Late Models at Farmer City????  Yup....you got'em!  Click the link below!!!                                     Farmer City Raceway

Farmer City Raceway - Farmer City, Illinois 

By John Nelson

December 1, 2019 

Although earlier fairs took place, the present DeWitt County Fair dates from 1930. Initially the Fair took place in Weedman Park on the west side of town and did not have a racetrack. In 1936 the Fair leased a new 40-acre tract on the southeast side of the city, south of present Rt. 54 (Clinton Avenue) and east of Lincoln Street. Midget racing made its debut here in September 1938 on a short, unbanked horse-show track of unspecified length. A new 1/5-mile clay oval was built for the start of the 1940 season. For the 1941 season, the Fair moved to its present site on Rt. 150 in the northern part of the city, and a new ⅕- or ¼-mile track (sources differ) was constructed for Midget racing. Later, a ½-mile track for harness racing was put in place. Midget racing rapidly gained popularity under promoter Art Zuiker and the National Midget Racing Association, Offy and non-Offy cars racing together. Among the leading drivers before World War II were Ted Duncan, Rex Easton, Bob Muhlke, Mike O’Hallaran, Ray Richards, Paul Russo, Pete Romcevich, Shorty Sorenson, and Wally Zale. The final event before auto racing was curtailed for the war was a 100-lapper on July 24, 1942.

         Less than three weeks following the Japanese surrender, Farmer City Speedway brought the Midgets back for Labor Day 1945. After all 5,000 tickets were sold another 1,500 fans broke down the fences to witness the return of the doodlebugs. For 1946 Zuiker went with closed competition “A” and “B” Midgets under sanction of the Central Illinois Midget Association and the Midget Racing Association of Chicago. These races regularly drew 30 to 40 cars and 3,000 or more spectators. Zuiker added 2,000 bleacher seats, plus box seats, for the 1947 season. Another innovation was “turn lights”, the green, yellow and red signals now universally in use. 

Zuiker stepped down as promoter due to ill health at the end of the 1947 season and E.S. Wrightman took his place. Midget racing continued dtrong, with fields approaching 40 cars, as many as 24 of them Offys. Many outstanding drivers raced at Farmer City, among them Tony Bettenhausen, Frank Burany, Duane Carter, Myron Fohr, Danny Kladis, Ray Knepper, and Chuck Marshall. Nevertheless, Midget racing was beginning to decline in popularity at Farmer City, as it did throughout the nation. Wrightman began alternating Midget programs with motorcycle racing, and then in August 1949 phased out the Midgets in favor of stock cars.

         These initial stock car races were open to 1937-1949 model sedans and coupes, evidently with few modifications permitted. Whereas the Midget races drew drivers from as far away as Texas, most of the stock car pilots lived within 50 miles of the track. For 1950, Port’s Promotions of Springfield conducted the stock car races. Faster drivers were handicapped in all races, which went from standing starts instead of the usual flying starts. Most events took place on the 1/5-mile oval, but a few may have used the ½-mile horse track. Midgets were relegated to a few special programs.

         Advertisements in 1953 announced stock cars racing on a “new $10,000 half mile oval” in addition to a new ¼-mile dirt track. For 1955, Joe Shaheen from Springfield Speedway was running the program and “all restrictions as to motors and their placement have been removed”. However, the Peoria Stock Car Drivers’ association took over sanction for 1956, and the type of cars they allowed was not specified. Farmer City Speedway lay largely idle from 1957 to 1966. Go-karts and micro-midgets were tried in 1961; a few Midget events were booked in 1964. Stock cars returned in July 1967 under Wayne Webb, with Supermodifieds on the half mile as the headline division and Super Stocks and “fenders” on the quarter mile in support.

         Prosperity returned to Farmer City when Junior Smith, himself a Farmer City native, directed the racing program. Arriving in 1970, Smith renamed the facility Farmer City Raceway and elevated Super Stocks to the headline division. These were basically Late Models, with few engine restrictions. Top drivers included Roger and Steve Drake, Butch Garner, Jim Leka, Roger Long, Ken Rowley, Joe Ross, Sr., Jack Tyne, and (beginning in 1976) Bob Pierce. Racing in support was a “fender-bender” amateur division, replaced in 1972 by the popular six-cylinder late models. Smith added bleachers and concession stands to accommodate larger crowds in 1972. By 1976, Smith’s final season, average weekly attendance reached 3,500 (interview with Smith, Bloomington Pantagraph, 6/12/76). Purses were based on attendance, averaging $2,700 for Super Stock and $1,400 for Six-Cylinders. 

         The late 1970s saw turnover of promoters and a decline in attendance. Ronald “Red” Griffin, a former racer, ran the programs in 1977 and was interviewed in the June 29 Pantagraph. Junior Smith returned in 1979, but resigned before the season was out, and the Fair Board assumed promoting duties. Street Stocks or Hobby Stocks replaced Six-Cylinder cars, and an entry-level Mini-Stock class (earning no points) was introduced. Competition was strong in the headlining Super Stocks, where Jim Harter, Roger Long, Bob Pierce, Frank Shickel, Sr., Rick Standridge, Fred Strube, Dick Taylor, and Joe Williams were among the feature winners. These Late Model cars were evolving from stock-based to purpose-built race cars that could cost more than $10,000. 

         Dick Zeigler became promoter in 1980 and served three years. The program continued more or less as before, with Super Stock (or Late Model), Hobby Stock, and Mini-Stock classes weekly. Late Models had a 2700-pound weight limit through 1982, as much as 500 pounds higher than neighboring speedways. This was reduced to 2500 or 2600 pounds (depending on wheelbase) for 1983. Hobby Stocks had stock frames, front suspension and body panels, racing on 8-inch tires. Mini-Stocks were compact cars such as Pinto and Volkswagen, modified only for safety.

         Fair Board members Lonnie Franklin and Bill McLaughlin came in as promoters in 1983. Patronage was good enough that new bleachers and lighting were installed the following season. Farmer City raced under the new United Midwest Promoters (UMP) group in 1985, but for 1986 and 1987 the speedway went with the short-lived Illinois Stock Association (ISA) for Late Model and Hobby divisions. Mini-Stocks were dropped in favor of IMCA Modifieds. UMP sanction returned in 1988, except that the Modifieds continued under the more restrictive IMCA rules. Rapid advances in car technology, especially chassis set-up, took place during this period. Late Models took on their modern shape as purpose-built race cars with no production body or chassis components. Although still stock-based, the Hobby cars rapidly improved also. The one-lap Hobby record in 1988 was quicker than the Late Model record in 1982 and also quicker than the contemporary Modified record.

         Franklin and McLaughlin served as promoters through the 1991 season, after which they stepped down, citing age and health issues. Fellow Fair Board members Dewey King and Jeremy Reynolds stepped up to take their places. They dropped the Hobby Stock division and introduced UMP Modifieds. McLaughlin passed away in October 1992; a memorial Late Model race was held in his honor the following season.

         Racing was threatened early in 1995 when the Fair Board announced they were suspending operations with plans to sell the Fair property to a trucking company. Bob Sargent of UMP stepped up and leased the speedway for five special events including the UMP Summer Nationals, the $5,000 to win Northern Outlaw Nationals for Late Models, and the first appearance of the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars. Weekly racing returned for 1996 and continued through 2004 under Sargent’s direction. These were among the strongest years in Farmer City history. UMP Late Model, Modified, Sportsman, and Street Stock were the weekly divisions. In 2000 the four-cylinder Hornet division joined the program on a biweekly basis. No points were awarded to the Hornets. Special Sprint Car shows and high-dollar Late Model events spiced up the schedule. Top Late Model drivers who made regular appearances during Sargent’s reign included Justin Allgaier, Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb, Jr., Steve Hillard, Mike Mullvain, Steve Sheppard, Jr., and Junior Shickel. Roger Long and Bob Pierce were winding up their fine careers while Jason Feger, Brian Shirley, and Eric Smith were beginning theirs.

         When Bob Sargent failed to reach agreement with the Fair Board for 2005, regular Late Model competitor Don Hammer signed on as promoter, adding Lincoln Speedway to his portfolio the following year. Hammer continued with the same weekly program as Sargent. Hammer’s biggest accomplishment was attracting the World of Outlaws Late Model Series to both tracks. Instituted in 2008, the Illini 100 was the highest-paying dirt Late Model event held in Illinois up to that time, with the winner receiving $20,000 out of a total purse of nearly $100,000. Billy Moyer of Batesville, Arkansas won the inaugural event.

         Bobby Pierce made his racing debut at age 12 in 2009, racing and winning features in two new divisions at Farmer City. These were Kids Mods, which were full-sized UMP Modifieds powered by 4-cylinder engines; and Crate Late Models, full-sized Late Models powered by factory-sealed “crate” engines.   

         Brian Stuart took over promoting from Don Hammer for 2010. Facing a sharp drop in attendance at weekly races, Stuart cut the season to only seven events, of which only the Illini 100 and Summer Nationals drew decent crowds. With the economy down, other area tracks including Lincoln Speedway and Vermilion County Speedway (under Bob Pierce for one season) also closed early.

         Kyle Logue and Jeff Hammer took over promoting in 2011, when uncertainty over operations led the World of Outlaws to schedule the Illini 100 for La Salle Speedway (the event was rained out and canceled). Attendance and car counts picked up as Farmer City ran a full season of weekly races. Logue stepped down at the end of 2011 to return to racing. Top Late Model Drivers during the early ‘10s, several of whom would go on to tour with national series, included Jason Feger, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, Eric Smith, and Ryan Unsicker.    

         After a big start, 2012 became another difficult season. A dispute developed between promoter Jeff Hammer and the World Racing Group (WRG) following a World of Outlaws Sprint Car race at Farmer City on April 25. When Hammer stopped payment on a check covering the purse, sanctioning fee and expenses, the WRG lifted Farmer City’s UMP sanction. This meant that drivers at Farmer City could not collect UMP points, and the Summer Nationals race was canceled. Another setback came in July when the K & K Insurance demanded upgrades to guardrails and catch fences, which Hammer did not want to undertake. The season ended on July 20, and Hammer tendered his resignation.

         Don Hammer (Jeff’s cousin) returned as promoter in 2013. He satisfied the insurer’s concerns and regained UMP sanction. The World of Outlaws returned for the Illini 100, but Farmer City did not have a Summer Nationals date. Non-wing 410 Sprint Cars raced occasionally as part of weekly programs from 2011 to 2014. Leading feature winner was Mitch Wissmiller, who won all three in 2013 and three out of six in 2014.

         The 2015 season saw a return to Farmer City’s traditional stock car program, headed by UMP Super Late Models, with Modifieds, crate Late Models, Street Stocks, and Hornets (stock 4-cylinder front-wheel-drive cars) in support. Like many short tracks nationwide, Farmer City is struggling with attendance at its regular weekly shows. Continued success depends on the big events: the Illini 100, Summer Nationals, and the new Farmer City 74, a Late Model race paying $10,000 to win. Primary source: local daily newspapers on www.newspapers.com.