Prairie Dirt Classic

[Dirt Clod]

Come on 4M members. Seriously, no PDC comments? Didn't anyone go? I drove from Indianapolis on Saturday, bought a pit pass, and stood the entire 6 hours on the pit area overlook. We're now to the point where families are spreading blankets in the pit area grandstands. Wanted to walk around the pit area more but didn't want to leave my spot. It was amazing to see how many people were watching racing on the jumbo-tron in the pit area. Looked like the Chili Bowl.

Everything about the event is first class. Fans, city embracing it, PDC events, camping, tailgating, golf carts everywhere and most importantly, the racing. Track prep was to perfection. Matt and his team have a good problem, how to expand the facility for this race and keep the charm. I'm sure thousands more want to go. I know I'll go back again next year and hopefully stand on the pit rail again. 🏁

[klemmabyna]

Would like something to reignite this board. I know people are still reading. just not replying. I thought about blackford and rage baiting but I can’t do it as well as well as him!
Can’t stand social media threads. Four replies in and an anonymous a$$ appears.

glad you enjoyed the trip. Maybe a racing report? I do know I enjoyed my trip. Special place.

[foxfire2dirtracing]

Drove 10 hours 1 way. Got there on Tuesday and by Friday we had 10 in our group from home. (east Tennessee)
3 were first timers and now they are hooked.
Everything about the PDC is great.
Booked our motel rooms for 2027 when we checked out on Sunday.👍🏻

[hoosier race fan]

Come on 4M members. Seriously, no PDC comments? Didn't anyone go? I drove from Indianapolis on Saturday, bought a pit pass, and stood the entire 6 hours on the pit area overlook. We're now to the point where families are spreading blankets in the pit area grandstands. Wanted to walk around the pit area more but didn't want to leave my spot. It was amazing to see how many people were watching racing on the jumbo-tron in the pit area. Looked like the Chili Bowl.

Everything about the event is first class. Fans, city embracing it, PDC events, camping, tailgating, golf carts everywhere and most importantly, the racing. Track prep was to perfection. Matt and his team have a good problem, how to expand the facility for this race and keep the charm. I'm sure thousands more want to go. I know I'll go back again next year and hopefully stand on the pit rail again. 🏁

The continued growth of the Prairie Dirt Classic just shows that lots of race fans are still out there and willing to support dirt track racing. In all forms of entertainment, people today want to be part of major events. It isn’t just a race, it is a social experience. They will travel and pay whatever the cost just to be at something they consider a destination, which the PDC has been for a while and continues to grow even more. Eldora has had the destination event status for the World 100 for a long time and to a lesser degree the Dream. The North/South 100 at Florence has had a parallel growth to the PDC with huge crowds for the past several years and probably the biggest ever still to come in a few weeks. Many fans, especially younger people, don’t attend as many weekly or regional races, but they save their money and go to special events that are drawing great crowds. None of this is a new trend, but the tracks and events may be different. In the 80s, the DTWC at Pennsboro was one of those destination events.

It is probably blasphemous for me to say this, but it is time for the covered grandstand at Fairbury to be taken down and a much larger covered grandstand built in its place. Make it like Eldora with a race control/media center on top instead of the booth by the flag stand that obstructs the view from the current covered grandstand. Other good examples that are a partially covered grandstand would be Lawrenceburg or the new Belle-Clair. The seating of the covered stand now is tight and uncomfortable. The bleachers on the back stretch could possibly be larger, but my preference would be new seating and improved visibility on the front stretch.

[ftfiowa]

there has been little to no buzz in midget, mods, sprints, lm's in 2026 so far. thats why i think the 4m is so quiet. i posted some weeks back and asked if folks felt like me and just werent excited by dirt racing in general in 2026. i pay for DV & Flo and have watched maybe 2 nights of racing "live". I usually wait til the racing has been going awhile & then rewind back to the 1st heat & start from there. I fast forward thru ALL non racing action. i mostly wait til later & just watch YouTube summary videos of the A mains of whatever race interests me. There is no buzz in lm's at all with the 32 dominating. Gravel is dominating Woo sprints. High Limit is hit n miss for good racing & the gimmicks are a turn off/time waster imo. Also ive noticed less track prep in 2026 after the racing night begins & i have 0% interest in watching dry slick putt putt around the bottom shows where the fast qualifier starts on the pole.

[fryefan]

The event is great, however each year there are more and more people who they sell tickets to that have NO chance of actually seeing the race (all the seats and standing room are taken). That needs to change.

[fryefan]

there has been little to no buzz in midget, mods, sprints, lm's in 2026 so far. thats why i think the 4m is so quiet. i posted some weeks back and asked if folks felt like me and just werent excited by dirt racing in general in 2026. i pay for DV & Flo and have watched maybe 2 nights of racing "live". I usually wait til the racing has been going awhile & then rewind back to the 1st heat & start from there. I fast forward thru ALL non racing action. i mostly wait til later & just watch YouTube summary videos of the A mains of whatever race interests me. There is no buzz in lm's at all with the 32 dominating. Gravel is dominating Woo sprints. High Limit is hit n miss for good racing & the gimmicks are a turn off/time waster imo. Also ive noticed less track prep in 2026 after the racing night begins & i have 0% interest in watching dry slick putt putt around the bottom shows where the fast qualifier starts on the pole.

There is plenty of buzz around sprints and late models, IF you are paying attention. As for track prep, I have seen more track prep this year (at the events that I have attended) than any year in the past.

[Danimal67x]

. Also ive noticed less track prep in 2026 after the racing night begins & i have 0% interest in watching dry slick putt putt around the bottom shows where the fast qualifier starts on the pole.

there was no problem with the track prep at the PDC, bottom feeder or banging the boards it was the best of the best going at it for the win.
I'm glad to see the resurgence of Rocket this year..
what did that banner say
"Sheppy till I die!" lol

[zyoung25]

The track and race is on my bucket list. The lack of seating is what keeps me home year after year. I would not be able to go all 3 days, and it looks like unless you are sitting on the back stretch, there arent much other options for good places to sit. I would probably be left standing. Which would be okay with me, but probably not the wife. I am surprised with how this race has blown up the last 10 or so years that something has not been changed. I have thought several times about going to the frenzy race in the fall just to watch.

Is there much room for seating to be added?