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MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Set for 21-race Campaign in 2026

MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Set for 21-race Campaign in 2026

FAIRBURY, IL (December 9, 2025) – After another successful season of MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment action, officials are excited to announce an action-packed 21-race schedule for 2026. 2025 saw Cole Falloway knocking Michael Long off as the series champion on a season where 15 races were completed after mother nature got in the way of a handful of other scheduled events. The tour continued to average 35+ cars for the third consecutive season including 9 series regulars (with a record of 5 Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year contenders).

“Raising the bar with the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment continues to be the goal as the years pass by” stated Series Director Jonathan Clayton. “The competition level is at an all-time high with the tour. 8 different chassis manufacturers took home victories in 15 events with the most races a single driver won on the season being 3. That to me is pretty special.”

2026 will feature many of the usual suspects on the series schedule, but also will mix in 3 tracks that have never hosted a MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment event. The schedule includes 21 nights at 13 tracks in 3 states.

Notable Event News for 2026

New to the Crew – The upcoming season will feature three racetracks that the MARS Modified tour has not visited in the first 3 years of existence. Coles County Speedway (Mattoon, Illinois) and Benton Speedway (Benton, Missouri) are featured on the schedule for the first time ever. Paducah International Raceway (Paducah, Kentucky) joins the schedule for the 4th time, with the first three scheduled trips all being claimed by mother nature.

Labor Day Weekend Tradition Continues – Labor Day weekend continues to be one of the best weekends for racing in Central Illinois for DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and in 2026 that is no different. Saturday, September 5, the tour heads to Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, Illinois) for the 3rd annual Illinois Dirt Shootout paying $5,000-to-win. On Sunday, September 6, the tour heads west to the Spoon River Speedway (Lewistown, Illinois) for the 36th annual Plowboy Nationals paying $2,500-to-win.

Pairing with the Outlaws – 2026 will have two different weekends where the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment will run alongside the World of Outlaws Late Models. The first being opening weekend (April 10-11) at Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, Illinois) as part of the Illini 100, with the second time being a new event on the schedule (September 25-26) at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park (Pevely, Missouri)

Leader in DIRTcar UMP Modified Purses

One thing that sets the MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment apart from the rest is the industry-leading purses in DIRTcar UMP Modified racing. The standard nightly purse, as a minimum, continues to be as follows:

MARS Modified $2,000-to-win A-Main payout: 1) $2,000 2) $1,500 3) $1,200 4) $1,000 5) $800 6) $600 7) $500 8) 400 9) $300 10) $275 11) $250 12) $250 13) $250 14) $250 15) $250 16) $250 17) $250 18) $250 19) $250 20) $250 21) $250 22) $250. Non-Transfer Tow Money - $25 + the price of a pit pass

2026 Points Fund

1)$5,000 2) $4,000 3) $3,000 4) $2,500 5) $2,000 6) $1,800 7) $1,600 8) $1,400 9) $1,200 10) $1,000.

If a driver runs every event and does not finish top 10 in season standings, the driver will be guaranteed a Road Warrior bonus of $1,000. The top-10 in points will be guaranteed point money regardless of nights ran.

Increased Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Points Fund

After a season that included the largest field of Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year contenders (5) in series history, the year-end payout has been increased for the new crop of eligible contenders in 2026.

2026 Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Point Fund: 1. $1,250 2. $1,000 3. $750 4. $500

2026 MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment Schedule

Date – Track – Location – Event – To Win Amount

April 10 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Illini 100 – $2,000
April 11 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Illini 100 – $2,000
April 24 – Brownstown Bullring – Brownstown, IL – Brownstown 100 – $2,000
April 25 – Peoria Speedway – Peoria, IL – Garry Swibold Memorial – $2,098
May 15 – Quincy Raceways – Quincy, IL – Gem City Showdown – $2,000
May 16 – World Famous Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $2,000
May 17 – Coles County Speedway – Mattoon, IL – $2,000
May 23 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Triple Down Shootout – $2,000
May 24 – Spoon River Speedway – Lewistown, IL – Gary Cook Jr Memorial – $2,064
May 29 – Paducah International Raceway – Paducah, KY – USA World 50 – $2,000
May 30 – Red Hill Raceway – Sumner, IL – Red Hill Rumble – $2,000
July 17 – Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Bill Marietta Memorial – $2,000
July 18 – Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL – Charleston Challenge – $2,000
August 28 – Benton Speedway – Benton, MO – $2,000
August 29 – I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park – Pevely, MO – $2,000
September 5 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – Illinois Dirt Shootout – $5,000
September 6 – Spoon River Speedway – Lewistown, IL – Plowboy Nationals – $2,500
September 25 – I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park – Pevely, MO – $2,000
September 26 – I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park – Pevely, MO – $2,000
October 2 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Frenzy – $2,000
October 3 – Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – FALS Frenzy – $3,000

Further information on the 2026 season including Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year registration, series rulebooks, added marketing partners, and other news will be released at marsracingseries.com and on all our social media channels throughout the winter.

For more information about the MARS Dirt Series, please contact Jonathan Clayton at 731-467- 1316, visit the tour’s webpage at marsracingseries.com, or visit @MARSDirtRacing on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends and MARS Modified Championship Powered by Summit Racing Equipment would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their support of the 2025 racing season: FK Rod Ends (MARS Late Model title sponsor), Summit Racing Equipment (MARS Modified title sponsor), Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts (Official trailer and golf cart provider of the MARS Dirt Series), Flo Racing (Official streaming provider of the MARS Late Model tour), Racing Electronics (Official communications provider of the MARS Dirt Series), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official tire manufacturer of the MARS Dirt Series), Sunoco Race Fuels (Official fuel of the MARS Dirt Series and proud sponsor of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year chase all season long on the MARS Late Model & Modified Championship tours), Pontiac RV (Official RV Dealer of the MARS Dirt Series), Allstar Performance, O’Reilly Auto Parts, DIRTcar Racing, Driscoll Motors (Official dealership of the MARS Dirt Series), Woods Basement Systems (Official Basement Contractor of the MARS Dirt Series), MD3, Josh James Artwork, MWD Signs & Graphix, Fairbury Fastener & Supply, Dirt Draft, Digital Copy Systems, Whelen, Multi Fire X, Budda Bert Transmission, Dyer’s Top Rods, Fast Shafts, Wilwood Brakes, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Keyser Manufacturing, Varsitee Screenprinting, Willy’s Carb & Dyno, Trackside Racewear, Hooker Harness, Lethal Chassis, Remtek Enterprises, QuickCar Racing Products, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Midwest Sheet Metal, Shepard Synthetics, and Allgaier Performance.

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