8/11/2024
Justin Duty notches 3 consecutive top-10 finishes in Illinois MARS slate
The Midwest Auto Racing Series (MARS) Late Model Championship traveled to three tough Prairie State tracks from Friday through Sunday. Double Duty Motorsports driver Justin Duty was a factor at all of the tough facilities as the MARS Late Models visited each for the first time.
On Friday evening, the trio of Illinois races kicked off with a stop in Maple Park for the $5,000-to win MARS Sycamore Showcase at the 3/8-mile Sycamore Speedway. Twenty-seven MARS DIRTcar Late Models were on the property, including Duty’s Roberts Bee Company No. 15 ride. Duty finished third in his heat, starting him seventh in the main event. He fell back three spots in the 40-lap race and turned in a 10th-place result.
Next up, the MARS Late Models moved to Macon Speedway to be part of the 10th annual KerbyStrong at the 1/5-mile bullring. With a $10,000 first-place prize up for grabs, 23 MARS racers registered for battle. Duty took fifth in his heat, putting him 14th on the grid to begin the 100-lap main event. Attrition was high on the tight oval, but Duty avoided much of the carnage and led from laps 62 to 93. He fell out of the running while inside the top five late, but still scored a 10th-place result despite a DNF.
Finally, on Sunday evening the MARS weekend schedule wrapped up with an 18-car, $5,000-to-win show at East Moline Speedway. During the MARS Invasion, Duty steered to third in his heat race, then started and finished sixth in the 40-lap main event at the quarter-mile track.
Duty is now third in the overall series point standings and leads the rookie-of-the-year battle by four points.
Full results from the weekend are at www.marsracingseries.com.
Article Credit: Event Horizon Photgraphy image
