Audubon Park 100

Reaves Dirt Double Pursuit • Roster Expanded to 25 Teams • v2.0 Update
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
"The Magic Mile" — DuQuoin, IL
Sunday, September 6, 2026
SERIES: ARCA Menards Series (Race 17 of 20)
TV: FS1 / Fox Sports App
DISTANCE: 100 Laps / 100 Miles
TIME: 7:30 PM CT / 8:30 PM ET
🚨 TECHNICAL EXCLUSIONS & PENALTIES SUMMARY: Roster entry No. 77 Pinnacle Racing Group heads into DuQuoin under severe regulatory penalties following Madison's post-race technical inspection. Why? Technical officials discovered rear spoiler and body height dimensions that breached standard aerodynamic tolerance limits. This mechanical violation led to crew chief Kevin Reed Jr. being fined $750 and placed on probation through February 28, 2027, alongside a devastating six-point penalty docked from both driver Tristan McKee and team owner Mark Webb. So What? With McKee not entered this weekend, Taylor Reimer returns to pilot the No. 77 Buzzballs Chevrolet, inheriting a team that must present a highly compliant chassis to clear pre-race inspection while adjusting to the high physical loads of DuQuoin's clay ruts.

Tech Section: Specialized Clay Mechanics & Suspension Dynamics

Navigating the transition from high-grip asphalt speedways to the unpredictable clay of "The Magic Mile" requires an exhaustive transformation of the mechanical chassis platform.

Next Gen-Derived Dirt Car Package: Teams must run high-clearance, dirt-specific packages featuring elevated ride heights and steel-bodied shock configurations. Why? DuQuoin's clay surface develops heavy, irregular ruts and bumps over a 100-lap distance, requiring extensive suspension travel and shock damping to prevent the frame rails from violently bottoming out. So What? Raising the ride height significantly elevates the car’s center of gravity and increases the dynamic roll center, which amplifies body roll. Drivers are forced to utilize throttle-induced weight transfer to "set" the right-front tire on entry and rotate the rear end. Point contenders Jake Bollman and Thomas Annunziata, who are relative novices on dirt, must rely on Nitro Motorsports' organizational telemetry to gauge precise chassis roll-angles or risk spinning into high-impact dust pockets.
General Tire Clay-Compound Footprint: Series-mandated General Tire dirt packages require precise management of tire wrinkling and air expansion, with technical pressures historically set in the 20–25 psi window. Why? Running lower inflation pressures enables the tire sidewalls to flex under high lateral G-forces, maximizing the contact patch to grab mechanical traction on low-grip, loose dirt. So What? Running cold pressures as low as 20 psi exposes teams to a critical structural vulnerability: striking a heavy rut or the outside cushion can instantly bead-unseat the tire, resulting in sudden pressure loss and terminal steering failure. Additionally, with the ARCA rulebook capping maximum tire usage at 12 total tires (4 "from home" and 8 purchased at the track), drivers who spin their rear wheels excessively on a drying, abrasive clay track will quickly exhaust their right-rear rubber, leaving them defenseless during late-race green-white-checkered restarts.
Designated Intermission Pit Stop Strategy: This event enforces a strict break pit stop procedure at or near Lap 50, prohibiting live green-flag pit stops and banning the adding or moving of tires to or from the pit box once the race has started. Why? Dirt tracks feature unpaved pit lanes lacking uniform concrete pads, meaning high-speed green-flag service under dusty, low-visibility conditions represents an unacceptable hazard to crew members. So What? Because teams cannot execute green-flag tire undulations or fuel-mileage gambles to jump positions, the entire competitive burden is shifted to restart execution, track position preservation, and the exactness of the chassis adjustments made during the Lap 50 break. Teams cannot cover for a poorly handling car with fast pit service, making practice setup accuracy the primary metric of success.
Organizational Telemetry Sharing: Multi-car powerhouses like Nitro Motorsports ( Jake Bollman, Thomas Annunziata, Isabella Robusto, Gavan Boschele) benefit from an expansive technical advantage over single-car operations. Why? With clay moisture evaporating rapidly and transforming the track from a heavy, high-bite surface in the afternoon into a slick, hard-packed surface under the night lights, multiple entries allow crew chiefs to test divergent spring rates and shock valving simultaneously during the brief 30-minute practice. So What? Standing leaders Jake Bollman and Thomas Annunziata can immediately absorb these combined data inputs, accelerating their setup adaptations and neutralizing their lack of prior DuQuoin track experience.
📋 Weekend Intelligence History (Preserved Assets) Springfield Dirt Learnings (August 23, 2026): Max Reaves dominated the Illinois State Fairgrounds dirt Mile, utilizing a soft front-spring rate and low roll center to lead 98 of 100 laps and secure victory. The race concluded with high-tension contact in Turn 1 as Gavan Boschele spun in front of Reaves, leading to a heated post-race confrontation in Victory Lane. Taylor Reimer was running with the leaders until a late-race restart violation compromised her finishing position.

Madison Technical Inspection Database: Roster entry No. 77 (Pinnacle Racing Group) failed post-race body height and rear spoiler measurements, resulting in a $750 fine and probation through February 28, 2027 for crew chief Kevin Reed Jr., and a 6-point penalty to driver Tristan McKee and owner Mark Webb.

General Tire Pressure Records: Historic technical guidelines for clay-mile ovals dictate a strict 20–25 psi operational envelope to prevent wheel slippage on unpaved surfaces.

Drivers & Teams Intelligence

The DuQuoin entry list represents a massive competitive expansion, drawing regional specialists and series regular adaptations into a crowded 25-car arena.

Roster Seating Adjustments: Taylor Reimer returns to pilot the No. 77 Buzzballs Chevrolet for Mark Webb, replacing recent Madison winner Tristan McKee who is not entered this weekend. Carson Brown returns to command the No. 28 Klean Freak Chevrolet for Webb. Chase Buscaglia joins Fast Track Racing to drive the No. 11 Stave Corporation/CRC Chevrolet. Ryan Vargas makes his debut in the No. 91 Castle Pack Power Products Chevrolet for Maples Motorsports, while team owner Michael Maples moves to the No. 99 Chevrolet. Nate Moeller returns to the seat of the No. 06 Peterson Motorsports Ford under team owner Wayne Peterson. Why? These strategic team adjustments are calculated to insert experienced dirt-track handlers (such as Reimer and Brown) into front-running equipment to secure owner points, while offering developmental pavement drivers valuable competitive laps. So What? Substituting a proven dirt midget specialist like Reimer into championship-level equipment immediately threatens the points leaders, as she possesses the high-groove throttle control to compete for the win without needing to protect seasonal championship standing.

New Special Appearance Entrants: John Kennedy makes his official ARCA Menards Series debut in the No. 00 Jet Daddy Racing Chevrolet for Toby Blanton. Chase Howard enters the field in the No. 89 Two Fellas Moving Company Chevrolet for Rise Racing under Tim Goulet. Why? The historical prestige of "The Magic Mile" and its Labor Day weekend scheduling makes DuQuoin a high-profile target for regional dirt competitors seeking to showcase their mechanical adaptability. So What? Because Kennedy and Howard will qualify and start toward the rear of the field, their early-race speed differentials will create severe visual and mechanical traffic obstacles, forcing the point leaders to execute risky passes through blinding dust pockets.

Cross Over Drivers Section

The Audubon Park 100 features a distinct contingent of crossover talents whose specialized background poses a direct threat to asphalt-focused series regulars.

Crossover Roster: Taylor Reimer (No. 77 Buzzballs Chevrolet) and Gavan Boschele (No. 25 Toyota Racing Toyota) enter the field with elite national dirt midget and sprint car credentials. Longtime regional dirt specialist Kelly Kovski is also entered in the No. 16 Brandt Chevrolet for his final career ARCA Menards Series start.

Mechanical Track Adaptation: While asphalt pavement regulars spend their seasons developing high-downforce, clean-air setups, crossover dirt ringers are masters of lateral slide control, throttle-induced steering yaw, and reading "blue groove" traction tracks on clay.

Competitive Impact: Standings leaders Jake Bollman and Thomas Annunziata are relative dirt novices, placing them in a highly defensive position. The crossover drivers will aggressively run inches from the outside wall, utilizing high-groove momentum to execute slides. This forces point-protecting regulars to choose between conceding crucial track position or risking terminal suspension damage in high-friction, wheel-to-wheel combat.

Official Entry List: Audubon Park 100 (25 Entries)

*Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender

No. Driver Hometown Sponsor OEM Team Owner Crew Chief
8 Sean Corr Goshen, NY Nesco/The Trans Group/STS Chevrolet John Corr Adam Murphy
10 Tim Monroe Elmwood, IL Mark Rumbold Farms/Illinois Deer Hunters Ford Andy Hillenburg Nathan Davis
11 Chase Buscaglia* Yardley, PA Stave Corporation/CRC Chevrolet Andy Hillenburg Mike Sroufe
12 Takuma Koga Nagoya, Japan Ikedo/Fast Track Toyota Racing Toyota Dustin Hillenburg Andrew Kiernan
16 Kelly Kovski Springfield, IL Brandt/Schluckebeir Farms/Allgaier Perf Chevrolet Kelly Kovski Jon Hanson
18 Max Reaves* Trinity, NC Cook Out Toyota Joe Gibbs Matt Ross
20 Jake Bollman* Hunting Beach, CA Nitro Motorsports Toyota Joe Tovo Doug George
25 Gavan Boschele* Mooresville, NC Toyota Racing Toyota Nick Tucker Shane Wilson
28 Carson Brown* New London, NC Klean Freak Chevrolet Mark Webb Steven Dawson
48 Brad Smith Shelby Township, MI Hillmann Family Of Companies Ford Brad Smith Jeff Smith
55 Isabella Robusto Fort Mill, SC Mobil 1 Toyota Joe Tovo Glenn Parker
70 Thomas Annunziata Colts Neck, NJ JBL Toyota Nick Tucker Shannon Rursch
77 Taylor Reimer* Tulsa, OK Buzzballs Chevrolet Mark Webb Kevin Reed Jr
79 Isaac Kitzmiller* Maysville, WV A.L.L. Construction/Carter CAT Chevrolet Codie Rohrbaugh Doug Howe
81 Kevin Campbell Bolivar, MO 1st Phorm Chevrolet Kevin Campbell Mason Campbell
83 Brayton Laster Greenwood, IN RexRacingCo.com Ford Brian Clubb Chris Porter
86 Jeff Maconi* Wilbraham, MA Maconi Setup Shop Ford Alex Clubb Jon Clubb
89 Chase Howard* Nesbit, MS Two Fellas Moving Company Chevrolet Tim Goulet Tim Goulet
91 Ryan Vargas La Mirada, CA Castle Pack Power Products Chevrolet Michael Maples Kyle Totman
97 Jason Kitzmiller Petersburg, WV A.L.L. Construction/Carter CAT Chevrolet Codie Rohrbaugh Frank Kimmel
98 Dale Shearer Chillicothe, MO Shearer Speed Toyota Dale Shearer Jeremy Petty
99 Michael Maples Choctaw, OK Maples Motorsports Chevrolet Michael Maples Chris Vanscoy
00 John Kennedy* Venice, FL Jet Daddy Racing Chevrolet Toby Blanton Oceana Tiner
03 Alex Clubb Morris, IL Wallis Farms Ford Alex Clubb Brian Clubb
06 Nate Moeller Lafayette, OH Peterson Motorsports Ford Wayne Peterson Wayne Peterson

Weather & Track Metrics

Track: DuQuoin State Fairgrounds "The Magic Mile" (1.0-Mile Clay Oval, DuQuoin, Illinois). Banking: Minimal, flat turns with a rich clay mixture.

Sunday Forecast: Extreme heat wave highs in the mid-to-upper 90s °F Thursday-Saturday cooling slightly to 94°F on Sunday, with a 40% chance of afternoon thunderstorms, before dropping to the upper 60s overnight.

Moisture & Thermal Impact: Extreme daytime heat bakes moisture out of the clay, creating a hard, abrasive surface. Any afternoon rain will instantly saturate the track, creating a heavy, rutted, high-grip racing surface. So What? Moisture saturation will generate high side-force and extreme cornering speeds, testing suspension durability. If the track remains dry, the transition to cool night air will form a slick "blue groove". Teams must prepare dual setup maps: a wet-track setup on dry clay will spin the rear wheels, leading to extreme tire wear and thermal engine expansion as radiator ducts clog with dust.

Championship Standings (Pre-Race Reset)

Pos Driver Team / OEM Gap
1 Jake Bollman Nitro Motorsports / Toyota Leader
2 Thomas Annunziata Nitro Motorsports / Chevrolet -3 pts
3 Isabella Robusto Venturini Motorsports / Toyota -116 pts
4 Jason Kitzmiller CR7 Motorsports / Chevrolet -122 pts

* Standings entering DuQuoin (Race 17 of 20). Nitro Motorsports holds a tight 1-2 points stranglehold at the top of the leaderboard.

Female Driver Intelligence

Taylor Reimer (No. 77 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet):
Background: Exceptional national dirt midget and sprint car background. Showed outstanding pavement form with three consecutive 4th-place finishes.
Historical Learnings: Her bid for a Springfield dirt victory was compromised by a late restart violation while running with the leaders.
Tactical Objective: Capitalize on her dirt car control to run the high cushion and claim her first national ARCA win, seeking to become the first woman in history to win a national ARCA Menards Series event.
Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Joe Tovo / Mobil 1 Toyota):
Background: Elite dirt credentials with multiple top-5 and top-10 finishes in prior starts.
Championship Status: Currently 3rd in standings (-116 points). Led by crew chief Glenn Parker.
Tactical Objective: Robusto was involved in late-race contact at Madison with Thomas Annunziata and Jason Kitzmiller, fueling a high-stakes points rivalry. She must balance aggressive lane choices with equipment preservation to maximize points and narrow the championship gap on her primary rival.

Official Social Buzz

#AudubonPark100: Massive fan engagement surrounds Max Reaves' pursuit of the $20,000 Audubon Park Dirt Double bonus if he can sweep Springfield and DuQuoin.

Springfield Grudge: Social platforms are ablaze with Gavan Boschele's lingering comments about Max Reaves after their dramatic Springfield collision, predicting an explosive wheel-to-wheel rematch.

Four Crown Showdown: Ryan Vargas (No. 91 Maples Motorsports Chevrolet) holds a tight 19-point lead over Takuma Koga (No. 12 Fast Track Toyota) heading into this deciding CGS Imaging Four Crown dirt leg.

Kelly Kovski's Last Ride: Longtime dirt specialist Kelly Kovski’s final career ARCA Menards Series start in the Brandt No. 16 is drawing immense emotional support from the garage and fans alike.

Appendix: Revision History

v3.0 Sep 10, 2026

v2.0 Sep 03, 2026

v1.0 Sep 01, 2026