by Don Martin

Spring is just around the corner and many folks are starting to get the racing itch.    I have put a March and April schedule together to highlight some of the bigger shows that are coming up in the Midwest.

No better way to start by escaping the artic by going indoors to DuQuoin, Illinois for the USAC National Midget show this Saturday March 9.    You can expect between 60-70 midgets on hand including the some of the best in the business.   Defending Champion Logan Seavey will be in the house driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports.   The Clauson-Marshall stable is loaded with Tyler Courtney, Chris Windom, and the young talented superstar Zeb Wise.    Michael Pickens, Dave Darland, Jake Neuman, Justin Grant, Brady Bacon, Kevin Thomas Jr., Zach Daum, Thomas Meseraull, Jerry Coons Jr., C.J. Leary, Tyler Thomas and Chad Boat will all be on-hand for the event.   The event is known as the Shamrock 50 and will take place at the Southern Illinois Center with midget hot laps slated for 4 pm.

Tony Izzo Jr. is putting up some serious cash the last weekend of March.   The Ethanol Late Model Series will invade LaSalle Speedway March 29 & 30.    Friday the race will pay $5,000 to win and Saturday will pay the feature winner $15,000.   You can expect a big car count for this race nothing is going on that weekend so you can expect some of the Lucas and World of Outlaws to enter the Thaw Brawl on the 1/3 mile banked oval.

April will be highlighted with the Illini 100 at Farmer City the first week in April.   The Lucas Oil Late Model  Series will make its first stop in Illinois and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series will be at Pevely and Jacksonville where the POWRI midgets will be on hand as well for both of those shows.

March   9              USAC National Midgets                 Southern Illinois Center                DuQuoin, Illinois

March 16             Lucas Oil Late Models                     Brownstown Speedway                                Brownstown, IN

March 28-29       Ethanol Late Models                       LaSalle Speedway                            LaSalle, Illinois

April  5-6              World of Outlaw Late Models     Farmer City Raceway                      Farmer City, Illinois

April 12                 MARS Late Models                          Belle Clair Speedway                      Belleville, Illinois

April 12                 MOWA Sprints – AMS Mods       Tri-City Speedway                           Pontoon Beach, IL

April 12-13           MLRA Late Models                          Lucas Oil Speedway                        Wheatland, MO

April 14                 USAC Sprints                                      Action Track                                       Terre Haute, IN

April 19                 MLRA Late Models                          Davenport Speedway                    Davenport, IA

April 20                 MLRA Late Models $10K               34 Raceway                                        Burlington, IA

April 26                 Lucas Oil Late Models                     Tri-City Speedway                           Pontoon Beach, IL

April 26                 POWRI Midgets                                Belle Clair Speedway                      Belleville, IL

April 26                 World of Outlaw Sprints                                Lake of the Ozark Sp.                     Eldon, MO

April 27                 Lucas Late Models                           Macon Speedway                            Macon, IL

April 27                 World of Outlaw Sprints                Federated Auto Parts                    Pevely, MO

April 28                 World of Outlaw Sprints                Jacksonville Speedway                  Jacksonville, IL