HARRY TURNER CLASSIC LOOMS LARGE ON IRS SCHEDULE
By Zach Tasker
This Saturday marks the 3rd running of the Harry Turner Classic for the Illini Racing Series, but this will be the first time the event will be held at the Sycamore Speedway. The previous two editions were held at Wilmont Raceway in Wisconsin. The inaugural race in 2010 honoring the highly successful midget car builder and driver was won by former series champion Allen Gills. Gillis remarkably finished in first position nursing a wounded car across the finish line "What I had was a light weight shock bolt break on the car on the right rear and I wound up not having a right rear shock on the car, it was just hanging. And you really don't know whats going on, all I knew was the car in the middle of the corner just seemed to be pinning the right rear and I just had to drive it a little differently and run it hard."
Gillis had to adapt his driving style during the last laps "I was running fairly good with it, and Charlie Holt was just on me a lot. Every time I would see him I was running the top, he was running the bottom, I just tried to beat him into the next corner and I wouldn't see him for a lap or so then I would see him again and I would just drive it in a little deep again. You don't want to be right on the very edge every time unless you absolutely have to, because if you are doing that then you are going to make a mistake, and I just drove it as hard as I needed to. I was driving it pretty hard at times, it ended up working out. Right at the end Kurt Mayhew gave me a slidejob and I just said I'm not going to lose this thing with two laps to go, and I just really drove it as hard as I possibly could and brought it home for the win which I was pretty happy about During victory lane then I seen what was going on and I said OK."
The driver of the #39 ranks that accomplishment above most of his other feature victories "I have to say as far as winning a memorial race, that was very important because I got the opportunity when I got into midget racing back in the 80s I got to meet him and talk to him before he passed away. It meant a lot to me. That trophy is sitting out in the house, its an important one." Gillis will be back at the event this year, but as a mentor to his up and coming son, driver of the Laverene Spencer owned #24
The 2011 edition of the race was won by Eddie Sauer. The driver of the #6 out dueled the rest of the field after a long night at Wilmont. The 2012 venue for the Harry Turner Classic will move to the Sycamore Speedway on the 1/2 mile. Sycamore Speedway was used already once this year for IRS action but that was on the tight 1/4 mile. Patrick Bruns was victorious in a rough and tumble affair. A very special trophy honoring Turner will be presented to the winner of Saturday nights feature. The list of drivers who have gotten behind the wheel of Harry Turner owned or built cars reads like a whos who of open wheel racing, including Billy Wood, Billy Engelhart, Dave Wunrow, Dean BIllings, Marty Davis, Mike Nazaruk, AJ Foyt, Dick Rathman, Parnelli Jones, Gene "Pedro" Roehl, Kevin Olson, Les Scott, Jimmy Davies, Allen Heath, Jigger Sirois, Tom Steiner, Jim Hurtubuise, Tony Bettenhausen, Gary Bettenhausen and Merle Bettenhausen among many others.
Turners passion was midget racing but he also competed in the Indianapolis 500 many times as a car owner. As a driver he notched over 100 feature victories. Harry is also a member of the National Midget Hall of Fame.
The Harry Turner Classic presented by Beyta Gear Service is a great chance to witness some classic midget racing at the Syamore Speedway on Saturday night, and find out who will etch their name into the record books. Admission is just $12 with racing starting at 8pm.