Is the Prairie Dirt Classic a Crown Jewel

[FANSFund]

Hands down... talk with the drivers and they easily define with four criteria:

1.) History - drivers will talk about being on next years t-shirt with a the list of HOF drivers that are listed on the back of the event t-shirt
2.) Trophy - you will hear drivers talk about "I want the globe (Eldora or DTWC), Eagle (USA Nationals), trophy with the flags (US and Confederate for North/South) etc" and the prestige that goes with having that trophy in your trophy case.
3.) Payout - long before some of the newer events, the crown jewels have a long history of payouts of $40K, $50K, etc. as well as high "to-start" purse. Those promoters took a huge gamble by paying out those purses long ago.
4.) Venue - you hear drivers talk about big races won at the venue by some of dirt racings biggest names and the biggest events.

Bottom line... you combine the four above and you have history as the main theme of events that were won by the sports biggest names (regional, national and sometimes local).

Fans do not define Crown Jewels - drivers define these races by ones that they most want to win (reasons above) on a national level. Also, I don't think there is one Crown Jewel - what famous crown in history has ever had one jewel? The idea around Crown Jewels is several prestigious races and right now we have less than ten.

BTW... all big races need to come up with a unique trophy. FALS, I-80, Knoxville and others need to come up with an iconic trophy. A trophy from the World 100, USA Nationals, North/South 100... even the Cotton Pickin and Toilet Bowl... these are trophy's you don't have to look at the plate to know what trophy the event represents. Crown Jewels should all have an iconic trophy.

Rich Olson
Minneapolis, MN

[Planetzer0]

Well considering 3 of the top 5 all time is from Tennessee, I would have to disagree man. Im from Iowa so theres not alot to do here either. LOL

[Illtsate32]

Says the guy who claims the DTWC isnt a crown jewel event. LOL. You live in Illinois, whats there to do there?

I never said the DTWC wasnt a crown jewel. You said that I said that. Now the second part of your statement, you kinda got me there lol, besides being the best state to watch dlm racing not much. Best tracks, best drivers...

[Planetzer0]

Get off Planetzero and come back to Earth guy...

Says the guy who claims the DTWC isnt a crown jewel event. LOL. You live in Illinois, whats there to do there?

[Illtsate32]

Get off Planetzero and come back to Earth guy...

[ptown]

But there is a lot less of them now then there was 25 years a go. Foxs are making a come back they were all most killed off.

Wow you’re on an ignorant roll today.

Where did you get this information?

Go to the DNR web site and look at the numbers.

[Pennsboro23]

You betcha. Folks come from all over and pay big money to shoot huge Illinois whitetails.

One of these years, I'll find me a farm to hunt out that way.

[Highside Hustler25]

White tailed bucks

You betcha. Folks come from all over and pay big money to shoot huge Illinois whitetails.

[Cardirt0]

White tailed bucks

But there is a lot less of them now then there was 25 years a go. Foxs are making a come back they were all most killed off.

[Planetzer0]

White tailed bucks

LOL. Pretty common everywhere in this region.

[Pennsboro23]

PDC is great for the state of Illinois. I mean what else is there to be excited about living in Illinois?

White tailed bucks

[Planetzer0]

PDC is great for the state of Illinois. I mean what else is there to be excited about living in Illinois?

[Cardirt0]

I have to agree with ya TT. I can remember not to long ago, get there around 5:00-6:00, park across the street in the school parking lot. Easy peasy. Now, like you said, 6:00 and you're lucky to even find a place to park. FALS will sell way more admission tickets than they have seats so you are out of luck there.
I sometimes wish it could go back to what it once was without the zoo like atmosphere. Maybe not Friday, but Saturday you had better be there by 3-4 unless you want to walk a long way to the track.

Like all good things sometimes it gets bigger then we all would like to see it. Fame can hurt somethings and it has .But its still one of the top races of the year.

[Cardirt0]

If i had to pick a Race of Dream, World, or PDC Been to all 3, more then once, It would Be the PDC every time. Best run race there is and the track is one of the best there is and the Town loves you for being there.

[Highside Hustler25]

I've been to around 13-15 of these Prairie Dirt Classics and to me it's a crown jewel all day.. Remember back when you could get there at 4:30 and get a great seat.. All the great cars and right there with the atmosphere of any other top notch event

P.S if you get there now at 6pm well plan on parking 3 miles from the track and also plan on standing all night

I have to agree with ya TT. I can remember not to long ago, get there around 5:00-6:00, park across the street in the school parking lot. Easy peasy. Now, like you said, 6:00 and you're lucky to even find a place to park. FALS will sell way more admission tickets than they have seats so you are out of luck there.
I sometimes wish it could go back to what it once was without the zoo like atmosphere. Maybe not Friday, but Saturday you had better be there by 3-4 unless you want to walk a long way to the track.