MARS Racing Series Late Models

MARS Racing Series Late Models - 2023 Schedule

MARS Racing Series

21 Race Slate set for the MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends in 2023.
FAIRBURY, IL (January 10, 2023)—The MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends is pleased to introduce the 21-race schedule for the 2023 season. The tour includes events at 13 different tracks in three states including Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. The winner’s purse of those events alone eclipses $110,000 with over a half million dollars in total purses and prize money earmarked for the 2023 campaign. All events will pay a minimum of $5,000 to win, $500 to start and a full points payout of $35,000 for the top 10 positions.

“I am very excited for the schedule that we have put together in our first season”, says new MARS Series Director Jonathan Clayton. “We had interest from tracks in eight states throughout the Midwest, however, we really wanted to keep our box pretty tight to start this deal out”. “Our goal and vision is to put together a true regional series that makes sense for the drivers, promoters, and fans”. “We have had great talks with other regional series around our area, and have a game plan going forward to expand to some additional tracks in 2024”.

The tour will open on Friday April 28th at the newly promoted Brownstown Bullring in Brownstown, Illinois for the Seivers JCB 40. An exciting opening weekend for the series will continue Saturday night, April 29th at the famed Fairbury Speedway which will be the track’s 77th season opener. The final stop on the opening triple-header weekend for the series will hit the Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, Illinois on Sunday April 30th.

The month of May heats up with a pair of triple-headers, the first of which will start at the Kankakee Speedway on Friday May 19th, for the Big Daddy Scrap 40. The tour then heads south on I-57 to the Charleston Speedway for the Graves Memorial 40 on Saturday Night, May 20th. The last stop on the ultra-exciting three day swing will conclude at the Adams County Speedway in Quincy, Illinois on Sunday May 21st.

The annual Memorial Day weekend swing May 26th – 28th will hit the tradition tracks at the Farmer City Raceway, Fairbury Speedway, and conclude at the Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Illinois.
After a break for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, the series picks back up for an exciting combo starting on Friday Night July 21st for the Wild Man Kelly Classic at the Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Illinois. The tour then heads south to Pevely, Missouri for the Tribute to Ed Dixon at the Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.

The only mid-week special heads to one of the hottest tracks in the country the Davenport Speedway on Tuesday Night July 25th for the Hoker 50 paying $10,000 to win. The event promoted by past series owner Tony Izzo Jr, will be the highest paying race on the MARS tour in 2023.

The Gary Gerstner Memorial at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois will be held on Friday Night August 18th. The series will then take the short drive to Highland Speedway at the historic fairgrounds in Highland, Illinois on Saturday Night, August 19th to cap 13 different tracks in the first 14 events.

As summer concludes and fall arrives, the traditional triple-header Labor Day weekend events will again be held at the Farmer City Raceway on Friday September 1st, Fairbury Speedway Saturday September 2nd, and wrap up the holiday weekend at the Spoon River Speedway on Sunday September 3rd as part of the 33rd Annual Plow Boy Nationals.

Exciting stops at the Kankakee Speedway and the Fairbury Speedway will highlight the weekend of September 15th & 16th before heading south for the championship weekend.

Concluding the 2023 MARS Championship Season powered by FK Rod Ends will be a trip for back-to-back shows at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois on Friday Night September 22nd and Saturday Night September 23rd. The Championship weekend for the MARS Late Model Tour will be a part of a huge Mod Mania weekend and bring some of the best racing in the country to one place on the final weekend of 2023 for the series.

The history of the MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends runs deep with former champions which include Terry Phillips (6), Bill Frye (5), Tony Jackson Jr. (5), Tanner English (2), Brian Shirley (2), Jesse Stovall (1), Brad Looney (1), David Seibers (1), and defending series champion Ryan Unzicker (1).

Additionally, a new series website is soon-to-be launched and will be the official home for everything related to the MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends. All series information including tire rules, procedures, and rule book will be released in the coming weeks.

The MARS Championship Tour Powered by FK Rod Ends will be DIRTcar sanctioned in 2023 and follow all technical rules for Late Models.

Coming Thursday January 12th, the exciting MARS Modified Championship schedule will be released which will run 20 nights in 2023, covering 3 states and pay nearly a quarter million dollars in purse money throughout the inaugural season.

Series - NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RACEMARS

2023 Schedule

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Pretty lame. 5k to win and 600 bucks for 10th with a small points fund? I thought Curl with Flo broadcasting all the races would at least bump up the purses and make this an attractive regional series. I can’t see but 2 or 3 guys following it.

im liking the two farmer city, fals, spoon dates!

And some of my favorites that don't have many late model shows, like Charleston and Red Hill.

I was hoping they'd bump the payout a bit, if not the payout for the events at least the points fund to encourage more drivers to follow.Heck for that matter, I'm fine if this pays better than the Summernationals, which still needs a massive overhaul.But it is their first year at the series.

Everybody would like to see more money but it is a regional series.

thexfactor0210

A lot of time you must take a step back before you take two steps forward.

Compared to what those Illinois guys race for at Farmer City, that payout is great. Guys who can run for $5k need places to race too.

I like the 5k to win gives guys like Opie and unzicker places to races other then Fairbury. Hopefully gets the crates and mods to move up in the area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoosierDirtFan

thexfactor0210A lot of time you must take a step back before you take two steps forward.

Or two steps back before you can take one step forward if you are prone to heavy drinking ? ?

Awhile ago in their original announcement it had said that they were looking to go to More Midwest states. Looks like it’s pretty much an Illinois Series. Not that that’s to much of a bad thing. I know some of the guys up here in Michigan had their hopes up.