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Bettenhausen 100 Refires On The Dirt Sunday In Springfield

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (September 16, 2019)………The glorious roar of the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series returns to the iconic Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield this Sunday, September 22, for the 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100 presented by Brandt, honoring the great racing family based out of Tinley Park, Ill. The DIRTcar Modifieds are also on schedule for the event.

Following August’s washout, the date marks just the third time the Bettenhausen 100 will have been held in the month of September, following Chuck Gurney’s victory in 1996 and Kody Swanson’s triumph in 2014. Tony Bettenhausen, the 1951 AAA and 1958 USAC National Champion, won the first National Championship race held during September at the Springfield Mile in 1947 under AAA sanction.

This Sunday, look for a field chock full of talented veterans and hungry young lions prepared to make their mark in the 100-miler at the famed one-mile dirt oval.

Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.) enters as the defending winner of the Bettenhausen 100 en route to a sweep of both Illinois dirt mile races on the schedule in 2018. Brian Tyler (Mt. Pleasant, NC) leads all drivers in the lineup with four Bettenhausen 100 victories in 2004-05-08-11. A.J. Fike (Galesburg, Ill.) won back-to-back Bettenhausen 100 races in 2012-13 just as Kody Swanson (Kingsburg, Calif.) did in 2014-15. Russ Gamester (Peru, Ind.) prepares for his 26th career start in the race, which ranks 3rd all-time and includes a triumph in 1998. Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) captured the first of his two career USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series victories in 2017 at Springfield.

A handful of drivers have gotten the job done on the Land of Lincoln’s other dirt mile, the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, but are seeking their first Springfield victories. Two-time Du Quoin Silver Crown winner Shane Cockrum (Benton, Ill.), plus another pair of past Du Quoin Mile winners in Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) and Chris Urish (Elkhart, Ill.) are up to the task. Jeff Swindell (Germantown, Tenn.) is a three-time Silver Crown winner on dirt miles, twice at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and once at Du Quoin, but Springfield has eluded him thus far despite three 3rd place finishes in 1992-1993-2017.

Springfieldian Korey Weyant wowed fans with a high-wire ride on the cushion in the qualifying race at Springfield a year ago and joined by fellow Illinoisans Patrick Lawson (Edwardsville, Ill.), a 29th place finisher in 2018, and Terry Babb (Decatur, Ill.), who took 31st in 2018, are ready to make an impression for the home crowd.

On the two occasions the Silver Crown cars graced a one-mile dirt oval this year, Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, Ind.) was the victor in May’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. He led a race-high 49 laps last year at Springfield. Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, Ind.) won the most recent dirt event in a stellar performance for his first career series win at Du Quoin. He came home a strong 4th at Springfield a year ago.

Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) has also won on the dirt this year, taking a wild last-lap victory at Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway in June for his first career win in a Crown car. His Klatt Enterprises team holds a slim 15-point lead over Nolen Racing in the owner standings for the season.

Veteran Silver Crown winners seeking their first mile dirt victories on Sunday include C.J. Leary Greenfield, Ind., a two-time series winner seeking his first dirt mile victory. David Byrne (Shullsburg, Wisc.) finished 10th at Springfield a year ago. John Heydenreich (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and Eric Gordon (Fortville, Ind.) will each return to Springfield after lengthy absences, Heydenreich (2007) and Gordon (2003).

Kevin Thomas, Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) led 42 laps and finished 2nd in 2018 at Springfield. Steve Buckwalter (Royersford, Pa.) finished 5th at Springfield in 2015. Those veterans are joined by 2018 Bettenhausen 100 top-ten finishers, New Castle, Indiana’s Kyle Robbins (6th) and Sylvania, Ohio’s Austin Nemire (8th), all of whom are gunning for their first career Silver Crown wins.

Mike Haggenbottom (Levittown, Pa.) is 8th in the standings and enters his second Bettenhausen 100 run after starting 20th and finishing 12th a year ago. Matt Goodnight (Winchester, Ind.) stands 12th in points and is coming off his best run of the year in the most recent dirt race, a 10th at Du Quoin.

Sunday’s Bettenhausen 100 in Springfield gets underway with pits opening and registration starting at 7am (Central), the ticket office and grandstands opening at 9am, the drivers meeting at 9:30am, Silver Crown practice from 10am to 11:10am, DIRTcar Modified hot laps/qualifying at 11:15am, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:35am, Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Modified feature at 1pm, pre-race ceremonies at 1:30pm and the Bettenhausen 100-mile race at 2pm.

Tickets will be available on raceday or by calling the Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200. Advance Tickets (Presale) are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under. On race day, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under. Infield tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 11 and under. Pit passes are $35 for adults and $20 for children 11 and under.

USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMP CAR SERIES POINTS: 1-Kody Swanson-577, 2-Justin Grant-514, 3-David Byrne-456, 4-Kyle Hamilton-381, 5-Bobby Santos-378, 6-Eric Gordon-375, 7-Chris Windom-342, 8-Mike Haggenbottom-328, 9-Kyle Robbins-320, 10-Austin Nemire-315.

AAA / USAC CHAMP CAR WINNERS AT THE ILLINOIS STATE FAIRGROUNDS:

1934: Billy Winn

1935: Billy Winn

1936: Wilbur Shaw

1937: Mauri Rose

1938: Tony Willman

1939: Emil Andres

1940: Rex Mays

1947: Tony Bettenhausen

1948: Ted Horn & Myron Fohr

1949: Mel Hansen & Johnnie Parsons

1950: Paul Russo & Tony Bettenhausen

1951: Tony Bettenhausen

1952: Bill Schindler

1953: Rodger Ward & Sam Hanks

1954: Jimmy Davies

1955: Jimmy Bryan

1956: Jimmy Bryan

1957: Rodger Ward

1958: Johnny Thomson

1959: Len Sutton

1960: Jim Packard

1961: Jim Hurtubise

1962: Jim Hurtubise

1963: Rodger Ward

1964: A.J. Foyt

1965: A.J. Foyt

1966: Don Branson

1967: A.J. Foyt

1968: Roger McCluskey

1969: Mario Andretti

1970: Al Unser

1971: A.J. Foyt

1972: Al Unser

1973: Mario Andretti

1974: Mario Andretti

1975: Al Unser

1976: Tom Bigelow

1977: Larry Rice

1978: Gary Bettenhausen

1979: Bobby Olivero

1980: Pancho Carter

1981: George Snider

1982: Larry Dickson & Bobby Olivero

1983: Gary Bettenhausen

1984: Chuck Gurney

1985: Chuck Gurney

1986: Jack Hewitt

1987: Jack Hewitt

1988: Steve Chassey

1989: Chuck Gurney

1990: Chuck Gurney

1991: Chuck Gurney

1992: Jimmy Sills

1993: Jack Hewitt

1994: Chuck Gurney

1995: Kenny Irwin, Jr.

1996: Chuck Gurney

1997: Dave Darland

1998: Russ Gamester

1999: Dave Darland

2000: Jack Hewitt

2001: Paul White

2002: J.J. Yeley

2003: Dave Darland

2004: Brian Tyler

2005: Brian Tyler

2006: Tracy Hines

2007: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2008: Brian Tyler

2009: Cole Whitt

2011: Brian Tyler

2012: A.J. Fike

2013: A.J. Fike

2014: Kody Swanson

2015: Kody Swanson

2017: Justin Grant

2018: Chris Windom

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HARD-CHARGERS HAVE DICED IT UP AT THE BETTENHAUSEN 100

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (September 16, 2019)………Over the course of 100 miles, there’s seemingly ample time for a driver to make a charge to the front even if he didn’t quite qualify where he necessarily wanted to, especially at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, host of this Sunday afternoon’s Bettenhausen 100 on September 22.

However, starting in front of the field gives that driver a theoretical head start on those in the thick of the pack – those who are trying to meet the pace instead of setting the pace themselves.

That scenario makes it a strain on driver, crew and equipment alike. Having to be in a constant chase mode requires running a race that is not wholly dictated by yourself compared to being the front runner. Many a Silver Crown driver will play it conservatively, only turning up the wick in the last 30 laps or so to make it a spring race.

Nonetheless, even at a conservative pace, tires can be used up throughout the course of 100 miles under the daylight if you’re not careful.

One year ago at the Bettenhausen 100, Chris Windom feathered the limits of aggressiveness and restraint by working his way from the 13th starting spot in the 31-car field to win on the Springfield Mile, making the winning pass with just nine laps remaining.

It marked the tenth time in the 57 runnings of the Bettenhausen that a winning driver started outside the top-ten – 1964: A.J. Foyt (16), 1979: Bobby Olivero (13), 1987: Jack Hewitt (16), 1988: Steve Chassey (20), 1995: Kenny Irwin, Jr. (28), 2004: Brian Tyler (21), 2005: Brian Tyler (16), 2011: Brian Tyler (14) and 2015: Kody Swanson (16).

Irwin’s impressive charge from 28th to 1st is the furthest back any winning driver has started in the 49-year history of the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series.

That means only one less winning driver has started outside the top-ten (10) than has a driver starting from the pole (11) in the history of the Bettenhausen 100 – a pole winner hasn’t won at Springfield since Kody Swanson in 2014. Swanson won again in 2015 after setting fast qualifying time but was forced to start from 16th due to missing his place in the qualifying line.

It took until the sixth running of the Bettenhausen 100 before a driver won from the pole at Springfield – Don Branson in 1966, followed by 1976: Tom Bigelow, 1989: Chuck Gurney, 1990: Chuck Gurney, 1992: Jimmy Sills, 1998: Russ Gamester, 2002: J.J. Yeley, 2003: Dave Darland, 2006: Tracy Hines, 2013: A.J. Fike and 2014: Kody Swanson.

Hines was untouchable in 2006, setting the still-standing track record mark of 29.305 sec. around the mile, which translates to a 122.846 mph average lap. He proceeded to lead all 100 laps that afternoon according to the record books, notching the victory following a failed post-race technical inspection of Dave Steele’s car after he led the final 36 laps.

Is it better to start from the pole or to play the role of the chaser? It depends on the situation and the comfort level of the driver. On the dirt, Silver Crown winners this year have started 3rd (Tyler Courtney at the Indy Mile), 3rd (Brady Bacon at Williams Grove) and 6th (Jacob Wilson at Du Quoin). In fact, on dirt, a driver hasn’t won from the pole since Swanson at the May 2018 Hoosier Hundred.

In that span, pole sitters have finished 5th (Jerry Coons, Jr. at Springfield 2018), 17th (Jacob Wilson at Du Quoin 2018), 3rd (Shane Cottle at Eldora 2018), 2nd (Kevin Thomas, Jr. at the Indy Mile 2019), 3rd (Justin Grant at Williams Grove 2019) and 3rd (Tyler Courtney at Du Quoin 2019).

Being on the pole is great and all with a nice clean start waiting for you without any traffic stacked in your path. But even, say starting from 28th, doesn’t necessarily put you out of the game. That’s what makes it entertaining, as the Springfield Mile has been resurgent in the last several years, producing unpredictability and a allotment of hard-chargers storming their way to the front to dice it up.

That unpredictability is what keeps us coming back and it’s something you can predict come this Sunday.

Sunday’s Bettenhausen 100 in Springfield gets underway with pits opening and registration starting at 7am (Central), the ticket office and grandstands opening at 9am, the drivers meeting at 9:30am, Silver Crown practice from 10am to 11:10am, DIRTcar Modified hot laps at 11:15am, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:35am, Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Modified feature at 1pm, pre-race ceremonies at 1:30pm and the Bettenhausen 100-mile race at 2pm.

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. Advance Tickets (Presale) are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under. On race day, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under. Infield tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 11 and under. Pit passes are $35 for adults and $20 for children 11 and under.

This Sunday’s Springfield race can be watched LIVE and on-demand on FloRacing, listened to via live audio on the USAC app as well as live timing and scoring on both the USAC app and the Race-Monitor app.



BETTENHAUSEN 100 FAST QUALIFIERS:

1961: Parnelli Jones - 34.17

1962: Roger McCluskey - 36.53

1963: A.J. Foyt - 33.75

1964: Rodger Ward - 33.82

1965: Jim McElreath - 32.89

1966: Don Branson - 33.04

1967: Larry Dickson - 33.82

1968: Al Unser - 34.96

1969: Greg Weld - 34.11

1971: Greg Weld - 34.86

1972: Lee Kunzman - 33.91

1973: Al Unser - 33.31

1974: Greg Weld - 34.20

1975: Johnny Parsons - 33.324

1976: Tom Bigelow - 34.798

1977: Thad Dosher - 34.847

1978: Bubby Jones - 35.570

1979: Steve Chassey - 33.773

1980: Larry Rice - 32.828

1981: Tom Bigelow - 32.660

1982: Sheldon Kinser - 32.449

1983: Steve Chassey - 31.932

1985: Joe Saldana - 31.144

1986: George Snider - 31.894

1987: Jeff Swindell - 30.919

1988: George Snider - 32.044

1989: Chuck Gurney - 31.711

1990: Chuck Gurney - 32.457

1991: Stan Fox - 31.559

1992: Jimmy Sills - 31.523

1993: Larry Dickson - 30.767

1995: Johnny Parsons - 31.936

1996: Robby Flock - 29.988

1997: Russ Gamester - 31.287

1998: Russ Gamester - 112.757

1999: Bill Rose - 31.768

2000: Tony Elliot - 30.221

2001: J.J. Yeley - 31.363

2002: J.J. Yeley - 30.534

2003: Dave Darland - 30.240

2004: Jerry Coons, Jr. - 30.362

2005: Josh Wise - 29.776

2006: Tracy Hines - 29.305

2007: Levi Jones - 30.316 (A)

2008: Shane Hollingsworth - 30.286

2009: A.J. Fike - 29.618 (B)

2011: Tracy Hines - 31.373

2012: Brian Tyler - 30.948 (C)

2013: A.J. Fike - 32.125

2014: Kody Swanson - 31.999

2015: Kody Swanson - 30.532 (D)

2017: Jerry Coons, Jr. - 29.988

2018: Jerry Coons, Jr. - 30.875

(A) Time set during practice, field lined up from practice times due to rain.

(B) A.J. Fike set fast time, but due to an invert procedure, Cole Whitt started in the first position.

(C) Brian Tyler set fast time, but due to an invert procedure, Kody Swanson started in the first position.

(D) Kody Swanson set fast time, but due to penalty, started 16th.



BETTENHAUSEN 100 WINNERS (Starting Position in Parentheses)

1961: Jim Hurtubise (4)

1962: Jim Hurtubise (2)

1963: Rodger Ward (4)

1964: A.J. Foyt (16)

1965: A.J. Foyt (5)

1966: Don Branson (1)

1967: A.J. Foyt (2)

1968: Roger McCluskey (4)

1969: Mario Andretti (2)

1970: Al Unser (6)

1971: A.J. Foyt (10)

1972: Al Unser (7)

1973: Mario Andretti (4)

1974: Mario Andretti (2)

1975: Al Unser (6)

1976: Tom Bigelow (1)

1977: Larry Rice (7)

1978: Gary Bettenhausen (5)

1979: Bobby Olivero (13)

1980: Pancho Carter (4)

1981: George Snider (9)

1982: Bobby Olivero (12)

1983: Gary Bettenhausen (2)

1984: Chuck Gurney (1)

1985: Chuck Gurney (3)

1986: Jack Hewitt (10)

1987: Jack Hewitt (16)

1988: Steve Chassey (20)

1989: Chuck Gurney (1)

1990: Chuck Gurney (1)

1991: Chuck Gurney (3)

1992: Jimmy Sills (1)

1993: Jack Hewitt (7)

1994: Chuck Gurney (7)

1995: Kenny Irwin, Jr. (28)

1996: Chuck Gurney (3)

1997: Dave Darland (3)

1998: Russ Gamester (1)

1999: Dave Darland (3)

2000: Jack Hewitt (8)

2001: Paul White (2)

2002: J.J. Yeley (1)

2003: Dave Darland (1)

2004: Brian Tyler (21)

2005: Brian Tyler (16)

2006: Tracy Hines (1)

2007: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (3)

2008: Brian Tyler (2)

2009: Cole Whitt (1)

2011: Brian Tyler (14)

2012: A.J. Fike (5)

2013: A.J. Fike (1)

2014: Kody Swanson (1)

2015: Kody Swanson (16)

2017: Justin Grant (2)

2018: Chris Windom (13)



BETTENHAUSEN 100 WINNERS BY STARTING POSITION:

1ST: (11 Times) 1966: Don Branson, 1976: Tom Bigelow, 1984: Chuck Gurney, 1989: Chuck Gurney, 1990: Chuck Gurney, 1992: Jimmy Sills, 1998: Russ Gamester, 2002: J.J. Yeley, 2003: Dave Darland, 2006: Tracy Hines, 2009: Cole Whitt, 2013: A.J. Fike & 2014: Kody Swanson.

2ND: (8 Times) 1962: Jim Hurtubise, 1967: A.J. Foyt, 1969: Mario Andretti, 1974: Mario Andretti, 1983: Gary Bettenhausen, 2001: Paul White, 2008: Brian Tyler & 2017: Justin Grant

3RD: (6 Times) 1985: Chuck Gurney, 1991: Chuck Gurney, 1996: Chuck Gurney, 1997: Dave Darland, 1999: Dave Darland & 2007: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

4TH: (5 Times) 1961: Jim Hurtubise, 1963: Rodger Ward, 1968: Roger McCluskey, 1973: Mario Andretti & 1980: Pancho Carter

5TH: (3 Times) 1965: A.J. Foyt, 1978: Gary Bettenhausen & 2012: A.J. Fike

6TH: (6 Times) 1970: Al Unser & 1975: Al Unser

7TH: (4 Times) 1972: Al Unser, 1977: Larry Rice, 1993: Jack Hewitt & 1994: Chuck Gurney

8TH: (1 Time) 2000: Jack Hewitt

9TH: (1 Time) 1981: George Snider

10TH: (2 Times) 1971: A.J. Foyt & 1986: Jack Hewitt

12TH: (1 Time) 1982: Bobby Olivero

13TH: (2 Times) 1979: Bobby Olivero & 2018: Chris Windom

14TH: (1 Time) 2011: Brian Tyler

16TH: (4 Times) 1964: A.J. Foyt, 1987: Jack Hewitt, 2005: Brian Tyler & 2015: Kody Swanson

20TH (1 Time) 1988: Steve Chassey

21ST: (1 Time) 2004: Brian Tyler

28TH: (1 Time) 1995: Kenny Irwin, Jr.

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Macon Speedway Saturday & USAC Sunday At Springfield Mile - https://mailchi.mp/cb8caf684510/maco...ringfield-mile

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WILSON GOES FOR ILLINOIS DIRT MILE SWEEP SUNDAY AT SPRINGFIELD

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (September 17, 2019)………Once you win one, you just can’t stop.* That’s been the mantra for several drivers over the years who’ve tamed both the Du Quoin and Springfield miles in a single year.

This Sunday, September 22, in the 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100, Jacob Wilson aims to join an illustrious group of drivers who’ve scored AAA/USAC Champ Car victories within a single calendar year at both Illinois venues.

Wilson (Crawfordsville, Ind.) dominated the Ted Horn 100 at Du Quoin at the beginning of September, leading the final 59 laps to capture his first career USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series victory.

Prior to that, the feat of doubling up in the Land of Lincoln has been accomplished on 22 occasions by 15 different drivers and was done as recently as 2018 when Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.) conquered both, leading a total of just 15 laps combined in his winning efforts.

Tony Bettenhausen was the first to win at both Springfield and Du Quoin back in 1951.* He has the unique aspect of winning three between the two tracks that year, winning once at Springfield in August, then swept the Labor Day Champ Car weekend at Du Quoin, winning both Saturday’s Ted Horn Memorial and Monday’s Du Quoin 100.* Tony’s son, Gary, followed his father’s footsteps to an Illinois mile track sweep in 1983.

Bettenhausen was one of four drivers to achieve the Springfield/Du Quoin sweep in the 1950s, followed by Sam Hanks (1953), Jimmy Bryan (1955-56) and Johnny Thomson (1958).

Supertex A.J. Foyt carried the torch into the decade of the 1960s and, like Bryan, did the deed twice in both 1964 and 1967, the same seasons he earned his second and third Indianapolis 500 victories, respectively.

Al Unser won Indy, Springfield and Du Quoin all within the same year in 1970 aboard Vel’s Parnelli Jones’ striking Johnny Lightning Special.

Mario Andretti went back-to-back as Unser’s Vel’s Parnelli Jones teammate in 1973 and 1974 at Springfield and Du Quoin.* Just three weeks following his champ car victory at Du Quoin, Andretti, the eventual World Driving Champion in 1978, finished 7th in the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport in Formula One Grand Prix competition.

Only two drivers have swept Springfield and Du Quoin in the same season on three different occasions.* Jack Hewitt went back-to-back at both in 1986-87 where he put a stranglehold on the dirt, winning eight of 13 across a two-year span on the dirt portion of the Silver Crown schedule in his two championship seasons.

Chuck Gurney notched three seasons of one-mile Illinois sweeps, first during his championship year of 1989 in the meticulous Junior Kurtz owned machine, followed by two more years of Illinoisan domination by the Californian in 1994 and 1996.

Paul White and J.J. Yeley swept Springfield and Du Quoin during their Silver Crown championship years as well in 2001 and 2002, respectively.* Tracy Hines, who, like Yeley, went on to become a USAC Triple Crown champion, celebrated in victory lane at both venues in 2006.

Brian Tyler has five combined triumphs at Springfield (4) and Du Quoin (1).* In 2008, his Bettenhausen 100 score at Springfield came in tandem with his lone win at Du Quoin two weeks later.

Wilson’s opportunity awaits this Sunday.* Some may have seen his Du Quoin performance as a startling revelation.* However, he’s shown year-after-year his growth into a sure-footed competitor on the dirt miles.* He started 10th and finished 4th last year at Springfield, stormed from 31st to 11th in 2017, started 5th in 2015 and began the 100-miler from the front row in 2014.

By winning at Du Quoin, Wilson joined an amazing list of some of the who’s who of Champ Car racing going back six decades.* The same can be said for Springfield, whose heritage dates to 1934 with AAA. *Getting both in one year would elevate him into a stratosphere known only to a few individuals.* That opportunity awaits him this Sunday.

Sunday’s Bettenhausen 100 in Springfield gets underway with pits opening and registration starting at 7am (Central), the ticket office and grandstands opening at 9am, the drivers meeting at 9:30am, Silver Crown practice from 10am to 11:10am, DIRTcar Modified hot laps at 11:15am, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:35am, Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Modified feature at 1pm, pre-race ceremonies at 1:30pm and the Bettenhausen 100-mile race at 2pm.

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.* Advance Tickets (Presale) are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under.* On race day, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under.* Infield tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 11 and under.* Pit passes are $35 for adults and $20 for children 11 and under.

This Sunday’s Springfield race can be watched LIVE and on-demand on FloRacing, listened to via live audio on the USAC app as well as live timing and scoring on both the USAC app and the Race-Monitor app.

*

WON AAA/USAC CHAMP CAR RACES AT BOTH SPRINGFIELD AND Du QUOIN IN SAME SEASON:

1951: Tony Bettenhausen

1953: Sam Hanks

1955-56: Jimmy Bryan

1958: Johnny Thomson

1964: A.J. Foyt

1967: A.J. Foyt

1970: Al Unser

1973: Mario Andretti

1974: Mario Andretti

1983: Gary Bettenhausen

1986: Jack Hewitt

1987: Jack Hewitt

1989: Chuck Gurney

1993: Jack Hewitt

1994: Chuck Gurney

1996: Chuck Gurney

2001: Paul White

2002: J.J. Yeley

2006: Tracy Hines

2008: Brian Tyler

2018: Chris Windom

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38 ENTRIES FOR SUNDAY’S BETTENHAUSEN 100

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (September 17, 2019)………The entry list for Sunday’s 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100 presented by Brandt has been revealed with 38 USAC Silver Crown Champ Car drivers and teams ready to take on the legendary Springfield mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Six past Bettenhausen 100 winners are entered for the Sunday afternoon race.* Among them are Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.), who enters as the defending winner of the Bettenhausen 100 en route to a sweep of both Illinois dirt mile races on the schedule in 2018.* Brian Tyler (Mt. Pleasant, NC) leads all drivers in the lineup with four Bettenhausen 100 victories in 2004-05-08-11.

The two most recent drivers to go back-to-back at Springfield include A.J. Fike (Galesburg, Ill.) won consecutive runnings of the Bettenhausen 100 in both 2012-13 just as point leader Kody Swanson (Kingsburg, Calif.) did in 2014-15.* Russ Gamester (Peru, Ind.) prepares for his 26th career start in the race, which ranks 3rd all-time and includes a triumph in 1998.* Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) captured the first of his two career USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series victories in 2017 at Springfield.

A handful of drivers have gotten the job done on the Land of Lincoln’s other dirt mile, the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, but are seeking their first Springfield victories.* Two-time Du Quoin Silver Crown winner Shane Cockrum (Benton, Ill.), plus another pair of past Du Quoin Mile winners in Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) and Chris Urish (Elkhart, Ill.) are up to the task.* Jeff Swindell (Germantown, Tenn.) is a three-time Silver Crown winner on dirt miles, twice at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and once at Du Quoin, but Springfield has eluded him thus far despite three 3rd place finishes in 1992-1993-2017.

Springfieldian Korey Weyant wowed fans with a high-wire ride on the cushion in the qualifying race at Springfield a year ago and joined by fellow Illinoisans Patrick Lawson (Edwardsville, Ill.), a 29th place finisher in 2018, and Terry Babb (Decatur, Ill.), who took 31st in 2018, are ready to make an impression for the home crowd.

On the two occasions the Silver Crown cars graced a one-mile dirt oval this year, Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, Ind.) was the victor in May’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.* He led a race-high 49 laps last year at Springfield.* Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, Ind.) won the most recent dirt event in a stellar performance for his first career series win at Du Quoin.* He came home a strong 4th at Springfield a year ago.

Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) has also won on the dirt this year, taking a wild last-lap victory at Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway in June for his first career win in a Crown car.* His Klatt Enterprises team holds a slim 15-point lead over Nolen Racing in the owner standings for the season.

Veteran Silver Crown winners seeking their first mile dirt victories on Sunday include C.J. Leary Greenfield, Ind., a two-time series winner seeking his first dirt mile victory.* David Byrne (Shullsburg, Wisc.) finished 10th at Springfield a year ago.* John Heydenreich (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and Eric Gordon (Fortville, Ind.) will each return to Springfield after lengthy absences, Heydenreich (2007) and Gordon (2003).

Kevin Thomas, Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) led 42 laps and finished 2nd in 2018 at Springfield.* Steve Buckwalter (Royersford, Pa.) finished 5th at Springfield in 2015.* Those veterans are joined by 2018 Bettenhausen 100 top-ten finishers, New Castle, Indiana’s Kyle Robbins (6th) and Sylvania, Ohio’s Austin Nemire (8th), all of whom are gunning for their first career Silver Crown wins.

Mike Haggenbottom (Levittown, Pa.) is 8th in the standings and enters his second Bettenhausen 100 run after starting 20th and finishing 12th a year ago.* Matt Goodnight (Winchester, Ind.) stands 12th in points and is coming off his best run of the year in the most recent dirt race, a 10th at Du Quoin.

Ohio’s Matt Westfall will make his Silver Crown season debut Sunday at Springfield, which will mark the 2005 Eldora USAC Sprint winner’s first start at Springfield since 2009 and his first Silver Crown appearance anywhere since 2013.

Sunday’s Bettenhausen 100 in Springfield gets underway with pits opening and registration starting at 7am (Central), the ticket office and grandstands opening at 9am, the drivers meeting at 9:30am, Silver Crown practice from 10am to 11:10am, DIRTcar Modified hot laps at 11:15am, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:35am, Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Modified feature at 1pm, pre-race ceremonies at 1:30pm and the Bettenhausen 100-mile race at 2pm.

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.* Advance Tickets (Presale) are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under.* On race day, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under.* Infield tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 11 and under.* Pit passes are $35 for adults and $20 for children 11 and under.

This Sunday’s Springfield race can be watched LIVE and on-demand on FloRacing, listened to via live audio on the USAC app as well as live timing and scoring on both the USAC app and the Race-Monitor app.

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BETTENHAUSEN 100 100 ENTRY LIST (38 DRIVERS)

# / DRIVER / HOMETOWN / TEAM

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

08 KYLE STEFFENS/St. Louis, MO (Kyle Steffens)

2 PATRICK LAWSON/Edwardsville, IL (Patrick Lawson)

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

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

9 ®TANNER THORSON/Minden, NV (Chris Dyson Racing)

10 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (DMW Motorsports)

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

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

15 ®CHAD KEMENAH/Alvada, OH (Hampshire/Kemenah Racing)

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

17 CHRIS WINDOM/Canton, IL (Goodnight-Byrd Racing)

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

20 KODY SWANSON/Kingsburg, CA (Gene Nolen Racing)

21 JEFF SWINDELL/Germantown, TN (Mark Swanson Encore Team)

23 TERRY JAMES/St. Louis, MO (Todd Satterthwaite)

24 MIKE HAGGENBOTTOM/Levittown, PA (John Haggenbottom)

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

33 ®RONNIE WUERDEMAN/Cincinnati, OH (Ronnie Wuerdeman)

34 TERRY BABB/Decatur, IL (Ken Morford)

39 MATT GOODNIGHT/Winchester, IN (Goodnight Racing)

40 DAVID BYRNE/Shullsburg, WI (Byrne Racing)

43 JOHN HEYDENREICH/Bloomsburg, PA (A.J. Felker)

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

47 ®AUSTIN MUNDIE/Dallas, TX (Patty Butler)

51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN (Gamester Racing)

53 STEVE BUCKWALTER/Royersford, PA (Five Three Motorsports)

54 MATT WESTFALL/Pleasant Hill, OH (Westfall Motorsports)

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

57 ®DALLAS HEWITT/Troy, OH (Dallas Hewitt)

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

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

77 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL (Chris Urish)

78 ERIC GORDON/Fortville, IN (Armstrong/Slinkard Racing)

81 SHANE COTTLE/Kansas, IL (Curtis Williams)

91 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (Hemelgarn Racing)

97 TYLER COURTNEY/Indianapolis, IN (Hans Lein)

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

123 ®JIMMY LIGHT/West Springfield, PA (Two-Three Motorsports)

® = USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender

[Indy1808]

A BIG thanks to USAC and TEI for rescheduling this great race.
I sure hope the forecast improves by the weekend and the fans support it.

[chathamracefan]

Forecast looks positively dreadful for the weekend as of now. Maybe it will change.

[TEI PR]

https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/...13192822160222

[TEI PR]

https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/...67664474176232