The DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one-mile (1.6-km) clay oval motor racetrack in Du Quoin, Illinois, about southeast of St Louis, Missouri.

Opened in 1946, the track has hosted competitive auto racing. Since 1993, the venue is managed by Bob Sargent's Track Enterprises. It is a stop on the ARCA Menards Series, USAC Silver Crown Series and American Flat Track.

History The DuQuoin State Fair was founded in 1923 by local businessman William R. "W.R." Hayes, who owned the fair and ran it. It did not become run by the state of Illinois as a true "state fair" until the 1980s; it is now officially called the Illinois State Fair in DuQuoin, as opposed to the longtime one at state capital Springfield. At the start Hayes had a half-mile harness-racing track on his 30-acre site, with wooden grandstands that seated 3000. In 1939 Hayes started buying adjoining strip-mined land to develop its potential as parkland, replanting it and turning the strip pits into family-friendly ponds and lakes. He eventually expanded his little fairgrounds into 1200 acres.

The DuQuoin "Magic Mile" racetrack was constructed on reclaimed strip-mined land in 1946 by W.R. Hayes. The track's first national championship race was held in September 1948. In the second race on October 10, popular AAA National driving champion Ted Horn was killed in the fourth turn when a spindle on his championship car broke. The national championship race for the USAC Silver Crown dirt cars is held in his honor.

In 1957 the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds became the third longtime home of the Hambletonian, America's premier harness racing event (established 1926). The grandstands and bleachers were expanded to seat 18,000. When the Hambletonian left DuQuoin after 1980 to be raced at the Meadowlands, the Fair became the home of the World Trotting Derby. This race was held from 1981 until it was discontinued after the 2009 race. Harness racing is still a fan-favorite at the fairgrounds, and admission is free.

Music concerts are also held at the track, especially during the state fair. The stage is at center at the foot of the grandstand, backed up against the protective cyclone fence that shields the stands from the track.

Race winners

ARCA Menards Series

AAA/USAC Champ Car/Silver Crown race winners All winners were American

Season Date Winning driver Chassis Engine 1948 September 4 Lee Wallard Meyer Offy October 10 Johnnie Parsons Kurtis Offy 1949 September 3 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Offy 1950: Not held 1951 September 1 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Offy September 3 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Offy 1952 September 1 Chuck Stevenson Kurtis Offy 1953 September 7 Sam Hanks Kurtis Offy 1954 September 6 Sam Hanks Kurtis Offy 1955 September 5 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma Offy 1956 September 3 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma Offy 1957 September 2 Jud Larson Watson Offy 1958 September 1 Johnny Thomson Kuzma Offy 1959 September 7 Rodger Ward Watson Offy 1960 September 5 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offy 1961 September 4 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offy 1962: Not held - Rain 1963 September 2 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offy 1964 September 7 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offy 1965 September 6 Don Branson Watson Offy 1966 September 5 Bud Tingelstad Meskowski Offy 1967 September 4 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offy 1968 September 2 Mario Andretti Kuzma Offy 1969 September 1 Al Unser King Ford 1970 September 7 Al Unser King Ford 1971 September 6 George Snider Watson Offenhauser 1972 September 4 A. J. Foyt Meskowski Offenhauser 1973 September 3 Mario Andretti King Ford 1974 September 2 Mario Andretti King Ford 1975 August 24 Tom Bigelow Watson Ford 1976 August 29 Bubby Jones 1977 August 28 Tom Bigelow Watson 1981 August 30 Rich Vogler Shores Chevrolet 1982 September 6 Gary Bettenhausen King Chevrolet 1983 September 5 Gary Bettenhausen King Chevrolet 1984 September 3 Joe Saldana 1985 September 2 Rick Hood 1986 September 1 Jack Hewitt 1987 September 7 Jack Hewitt 1988 September 4 Gary Bettenhausen 1989 September 3 Chuck Gurney 1990 September 2 Jeff Swindell 1991 September 1 Stevie Reeves 1992 September 6 Johnny Parsons 1993 September 5 Jack Hewitt 1994 September 4 Chuck Gurney 1995 September 3 Johnny Parsons 1996 September 1 Chuck Gurney 1997 August 31 Russ Gamester 1998 September 6 Jimmy Sills 1999 September 5 Tony Elliott 2000 September 3 Kasey Kahne 2001 September 2 Paul White 2002 September 1 J. J. Yeley 2003 August 31 Tony Elliott 2004 September 5 J. J. Yeley 2005 September 4 Tracy Hines 2006 September 3 Tracy Hines 2007 September 2 Shane Cottle 2008 August 31 Brian Tyler 2009 September 6 Brian Tyler 2010 September 5 Levi Jones 2011 September 4 Levi Jones 2012: Not held - Rain 2013 September 1 Bobby East 2014 August 31 Shane Cockrum 2015 September 6 Shane Cockrum 2016 September 3 Chris Windom 2017 September 3 Kody Swanson 2018 September 2 Justin Grant 2019 September 1 Chris Windom 2020: Not held - COVID-19 pandemic 2021 September 4 Brian Tyler 2022 September 3 Logan Seavey 2023 September 2 Justin Grant 2024 August 31 Justin Grant 2025 August 30 C. J. Leary 2026 September 5 C. J. Leary

Lap records

As of July 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the DuQuoin State Fairground Racetrack are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Oval (1946–present): 1.609 km USAC Silver Crown 0:29.138 Tyler Walker Silver Crown Car 2004 Ted Horn 100 AFT Singles 0:30.385 Jared Lowe Honda CRF450R 2024 DuQuoin Mile - Main Event ARCA Menards Series 0:31.805 Sheldon Creed Toyota Camry 2018 General Tire Grabber 100 USAC IndyCar 0:33.950 Don Branson Watson-Offenhauser 1964 Ted Horn Memorial/Du Quoin 100 AFT SuperTwins 0:36.032 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 2024 DuQuoin Mile - Heat 2

References

External links

Official DuQuoin State Fair website