2018 Gateway Dirt Nationals date

[Shiny Side Up 18]

November 29, 30, December 1.

[hoosier race fan]

November 29, 30, December 1.
I wonder why they would move it a few weeks earlier. That would be the weekend before PRI. Maybe a midget/sprint date later, but that may create a conflict with DuQuoin.

[CIRF]

The only way St. Louis will hurt Du Quoin is if they schedule directly against Du Quoin with a USAC or POWRi sanction.

I was at Du Quoin last night for the USAC National Midget show and they had 56 cars and a totally full grandstand. The racing was absolutely top notch with the A-main being in the top 5 of the best races we've seen all year. 2 of the 4 qualifiers were exemplary races, as well. It was possible to pass without knocking the guy out of the way and the show was run in a timely fashion.

Compared to years past the St. Louis show appeared not to have hurt Du Quoin at all and I doubt that Du Quoin hurt the St. Louis event. If it did I reckon it was minimal.

I would be very surprised if St. Louis would schedule an open wheel event of any kind directly against Du Quoin. However, stranger things have happened. It would be a shame if something like that happened. Racing of all ilk's doesn't need infighting, it needs cooperation for everyone to survive and thrive. Hopefully the people who promote the St. Louis event understands all of that.

[slmcrewchief99]

Its about trying to make it easier on the fans because its so close to xmas. I personally have no problem at all with it.

[jr29]

The event has been a success both years and I can't imagine moving it a couple weeks will do much of anything to hurt it.

[turnleftandgasit]

Read on FB that this weekend is IL shotgun weekend for deer. That could cause an issue for some if this is true.

[CIRF]

Personally, we're kinda' glad that the 2018 St. Louis date isn't once again scheduled directly against Du Quoin. The past 2 years our group has opted to go to Du Quoin due to the fact that Du Quoin does all but guarantee a very good racing program run in a timely fashion with ticket, lodging, parking and concession prices being far more reasonable as compared to St. Louis.

It's a no brainer when all things are considered. With St. Louis 2 weeks prior to the traditional Du Quoin date we'll be able to attend the final night of the St. Louis event. St. Louis is a full hour and a half closer than Du Quoin and we'll be able to make the trip back home without having to pay exorbitant, larger city lodging prices. Then 2 weeks later go to Du Quoin which is traditionally one of the best shows we attend all year! Win-win.

[Mud Packer]

The 2018 USAC Midget schedule is already out and they have the DuQuoin midget show on Friday December 14th next year instead of on Saturday. Kind of strange since this has always been a Saturday night show. Now the Gateway Dirt Nationals event moves up a couple of weeks. Just a thought here. They tested midgets and sprints in the dome earlier this week. Maybe a chance the promoter is looking to add a midget date on Saturday December 15th at the dome. Stranger things have happened.

[blncfn57]

Seen a response from Cody (I think on twitter) that said "Dome is booked several years out on some things and that weekend is only available option".

[CIRF]

The 2018 USAC Midget schedule is already out and they have the DuQuoin midget show on Friday December 14th next year instead of on Saturday. Kind of strange since this has always been a Saturday night show. Now the Gateway Dirt Nationals event moves up a couple of weeks. Just a thought here. They tested midgets and sprints in the dome earlier this week. Maybe a chance the promoter is looking to add a midget date on Saturday December 15th at the dome. Stranger things have happened.

MP, you make a good point that I'd completely forgotten about in regards to the USAC National Midget schedule showing Friday night December 14th as the date for the 2018 Du Quoin event. Many of us who follow major league midget racing passed it off as a possible typo but it's starting to look like that might not be the case.

There may well be something else going on that USAC would change a traditional, and very successful Saturday date to Friday. There is no way that a Friday date would be as advantageous as Saturday night given that may folks that would be travelling a distance wouldn't be able to make it due to work schedules, etc. Some car owners and crews would be in somewhat in the same situation.

A two night midget show just 90 minutes apart involving the major players in midget racing would be a fun deal if pulled off properly!

[Mud Packer]

MP, you make a good point that I'd completely forgotten about in regards to the USAC National Midget schedule showing Friday night December 14th as the date for the 2018 Du Quoin event. Many of us who follow major league midget racing passed it off as a possible typo but it's starting to look like that might not be the case.

There may well be something else going on that USAC would change a traditional, and very successful Saturday date to Friday. There is no way that a Friday date would be as advantageous as Saturday night given that may folks that would be travelling a distance wouldn't be able to make it due to work schedules, etc. Some car owners and crews would be in somewhat in the same situation.

A two night midget show just 90 minutes apart involving the major players in midget racing would be a fun deal if pulled off properly!

I really don't have any inside information, however it seems strange to me to change to a Friday night at DuQuoin when the Saturday date has been successful. I did see that they tested both midgets and sprint cars at the dome earlier and was wondering what this might become.

I guess we will see if anything does come out of this but I would say that a two day show at DuQuoin and St Louis would be advantageous for car owners and drivers. Some of them come from a long way away and the payout for two shows could be an advantage to adding more to the mix.

From a fans prospective I guess we will see. It would definitely be bigger draw but would they have the disposable income at that time of year for the extra days. I hope if it does happen that both shows would be successful.

[fryefan]

The 2018 USAC Midget schedule is already out and they have the DuQuoin midget show on Friday December 14th next year instead of on Saturday. Kind of strange since this has always been a Saturday night show. Now the Gateway Dirt Nationals event moves up a couple of weeks. Just a thought here. They tested midgets and sprints in the dome earlier this week. Maybe a chance the promoter is looking to add a midget date on Saturday December 15th at the dome. Stranger things have happened.

IF they were going to have Midgets at the Dome, then it would have to be the same week/weekend as the latemodels & modifieds, not 2 weeks later.

The dome has events going on every weekend and Cody's bunch is not going to pay to move the dirt in and out of the dome twice.

[fryefan]

Personally, we're kinda' glad that the 2018 St. Louis date isn't once again scheduled directly against Du Quoin. The past 2 years our group has opted to go to Du Quoin due to the fact that Du Quoin does all but guarantee a very good racing program run in a timely fashion with ticket, lodging, parking and concession prices being far more reasonable as compared to St. Louis.

It's a no brainer when all things are considered. With St. Louis 2 weeks prior to the traditional Du Quoin date we'll be able to attend the final night of the St. Louis event. St. Louis is a full hour and a half closer than Du Quoin and we'll be able to make the trip back home without having to pay exorbitant, larger city lodging prices. Then 2 weeks later go to Du Quoin which is traditionally one of the best shows we attend all year! Win-win.

I am elated that they will be on different weekends next year, as I would like to attend both shows.

[CIRF]

IF they were going to have Midgets at the Dome, then it would have to be the same week/weekend as the latemodels & modifieds, not 2 weeks later.

The dome has events going on every weekend and Cody's bunch is not going to pay to move the dirt in and out of the dome twice.Common sense dictates that you're probably right.


I am elated that they will be on different weekends next year, as I would like to attend both shows.You and me both, fryefan. I haven't been able to attend the Saturday night finale' at St. Louis because our group always opted for what we thought was a sure thing over in Du Quoin. Never seen a bad show at Du Quoin, on the other hand St. Louis was, and still is to a certain extent, an unknown commodity. We'll probably will attend the Saturday night finale' at St. Louis now that there is no conflict.

[thexfactor0210]

I was kind of let down by the "huge" announcement that keot being pumped up. Was hoping Cody would announce a midget date or some huge additions to the LM purse. Oh well

[Shiny Side Up 18]

I was kind of let down by the "huge" announcement that keot being pumped up. Was hoping Cody would announce a midget date or some huge additions to the LM purse. Oh wellI was hoping the announcement would be that they were building a dome over Fairbury and moving the race there. LOL

[toledo47]

I was kind of let down by the "huge" announcement that keot being pumped up. Was hoping Cody would announce a midget date or some huge additions to the LM purse. Oh well

I agree, they seemed to be hyping it up a lot throughout the night, and then it was just the dates... a bit of a letdown. Really awesome event though!

[plunks7]

Read on FB that this weekend is IL shotgun weekend for deer. That could cause an issue for some if this is true.

Good Point!!! It is also opening weekend for Iowa as well. Several of us from Iowa will not be at the Dome due to hunting. Oh well I got to see the First 2 events.

[Mud Packer]

IF they were going to have Midgets at the Dome, then it would have to be the same week/weekend as the latemodels & modifieds, not 2 weeks later.

The dome has events going on every weekend and Cody's bunch is not going to pay to move the dirt in and out of the dome twice.

It seems that a number of people have said that the dome isn't used as much as it needs to be to continue in operation. Your post says that the dome has events going on every weekend. Just curious. What type of events do they host?

[fryefan]

A lot of conventions, trade shows, and concerts. They also have motocross, monster trucks, etc.

I read in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch a while back that it is used more now, than when the Rams played there, since the Rams had it blocked off for most of the last half of the year.

[huskerdirt]

A lot of conventions, trade shows, and concerts. They also have motocross, monster trucks, etc.

I read in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch a while back that it is used more now, than when the Rams played there, since the Rams had it blocked off for most of the last half of the year.

Heck, just looking at the calendar on the website. They got several events every month. Monster Jam and Supercross in March alone.

[powerslide]

The bartender at the over-under, i think that was the name of it... Any who she was a cute blond, and told us that its rarely busy downtown due to events at the dome. They had a U2 concert scheduled and canceled it the week of because of riots. She really made it sound like whatever goes on at the dome is smaller than what we had happen this past weekend. I went to the dome last year and you didn't see but a few racers at the bars and in the streets after the races last year. This year every bar we stopped in had multiple tables. I'm certain the weather had a lot to do with it.

[CIRF]

It appears that any anticipation of collusion between the people that promote St. Louis and Du Quoin is unfounded. What appears to have been a typo on the USAC National Midget schedule regarding the 2018 USAC National Midget event at Du Quoin has been corrected. It now reads that the December 2018 Du Quoin show will, in fact, be held on December 15th. All's well that ends well.