Following a pair of weekends off for major events in the region, the MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends is set to kick back into gear with a doubleheader weekend as the second half of the season gets set to roll into full throttle. This Friday and Saturday will be the first weekend of a five week stretch that the MARS Late Model tour will be in action every week, with the exception of the weekend of August 21 & 22. With mother nature being in the way for much of 2026, series officials are hoping to finish out the season strong over the next two and a half months.
On Friday, August 7, the tour heads to the beautiful Sycamore Speedway, in Maple Park, Illinois, for the third annual MARS Sycamore Showcase. This will mark the only stop of the season to the 3/8-mile clay oval. Traditionally Sycamore reserves Friday nights for racing in their Spectator, Compact, Socker Stocker, and Powder Puff divisions, with Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, and Pure Stocks on Saturday nights. This will mark the third season that this August weekend will receive a “flip-flop” with the high horsepower hotrods of the MARS Late Model Championship tour, Street Stocks, and Pure Stocks actually racing on Friday night. This swap has proved successful the past two seasons with car counts of 27 and 30 for the Late Models with Jason Feger, Dennis Erb Jr, and Ryan Unzicker rounding out the podium in 2025. Look for those three to be the favorites heading into this weekend, with plenty more of your local and regional favorites planning to be in attendance.
Following the action at Sycamore, teams will make the three-hour tow south to the Mighty Macon Speedway, in Macon, Illinois, for the KerbyStrong night at the races on Saturday, August 8. The MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends competitors will compete for 50-laps with $10,000 going to the feature winner for their efforts. Saturday will mark the 12th running of the Kerbystrong at the Macon Speedway where fans, teams, and the Damery family will celebrate the life of Kerby Damery and his legacy.
Kerby Damery (1965 – 2015) was born and raised in Macon, Illinois. He married Nikki Goad in 1991 and the couple raised two sons, Blake and Luke.
Kerby’s passion for stock car racing started early. He was the youngest of 10 and his family spent almost every Saturday night going to the races. In fact, the Damery family helped build the walls around the Macon Speedway track.
Inspired by many old-time racers, Kerby bought his first sportsman race car at age 21. He won the 1990 Sportsman Macon Speedway Track Championship and later drove a Late Model series, which he built with the help of his dedicated racing team.
Kerby enjoyed racing at Macon Speedway as well as at several other central Illinois tracks. During his racing career, he won several Sportsman, Modified and Late Model Divisions, including the 1998 and 2001 Macon Speedway Budweiser Shoot Out, 2004 Late Model Macon Speedway Track Championship, 2006 Northern Allstars Late Model Series runners up and Rookie of the Year.
In 2007, at age 42, Kerby was diagnosed with Stage 4 Appendix Cancer. His cancer journey included numerous surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. Racing to win the fight of his life, he remained faithful, strong, and positive despite many setbacks. With a determined spirit, he fought bravely.
Giving up was never an option.
He was KerbySTRONG!
On Feb. 8, 2015, at age 49, Kerby Damery passed away. He did not lose his battle to cancer – he won it by living life to the fullest, inspiring others, and touching so many lives. His spirit will remain forever.kerby.strong!
The KERBYSTRONG Foundation will:
- Provide immediate assistance to qualified patients with cancer who many need support while undergoing cancer treatments
- Provide funding to help support a Cancer Navigator Program to assist patients and their families throughout the healthcare system.
A cancer diagnosis brings many challenges and patients may feel overwhelmed by the choices and decisions and uncertain about the steps to take or where to seek assistance. The goal is to ensure that cancer patients receive quality diagnostic, therapeutic, and support services on a timely basis.
Last season’s unforgettable KerbyStrong 50-lapper saw Ryan Unzicker sneak under race leader Jake Little, coming out of turn four, to take the $10,000 victory. Molalla, Oregon driver Justin Duty finished third followed by Steve Sheppard and Jason Feger.
Ryan Unzicker will take the Midwest Sheet Metal points lead into the weekend with an 88-point advantage over Jason Feger. Feger is the most recent victor in MARS action, and with the tumbling dice 2-5 finding consistency over the past month, he will look to continue to close the gap between he and Unzicker between now and Championship Weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway. Dylan Thornton is comfortably in third in series standings, only 106 markers back from the lead. Daniel Adam and Tanner English round out the top 5.
Thornton holds a demanding lead in Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year standings with Caden McWhorter, Myles Moos, Jeffrey Ledford, and Austin Howes rounding out the top 5.
Event Info
Friday, August 7
Sycamore Speedway
Maple Park, IL
MARS Sycamore Showcase
$5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends
Street Stocks
Pure Stocks
Pits open at 5:00 P.M.
Grandstands open at 6:00 P.M.
Drivers Meeting at 6:00 P.M.
Hot Laps at 6:30 P.M.
Adult General Admission $25
General Admission for Kids ages 5-10 $5
General Admission for Kids ages 4 and under FREE
Pit Pass $35
Kids ages 5-13 Pit Pass $20
Pit Pass for Kids 4 and under FREE
Saturday, August 8
Macon Speedway
Macon, IL
12th annual KerbyStrong
$10,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
DIRTcar Sportsman
DIRTcar Stock Cars
Pits open at 3:00 P.M.
Grandstands open at 5:00 P.M.
Drivers Meeting at 5:30 P.M.
Hot Laps at 6:00 P.M.
Adult General Admission $25
General Admission for Kids ages 6-12 $10
General Admission for Kids ages 5 and under FREE
Pit Pass $40
MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends Tire Rule for each night:
LF: Any (90) Hoosier
RF: Hoosier NLMT2 (90)
LR: Hoosier NLMT2 (90)
RR: Hoosier NRM NLMT3 (92) or Hoosier NRM NLMT4 (92)
Grooving and Siping will be permitted.
Event Purses
MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends Friday A-Main payout: 1) $5,000 2) $2,500 3) $2,000 4) $1,600 5) $1,400 6) $1,200 7) $1,000 8) $800 9) $700 10) $600 11) $500 12) $500 13) $500 14) $500 15) $500 16) $500 17) $500 18) $500 19) $500 20) $500 21) $500 22) $500. Non-Transfer Tow Money Friday – $110
MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends Saturday A-Main payout: 1) $10,000 2) $5,000 3) $2,500 4) $1,600 5) $1,400 6) $1,200 7) $1,000 8) $950 9) $900 10) $800 11) $750 12) $650 13) $600 14) $600 15) $600 16) $600 17) $600 18) $600 19) $600 20) $600 21) $600 22) $600. Non-Transfer Tow Money Saturday – $115
MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends Point Standings (Top 15)
1. Ryan Unzicker – El Paso, IL – 627 points
2. Jason Feger – Bloomington, IL – 539 points
3. Dylan Thornton – Orcutt, CA – 521 points
4. Daniel Adam – Peru, IL – 453 points
5. Tanner English – Benton, KY – 437 points
6. Jake Little – Springfield, IL – 422 points
7. Bob Gardner – Washington, IL – 415 points
8. Caden McWhorter – Fairbury, IL – 373 points
9. Myles Moos – Lincoln, IL – 359 points
10. Jeffrey Ledford – Pontiac, IL – 331 points
11. Austin Howes – Lewistown, MO – 329 points
12. Mark Voigt – Marine, IL – 314 points
13. Mitch McGrath – Waukesha, WI – 305 points
14. Jordan Bauer – St. Jacob, IL – 302 points
15. Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 262 points
Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Standings
1. Dylan Thornton – Orcutt, CA – 521 points
2. Caden McWhorter – Fairbury, IL – 373 points
3. Myles Moos – Lincoln, IL – 359 points
4. Jeffrey Ledford – Pontiac, IL – 331 points
5. Austin Howes – Lewistown, MO – 329 points
6. Mitch McGrath – Waukesha, WI – 305 points
7. Jordan Bauer – St. Jacob, IL – 302 points
8. Mike Mataragas – DeKalb, IL – 169 points
2026 MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends Statistics
Pontiac RV Heat Race #1 Winner
Jason Feger – 4
Mike Harrison – 1
Jordan Bauer – 1
Tanner English – 1
Dennis Erb Jr – 1
Shannon Babb – 1
FK Rod Ends 1st Place Finisher
Jason Feger – 3
Ryan Unzicker – 2
Ryan Gustin – 1
Jordan Bauer – 1
Brandon Sheppard – 1
Shannon Babb – 1
Swift Springs 4th Place Finisher
Frank Heckenast Jr – 1
Caden McWhorter – 1
Daniel Adam – 1
Mitch McGrath – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1
Dennis Erb Jr – 1
Tanner English – 1
Brian Shirley – 1
Mike Spatola – 1
FK Rod Ends 5th Place Finisher
Caden McWhorter – 2
Ryan Unzicker – 1
Brayton Wallace – 1
Austin Howes – 1
Tanner English – 1
Bob Gardner – 1
Jason Feger – 1
Mitch McGrath – 1
Fairbury Fasteners 7th Place Finisher
Bob Gardner – 2
Dylan Thornton – 1
Myles Moos – 1
Daniel Adam – 1
Dennis Erb Jr – 1
Tanner English – 1
Jake Little – 1
Rich Bell – 1
Budda by Bert Transmission 9th Place Finisher
Jason Feger – 2
Tanner English – 2
Austin Howes – 1
Chad Simpson – 1
Daniel Adam – 1
McKay Wenger – 1
Jeffrey Ledford – 1
Hooker Harness 11th Place Finisher
Jordan Bauer – 3
Dylan Thornton – 2
Kolby Vandenbergh – 1
Austin Smith – 1
Myles Moos – 1
Donny Walden – 1
Keyser Manufacturing 13th Place Finisher
Bob Gardner – 2
Mark Voigt – 2
Myles Moos – 2
Jake Little – 1
Lee Williams – 1
Frank Heckenast Jr – 1
Fast Shafts 15th Place Finisher
Jeffrey Ledford – 2
Myles Moos – 1
Mike Mataragas – 1
Mitch McGrath – 1
Chevy Boyer – 1
Austin Howes – 1
Blaze Burwell – 1
Zach Taylor – 1
MD3 Hard Charger Award Winner
Austin Howes – 1
Brayton Wallace – 1
Christian Miles – 1
Jason Feger – 1
Caden McWhorter – 1
Mark Voigt – 1
Dylan Thornton – 1
Bob Gardner – 1
Frank Heckenast Jr – 1
Wilwood Brakes Hard Luck Award Winner
Camden Gardner – 2
Rusty Griffaw – 1
Mark Voigt – 1
Rickey Frankel – 1
Jeffrey Ledford – 1
Terry Casey – 1
Austin Smith – 1
Keatin Lyons – 1
Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Race Winner
Dylan Thornton – 7
Caden McWhorter – 1
Mitch McGrath – 1
If you are unable to make it to the track, you can catch EVERY MARS Late Model Championship Powered by FK Rod Ends event in 2026 live at floracing.com with select events being streamed live on Amazon Prime.
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 2026 racing season: FK Rod Ends (MARS Late Model title sponsor), Summit Racing Equipment (MARS Modified title sponsor), 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), 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, Allgaier Performance, Vanquish Race Cars, Swift Springs, LRD Products, Equiplinc Trucks & Equipment, K&S Ford, MatMan Designs, and Angry Duck Graphics.
MARS Championship Upcoming Events
- August 7, 2026 – Sycamore Speedway – Maple Park, IL – MARS Sycamore Showcase – $5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends
- August 8, 2026 – Macon Speedway – Macon, IL – 12th annual KerbyStrong – $10,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends
- August 14, 2026 – LaSalle Speedway – LaSalle, IL – Illinois Valley Showdown presented by Action Truck Parts Inc.- Twin $5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends Features
- August 15, 2026 – LaSalle Speedway – LaSalle, IL – Illinois Valley Showdown presented by Action Truck Parts Inc. – $20,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends Feature
- August 28, 2026 – Benton Speedway – Benton, MO – $5,000-to-win MARS Late Model Championship powered by FK Rod Ends & $2,000-to-win MARS Modified Championship powered by Summit Racing Equipment
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