Spoon River Speedway will move its’ weekly UMP Weekly racing program to Friday nights in 2024. The track will be racing 5 classes every Friday night- UMP Late Models, UMP Modifieds, UMP Pro Late Models, E Mods and UMP Hornets. In addition, the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will make their inaugural visit to the track in 2024, along with a 2-day show for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota. Dates will be released soon for both big races. Talks are ongoing with several national touring series to bring the most ambitious schedule in Spoon River history to the best fan base in the US.
“We looked at all the tracks running on Saturday, knowing we wanted to bring the Super Late Models back on a weekly basis. Some of the best dirt tracks in the US are within 2 hours of us and they all run on Saturday”, explained new SRS Promoter Cloyd Barden. “We are going to offer record purses for all classes and are going to run an efficient program involving time limits. Our management team knows what fans and drivers are looking for and we are here to deliver. We are working feverishly on the website and schedule to get them out as soon as we can.”
The Barden era marks the beginning of a new and exciting time for Central Illinois race fans, as Barden shares his vision. “We have big plans. We are in contact with every major racing series and are looking eventually to put our own signature race on, a big racing weekend with camping and fan engagement unseen in the past at Spoon River Speedway. We know we have one of the most competitive racing surfaces in the country, and it’s time for the rest of the world to see its’ true potential. We have a go-kart track we would like to revive as well.”
The track will be undergoing several improvements, including re-doing the bathrooms. Process improvements in the food line will help move food lines along and a completely re-vamped menu is in the works. “Being fans of the track for years, we know fans value clean bathrooms, especially our female fans. We are addressing that”, said Barden. “We want our menu to be one where fans look forward to coming to the track and genuinely enjoy eating here. The days of the Spoon Burger are over.”
A new logo is being designed, and merchandise will be available soon. A General Information and Rules Meeting will be held this Sunday, November 12 at 1 PM at Country Line Bar and Grill, 725 W Locust Street, Canton, IL 61520.
SRS is seeking sponsorship help for our ambitious 2024 schedule. Please contact Jeff Adams, dirtwriter18@gmail.com for more details.