Hello IOW friends,

Looking back a very short time ago: The 1996 Tony Bettenhausen 100.

40 SC's time trial on the Springfield 1 mile in hopes of qualifying for the 30 starting positions on this day - 17 August 1996.

Many IOW readers I am sure were there that day.

62 Mark Cassella
88 Tray House
6 Tracy Hines
54 Scott Hatton
24 Derek Davidson
66 Gary Heiber
8 Dody Miller
23 Dan Drinan
71 Brian Fletch
20 Jim Keeker
94 Robbie Flock
35 Bill Puterbaugh
80 John Heydenreich
53 Rip Williams
87 Rick Hood
67 Donnie Beechler
2 Kevin Thomas
172 Al Thomas
9 Chuck Gurney
11 George "Ziggy" Snider
75 Jimmy Sills
46 Bob Hawks
83 Bill Englehart
14 Kenny Irwin Jr.
27 Bill Rose
49 Terry Babb
61 Tony Elliott
60 Norm Young
69 Cary Faas
12 Steve Knepper
50 Chip Thomas
25 Eric Gordon
92 Russ Gamester
39 Ryan Newman
64 ----- Holtshauser
37 Kevin Doty
32 Jon Stanbrough
56 Dave Darland
48 Gary Irvin
51 Kenny Nichols

Fast qualifier - #94 Robbie Flock at 29.988 (A new track record this day).

1996 Tony Bettenhausen 100 winner - #9 Chuck Gurney

24 Midgets in the feature- #29 Bryan Gerster wins

Hope to see some IOW Silver Crown fans at Springfield, Illinois for the 2012 Tony Bettenhausen 100.

Have a good day...see you at the races

Rich (Midwest Connection).

Isn't this the race that Flock flipped about 15 times down the backstraight in the Midget and then got in the Crown car?

Yes it was. The race was held in September because of a rain out in August.

Wow, there are some interesting names in the starting lineup that day at Springfield. Ziggy, Kenny Irwin Jr., Jimmy Sills, Ryan Newman, Rip Williams, Steve Knepper, and Cary Faas to name a few.

Does anyone know why Jack Hewitt wasn't at Springfield that day. I don't see his name listed in either qualifications or in the starting lineup.

Just wondering, would Cary Faas be Nic Faas' father?

God willing we'll be at the Springfield Mile for the Bettenhausen 100 next month. I really wish this race would draw cars and crowds like it did in way back in 1996. I always thought the reason for the decline in attendance was in large part due to Springfield being smack in the middle of dirt late model country and the late model folks don't generally support other types of cars. Attendance at the Hoosier 100 flies in the face of that theory. Hopefully the weather will be perfect and the crowd better this year than in recent years. It would break my heart to see the series, and more specifically, this race dropped.

---------- Post added at 12:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 PM ----------

Would the reason Jack Hewitt wasn't at Springfield might have been that he was racing at Eldora in the World Hundred?

I think I was there for the rainout also...They had bladed it and there were large chunks of mud at the bottom of the track. Kenny Irwin was about the 7th or 8th car out and it started raining. He went to the rail, flipped three or four times over the chunks of mud and that's when they called it. Could've been a different year?

You guys have some good memories! I remember the make up date (might have even been in October) was cool and cloudy. The track was heavy and super fast. Flock's track record stood till 2006, I believe. I sure miss seeing the midgets on the mile, but it was real dangerous, and I don't blame drivers or promoters for not doing it anymore. I'm just glad I got to see it. See you all August 18th.

#63 Jack Hewitt was entered in the 6R Racing/Cafe Santa Fe - Parker Machinery / Ford
and also entered was Cory Kruesman in the Aviators Racing/Green Street Station / Chevy #50.
I have no idea why they weren't at the 1996 Tony Bettenhausen 100.

other SC drivers on the entry list include:
88 Dave Steele (a car #88 was driven by Tray House)
00 Don O'Keefe
Bill Baue (I have Bill listed in midget #44, but didn't see him on the track ?)
41 Brad Marvel
26 Andy Michener (Andy drove midget #26)
6 Rocky Hodges (a car #6 was driven by Tracy Hines)
24 Brian Hayden (a car #24 was driven by Derek Davidson)
71 Tom Black (a car #71 was driven by Brian Fletch)

cars entered with no assigned driver:
22 John Lawson/Deluxe Homes - RJS - Autocraft Engines
43 Ricky Nix/Rick's Goodyear Service
111 Snider - Foyt/Skoal Racing - True Value Chevy

Hewitt was there on the original date, that was the day after his famous Macon interview with DO.

Checked the calender for September of 1996 and Jack Hewitt would have been at Eldora for the World Hundred on the weekend of the rain date for the '96 Bettenhausen. Jack must have been way out of contention for the Silver Crown points championship to have skipped the Bettenhausen for the World.

I remember Sarge ran the Illinois Fall Nationals for the late model mud taxi's on Sunday following the Bettenhausen rain date that year. Can't remember if Jack was there driving a modified/late model on Sunday but he might have if he didn't get in the World.

We got to the fairgrounds campground with the camper Friday evening and got set up, it was a fun weekend. Went over to Frannies across Sangamon Avenue from the Fairgrounds and drank beer and watched the Illini football game on Saturday night following the Bettenhausen.

Speakin' of the infamous "Hewitt at Macon interview", we were at Mighty Macon that night. Took 'bout 3 of 'em to keep Ol' Jack from gettin' to Shipman. I'm bettin' you could have fried an egg on the back of Jack's neck right about then.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there another car mixed up in that deal with Jack on the backstretch? And didn't it end up going through the infield and hitting and demolishing a 4-wheeler parked behind the flagman's platform. I know that happened during a midget show at Macon but not positive it was in the same deal with Jack.

Jeff Sands?