PIT BOX: A Sunday night showdown at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds rounds out ARCA’s 2025 dirt slate

A cherished Labor Day weekend tradition for the ARCA Menards Series returns Sunday evening with a trip to the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, the second of two dirt tracks on the ARCA Menards Series schedule.

Like the prestigious Springfield Mile located a little more than two hours north, DuQuoin boasts a long, proud history of auto racing that dates to 1946. Open-wheel racing was a staple of DuQuoin’s culture during its early years, when names like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Rodger Ward and Jimmy Bryan found Victory Lane.

During the late 1950s, the ARCA Menards Series ran at DuQuoin four times before the facility returned on the calendar. Aside from 2012 and 2020, DuQuoin has hosted one ARCA Menards Series event every year for more than four decades, normally run in conjunction with the USAC Silver Crown Series.

Sunday’s event being a night race adds another element to the strategy. Managing equipment around DuQuoin’s clay surface for 100 laps will be essential for competitors if they wish to join a prestigious list of names that have earned a victory at the historic complex.

Tickets to the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds can be purchased here. Below is everything to know ahead of the 16^th event of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season.

Southern Illinois 100 at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

Brent Crews has more than just a victory on the line in Sunday evening’s race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Crews is eligible for a $20,000 bonus courtesy of the Hungry Hen’s Dirt Double after dominating the Allen Crowe 100 at the Springfield Mile a couple weeks ago. In 2024, Crews led every lap at DuQuoin for an easy victory, so the young prospect is primed to obtain a significant payday behind the wheel of Nitro Motorsports’ No. 70 Toyota.

Should Crews come up short of a checkered flag Sunday, he can still earn $7,500 for accumulating the best average finish between Springfield and DuQuoin as part of the Hungry Hen’s Dirt Double. The driver with the second best average finish receives $5,000, and third-best will be awarded with $2,500.

Lavar Scott, who finished second to Crews at Springfield, finds himself in an ideal position to receive additional cash Sunday. Although he does not possess an extensive dirt-racing background, Scott now has two top fives to his name at Springfield and will look to improve upon his sixth place DuQuoin showing from 2024.

Dirt-racing prospect Jade Avedisian is set to make her ARCA Menards Series debut this weekend piloting the No. 25 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports. Avedisian has accumulated numerous accomplishments in dirt midget racing over the past few years, which includes qualifying for the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals back in 2023.

Other names set to compete at DuQuoin this weekend include last week’s winner at Madison International Speedway in Max Reaves, along with Kelly Kovski, Ryan Vargas, Tim Monroe, Brayton Laster and Ed Pompa.

The complete entry list for the Southern Illinois 100 can be viewed here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA Menards Series races at DuQuoin
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at DuQuoin

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 30 starters plus provisionals. This event will be run under the 2025 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: One lap qualifying. No adjustments or repairs may be made on car after taking the green flag at the Start/Finish line. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify.

RACE PIT STOP: Break pit stop procedure. Break at or near the conclusion of lap 50. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased at track plus maximum 4 from-home tires) is 14.