Pig races a county fair staple, but quick quackers ... who knew?

Some of the nation's speediest swine and quickest quackers will be going for gold this week at the DuPage County Fair.

While the pig races are a staple at the fair, duck races are new to the bill. Both types of races are free for spectators.

"I guarantee you can't watch a duck race without smiling," said Robert Duck, owner and chief quacker of Great American Duck Race.

Yes, Duck really is his last name.

Four mallards at a time will face off on a custom 16-foot water track aided by audience members who get the honor of releasing them to start the race. Handlers get a prize if their webbed wonder makes it to the finish line first.

Each show includes four heat races and a final.

Word is Green Bay Quacker is having a tough season but Slumduck Millionaire and Aflac have been coming in beak to beak in recent races.

But don't expect them to get too honked off if they don't win. There's no prize at the end for the ducks anyway.

"Ducks have a flocking instinct and just want to be with their friends at the end of the racetrack," Duck said.

Fans of the feathered ones can learn more about them with fun facts between races.

Turns out the ducks' appearance at the county fair is actually somewhat of a homecoming. Although they are trained in New Mexico, they are originally from Whistling Wings Hatchery in Hanover, near the Iowa border.

Duck starts with 100 baby ducks each year and races with the top 25. The rest are released into the wild.

The ducks are scheduled to race at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today and Thursday and noon, 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Partial to porkers?

Robinsons Racing Pigs also will be at the fair as they have for about 20 years.

"Most people, when they think of pigs, they think of fat lazy animals that lay around all day and when they see pigs running 20 miles per hour it's something different," said Randy "Swine Master" Ross, president of the company.

The pigs will appear in six shows daily with four races per show. Two races per show will be on a 150-foot oval track while the other two will be in a 24-foot long swimming pool.

Four pigs a time will compete, enticed by the Oreo cookies waiting for them at the end.

"We tried everything from popcorn (to) strawberries, bananas, but something about Oreos they really like," Ross said.

He also will choose cheerleaders from the audience who will each be responsible for getting the crowd to back their pick for the swiftest swine whether it's Britney Spare Ribs, Lindsay Loham or Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The pigs, both potbellies and Yorkshires, train at a farm in Florida, which Ross calls the University of P.I.G., from the time they're about 5 weeks old.

Pigs will race at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Duck and pig races</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> Ducks at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today and Thursday and noon, 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday; pigs at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> Free with fair admission of $10 for adults; $3 for children ages 3 to 12; free for children 2 and younger. Free for seniors 62 and older from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday</p> <p class="News"><b>Info:</b> (630) 668-6636 or <a href="http://dupagecountyfair.org" target="new">dupagecountyfair.org</a></p>