I just received an e-mail from Track Enterprises that said that a suitable makeup date could not be found for this race. Six years ago it was rained out on Sunday and run the following Saturday, for the first time under the lights, and it was a success, even though the fair was not going on at the time. It was actually better, because I was able to park much closer and I don't believe there was a fee involved.
I am upset that I must renew my tickets in March to retain them, then the promoter can't come up with a rain date. This is certainly not the way to build a following for the Silver Crown cars or the DuQuoin event.

That is par for the course for Track Enterprises. Bob Sargent has screwed up USAC CHAMP DIRT CAR TRADITION ONCE AGAIN. THE INDY MILE WAS LEFT WITHOUT A HOOSIER HUNDRED IN 2007 AND 2008 BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT ANOTHER DATE AND NOW THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO DUQUION. The reason that there is no longer a Hulman Hundred in May and the Hoosier Hundred in August or September is because of Bob Sargent and the fact that nobody else will step up to the plate and promote these great events!

I just spoke with the young lady in the office at Track Enterprises. One major obstacle to finding a date is that Track Enterprises itself promotes over ninety events a year, so that narrows down the options. Also, the Duquoin Fairgrounds has other events scheduled. Bottom line is that we won't see a Silver Crown race this year.
It is important that fans of this traditional form of racing support it by showing up at the track. The young lady said that the ARCA race had much higher attendance. I believe if they moved the USAC race back to Labor Day afternoon, attendance would improve. The racing under the lights hasn't been that much better than it was in the daytime, other than the first year it was run (2003),

Ron,

I was there yesterday for the ARCA race and have been for the past 7 or 8 years. I don't believe that they had any better crowd yesterday than they did in the past. In fact, when Tony Stewart raced with ARCA there it was a bigger crowd in my opinion.

Sorry to see the Silver Crown race not rescheduled. I told Kelly Saturday when we were there that it wouldn't probably be rescheduled. If they couldn't find a suitable date for the Hoosier Hundred that was cancelled in May 2007 & 2008, how would they ever find a suitable date this late in the year.

I was rather surprised that they started track prep at 3:00 PM on Sunday. The rain had quit earlier in the morning and they didn't do anything to the track until mid afternoon under sunny skies.

An interesting side note. The fair didn't have any evening entertainment scheduled last night at the Miracle Mile. Why wouldn't they have considered running it then? I realize it would take a lot of track prep, but I guess they would rather cancel than do anything pro active and get a show in.

Parker Klingerman, an open wheel midget driver I believe, came from 34th starting position in the ARCA race to take home the win. He smacked the front stretch wall on his qualifying lap and was relegated to the rear of the field after repairs.

I haven't missed a weekend for a whole lot of years...

The ARCA race has NOT had that much if any of a higher attendance. And in fact, some years the USAC race was obviously better attended.

It is a shame that USAC and TE couldn't get together on this.
It is a shot against momentum

the reason the usac attendance has gone down is because sargent is a
stock car promoter and has treated champ cars as second class citizens ever since
he took over. one of his first years at springfield he actually put street stocks on the
program. that shows you what he thinks of the prestige of the champ dirt cars! i would
like to see attendance figures over the last 30 years at springfield and du quoin and see
what it was before he took over and what it was each year since.his track prep is horrible
and hasn't provided good racing,which will lead to lower attendance.also, bill carey from usac,
doesn't believe they should try to have a second groove on the miles and is just as much to
blame. and usac needs to quit changing the rules on a race to race basis to quit pissing off
the teams. but most of all we need a new promoter for the mile dirt tracks that has an
appreciation for and understanding of how to promote silver crown racing !!!!!!!!!!!
one last thing that puts people in the stands, ask every fan what their all time favorite silver
crown car is and i'll bet you it's one with the traditional nose and bodywork.the looks of the cars
do put people in the stands and lead to more cars in the pits. just look at what a flop those new
pavement cars turned out to be because they were so ugly!

TED HORN 100 CANCELLED FOR 2009

Macon, IL (Sept, 8)-It is with deep regret that Bob Sargent and Track Enterprises announce that we will be unable to reschedule the 59th Ted Horn 100 at DuQuoin in 2009.

"Mother Nature was very kind to us three of the four dates we had scheduled at the Illinois and DuQuoin State Fairs but she really threw us for a loop on September 6 when 2 inches of rain fell that morning on the 'Magic Mile' at DuQuoin", said Track Enterprises CEO Bob Sargent. "We looked at every way possible to run the race on its original date but the damage to the track and the pit area was just too severe." "We then met with all the parties involved, USAC and the DuQuoin State Fair management and unfortunately we were unable to find an alternative date suitable for everyone."

"We really hoped to find an alternative date and we remain committed to bringing the best of USAC and ARCA racing to all three of the dirt miles that we promote", continued Sargent. 'I know our race fans will understand the factors involved in this decision and can look forward to the Ted Horn 100 in 2010."

This is the third time since 1948 a championship dirt car race at DuQuoin was not held due to a rain out, the first came in 1950 and the next in 1962, each time a suitable rain date could not be found.

Race fans can receive a refund by mailing their tickets to Track Enterprises at PO Box 79, Macon, IL 62544 along with their name and address to mail a refund check to. For additional questions please contact Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200 or to print a ticket refund request form go to www.trackenterprises.com.

Just a thought........These events are important to the silver crown owners,drivers and fans. So why not fiqure on a pre set rain date ahead of time so high profile events at the mile tracks have at least one shot if mother nature dumps on the scheduled date??

No, that makes too much sense! :2:

Throw Back Racing- Your comments are correct. Would love to see Davey Hamilton's group
promote Indy,Springfield,Du Quoin. Lets bring back the glory days of Champ Dirt Car Racing with
the rounded noses. AJ Watson hoods are something the Stroehle group has kept alive.
I'm a fan from the what the true Champ Dirt Cars should look like. Jim Hurtbuise-Jud Larson-
Don Branson- Tony Bettenhausen-Bill Vukovich would be very disappointed in the way these
tracks are today. Johnny Parson's was the last of the great era. His run at DuQuoin was
going good in 2008 until he dropped out. I actually had a tear in my eye knowing that
could be possibly be last time he would race in the Silver Crown Cars.

Best Regards,
John