Between its sights and sounds, there is nothing quite like a day at the races. For anyone who has not had this experience, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to see what the racing community is all about.
The King of the Corn event promises two days full of races. Chris Unrau of Dead Horse Creek Speedway says the event is an end-of-season occurrence that coincides with the festivities happening elsewhere in the region.
The races at Dead Horse Speedway this weekend will be dirt track — a type of racing with an intriguing history.
“The evolution of dirt track racing actually goes way back into the 40s and 50s, maybe even earlier, to bootlegging days. What these guys would do is they would soup up their car so that they could evade the police, and that's kind of how this thing got started,” says Unrau. “Then when bootlegging was over and they had all these souped-up cars, they said, ‘well, let's go see who's faster.’”
Although the spirit of the sport developed quite naturally (who doesn’t love the thrill of driving fast?), growing interest in dirt track racing saw a need for codifying rules.
“What ends up happening in almost any kind of sport, especially motorsports, [is that it grows], and you need to start putting down rules to keep things on a somewhat even playing field,” says Unrau.
This is where the different classes come in. Unrau says that the cars began in what is now called the “stock” class, which means that the changes to the vehicle are limited mainly to safety additions, like a roll cage.
“Then over the years as this has evolved, [they became modified],” he says. “What ended up happening was [that] you had a whole bunch of these modifies that maybe weren't current technology sitting in the bush, and then people who were looking for a more economical way to get into racing would take those and put up a set of rules. Now, those are called B-mods or Midwest mods. We have two kinds of modifieds. We have sort of the more modern higher horsepower modifieds and we [have those with] a little bit lower horsepower, maybe a little bit less . . . ‘modern’ suspension.”
Finally, of course, there are the late models, whose power is more than capable of providing a spectacle.
“[These cars] are the highest horsepower,” says Unrau. “Those guys are running eight or nine hundred horsepower, they've got big wide rubber, they're putting that power down to the track, [and they have a] very sophisticated geometry and suspension. They're just absolutely wild — just rocket ships.”
Regardless of which class a driver is in, racing requires highly technical skills. Unrau says that because of the actions that are necessary to take during the race, competitors often leave the driver’s seat feeling like they have just completed an intense workout.
This weekend, there are plenty of chances to witness the ins and outs of the sport in person. On Friday (August 23rd), the King of the Corn races will begin at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the races begin at 6 p.m. Because of inclement weather earlier this season, there will be a bonus event this weekend: The GVE Deere Run takes place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Unrau says the speedway is ready to open its doors to a large audience.
“We've got some extra stands put in place and we're expecting a big crowd,” he says. “People are going to have to jam the stands, literally. It's going to be awesome.”
In addition to the races, there are a few other forms of entertainment to look forward to as well. Unrau says that before the races are underway on Friday, there will be a musical performance by the Quonset Brothers, a classic country cover band. There will also be a play area and sandbox for children, as well as a big screen with videos and information.
For anyone who is new to racing, the events will also include emcees who will keep the audience informed of the process.
“Racing hasn't necessarily been part of our culture here as long as it has in other parts of, let's say, the US, so, in other places where the racing culture has existed for a lot longer, people understand it and know what's going on,” says Unrau. “We're trying hard to educate our fans and help them understand what's going on.”
Unrau says that understanding the nuances of the races adds to their enjoyment.
“It's a little bit like any sport where the sport is occurring and that's interesting [and] entertaining, but once you get into it and you start understanding the strategy, . . . it becomes even more interesting.”
Whether one is a seasoned racing expert or a budding enthusiast, the races at Dead Horse Creek Speedway this weekend will be an engaging event for all audiences.
“Our [goal] was to really try and build out the fan experience,” says Unrau. “[We want to] make this a festival type atmosphere.”
Dead Horse Creek Speedway is located three miles west and half a mile north of Morden on Road 32. Anyone sensitive to loud noises is encouraged to bring ear protection for the races.
For more information about the Speedway’s events and to purchase tickets, visit its website here or see its Instagram page. Tickets are also available at Gardenland Co-op convenience stores. There will be tickets at the gates, but to avoid lines, it’s best to purchase them beforehand.
~With files from Ty Hildebrand and Connie Bailey~