Spatola Racing Transfers into $50,000 to win Prairie Dirt Classic
(July 26, 2026) The #89 team was back at Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois over the July 24-25 weekend for the annual running of the 'Prairie Dirt Classic.' The two-day World of Outlaws Late Model Series spectacular kicked off on Friday night with a quartet of split-field 'Prairie Dirt Showdowns.' With 86 competitors on hand, Mike Spatola laid down the seventh fastest lap in Group B during qualifying, but a late flat tire in his $5,000 to win feature dropped him to a thirteenth place effort.

When Saturday evening rolled around in front of a jammed-packed grandstand crowd, Mike was eyeing the hefty $50,000 top prize in the PDC. The Manhattan, Illinois ace passed six competitors to finish sixth in his consolation race, but later received a track provisional to gain access into the 100-lap headliner. After climbing to as high as fifteenth in the running order, "Opie" wound up twentieth in the final finishing order of the crown jewel spectacular. Full results from the entire weekend at FALS can be viewed online at www.woolms.com. (Josh James Artwork)

"Opie" Competes in Back-to-Back FloRacing Night in America Contests
(July 23, 2026) The Spatola Racing team kicked off a huge week of racing in the Land of Lincoln on July 21-22 with a pair of $20,000 to win FloRacing Night in America Series shootouts. On Tuesday night at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, Illinois, Mike Spatola scored an impressive victory in his heat race, but ran into trouble late in the 50-lap feature and finished seventeenth in the final rundown. At Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois on Wednesday evening, Mike unfortunately missed out on transferring into the 50-lapper after breaking the lower shaft in the rearend during his heat race. Complete results from both Lincoln and FALS can be accessed online at www.floseries.com. (Ryan Roberts Photography)

Top Five for Spatola Against MARS Foes at Farmer City Raceway
(July 18, 2026) One lone event was on the racing calendar for the #89 team over the weekend, as they invaded Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois on Friday evening, July 17. The MARS Racing Series strolled into town to preside over a $5,000 to win program. Mike Spatola knocked down the second quickest lap overall during qualifying before securing a heat race triumph. After starting fifth on the grid in the 40-lap main event, "Opie" placed fourth in the contest behind only victor Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, and Dylan Thornton! Complete results from last night at Farmer City can be accessed online by clicking on www.marsracingseries.com.

Mike Spatola Claims Eighth Feature Win; Runner-Up at FALS!
(July 12, 2026) Mike Spatola, of Manhattan, Illinois, racked up his eighth feature win of the 2026 campaign on Friday night, July 10 at the nearby Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Illinois! Mike swept the weekly racing program by earning Fast Time honors during qualifying, winning his heat race, and leading all 25 circuits in the feature. He beat Mike Provenzano, Billy Knippenberg III, Michael Marden, and Alex Wilson to the finish line to score the $1,500 payday!

In other action over the extended weekend, the #89 team competed at Butler Motor Speedway in Quincy, Michigan on Thursday and Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois on Saturday. At Butler in a $5,000 to win DIRTcar Summer Nationals showdown, Mike ran third in his heat race and seventh in the 30-lap headliner. On Saturday at FALS in the $5,012 to win 'Richard Craven Memorial,' Mike laid down the quickest lap overall during qualifying, won his heat race, and later led the first 25 circuits of the main event before finishing a close runner-up behind only victor Jason Feger. Complete results from all three weekend races can be viewed online at www.dirtcarsummernationals.com, www.kankakeecountyspeedway.com, and www.fairburyspeedway.com.

Spatola Kicks Off July with Six Straight Nights of Racing Action
(July 7, 2026) The #89 team and driver Mike Spatola embarked on six straight nights of racing action from July 1-6 in the states of Missouri and Illinois. Mike's best run during the hectic week came on Friday in a weekly $1,500 to win show at Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois. Mike earned Fast Time honors during qualifying and finished second in his heat race before claiming another runner-up performance in the 25-lap A-Main behind only race winner Caden McWhorter!

The other races during the busy week were with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour. Mike finished eleventh on Wednesday at Farmington (MO) Empire Speedway, eighteenth on Thursday at Lincoln (IL) Speedway, ninth on Saturday at Highland (IL) Speedway, sixth on Sunday at Macon (IL) Speedway, and sixth again on Monday at Kankakee (IL) County Speedway. Full results from each of these races can be viewed by clicking on www.dirtcarsummernationals.com and www.farmercityracing.com.