MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment to Begin 2025 Season with Illini 100 Weekend at Farmer City Raceway

FAIRBURY, IL (April 7, 2025) – As year three is set to get underway this Friday evening, there are plenty of positives to look at when it comes to the MARS Modified tour. The car counts have continued to get larger as the years have passed, the talent pool seems to get deeper as we progress, and in 2025 the series is set for its largest schedule yet at 22 shows scheduled. The chase for the series title all begins with a stop at the Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois.

After losing the first two races on the schedule last weekend at Paducah International Raceway and Charleston Speedway due to significant rainfall, drivers, fans, and series officials alike are anxious to kick off the 2025 campaign. The MARS Modified Championship chase will join the World of Outlaws Late Models and Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Presented by Toyota for a blockbuster weekend to kick off the season at Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois on April 10-12. Open Practice will take place on Thursday night with a complete program on-tap for the MARS Modifieds on both Friday and Saturday.

Michael Long comes in as the odds-on favorite at another series title, after capturing the previous two. In 30 feature events in series history, Long has taken home 13 of them. Over the winter the Fowler, Illinois driver has transitioned to more of a Longhorn Chassis baseline as a chassis vs the Bob Pierce centerpiece that was utilized last season. Will this change prove to make the 18L even faster?

Could 2025 be the year a new champion emerges? Mike McKinney, Zeke McKenzie, Ray Bollinger, Kyle Hammer, Trevor Neville, Chase Holland, among others, are more than capable. Stay locked to Farmer City, Illinois next weekend to see who gets the early momentum.

If you are unable to make it to the track, this MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment doubleheader will be streamed live on DIRTvision.com.

Event Info

Illini 100 Weekend – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL

Thursday, April 10

Open practice for all 3 divisions competing throughout the weekend

Pits open at Noon

Practice from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

$25 Pit Pass

Friday, April 11

$2,000-to-win MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment

$12,000-to-win World of Outlaws Late Models

$4,000-to-win Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Presented by Toyota

Pits open at Noon

Grandstands open at 2:00 p.m.

Drivers Meeting at 5:45 p.m.

Hot Laps at 6:30 p.m.

Adult General Admission $35

General Admission ages 6-12 $10

General Admission ages 5 and under free

Pit Pass $45

Saturday, April 12

$2,000-to-win MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment

$20,000-to-win World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Models

$5,000-to-win Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Presented by Toyota

Pits open at Noon

Grandstands open at 2:00 p.m.

Drivers Meeting at 4:45 p.m.

Hot Laps at 5:30 p.m.

Adult General Admission $40

General Admission ages 6-12 $15

General Admission ages 5 and under free

Pit Pass $50

Adult General Admission 2-day pass $70

General Admission ages 6-12 2-day pass $25

3-day Pit Pass $110

2-day Pit Pass $85

Event Purse

MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment NIGHTLY Feature purse: 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: (Friday - $70) (Saturday - $75)

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR:

• BEST IN THE MIDWEST: With this weekend being the second weekend of DIRTcar UMP Modified racing in the state of Illinois for 2025, an absolutely loaded field is expected to be in attendance. Last year the event drew 50 cars on the weekend. Expect 40+ to be in attendance this weekend.

• STILL ON TOP: 2 years down for the MARS Modified Championship Tour: Two Championships for Fowler, Illinois driver Michael Long. After winning 56% of the MARS features in 2024, can Long continue that rate of dominance in 2025? In 3 MARS events at Farmer City in 2024, Long captured two victories and a second-place finish.

• NEW TITLE CONTENDER: After coming off a career year in 2024, all signs point in 2025 that Mackinaw, Illinois driver Trevor Neville will chase the MARS Modified tour in its entirety. Last season saw Neville get into the double-digits in feature wins and coming up just short of the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals championship. He picked up a pair of victories during DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in his Elite Chassis but has since changed chassis to kick off the season in the Midwest.

• BEGINNING OF THE SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CHASE: With Charlie Mefford and Kyle Hammer capturing the Rookie of the Year title the past two seasons, who will add their name to the history books this season? A talented crop of drivers with plans to chase the honors include Ryan Hamilton, Alan Stipp, Beau Deyoung, Damien Kiefer, Mark Rhoades, Kyle Barker, Wes Harms, Zach Taylor, among others. Drivers have until the conclusion of the first weekend’s events to declare their status.

• NEW TO THE CREW: New faces to the partners list for the MARS Modified Tour for 2025 include Mesilla Valley Transportation, Midwest Sheet Metal, Allgaier Performance, and Shepard Synthetics. We thank them for their support of DIRTcar UMP Modified racing!

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 2025 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), 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, 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, QuickCar Racing Products, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Midwest Sheet Metal, Shepard Synthetics, and Allgaier Performance.

MARS Championship Upcoming Events

• April 11, 2025 - Farmer City Raceway - Farmer City, IL - Illini 100 - $2,000-to-win MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment

• April 12, 2025 - Farmer City Raceway - Farmer City, IL - Illini 100 - $2,000-to-win MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment

• April 17, 2025 - Cedar County Raceway - Tipton, IA - Hawkeye Land 40 - $5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends

• April 18, 2025 - 34 Raceway - West Burlington, IA - Prelude to the Slocum Presented by Midwest Performance & Power - $5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends

• April 19, 2025 - 34 Raceway - West Burlington, IA - Slocum 50 Presented by Roederer’s Pit Stop - $10,555-to-win MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends