Macon Speedway - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Macon Speedway, located in Macon, Illinois

Macon, Illinois

Macon is a city in Macon County, Illinois, United States whose population was 1,213 at the 2000 census, and 1,128 at a 2009 estimate. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

is one of Illinois premier dirt ovals. It is also one of the longest continuous operating racetracks in the state.

History

Macon Speedway was built in 1946 by Wayne Webb on the site of a brick factory on Macon's West side. It has been in continuous operation since its inception. The facilities have undergone many changes over the years, but the track's size has remained the same since it was built. The track has been stated as both 1/4 (.25) Mile and 1/5 (.20) Mile at different times. It has been touted as "The World's fastest 1/5 mile dirt track" for many years. It was also formerly known as "The Other Brickyard." "Other" being a reference to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

's nickname, and "Brickyard" due to buried bricks rising up to the tracks surface from time to time. Many "famous" drivers on dirt have been to Macon at one time or another.

Webb era

Macon Speedway remained in the Webb family for many, many years. Wayne, and his brother Lloyd, ran Macon under the promotional name of Webb Enterprises, which also held other events at other venues, such as demolition derbies at county fairs in the surrounding area. The Webbs held the most varied programs in the track's 60+ year history. Almost everything from USAC Midgets and Sprints, to unsanctioned Outlaw Late Model races were held there. Figure-8 races were also held at Macon Speedway, which accounted for the track's unique triangle shaped judge's stand. Many "weird" events were held in Macon's past, including a "Roundy-round Demo Derby," where contestants had to make a certain number of laps, but also had to make contact with another automobile between the fourth corner and the finish line. Another unique event was a "Headlight Demo Derby." In that event, the track lights were extinguished, and the entrants had to compete with only the headlights on the cars. To be declared the winner, the entrant had to eliminate all other cars, while still having operable headlights. Macon also played host to many long events, such as 75 lap features for the Street Cars (later to become Sportsman, and still later UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

United Midwestern Promoters is a short track racing sanctioning body in the United States that sanctions short track racing on dirt race tracks from 1/5 mile in length to in length. UMP currently sanctions eight different racing divisions on over 100 tracks in 19 states and one province in Canada...

Sportsman). 300 lap or 3 hour long "Enduro's" were also held.

One of the more notable events in Macon's history was the Herald and Review 100

Herald and Review 100

The Herald & Review 100 is an United Midwestern Promoters Late model auto race that is held annually at Macon Speedway, in Macon, Illinois.-History:...

for UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Late Models. This race became one of the premier races in the Midwest. With its $10,000 purse, it drew big names in Late Model racing from all over the US.

Track enterprises era

Local Promoter Bob Sargent leased Macon Speedway in 1985, and immediately aligned Macon with the newly formed United Midwestern Promoters

United Midwestern Promoters

. This partnership lasted many years until UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

became unstable in the late 1990s. Sargent and Track Enterprises made Macon The track to race at in the Midwest. With its UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

affiliation, Macon got its fair share of big purse races. Drivers such as Gary Webb

Gary Webb

Gary Webb was a Pulitzer prize-winning American investigative journalist.Webb was best known for his 1996 "Dark Alliance" series of articles written for the San Jose Mercury News and later published as a book...

, Scott Bloomquist

Scott Bloomquist

Scott Bloomquist is a nationally touring dirt late model race car driver in the United States. Bloomquist was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He was inducted in the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in its second class in 2002....

, Ken Schrader

Ken Schrader

Kenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while driving part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series for his own Ken Schrader Racing. He also runs part time in the NASCAR Camping...

, Billy Moyer and others have won big races hosted by the speedway.

More recent years

In 1998, Track Enterprises sold Macon Speedway to investors. That same year, Macon switched to NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

's Winston Weekly Racing Series, and a year later, Macon's top class, Late Models, was dropped, forcing many of the area's (and some of the Nation's) top drivers to search for another venue. In 2001, Macon once again re-aligned itself with UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

, when it was bought back by the Webb's, in the name of founder Wayne Webb's son, and former driver at Macon, Rich Webb. Macon Speedway closed its 2006 season early, due to the high cost of operating expenses. But on happy note, on te last night of promotion of Macon Speedway in 2006, we had 100 racecars show up for the final season. In 2007 Macon Speedway was sold again. Former Macon Speedway owner, Bob Sargent teamed up with NASCAR

NASCAR

stars Ken Schrader

Ken Schrader

, Kenny Wallace

Kenny Wallace

Kenneth Wallace is an American stock car driver who currently drives the #09 Family Farmers/University of Northwestern Ohio/Federated Auto Parts/American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-Oil/Marquis Energy Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...

, and Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart

Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...

as co-owners of Macon Speedway. Many improvements were incorporated into Macon Speedway's infrastructure, such as new catch-fencing, upgraded grandstands, new billboards along the backstretch, and the acquisition of 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of adjacent farmland that was converted into a pit-area for the racers. Those improvements, along with 3 nights of racing that include NASCAR

NASCAR

race drivers restored Macon Speedway to its former glory, and boasted sell-out crowds almost every race night for the 2007 season. The owners also added money to the weekly pay-outs, and added "Big Money" ($1200US

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

or more to win) races to the regular schedule. 2008 includes many of the same big races, as well as a new crowd draw, rides in Macon Speedway's new 2-seat late model

Late model

A "late model car" is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. The term is broadly used in car racing, and often appears in common use, as in "The officer was driving an unmarked, late model sedan."There is no precise...

Notable national/regional accomplishments

Macon has been the home track of several National Champions over the years, most notably was 1999 NASCAR

NASCAR

Heartland Regional, NASCAR Winston Racing Series Champion, and NASCAR Winston Racing Series National Champion, Jeff Leka. Macon was also the home track of the 1998 Heartland Regional NASCAR ShorTrack Series Champion. Macon is also the home track of the 1989 UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

National Champion. In 2007, Macon was host to Speed TV's show "Night of NASCAR Stars

Night of NASCAR stars

"Night of NASCAR Stars" is a television special that was taped at Macon Speedway in 2007, and aired on Speed TV. It was held again on June 12, 2008, and will be aired on Speed TV later in 2008.- Background :...

Current classes

UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Late Models

Late model

UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Modifieds

Modified racing

Modified stock car racing, also known as Modified racing or simply Modified, is one of the oldest types of racing in the United States, dating back to the days of the post-World War II coupes. The name for modified racing cars come from the fact that they are not stock but, rather, modified...

UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Sportsman

UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Street Stocks

UMP

United Midwestern Promoters

Hornets

POWRi Midgets

Midget car racing

Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...

(Multiple special shows throughout the racing season)

Former classes

NMMRO Mini-Sprints
Bombers
Mini-Stocks
Street Cars
"Outlaw" Late Models
Winged Late Models
Sprint Cars
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
USAC Midgets
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
Super Stocks
6-Cylinders

Track record

The record for the fastest time in Late Model

Late model

qualifying is 10.311 seconds posted by Kyle Logue of Cisco, Illinois

Cisco, Illinois

Cisco is a village in Piatt County, Illinois, United States. The population was 264 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cisco is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....

on May 10, 2008. The previous record of 10.453 seconds was set by Cory Daugherty of Blue Mound, Illinois

Blue Mound, Illinois

Blue Mound is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,129 at the 2000 census, and 1,017 at a 2009 estimate. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

, on April 19, 2008.

External links

39.7120728°N 89.0068531°W

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