[TEI PR]

FIELD OF 40+ GUNS FOR SATURDAY’S BETTENHAUSEN 100 AT SPRINGFIELD

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (August 13, 2018)………A field of 40-plus USAC Silver Crown Champ Car drivers are expected to compete in this Saturday’s “Bettenhausen 100” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

From top-to-bottom, the list includes seven Silver Crown championships, 13 “Bettenhausen 100” victories and 97 total Silver Crown wins, with 15 states represented.

One of those past race winners includes reigning “Bettenhausen 100” winner Justin Grant. The Ione, California native led 79 laps and staved off a hard-charge by Kody Swanson in the final laps, including a green-white-checkered finish, to capture his first career Silver Crown victory. In the process, he became the first driver to get his first series win at the Springfield Mile since fellow Californian Cole Whitt in 2009.

Two-time “Bettenhausen 100” winner Kody Swanson arrives as the white-hot talent, one who’s been undefeated in Silver Crown competition since the beginning of May, earning a Silver Crown record five consecutive victories over that span. Along the way, the Kingsburg, Calif. driver has constructed a 126-point lead over Grant in the standings. His victory on the paved high banks of Indiana’s Salem Speedway last Saturday was the 24th of his Silver Crown career, breaking Jack Hewitt’s 30-year old record as the winningest Silver Crown driver of all-time.

Brian Tyler owns four “Bettenhausen 100” wins. In last year’s race, the Pleasant Garden, N.C. driver shot to the front in a hurry and led 21 laps through the middle portion of the race before a gear issue halted his spectacular ride. In the last mile dirt race at the “Hoosier Hundred” on the Indy Mile, Tyler led 27 laps, and was leading, before a massive accident in turn one ended their night.

Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland, a three-time winner on the Springfield Mile, has teamed up with Illinois car owner Gene Kazmark to compete in the “Bettenhausen 100.” Darland leads all drivers in series history with 198 career starts entering the event and has made five starts in 2018 with a best finish of 9th in May’s “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds after charging from the 28th starting spot.

Peru, Indiana’s Russ Gamester, the 1998 victor, aims to make his 25th “Bettenhausen 100” start. The 1989 USAC National Midget champ owns victories in all three USAC national divisions throughout his decorated racing career as he guns for Springfield win number two in the familiar red No. 51.

A.J. Fike is a familiar face in Illinois State Fairgrounds’ victory lane, earning back-to-back Silver Crown victories in 2012 and 2013 as well as an ARCA Stock Car triumph in 2015. The Galesburg, Illinois driver makes his return to Springfield behind the wheel of Dave and Dennis McQuinn’s No. 41 alongside teammate and 1982 Silver Crown champ Ken Schrader of Fenton, Missouri, who’s among five past Silver Crown titlists in the field, including Dave Darland (1997), 2017 pole sitter Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. (2008), Swanson (2014-15-17) and Chris Windom of Canton, Ill. (2016). Two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion Brady Bacon is looking for Silver Crown victory number one.

Drivers who’ve broken into victory lane in year’s past, but are seeking to get their first triumph at Springfield include C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Ind., who will debut Mickey Meyer’s new hand-lettered No. 10. Germantown, Tennessee’s Jeff Swindell charged from 28th to 3rd last year at Springfield will be joined by David Byrne (Shullsburg, Wisc.), Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) and Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, Ind.).

Windom and Fike are among the nine Illini entered to run along with two-time Du Quoin Silver Crown winner Shane Cockrum (Benton), one-time Du Quoin winner Shane Cottle (Kansas), Patrick Lawson (Edwardsville), J.C. Bland (Springfield), Joey Moughan (Springfield), Terry Babb (Decatur), Chris Urish (Elkhart) and Korey Weyant (Springfield).

Weyant is one of 11 series Rookies entered, along with leading series Rookie Travis Welpott (Pendleton, Ind.), Kevin Thomas, Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) Neil Shepherd (Warsaw, Ind), Kyle Robbins (New Castle, Ind.), Johnny Petrozelle (Denton, N.C.), Chris Dyson (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.), Keith Burch (Farmington, MO), Dave Berkheimer (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), Austin Mundie (Dallas, Texas) and Mike Haggenbottom (Levittown, Pa.).

The Rookie crop is complemented by a competitive group of veterans racing into Springfield such as Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, Ind.), Joe Liguori (Tampa, Fla.), Austin Nemire (Sylvania, Ohio), Jackie Burke (Houston, Texas), Matt Goodnight (Winchester, Ind.), Steve Buckwalter (Royersford, Pa.), Casey Shuman (Tempe, Ariz.), Bill Rose (Plainfield, Ind.), Chris Fetter (Troy, Mo.) and Danny Long (Bonne Terre, Mo.).

On Saturday, registration and pits will open at 7am, grandstands and ticket office at 9pm, Silver Crown practice at 10am, two-lap qualifying at 11:30am, Sportsman hot laps at noon, Silver Crown semi at 12:30pm, Sportsman heats at 1pm and the “Bettenhausen 100” at 2pm.

Advanced adult tickets are $25. Day of Race Adult 12 and older tickets are $30. Children 11 and under are $10. Pit passes are $35. Children pit passes (11 and under) are $20. Infield tickets for adults are $20.00. Children 6-11 are $5. Children under 5 are FREE!

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“BETTENHAUSEN 100” ENTRY LIST:

04 (R) NEIL SHEPHERD/Warsaw, IN (Shepherd Racing)

07 JACOB WILSON/Crawfordsville, IN (Wilson Brothers Racing)

2 PATRICK LAWSON/Edwardsville, IL (Patrick Lawson)

4 JOE LIGUORI/Tampa, FL (Liguori Racing)

5 J.C. BLAND/Springfield, IL (Bland Brothers Enterprises)

6 BRADY BACON/Broken Arrow, OK (Klatt Enterprises)

7 (R) KYLE ROBBINS/New Castle, IN (KR Racing)

8 (R) JOHNNY PETROZELLE/Denton, NC (Cornell-Petrozelle Racing)

9 (R) CHRIS DYSON/Pleasant Valley, NY (Chris Dyson Racing)

10 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (Mickey Meyer)

12 BRIAN TYLER/Mt. Pleasant, NC (Galas Motorsports)

14 KEN SCHRADER/Fenton, MO (Dennis & Dave McQuinn)

16 AUSTIN NEMIRE/Sylvania, OH (Nemire-Lesko Racing)

17 CHRIS WINDOM/Canton, IL (Gene Nolen Racing)

18 (R) TRAVIS WELPOTT/Pendleton, IN (Welpott Racing)

20 JERRY COONS, JR./Tucson, AZ (Gene Nolen Racing)

21 JEFF SWINDELL/Germantown, TN (Swanson Racing)

24 (R) KEITH BURCH/Farmington, MO (Keith Burch)

29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL (Joey Moughan)

31 (R) DAVE BERKHEIMER/Mechanicsburg, PA (Berkheimer Racing)

33 JACKIE BURKE/Houston, TX (Jackie Burke)

34 TERRY BABB/Decatur, IL (Terry Babb)

39 MATT GOODNIGHT/Winchester, IN (Goodnight Racing)

40 DAVID BYRNE/Shullsburg, WI (Byrne Racing)

41 A.J. FIKE/Galesburg, IL (Dave & Dennis McQuinn)

44 DANNY LONG/Bonne Terre, MO (Danny Long)

47 (R) AUSTIN MUNDIE/Dallas, TX (Les Butler)

51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN (Gamester Racing)

53 STEVE BUCKWALTER/Royersford, PA (SET Racing)

55 CASEY SHUMAN/Tempe, AZ (Bateman Racing)

56 (R) KEVIN THOMAS, JR./Cullman, AL (Foxco Racing)

63 KODY SWANSON/Kingsburg, CA (DePalma Motorsports)

66 BILL ROSE/Plainfield, IN (Bill Rose Racing)

71 SHANE COCKRUM/Benton, IL (Hardy Boys Racing)

77 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL (Chris Urish)

81 SHANE COTTLE/Kansas, IL (Curtis Williams)

88 CHRIS FETTER/Troy, MO (Fetter Racing)

91 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (Hemelgarn Racing)

92 DAVE DARLAND/Lincoln, IN (Gene Kazmark)

97 TYLER COURTNEY/Indianapolis, IN (Hans Lein)

99 (R) KOREY WEYANT/Springfield, IL (Scott Weyant)

124 (R) MIKE HAGGENBOTTOM/Levittown, PA (Haggenbottom Racing)

(R) represents a USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series Rookie of the Year contender.

[TEI PR]

Illinois State Fair Racing

Saturday-Sunday, August 18-19

Illinois State Fairgrounds

Springfield, IL


Saturday, August 18

USAC Racing Silver Crown Series

57th Annual Bettenhausen 100

+ 25th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals DIRTcar Racing Sportsman Prelims


SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 SPRINGFIELD TIMES:

7:00 AM Pits & Registration

9:00 AM Ticket Office & Grandstands

9:30 AM Drivers Meetings

10:00-11:10 AM Silver Crown Practice

11:30 AM Silver Crown Qualifying

12:00 PM Sportsman Hotlaps

12:30 PM Silver Crown B-Main

1:00 PM Sportsman Heats

1:30 PM Pre-Race Ceremonies

2:00 PM USAC Silver Crown 57th Annual Bettenhausen 100


Sunday, August 19

ARCA RACING SERIES presented by Menards

56th Annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100

+ 25th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals


SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 SPRINGFIELD TIMES:

5:30 AM Pits & Registration

7:30 AM Chapel Service

8:00 AM Drivers Meeting

8:30 AM Ticket Office & Grandstands

9:00 AM Practice

11:00 AM ARCA Qualifying

12:00 PM 25th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals

12:15 PM Driver Autograph Session

1:15 PM ARCA Driver Introduction

1:30 PM National Anthem

1:35 PM 56th Annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100


(*Don’t forget our two other local shows the same weekend, Lincoln Speedway Friday, August 17 and Macon Speedway Saturday night, August 18.)


SPRINGFIELD TICKET INFO:

Tickets will be available on raceday or by calling the State Fair office at 217-782-1979. Info and tickets can also be obtained by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200. Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards.


RESERVED SEATING

Advance Tickets (Presale)

$25 Adults Per Day

$10 Children 11 & Under Per Day

Day Of Tickets (At Gate)

$30 Adults Per Day

$10 Children 11 & Under Per Day


INFIELD TICKETS

$20 Adults

$5 Children 11 & Under


PIT PASSES

$35 Adults Each Day

$20 Children 11 & Under Each Day

$50 Two-Day Pit Pass


INFIELD PARKING

$7 For Those Parking On Infield With No Infield Or Pit Passes


HOST HOTEL

Carpenter Street Hotel In Springfield

888-779-9100 or www.carpenterstreethotel.com


https://www.facebook.com/TrackEnterp...8511986636692/

[TEI PR]

Info on Saturday night's Midget program after the Bettenhausen 100

Saturday, August 18th
3rd Annual Camfield Memorial

Divisions:
*Lucas Oil POWRi National Midget League
*Speedway Motors POWRi 600cc Winged Outlaw Micro Sprint League
*Decatur Building Trades DIRTcar UMP Pro Crate Late Models
*DIRTcar Racing UMP Street Stocks
*DIRTcar UMP Hornets

Times:
Pits: 3:00
Stands: 5:00
Pill Draw Ends: 5:45
Hotlaps: 6:00
Racing: 7:00

Grandstand Pricing:
Adults – $15
Children 11 & Under – FREE

Location:
Macon Speedway is located nine miles south of Decatur on U.S.51, then 0.6 miles west on Andrews Street and south to 205 N. Wiles.

Hotel:
Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham
217-864-9311
Mention Macon Speedway Discount

More Information:
For more information about Macon Speedway, follow online at www.maconracing.com, like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MaconRacing) and follow us on Twitter (@maconspeedway)

Macon Speedway hosts racing every Saturday night, plus many weeknight specials

It’s easy to join the Macon Speedway text service. Fans can text MSFANS to 74574 to receive fan information. Drivers text MSDRIVERS to 74574 to receive driver information. Message and date rates apply. Updates are also available by calling Macon Speedway at 217-764-3000..

For more information on Track Enterprises, visit www.trackenterprises.com, Like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TrackEnterprises), and follow them on Twitter (@TEIRacing)

[wildman92]

Can’t wait for this weekend’s double header!

[davidm]

I really wish we could get these races on TV! OK, what I really wish is that I could be there in person.

[TEI PR]

Originally Posted by davidm I really wish we could get these races on TV! OK, what I really wish is that I could be there in person.

The Camfield Memorial for those who cannot be there in person WILL be available on Macon Speedway LIVE PPV at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/maconspeedway/ with a scheduled start time of 7 PM.

[TEI PR]

RACE FAN GRAND PRIZE CONTEST!! BE THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER FOR FREE TICKETS TO ALL OF THIS WEEKEND'S ACTION!! Lincoln Speedway FRIDAY, Illinois State Fair SATURDAY & SUNDAY, & Macon Speedway SATURDAY NIGHT! ($180 Value)

LIKE & COMMENT on the Facebook post at https://www.facebook.com/TrackEnterp...72821296205761 (ON THE TRACK ENTERPRISES FACEBOOK PAGE) for your chance to be the STATE FAIR RACE WEEKEND GRAND PRIZE WEEKEND. Don't forget to SHARE as well to help spread the word. Winner will receive a pair of tickets to each of the 4 Track Enterprise events this weekend. The lucky winner will be announced Thursday night!

[TEI PR]

Originally Posted by davidm I really wish we could get these races on TV! OK, what I really wish is that I could be there in person.

Same deal for Friday at Lincoln Speedway with a LIVE PPV broadcast being available. It will be able to be found at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lincolnspeedway/

[TEI PR]

NASCAR’s Ken Schrader Set For Busy Weekend In Central Illinois
Schrader Wearing Driver And Owner Hats

(Springfield, IL) Fenton, Missouri’s Ken Schrader, a retired NASCAR Cup star, will be a busy man this weekend, playing the part of a few different roles during the Illinois State Fair race weekend. Schrader will not only be racing a couple of different cars this weekend, he will also play the role of car owner and track owner.

Schrader’s weekend will start much like everyone else’s in the area on Friday at Lincoln Speedway, in Lincoln, IL. Schrader will be piloting his Federated Auto Parts/Hunt Brothers Pizza #9 Modified along with the rest of the highly talented competitors at the ¼-mile dirt track. Schrader typically makes a couple appearances a year at the speedway.

On Saturday afternoon, the racing veteran will get back behind the wheel of a USAC Silver Crown car at the world’s fastest 1-mile dirt oval, the Springfield Mile, at the Illinois State Fair. It will be Schrader’s first Silver Crown start at Springfield since 1985. He will be piloting the McQuinn #14, which he also drove at Du Quoin in 2017 and at this year’s Hoosier Hundred.

Saturday night, he will wear the hat of a race track owner/promoter. Schrader is one of four owners at Macon Speedway in Macon, IL, along with Kenny Wallace, Tony Stewart, and Bob Sargent. Schrader will be watching as the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midgets and Speedway Motors Micros race at the track for their final visit of the season. Schrader stays very much in tune with happenings at the 1/5-mile dirt track as well as Federated Auto Parts Raceway, in Pevely, Missouri, which he is also part owner.

Rounding out the weekend, Schrader will pop on the car owner hat for the #52 race team. This week, Munford, Alabama driver, Bret Holmes, will be behind the wheel of the Holmes II Excavating/Southern States Bank car. Holmes has a good amount of dirt racing experience, which should make for a good combination with the team that won the ARCA championship one year ago.

Full information on the four racing events can be found at www.trackenterprises.com, www.lincolnspeedwayil.com, or www.maconracing.com. For information on Ken Schrader and his team, visit www.schraderracing.com.

[TEI PR]

https://www.facebook.com/events/1768788843426939/