It's time to purchase your tickets for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars return to Fairbury American Legion Speedway on Tuesday, June 4th. New for 2019, receive a Free Fan Pit Upgrade when you purchase a reserved seat! Don't miss The Greatest Show On Dirt's return to the historic 1/4-mile!

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With a new era at Fairbury American Legion Speedway in 2019 comes an exciting new weekly racing program sure to energize fans and racers alike.

Matt Curl, who will be returning to his hometown track as owner and promoter after spending the 2018 season as the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series director, announced that the venerable quarter-mile oval’s regular Saturday-night action in ’19 will be highlighted by the FALS Cup Weekly Championship. The special series will feature unprecedented payoffs at all weekly shows for both DIRTcar Late Models ($2,500 to win and $300 to start from a total purse of over $10,000) and UMP Modifieds ($1,500 to win and $175 to start from a purse exceeding $6,000).

Overall, more than $22,000 in purses will be distributed at Fairbury’s weekly cards, which will also include the Sportsman, DIRTcar Street Stocks and Hobby Mods in 2019. And despite the increase in payouts, general admission and pit gate prices will stay the same at $10 and $25, respectively, during the upcoming season that kicks off on May 4.

“It’s time to do all we can for the weekly local racer in every way possible,” said Curl, the president of the new FALS LLC that now owns the speedway.

A number of weekly promotions throughout the season will be highlighted by the Sat., June 1, Fan Appreciation Night, which offers FREE general admission for all attendees. Fans will have the opportunity to experience that evening’s FALS Cup action, which also includes the Vintage Racing of Illinois club, free of charge.

“One of the things I wanted to do for a long time is to try and reach out to the new race fan in our sport,” Curl said. “By giving them the opportunity to come and watch what we will have to offer is very exciting for me. There are not too many things that are free in this world anymore, but on this night, there will be.”

Later in the season, on Sat., Aug. 24, Curl will have Fairbury’s annual Driver Appreciation Night, when all drivers will get a FREE pit pass as a thank you for a great season at the track.

The 2019 season’s biggest event, of course, will be the 30th annual Prairie Dirt Classic presented by the Bank of Pontiac, a World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series-sanctioned event on July 26-27 that offers a $30,000 first-place prize to Saturday night’s 100-lap winner. Back by popular demand, four showdown features paying a minimum of $2,500 to win each will open the weekend in spectacular fashion on Friday night.

A number of special events during the PDC weekend, which also includes the UMP Modifieds running for $5,000 to win, are in the final planning stages. The full 2019 PDC event information packet will be released after the first of the year, including reserved seating and camping.

Back for an encore at FALS, meanwhile, is a visit by the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series on Tues., June 4. The mid-week sprint car spectacular paying $10,000 to win also includes a $1,500-to-win UMP modified A-main; all the information pertaining to this national sprint car program will be available soon.

Other major DIRTcar Late Model events scheduled for 2019 at Fairbury include the Sat., May 11, FALS Frenzy for the Sunoco American Late Model Series and MARS DIRTcar Series that pays $10,000 to win for a 50-lap feature and follows a Late Model special the previous night at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway, and the annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals stop on Sat., June 22, that will be highlighted by another 50-lap, $10,000-to-win A-main plus a $2,000-to-win UMP Summit Modified Nationals feature and a $400-to-win Sportsman headliner.

The FALS Modified Nationals will dominate Labor Day Weekend at Fairbury, though the seventh annual UMP Modified showcase on Sat., Aug. 31, will have one major change in 2019. A pair of $5,000-to-win American Modified Series Shootouts will be on tap in a unique night of racing giving 50 drivers a chance to make the 40-lap shootouts. All the specific information on the event, which includes a $5,000-to-win Late Model special, will be announced soon.

A date worth circling on the calendar is Sat., July 6, which features the return of the Lucas Oil POWRi National Midgets along with the MOWA-sanctioned Sprint Car Shootout. A huge night of racing with Midgets, Sprints, Late Models and Modifieds are on the docket for the post-Independence Day celebration.

The POWRi National Midgets will also compete at Fairbury on Thurs., Aug. 15, as a part of the annual Fairbury Fair. The program kicks off a huge three-day stretch for the National Midget tour and also includes the UMP Modifieds running for $1,500 to win and the DIRTcar Pro-Crate Late Models.

The DIRTcar Pro Crate Late Models will be in action as part of the annual Memorial Day Weekend Round-Up on Sat., May 25. The $1,000-to-win race will be accented by a $3,000-to-win DIRTcar Late Model event, $2,000-to-win AMS Modified feature, a $500-to-win Street Stock A-main and $500-to-win Sportsman headliner.

Other specials on the 2019 schedule include the annual DIRTcar Spring Nationals Street Stock Special paying $2,000 to win in memory of Earl J. Hubert on opening night Sat., May 4; the traditional Pappy & Bob Allen Memorial Late Model Special on Sat., June 8; and the $1,000-to-win Eden-Piercy Memorial sponsored by CR Towing for Sportsman on Sat., July 13.

Fairbury’s season-ending fall shootout, on Sat., Sept. 21, will include DIRTcar Late Models, UMP Modifieds, DIRTcar Pro-Crate Late Models, Sportsman, DIRTcar Street Stocks, DIRTcar Pro-Mods and Hobby Mods.

Back in 2019, the Alkota “Keep it Clean” Series presented by Rural Route Repair and M&M Pumps will again give away a heated pressure washer valued at over $4,000. This unique series is structured with all of the four DIRTcar weekly classes in a point battle throughout the year that sees drivers accumulate points for passing cars in the feature and also includes feature finishing position. The Alkota “Keep it Clean” Series is scheduled for 12 nights throughout the summer.

Everyone at Fairbury American Legion Speedway extends a sincere appreciation for the continuing support and wishes you and all your families Happy Holidays.

2019 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | 2019 FALS CUP WEEKLY PAYOUT | PRINTABLE SCHEDULE

Fairbury resident strikes deal to take over operation of quarter-mile oval

Matt Curl will return to Fairbury American Legion Speedway as the majority owner and promoter of his hometown track after finalizing a deal with Fairbury's American Legion John Joda Post 54 that has long owned and operated the quarter-mile oval, Curl and Legion officials announced jointly on Tuesday.

It's a dream come true for Curl, a 42-year-old native and current resident of Fairbury who grew up attending races at the track, worked as a race-day official in various capacities and served as FALS's race director from the fall of 2012 until the end of the 2017 season. He left Fairbury to become the series director of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series in 2018 but reluctantly will depart that position in the future after having a golden opportunity materialize at the speedway he loves so much.