DU QUOIN, Ill. – A record Du Quoin State Fair stock car pay day is in the sights of seventeen-year-old Jesse Love after victory in the Atlas Allen Crowe 100 ARCA Menards race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
The second half of the Performance Seed Dirt Double is at stake, a $50,000 reward to the driver who can win both Illinois dirt events on the ARCA schedule.
With a victory in the Rustoleum Automotive 100 on the Magic Mile, the Californian could pocket well more than $63,000. If so, it would be the richest stock car payday in Du Quoin history.
Love started on the pole and led every lap at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on August 21, in a race impacted by weather and a scheduled concert. Now that the first leg of the Performance Seed Dirt Double has been captured, the Venturini team turns its attention to the Sunday night of Labor Day Weekend and the picturesque mile dirt track.
Just 10 drivers have swept both events and the last came with Parker Kligerman in 2009. Even if the $50,000 isn’t distributed September 4, a guaranteed $5,000 bonus is up for grabs to the ARCA driver posting the best finish in both dirt events.
Last year’s Rustoleum 100 was also run under the lights and 15-year-old Landen Lewis became the youngest race winner in Du Quoin State Fairgrounds history leading a record 104 laps in the process.