CONCORD, NC (Dec. 9, 2024) — The DIRTcar Summer Nationals embarks its 40th season in 2025 with a slate of 30 races in 33 days, spread across some of the Midwest’s most historic dirt tracks.
The Late Models will begin the traditional five-week schedule with the season opener on Wednesday, June 11, at the 1/4-mile Illinois staple Kankakee County Speedway, traveling through nine different states before the season finale at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH, on Sunday, July 13, where a new king of the Hell Tour will be crowned.
The DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals celebrates 15 years of racing in 2025 with a 28-race schedule, starting with the opener at Kankakee and concluding with the championship finale during the 35th annual Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury Speedway — Friday–Saturday, July 25–26. As per tradition, each driver’s 12 best finishes will count toward the points standings and award a $5,000 bonus to the champion.
WHAT’S NEW:
Lee County Speedway (Donnellson, IA) — The Late Models and Summit Modifieds will debut at the 3/8-mile oval of Lee County Speedway on Thursday, June 19. The race will mark the second visit to Iowa on the 2025 schedule and the 14th different track in the state of Iowa the Summer Nationals has visited.
Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) — The 1/4-mile, red clay banks of Duck River Raceway Park will host the Late Models and Modifieds for the first time ever on Sunday, July 6. The track has hosted several national and regional Super Late Model events in its 50-plus year history and will become the fourth different Tennessee track to host the Hell Tour.
BLAST FROM THE PAST:
Wilmot Raceway (Wilmot, WI) — The Hell Tour has not seen the 3/8-mile oval of Wilmot Raceway since its last visit in 2016 but will return in 2025 for a Late Model-only show on Monday, June 16. This makes for a stretch of 12-straight days of racing for the Late Models to kick off the milestone 40th season, putting the first scheduled off-date on Monday, June 23.
LaSalle Speedway (LaSalle, IL) — Twenty-four times in Summer Nationals history have the Late Models graced the 1/4-mile banks of LaSalle Speedway. In 2025, the historic Illinois bullring is set to be revived by local business owners Justin and Jenna McCoy and will host its first Summer Nationals and Summit Modified programs since 2021 on Thursday, July 3. With general management from longtime promoter Tony Izzo Jr., the track — which has sat dormant since the end of the 2021 season — will operate on a special-events schedule throughout 2025 and has several renovation projects planned to accommodate the return of fans for the Summer Nationals event and beyond.
GETTING PAID:
Friday and Saturday night Late Model Features will pay $10,000 to the winner, while $5,000-to-win main events line most of the weekday races. The lone exception falls on Friday–Saturday, June 20–21, at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. The Summer Nationals meets the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in their first co-sanctioned program since 2022, racing for a $12,000 check on Friday and a $20,000 grand prize on Saturday.
Over $150,000 in points fund money will be distributed on a weekly basis to the Late Models — $10,000 to the points champion of each week, plus a check for each driver inside the top-10 in each week’s points. Overall points standings will also be kept, awarding another $10,000 bonus to the 2025 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion in addition to checks for the top-10 in overall points. A tow money bonus is also in store for each driver who maintains perfect attendance throughout the summer — $500 for every 500 miles traveled.
Summit Modifieds will compete for a slice of the $15,000 points fund which will be distributed at season’s end to the top-10 in the final championship standings — $5,000 to the champion, $2,500 for runner-up, $2,000 for third place, and so on. View the full championship points fund by clicking here.
Don’t miss a moment of the action next summer — buy a ticket at the gate of a track near you or watch every lap of every race live with a subscription to DIRTVision.
COMBINED 2025 TOUR SCHEDULES
Week #1
Wednesday, June 11 | Kankakee County Speedway | Kankakee, IL
Thursday, June 12 | Peoria Speedway | Peoria, IL
Friday, June 13 | Tri-City Speedway | Pontoon Beach, IL
Saturday, June 14 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL
Sunday, June 15 | Sycamore Speedway | Maple Park, IL (Late Models only)
Week #2
Monday, June 16 | Wilmot Raceway | Wilmot, WI (Late Models only)Tuesday, June 17 | Davenport Speedway | Davenport, IA (Late Models only)
Wednesday, June 18 | Quincy Raceways | Quincy, IL
Thursday, June 19 | Lee County Speedway | Donnellson, IA
Friday, June 20 | Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 | Pevely, MO
Saturday, June 21 | Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 | Pevely, MO
Sunday, June 22 | Lincoln Speedway | Lincoln, IL
Week #3
Monday, June 23 | OFFTuesday, June 24 | Springfield Raceway | Springfield, MO (Late Models only)
Wednesday, June 25 | Brownstown Bullring | Brownstown, IL
Thursday, June 26 | Macon Speedway | Macon, IL
Friday, June 27 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL
Saturday, June 28 | Highland Speedway | Highland, IL
Sunday, June 29 | Clarksville Speedway | Clarksville, TN
Week #4
Monday, June 30 | Old No.1 Speedway | Harrisburg, ARTuesday, July 1 | Benton Speedway | Benton, MO
Wednesday, July 2 | OFF
Thursday, July 3 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL
Friday, July 4 | Red Hill Raceway | Sumner, IL
Saturday, July 5 | Tri-State Speedway | Haubstadt, IN
Sunday, July 6 | Duck River Raceway Park | Wheel, TN
Week #5
Monday, July 7 | OFFTuesday, July 8 | Shadyhill Speedway | Medaryville, IN
Wednesday, July 9 | Montpelier Motor Speedway | Montpelier, IN
Thursday, July 10| Butler Motor Speedway | Quincy, MI
Friday, July 11 | Crystal Motor Speedway | Crystal, MI
Saturday, July 12 | Oakshade Raceway | Wauseon, OH
Sunday, July 13 | Wayne County Speedway | Orrville, OH
35th annual Prairie Dirt Classic (Modifieds only)
Friday, July 25 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL
Saturday, July 26 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL
Photo credit: Tyler Carr
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