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MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Set to Embark on Largest Schedule in Tour History in 2025

MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Set to Embark on Largest Schedule in Tour History in 2025

FAIRBURY, IL (December 10, 2024) – 2025 will mark year number three for the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment tour, and series officials are excited to announce the largest schedule to-date for the series at 22 races. The championship chase will visit 13 different tracks in 3 states along the journey that is compacted into 10 weekends of racing throughout the year.

“It is no secret that Modified racing holds a special place in my heart” said MARS Modified Series Director Jonathan Clayton. “In our region the DIRTcar UMP Modified racing is the absolute best in the country. Looking at this schedule really gets me motivated for the new season because there is potential for so many huge nights throughout. The one thing we have proved in only 2 years of existence is that these shows entail the absolute best mix of DIRTcar UMP Modified on-track action and talent every single night of the tour.”

In the first two seasons of the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment tour, some of the largest DIRTcar UMP Modified events in the Midwest have been ran under the MARS banner such as the Illinois Dirt Shootout, Plowboy Nationals, Illini 100, Gary Cook Jr Memorial, Brownstown 100, and the FALS Frenzy, among others. Michael Long (Fowler, IL) has captured the series championship in back-to-back years and currently heads the all-time series win list with 13 victories. In the inaugural season, the MARS Modified tour averaged just over 35 cars per event, while in 2024 that number inflated to over 46 cars per event.

Notable Event News for 2025

Charleston Speedway – After a one-year hiatus, the MARS Modified tour will once again roll into “Chuckvegas” on night #2 of the 2025 campaign on Saturday, April 5. In May of 2023, it was Kyle Steffens that took home the checkered flag topping a whopping 48-car field that showed for the $2,000-to-win event. 48 cars was a series-high for an event during the inaugural season for the tour.

Farmer City Raceway – For the second season in a row the MARS tour will join the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Tour Presented by Toyota for the Illini 100 on April 11-12. Each night will feature complete shows for the tour with 30-lap $2,000-to-win main events. On Friday, July 18, the series will return for the 2nd annual Bill Marietta Memorial. Be on the lookout in the coming months for exciting details on the second-year event as bonus money and added incentives will be added just as they were in 2023.

Kankakee County Speedway – One event dear to our, and Kankakee promoter Billy Knippenberg’s, hearts is the Tom Pasek Memorial. In 2025 the MARS Modified tour is ecstatic to be a part of the 2nd annual event that is guaranteed to be one of the best nights on the schedule with $5,094 going to the winner that evening. Two-time and defending series champion Michael Long took home the DIRTcar sanctioned event in 2024.

Fairbury Speedway – FALS will play host to 4 MARS Modified events in 2025, including season championship FALS Frenzy Presented by Edelman Inc., but none will be larger than the return of the Illinois Dirt Shootout. After a 3-day format on Memorial Day weekend in 2024 that drew 126 drivers in attendance, the event will be shifted to a single day $10,000-to-win event on Saturday, August 30.

Tri-City Speedway – For the first time in series history, the 21st annual Summit Racing Equipment Modified Mania weekend will be sanctioned by the MARS tour. Three nights of feature event action, in conjunction with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Friday and Saturday night, will hit the speedway on Thursday-Saturday September 25-27. Full event information including event purses will be released in the coming months.

Standardized Event Purses

Once again, the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment tour will utilize a standardized event purse for the 2025 season that holds as one of the stoutest in the industry. Full feature payout for standard single night shows is as follows:

MARS Modified $2,000-to-win A-Main payout: 1) $2,000 2) $1,500 3) $1,200 4) $1,000 5) $800 6) $600 7) $500 8) 400 9) $300 10) $275 11) $250 12) $250 13) $250 14) $250 15) $250 16) $250 17) $250 18) $250 19) $250 20) $250 21) $250 22) $250. Non-Transfer Tow Money - $25 + the price of a pit pass

2025 Points Fund

1)$5,000 2) $4,000 3) $3,000 4) $2,500 5) $2,000 6) $1,800 7) $1,600 8) $1,400 9) $1,200 10) $1,000.

(An additional Rookie of the Year point fund will be announced in the coming weeks)

If a driver runs every event and does not finish top 10 in season standings, the driver will be guaranteed a Road Warrior bonus of $1,000. The top-10 in points will be guaranteed point money regardless of nights ran.

2025 MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Schedule

Date – Track – Location – Event – To Win Amount

April 4 – Paducah International Raceway – Paducah, KY – USA World 50 – $2,000
April 5 – Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL – Charleston Challenge – $2,000
April 11 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Illini 100 – $2,000
April 12 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Illini 100 – $2,000
April 25 – Brownstown Bullring – Brownstown, IL – JCB Diggin’ Dirt 30 – $2,000
April 26 – Peoria Speedway – Peoria, IL – Garry Swibold Memorial – $2,098
May 2 – Kankakee County Speedway – Kankakee, IL – Tom Pasek Memorial – $5,094
May 3 – Red Hill Raceway – Sumner, IL – $2,000
May 16 – Quincy Raceways – Quincy, IL – $2,000
May 17 – World Famous Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $2,000
May 24 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Triple Down Shootout – $2,000
May 25 – Spoon River Speedway – Lewistown, IL – Gary Cook Jr Memorial – $2,564
July 18 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Bill Marietta Memorial – $2,000
July 19 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway @ I-55 – Pevely, MO – $2,000
July 20 – Quincy Raceways – Quincy, IL – $2,000
August 30 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – Illinois Dirt Shootout – $10,000
August 31 – Spoon River Speedway – Lewistown, IL – Plowboy Nationals – $5,000
September 25 – Tri-City Speedway – Granite City, IL – Summit Racing Equipment Modified Mania – $TBA
September 26 – Tri-City Speedway – Granite City, IL – Summit Racing Equipment Modified Mania – $TBA
September 27 – Tri-City Speedway – Granite City, IL – Summit Racing Equipment Modified Mania – $TBA
October 3 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Frenzy Presented by Edelman Inc. – $2,000
October 4 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Frenzy Presented by Edelman Inc. – $3,000

Further information on 2025 including Rookie of the Year incentives, series rulebooks, added marketing partners, and other news will be released at marsracingseries.com and on all our social media channels throughout the winter.

For more information about the MARS Dirt Series, please contact Jonathan Clayton at 731-467- 1316, visit the tour’s webpage at marsracingseries.com, or visit @MARSDirtRacing on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends and MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their support of the 2024 racing season: FK Rod Ends (MARS Late Model title sponsor), Summit Racing Equipment (MARS Modified title sponsor), Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts (Official trailer and golf cart provider of the MARS Dirt Series), Flo Racing (Official streaming provider of the MARS Late Model tour), Racing Electronics (Official communications provider of the MARS Dirt Series), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official tire manufacturer of the MARS Dirt Series), Sunoco Race Fuels (Official fuel of the MARS Dirt Series and proud sponsor of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year chase all season long on the MARS Late Model & Modified Championship tours), Illinois State Rifle Association, Pontiac RV (Official RV Dealer of the MARS Dirt Series), Allstar Performance, O’Reilly Auto Parts, DIRTcar Racing, Driscoll Motors (Official dealership of the MARS Dirt Series), Woods Basement Systems (Official Basement Contractor of the MARS Dirt Series), MD3, Josh James Artwork, MWD Signs & Graphix, Fairbury Fastener & Supply, King’s Graphix, Dirt Draft, Digital Copy Systems, Whelen, Multi Fire X, Budda Bert Transmission, Dyer’s Top Rods, Fast Shafts, Wilwood Brakes, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Keyser Manufacturing, Varsitee Screenprinting, Willy’s Carb & Dyno, Trackside Racewear, Hooker Harness, Lethal Chassis, Remtek Enterprises, and QuickCar Racing Products.

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