option of taking the $2,000 first-place prize or the 27th starting spot in the 100-lapper. Last year Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., won the Prairie Dirt Shootout, which pays $300 to start, and then started 27th in the PDC and was moving through the field and about to crack the top 10 before fading to an 18th-place finish.

The Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals will also be part of the weekend’s action and follow the same qualifying format as the World of Outlaws Late Models. Four 20-lap UMP Modified features will be run on Friday night with each paying $500 to win and $100 to start. The top four finishers from each Modified feature will transfer to Saturday’s 40-lap Summit Racing Equipment finale that boasts a $5,000 top prize with the top two redrawing to set the first four rows of the feature; six more drivers will transfer from three Last Chance Showdowns on Saturday and four Summit Modified Nationals provisionals will round out the 26-car field.

Fairbury officials have secured title sponsorship for each of Friday night’s eight Showdown features, showing the commitment from the track’s marketing partners to give back to the drivers and fans. World of Outlaws Showdown backers include Dyer’s Top Rods, Pontiac RV, FK Rod Ends, and Summit Racing Equipment, while the Modified Showdowns will be sponsored by Summit Racing Equipment, Wehrs Machine and Racing Equipment, Allgaier Racing Shocks, and Deke Trucking.

In addition, Schahrer Farms & Trucking will present $200 Fast Time awards to the quick qualifier in both groups of time trials for the World of Outlaws Late Models and Summit Modifieds.

Other valued sponsors for the PDC weekend include the Bank of Pontiac, which continues as the title sponsor of the event; Dave’s Supermarket; DirtonDirt.com; Aftershock Decal and Design; Leman Paint Works; Varsitee Screen Printing; and Moe’s Southwest Grill.

Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., is the defending champion of the PDC.

For more information on the Prairie Dirt Classic presented by Bank of Pontiac, visit www.fairburyspeedway.com. Pay-per-view video ordering information will be available on www.dirtvision.com and www.dirtondirt.com.