08/17/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RURAL KING ROAD TO THE DOME & GATEWAY DIRT NATIONALS ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR “GOLDEN TICKET” PARTNERSHIP
MATTOON, IL — Rural King's Road to the Dome and the Gateway Dirt Nationals forge official collaboration enticing and awarding race winners.
Coles County Speedway and the Gateway Dirt Nationals are proud to announce a new multi-year partnership connecting the Rural King Road to the Dome with the Gateway Dirt Nationals inside The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
Beginning in 2026, the Rural King Road to the Dome will serve as an official Golden Ticket qualifying event for the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
The winner of the Super Late Model division and the winner of the Modified division at the Rural King Road to the Dome will each earn an invitation to compete at the Gateway Dirt Nationals and a guaranteed starting position in the Prelim A-Main on their respective qualifying night at the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
Win at Road To The Dome. Punch your ticket to Dirt In December.
“This is something we have been working on for quite a while, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally announce it,” said Coles County Speedway promoter Brian Rieck. “The Road to the Dome was built to be a big event, but this partnership takes it to another level. Now our racers aren’t just competing to win at Coles County Speedway’s Road to the Dome — they’re competing for a guaranteed opportunity on one of the biggest stages in dirt racing, the Gateway Dirt Nationals.”
The multi-year commitment between the two events, creates a long-term connection between the Rural King Road to the Dome and the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
Gateway Dirt Nationals promoter Cody Sommer said the partnership adds another exciting storyline to the road leading to St. Louis each December.
“The Gateway Dirt Nationals has always been about creating big moments for racers and race fans, and we’re excited to partner with Brian, Coles County Speedway and the Rural King Road to the Dome for the foreseeable future” said Sommer. “The Golden Ticket adds another storyline leading into December and gives these drivers something incredibly valuable to race for — a guaranteed preliminary A-Main starting position. We believe this partnership can continue to grow and become a special part of the road to St. Louis and that is why it was important to solidify a long term partnership with this program”
The partnership was developed alongside Gateway Dirt Nationals promoter Cody Sommer, with Rural King and Milwaukee Tool joining the program as key official partners.
“This is bigger than one race or one year,” Rieck added. “Cody, Emma and the Gateway Dirt Nationals have created something incredibly special in St. Louis. We believe the Road to the Dome can become an important part of that story for years to come. Having Rural King and Milwaukee Tool behind this partnership makes it even more exciting.”
THE GOLDEN TICKET ISN’T JUST FOR THE RACERS
Race fans will also have a chance to punch their ticket to the Dome.
As part of the new partnership, two lucky fans attending the Rural King Road to the Dome will receive their own Golden Tickets — VIP tickets for all three days of the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
That means the Road to the Dome will send two race winners and two race fans from Coles County Speedway to the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
Sommer said expanding the connection beyond the competitors is an important part of the partnership.
“We want the Gateway Dirt Nationals to be something racers and fans look forward to all season long,” Sommer said. “Creating opportunities like this with great promoters, great facilities and great partners like Rural King and Milwaukee Tool helps us continue building the Gateway Dirt Nationals and growing the sport. We’re excited to see who earns those first Golden Tickets this year.”
A LONG TERM VISION
The Rural King Road to the Dome was created with the goal of becoming a destination event for Super Late Model and Modified competitors throughout the Midwest.
This multi-year agreement takes that vision another step forward by creating a direct connection between racing at the “Baddest Bullring on the Planet” and competing beneath the lights inside The Dome at America’s Center.
For Rieck, the partnership also represents what can happen when promoters and partners work together to grow dirt track racing.
“We all want the same thing — packed grandstands, full pit areas and big opportunities for racers,” Rieck said. “Instead of every event standing on its own, we have an opportunity to connect them and create a story that fans can follow. Someone is going to leave Coles County Speedway knowing they have a guaranteed A-Main starting spot on their prelim night waiting for them inside the Dome. That’s something never done before and pretty special.”
THE ROAD TO ST. LOUIS NOW RUNS THROUGH COLES COUNTY SPEEDWAY.
Rural King Road to the Dome.
Win the race. Earn the Golden Ticket. Punch your ticket to the Dome.
Additional information regarding the 2026 Rural King Road to the Dome, registration, fan Golden Ticket opportunities and partnership details will be announced in the coming weeks.
ABOUT COLES COUNTY SPEEDWAY
Coles County Speedway is one of the Midwest’s historic dirt racing facilities and home to a growing schedule of regional and nationally recognized motorsports events. Located in Central Illinois, the speedway continues to build destination events while creating new opportunities for competitors, race fans and community partners.
ABOUT THE GATEWAY DIRT NATIONALS
The Gateway Dirt Nationals brings dirt track racing indoors to The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, creating one of the most unique environments in motorsports and one of the most anticipated events on the dirt racing calendar.
MEDIA CONTACT
Coles County Speedway
Rural King Road to the Dome
