By Richie Murray

UPCOMING USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT:

DATE: Saturday, September 3, 2016

SERIES: USAC Silver Crown Championship

TRACK: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds (Du Quoin, Illinois) – 1-mile dirt oval

EVENT: “Ted Horn 100” presented by Casey’s General Stores

STARTING TIMES: 1pm: Registration and pit gates open, 4pm: Grandstands open, 5pm: Silver Crown Practice, 6:30pm: Silver Crown Qualifying, 8pm: “Ted Horn 100”

TICKETS: Advanced Adult Tickets: $25, Advanced Children 11 and Under Tickets: $10, Day of Race Adult Tickets: $30, Day of Race Children 11 and Under Tickets: $10

TRACK ADDRESS: 655 Executive Dr., Du Quoin, IL 62832

TRACK PHONE: (618) 542-1515 or (217) 764-3200.

TRACK WEBSITE: http://trackenterprises.com/

MEDIA COVERAGE: Live updates on https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/ and https://twitter.com/USACNation

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 ALL-TIME CHAMP CAR WINNERS AT THE Du QUOIN STATE FAIRGROUNDS:

1948: Lee Wallard & Johnnie Parsons, 1949: Tony Bettenhausen, 1951: Tony Bettenhausen & Tony Bettenhausen, 1952: Chuck Stevenson, 1953: Sam Hanks, 1954: Sam Hanks, 1955: Jimmy Bryan, 1956: Jimmy Bryan, 1957: Jud Larson, 1958: Johnny Thomson, 1959: Rodger Ward, 1960: A.J. Foyt, 1961: A.J. Foyt, 1963: A.J. Foyt, 1964: A.J. Foyt, 1965: Don Branson, 1966: Bud Tingelstad, 1967: A.J. Foyt, 1968: Mario Andretti, 1969: Al Unser, 1970: Al Unser, 1971: George Snider, 1972: Tom Bigelow & A.J. Foyt, 1973: Mario Andretti, 1974: Mario Andretti, 1975: Tom Bigelow, 1976: Bubby Jones, 1977: Tom Bigelow, 1978: Pancho Carter, 1979: Bill Vukovich, 1980: Gary Bettenhausen & Gary Bettenhausen, 1981: Rich Vogler, 1982: Gary Bettenhausen, 1983: Gary Bettenhausen, 1984: Joe Saldana, 1985: Rick Hood, 1986: Jack Hewitt, 1987: Jack Hewitt, 1988: Gary Bettenhausen, 1989: Chuck Gurney, 1990: Jeff Swindell, 1991: Stevie Reeves, 1992: Johnny Parsons, 1993: Jack Hewitt, 1994: Chuck Gurney, 1995: Johnny Parsons, 1996: Chuck Gurney, 1997: Russ Gamester, 1998: Jimmy Sills, 1999: Tony Elliott, 2000: Kasey Kahne, 2001: Paul White, 2002: J.J. Yeley, 2003: Rich Tobias, Jr., 2004: Tyler Walker, 2005: Tracy Hines, 2006: Tracy Hines, 2007: Shane Cottle, 2008: Brian Tyler, 2010: Kody Swanson, 2011: Kyle Larson, 2013: Chris Urish, 2014: Shane Cockrum, 2015: Shane Cockrum

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 BENTON’S SHANE COCKRUM GOES FOR THREE-PEAT THIS SATURDAY AT Du QUOIN

Shane Cockrum of Benton, Ill. hopes to accomplish something unprecedented this Saturday when the USAC Silver Crown Championship cars visit the beautiful Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds for the 64^th running of the “Ted Horn 100.”

Cockrum could become the first driver to ever win the race in three consecutive years. A.J. Foyt won in 1960-61-63-64 as the 1962 race was rained out, while Tony Bettenhausen won the 1949 race and two races in 1951 after no race was held in 1950.

Although Cockrum will rate among the race favorites Saturday, the spotlight will shine squarely on drivers Kody Swanson and Chris Windom, who are separated by only 13 points in their battle for the 2016 series title.

Windom, of Canton, Ill., finished second while Swanson scored a third-place finish last year at Du Quoin. A total of 76 points are available Saturday, so third-ranked driver Justin Grant hopes a top finish can vault him into title contention going into the September 24 series finale at Rossburg, Ohio. Grant is 76 points behind Swanson.

It’s been an up-and-down 2016 season for Cockrum. His best finish so far has been a seventh in the series opener at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and was ninth at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind.

Swanson, on the other hand, comes into Saturday’s race at Du Quoin having won the two most recent series races, taking the “Rich Vogler Classic” at Lucas Oil Raceway and the recent “Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial” at Salem (Ind.) Speedway. He also won the “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in May.

Grant, the pole winner at Terre Haute, finished second in the season opener and has added a five-race string of “top-seven” finishes.

Former race winners in addition to Cockrum and Swanson (2010) expected to compete Saturday at Du Quoin are Chris Urish (2013), Brian Tyler (2008), Shane Cottle (2007) and Jeff Swindell (1990).

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 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WELL REPRESENTED IN THIS SATURDAY’S “TED HORN 100” AT DU QUOIN

The deep south of the state of Illinois finds itself well represented heading into the 64th Ted Horn 100 presented by Casey’s General Stores USAC Silver Crown event at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds on Saturday night, September 3rd.

The defending race winner lives just minutes from the fairgrounds while a popular former driver, now sharing car owner duties with his wife, has a history with the “Magic Mile” that dates back to the early 1980s.

Benton’s Shane Cockrum grew up in the shadows of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds and made numerous trips there with family members as a youngster. Shane’s father Cliff was a local sprint car and supermodified star who actually raced sprint cars on the Magic Mile in 1971. Cliff managed to see his son drive a variety of race cars including dirt late models, modifieds and midgets before Cliff passed away in 2008. There is no doubt Cliff was watching from above as son Shane slid behind the wheel of a championship dirt car for the first time in 2011.

Decatur’s Dave Hardy along with his two sons formed Hardy Boys racing in 2011 and purchased a Stealth chassis from midget standout Tim Siner. Hardy, who fielded USAC and ARCA stock cars for Du Quoin favorite Butch Garner, saw the potential in young Cockrum and immediately placed him in the seat of his orange number 114. The team finished 18th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, 17th at Springfield and 17th at Du Quoin as Shane gathered laps and experience. In 2013, Hardy upgraded their equipment, purchasing a Beast chassis once owned by Galen Fox and affectionately named “Ginger.” Two top-five finishes at the fair miles showed the potential of the team.

Cockrum and Hardy joined forces with Marion’s Shane Wade and, in honor of the late Chuck Amati, changed the number to 66 for the 2014 season. Shane set southern Illinois on its ear in 2014, leading 41 laps on his way to victory in the Ted Horn 100 at Du Quoin and setting off a wild celebration that saw the crew revive an old tradition by jumping into the infield lake.

A new car was purchased for 2015 and the team repeated victory again, with Cockrum leading the final 33 laps and diving into another wild celebration for the driver known as the “Chief.” Shane is expected to be among the favorites again this Saturday night at Du Quoin.

Murphysboro is the home for one of the true series veterans, Randy Bateman. Bateman campaigned sprint cars and midgets for the better part of four decades across the Midwest and made his USAC Silver Crown debut at Nazareth in March of 1983 driving for Vergennes car owners Roy and Jack Harris. Bateman made his Du Quoin debut in September of that same year, finishing 25th in front of the home crowd. Bateman made 15 additional starts on the Magic Mile with a crowd-pleasing front row start in 2008.

The veteran, who managed to make trips nearly every year to one or more of the three dirt miles on the schedule, stepped aside in 2015 and, with wife Patty helping run the operation, gave the reigns of his familiar number 55 to second-generation driver Casey Shuman, the son of past Hoosier Hundred winner Ron Shuman.

Shuman ran a partial schedule last year and finished 5th at Du Quoin. This year, Shuman is a contender for the USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year and currently leads the rookie standings while residing seventh in the series point standings. The team recently announced a new corporate sponsor in Hucks convenience stores as well.

Southern Illinois will be well represented by Hardy, Cockrum, Bateman and Shuman in the 64th Ted Horn 100 presented by Casey’s General Stores. Practice for the Silver Crown machines is slated for approximately 5 p.m. Saturday night, with the 100-mile main event scheduled for around 8.

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 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WELL REPRESENTED IN THIS SATURDAY’S “TED HORN 100” AT DU QUOIN

The deep south of the state of Illinois finds itself well represented heading into the 64th Ted Horn 100 presented by Casey’s General Stores USAC Silver Crown event at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds on Saturday night, September 3rd.

The defending race winner lives just minutes from the fairgrounds while a popular former driver, now sharing car owner duties with his wife, has a history with the “Magic Mile” that dates back to the early 1980s.

Benton’s Shane Cockrum grew up in the shadows of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds and made numerous trips there with family members as a youngster. Shane’s father Cliff was a local sprint car and supermodified star who actually raced sprint cars on the Magic Mile in 1971. Cliff managed to see his son drive a variety of race cars including dirt late models, modifieds and midgets before Cliff passed away in 2008. There is no doubt Cliff was watching from above as son Shane slid behind the wheel of a championship dirt car for the first time in 2011.

Decatur’s Dave Hardy along with his two sons formed Hardy Boys racing in 2011 and purchased a Stealth chassis from midget standout Tim Siner. Hardy, who fielded USAC and ARCA stock cars for Du Quoin favorite Butch Garner, saw the potential in young Cockrum and immediately placed him in the seat of his orange number 114. The team finished 18th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, 17th at Springfield and 17th at Du Quoin as Shane gathered laps and experience. In 2013, Hardy upgraded their equipment, purchasing a Beast chassis once owned by Galen Fox and affectionately named “Ginger.” Two top-five finishes at the fair miles showed the potential of the team.

Cockrum and Hardy joined forces with Marion’s Shane Wade and, in honor of the late Chuck Amati, changed the number to 66 for the 2014 season. Shane set southern Illinois on its ear in 2014, leading 41 laps on his way to victory in the Ted Horn 100 at Du Quoin and setting off a wild celebration that saw the crew revive an old tradition by jumping into the infield lake.

A new car was purchased for 2015 and the team repeated victory again, with Cockrum leading the final 33 laps and diving into another wild celebration for the driver known as the “Chief.” Shane is expected to be among the favorites again this Saturday night at Du Quoin.

Murphysboro is the home for one of the true series veterans, Randy Bateman. Bateman campaigned sprint cars and midgets for the better part of four decades across the Midwest and made his USAC Silver Crown debut at Nazareth in March of 1983 driving for Vergennes car owners Roy and Jack Harris. Bateman made his Du Quoin debut in September of that same year, finishing 25th in front of the home crowd. Bateman made 15 additional starts on the Magic Mile with a crowd-pleasing front row start in 2008.

The veteran, who managed to make trips nearly every year to one or more of the three dirt miles on the schedule, stepped aside in 2015 and, with wife Patty helping run the operation, gave the reigns of his familiar number 55 to second-generation driver Casey Shuman, the son of past Hoosier Hundred winner Ron Shuman.

Shuman ran a partial schedule last year and finished 5th at Du Quoin. This year, Shuman is a contender for the USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year and currently leads the rookie standings while residing seventh in the series point standings. The team recently announced a new corporate sponsor in Hucks convenience stores as well.

Southern Illinois will be well represented by Hardy, Cockrum, Bateman and Shuman in the 64th Ted Horn 100 presented by Casey’s General Stores. Practice for the Silver Crown machines is slated for approximately 5 p.m. Saturday night, with the 100-mile main event scheduled for around 8.

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 2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):

1. (458) Kody Swanson (Kingsburg, CA)
2. (445) Chris Windom (Canton, IL)
3. (382) Justin Grant (Ione, CA)
4. (364) Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
5. (326) David Byrne (Shullsburg, WI)
6. (317) Shane Cottle (Kokomo, IN)
7. (305) Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ)
8. (288) Austin Nemire (Sylvania, OH)
9. (235) Joe Liguori (Tampa, FL)
10. (213) Tanner Swanson (Kingsburg, CA)

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2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP “ROOKIE” DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):

1. (305) Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ)
2. (235) Joe Liguori (Tampa, FL)
3. (101) Mark Smith (Sunbury, PA)
4. (95) Joe Axsom (Franklin, IN)
5. (65) Neil Shepherd (Warsaw, IN)
6. (61) Robert Stout (Brownsburg, IN)
7. (49) Hunter Schuerenberg (Sikeston, MO)
8. (37) Kevin Studley (Plainfield, IN)
9. (36) J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL)
10. (29) Dave Berkheimer (Mechanicsburg, PA)

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2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP OWNER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):

1. (458) DePalma Motorsports #63
2. (397) RPM/Fred Gormly #98
3.  (382) Chris Carli #8
4. (364) Nolen Racing #20
5. (326) Byrne Racing #40
6. (317) Curtis Williams #81
7. (305) Patty Bateman #55
8. (294) RPM/Fred Gormly #99
9. (288) Hemelgarn Enterprises #91
10. (213) Bowman Racing #02

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2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS:

Apr 3: Terre Haute, IN – Terre Haute Action Track

WINNER: C.J. Leary

Apr 30: Toledo, OH – Toledo Speedway

WINNER: Rained Out

May 26: Indianapolis, IN – Indiana State Fairgrounds

WINNER: Kody Swanson

May 27: Brownsburg, IN – Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

WINNER: Tanner Swanson

Jun 10: Mechanicsburg, PA – Williams Grove Speedway

WINNER: Chris Windom

Jun 25: @ Madison, IL – Gateway Motorsports Park

WINNER: Tanner Swanson

Jul 21: Brownsburg, IN – Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

WINNER: Kody Swanson

Aug 13: Salem, IN – Salem Speedway

WINNER: Kody Swanson

Aug 20: @ Springfield, IL – Illinois State Fairgrounds

WINNER: Rained Out

Sep 3: Du Quoin, IL – Du Quoin State Fairgrounds

Sep 24: Rossburg, OH – Eldora Speedway

**Races noted with @ represent an afternoon race.

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2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS:

RACE WINS:

1. (3) Kody Swanson (Indiana State Fairgrounds on May 26, Lucas Oil Raceway on July 21 & Salem Speedway on Aug. 13)
2. (2) Tanner Swanson (Lucas Oil Raceway on May 27 & Gateway Motorsports Park on June 25)
3. (1) C.J. Leary (Terre Haute Action Track on April 3)

(1) Chris Windom (Williams Grove Speedway on June 10)

LAPS LED:

1. (159) Kody Swanson
2. (101) Justin Grant
3. (88) Chris Windom
4. (80) Bobby Santos
5. (55) Tanner Swanson
6. (50) Aaron Pierce
7. (36) C.J. Leary
8. (32) Jerry Coons, Jr.
9. (25) Brady Bacon
10. (9) Shane Cottle

TOP-FIVE FINISHES:

1. (7) Chris Windom
2. (6) Kody Swanson
3. (3) Jerry Coons, Jr., Justin Grant & Tanner Swanson
4. (2) Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson & Bobby Santos
5. (1) David Byrne, Shane Cottle, C.J. Leary, Joe Liguori, Austin Nemire, Aaron Pierce & Robert Stout

TOP-TEN FINISHES:

1. (7) Chris Windom
2. (6) Jerry Coons, Jr., Justin Grant & Kody Swanson
3. (4) David Byrne, Shane Cottle & Joe Liguori
4. (3) Bryan Clauson, Casey Shuman & Tanner Swanson
5. (2) Joe Axsom, Brady Bacon, Shane Cockrum, Dave Darland, C.J. Leary, Aaron Pierce, Bobby Santos & Mark Smith
6. (1) Steve Buckwalter, Patrick Lawson, Austin Nemire, Ryan Newman, Davey Ray, Hunter Schuerenberg, Robert Stout & Jacob Wilson

PROSOURCE FAST QUALIFYING TIMES:

1. (2) Kody Swanson
2. (1) Brady Bacon, Justin Grant, C.J. Leary, Bobby Santos & Tanner Swanson

RACE STARTS:

1. (7) David Byrne, Jerry Coons, Jr., Shane Cottle, Justin Grant, Austin Nemire, Casey Shuman, Kody Swanson & Chris Windom
2. (6) Joe Liguori
3. (5) Shane Cockrum
4. (4) Patrick Lawson & Jacob Wilson
5. (3) Brady Bacon, Steve Buckwalter, Bryan Clauson, Dave Darland, C.J. Leary, Aaron Pierce, Billy Puterbaugh, Jr., Bobby Santos, Tanner Swanson
6. (2) Joe Axsom, Terry Babb, J.C. Bland, Terry James, Neil Shepherd & Mark Smith
7. (1) Robert Ballou, Dave Berkheimer, Chris Fetter, A.J. Fike, Russ Gamester, John Heydenreich, Danny Long, Joey Moughan, Ryan Newman, Billy Pauch, Jr., Davey Ray, Tad Roach, Hunter Schuerenberg, Robert Stout, Kevin Studley, Jeff Swindell & Mitch Wissmiller

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TOP “ROOKIE” FINISHER OF THE RACE:

Apr. 3: Terre Haute Action Track – Casey Shuman (12^th)

May 26: Indiana State Fairgrounds – Mark Smith (9^th)

May 27: Lucas Oil Raceway – Robert Stout (4^th)

June 10: Williams Grove Speedway – Mark Smith (6^th)

June 25: Gateway Motorsports Park – Joe Liguori (5^th)

July 21: Lucas Oil Raceway – Joe Axsom (9^th)

Aug. 13: Salem Speedway – Joe Liguori (8^th)

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KSE RACING PRODUCTS “HARD CHARGER” OF THE RACE:

Apr. 3: Terre Haute Action Track – Bryan Clauson (6 positions)

May 26: Indiana State Fairgrounds – Terry James (13 positions)

May 27: Lucas Oil Raceway – Shane Cockrum (7 positions)

June 10: Williams Grove Speedway – Bryan Clauson (14 positions)

June 25: Gateway Motorsports Park – Joe Liguori (4 positions)

July 21: Lucas Oil Raceway – Casey Shuman (4 positions)

Aug. 13: Salem Speedway – Chris Windom (4 positions)

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ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE WINS:

1. [23 wins] Jack Hewitt
2. [17 wins] Brian Tyler
3. [16 wins] Dave Steele
4. [15 wins] Kody Swanson & J.J. Yeley
5. [14 wins] Dave Darland & Chuck Gurney
6. [12 wins] Jimmy Sills
7. [11 wins] Bobby East
8. [10 wins] Gary Bettenhausen & Mike Bliss
9. [9 wins] Tracy Hines
10. [7 wins] Jerry Coons Jr., Rick Hood, George Snider & Tanner Swanson
11. [6 wins] Tom Bigelow, Russ Gamester, Kenny Irwin Jr., Jason Leffler, Bobby Santos, Ken Schrader & Al Unser
12. [5 wins] Mario Andretti, Donnie Beechler, Pancho Carter, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser, Larry Rice
13. [4 wins] Jeff Swindell & Rich Vogler
14. [3 wins] Steve Butler, Shane Cockrum, Cameron Dodson, A.J. Fike, Levi Jones, Kasey Kahne, Jim Keeker, Steve Kinser, Bobby Olivero, Johnny Parsons, Aaron Pierce, Ron Shuman, Tony Stewart, Tyler Walker, Paul White & Chris Windom
15. [2 wins] Pat Abold, Steve Chassey, Bryan Clauson, Larry Dickson, Bill Engelhart, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Joe Saldana, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Cole Whitt, Josh Wise & Doug Wolfgang
16. [1 win] Teddy Beach, Christopher Bell, Jeff Bloom, David Byrne, Marvin Carman, Shane Carson, Bob Cicconi, Herb Copeland, Shane Cottle, Bruce Field, Aaron Fike, Chet Fillip, Bob Frey, Eric Gordon, John Heydenreich, Gary Hieber, Shane Hmiel, Shane Hollingsworth, Jimmy Horton, Jackie Howerton, Kevin Huntley, Kenny Jacobs, Bubby Jones, Keith Kauffman, Jimmy Kite, Chuck Leary, C.J. Leary, Eddie Leavitt, Jason McCord, Jim McElreath, Lealand McSpadden, Mat Neely, Brad Noffsinger, Stevie Reeves, Wayne Reutimann Jr., Danny Smith, Kevin Thomas, Rich Tobias Jr., Chris Urish & Billy Vukovich

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ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN DRIVER CHAMPIONS:

1971: George Snider; 1972: A.J. Foyt; 1973: Al Unser; 1974: Mario Andretti; 1975: Jimmy Caruthers; 1976: Billy Cassella; 1977: Larry Rice; 1978: Pancho Carter; 1979: Bobby Olivero; 1980: Gary Bettenhausen; 1981: Larry Rice; 1982: Ken Schrader; 1983: Gary Bettenhausen; 1984: Dave Blaney; 1985: Rick Hood; 1986: Jack Hewitt; 1987: Jack Hewitt; 1988: Steve Butler; 1989: Chuck Gurney; 1990: Jimmy Sills; 1991: Jeff Gordon; 1992: Steve Butler; 1993: Mike Bliss; 1994: Jimmy Sills; 1995: Tony Stewart; 1996: Jimmy Sills; 1997: Dave Darland; 1998: Jason Leffler; 1999: Ryan Newman; 2000: Tracy Hines; 2001: Paul White; 2002: J.J. Yeley; 2003: J.J. Yeley; 2004: Dave Steele; 2005: Dave Steele; 2006: Bud Kaeding; 2007: Bud Kaeding; 2008: Jerry Coons Jr.; 2009: Bud Kaeding; 2010: Levi Jones; 2011: Levi Jones; 2012: Bobby East; 2013: Bobby East; 2014: Kody Swanson; 2015: Kody Swanson