PIT BOX: Labor Day weekend dirt duel awaits ARCA Menards Series drivers at DuQuoin

The second and final dirt venue on the 2026 ARCA Menards Series calendar is set to to host this weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Located two and a half hours south of the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ Springfield Mile, DuQuoin has also been a staple of auto racing culture in the United States since opening in 1948. The list of names that have won at DuQuoin include legends like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Fred Lorenzen, Al Unser, Rusty Wallace and Jack Hewitt.

DuQuoin first welcomed the ARCA Menards Series for a handful of events between 1957-59, back when it was known as the MARC Racing Series. The platform didn’t return to DuQuoin until 1983, kickstarting a proud relationship between the two sides that has seen the ARCA Menards Series visit the track every year since except for 2012 and 2020.

There are a handful of qualities that separate DuQuoin from Springfield, one of them being that Sunday’s race will take place at night instead of day. The different set of track conditions are going to present challenges for ARCA Menards Series competitors, all of whom look to get a dirt track win on their resumé before the season ends.

Tickets to the Audubon Park 100 can be purchased here. Below is everything to know ahead of the 17^th race for the 2026 ARCA Menards Series campaign.

Audubon Park 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

The most recent ARCA Menards Series outing on dirt featured a wild finish between Max Reaves and Gavan Boschele at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

A heated battle for the lead ended with Boschele spinning in front of Reaves going into Turn 1. Reaves cruised to his third victory of the 2026 season, all while Boschele chased Reaves during the cooldown lap and attempted to confront him in Victory Lane, believing he had been deliberately turned around.

Boschele enters the Audubon Park 100 still chasing his first ARCA Menards Series victory but has a great opportunity to reach that milestone this weekend. Possessing a strong background in dirt racing, Boschele looks to avenge the bitter defeat from Springfield and join the growing list of drivers who have won an ARCA Menards Series platform race with Nitro Motorsports.

For Reaves, there is more on the line than just another ARCA Menards Series checkered flag at DuQuoin. Should Reaves prevail Sunday evening and become the first driver to sweep both ARCA Menards Series dirt events since Parker Kligerman in 2009, he will take home a $20,000 bonus as part of the Audubon Park Dirt Double.

Taylor Reimer is among the drivers looking to disrupt Reaves and Boschele’s respective bids for a checkered flag at DuQuoin. Reimer was among the frontrunners at Springfield until her day was hindered by a restart violation, so she looks to bounce back from that showing and make history as the first woman to win a national ARCA Menards Series event.

Other drivers making the trip to DuQuoin this weekend include Carson Brown, Isaac Kitzmiller, Sean Corr, Ryan Vargas and Brayton Laster.

The complete entry list for the Audubon Park 100 will be released later this week.

RACING REFERENCE:

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

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 28 starters, plus provisionals (EIRI). This event will be run under the 2026 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: One lap qualifying. No adjustments or repairs may be made once car leaves pit road. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify (EIRI).

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

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, the maximum tire use at track (total, maximum four (4) ‘from home’ plus purchased at track) for the event is 12.