Just got home a couple of hours ago after making the 5 hour drive back to Northern Illinois from Du Quoin.

I must say, if we weren't already in the Christmas Spirit the 2.5 mile drive through the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Holiday Light Fair Saturday evening put us there in short order. The people who put up all those lights and decorations should take a bow for sure. The work that goes into that must be back breaking. It was just a bit eerie seeing the old Fairgrounds devoid of all the makings of the fair in August and September and the lights added a charm to the place that isn't apparent during the Fair.

But most of all we saw one of the most exciting midget races at any venue, on any type of track contested by any drivers, past or present.

Huge kudos to whoever made the call to not rip, water and wheel pack the inside groove of the racetrack before the feature! I thought to myself during the heat races that the feature was gonna' be a huggy pole-ya' gotta' hit 'em to pass 'em type deal if they completely redid the track but it was anything but that thanks to that one bit of foresight! It was a very wise decision and one that completely made the show as exciting as it was.

Brian Clauson and Thomas Messerall went after each other with ferocity seldom seen and they scarcely touched each other. And what degree of class and respect did those two drivers show for one another after the race.

Thank you one and all who were responsible for the pre-Christmas spectacle that was presented at the Southern Illinois Center and on the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. This was one enjoyable weekend. Even my wife is still raving about the whole deal, and that very rarely happens!