IL State Fair Auto Racing Aug 17 59th Bettenhausen 100 USAC Silver Crown, Aug 18 57th ARCA Racing Series Allen Crowe 100 +26th IL Sportsman Nationals

TEI PR

Active Member
Illinois State Fair Racing
Saturday-Sunday, August 17-18
Illinois State Fairgrounds
Springfield, IL

Saturday, August 17
USAC Racing Silver Crown Series
58th Annual Bettenhausen 100
+ 26th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals DIRTcar Racing Sportsman Prelims

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 SPRINGFIELD TIMES:
7:00 AM Pits & Registration
9:00 AM Ticket Office & Grandstands
9:30 AM Drivers Meetings
10:00-11:10 AM Silver Crown Practice
11:30 AM Silver Crown Qualifying
12:00 PM Sportsman Hotlaps
12:30 PM Silver Crown B-Main
1:00 PM Sportsman Heats
1:30 PM Pre-Race Ceremonies
2:00 PM USAC Silver Crown 58th Annual Bettenhausen 100

Sunday, August 18
Menards ARCA RACING SERIES
57th Annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100
+ 26th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 SPRINGFIELD TIMES:
5:30 AM Pits & Registration
7:30 AM Chapel Service
8:00 AM Drivers Meeting
8:30 AM Ticket Office & Grandstands
9:00 AM Practice
11:00 AM ARCA Qualifying
12:00 PM 26th Annual Illinois Sportsman Nationals
12:15 PM Driver Autograph Session
1:15 PM ARCA Driver Introduction
1:30 PM National Anthem
1:35 PM 57th Annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100

(*Don’t forget our two other local shows the same weekend, Lincoln Speedway Friday, August 16 and Macon Speedway Saturday night, August 17.)

SPRINGFIELD TICKET INFO:
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. Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards.

RESERVED SEATING
Advance Tickets (Presale)
$25 Adults Per Day
$10 Children 11 & Under Per Day
Day Of Tickets (At Gate)
$30 Adults Per Day
$10 Children 11 & Under Per Day

INFIELD TICKETS
$20 Adults
$5 Children 11 & Under

PIT PASSES
$35 Adults Each Day
$20 Children 11 & Under Each Day
$50 Two-Day Pit Pass

INFIELD PARKING
$5 For Those Parking On Infield With No Infield Or Pit Passes

HOST HOTEL
Carpenter Street Hotel In Springfield
888-779-9100 or www.carpenterstreethotel.com

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Traditional USAC, ARCA, Sportsman Races Highlight Last Weekend of Illinois State Fair



July 23, 2019—Track Enterprises is proud to partner with the United States Auto Club, the Automobile Racing Club of America and the UMP Dirt Car Series to continue a tradition at the Illinois State Fair that dates back to 1905. One hundred plus years of motorsports continues during the last weekend of the 2019 Illinois State Fair with the USAC Silver Crown Bettenhausen 100, the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menard’s Allen Crowe 100 and the Sportsman Nationals. These traditional one mile dirt track events are among the most prestigious on the USAC and ARCA schedules and a focal point of the schedules of many race fans.


Auto exhibitions first came to the Illinois State fair as early as 1905 and actual competition followed a few years later. Open wheel, upright machines have been a part of auto racing since the early days and stepped into the national spotlight when the Illinois State Fair hosted its first national championship race in August of 1934. The United States Auto Club began sanction of the fair championship race in 1956 and continued when the Silver Crown division was formed in 1971.

USAC brings an outstanding mix of young talent and wily veterans to the Illinois State Fair on Saturday, August 17 for the annual Bettenhausen 100. The Saturday championship race acquired the Bettenhausen name in 1961, honoring two-time national champ and Tinley Park native Tony Bettenhausen and eventually his entire family. The 2018 version became an instant classic as rookie Kevin Thomas Jr. battled with Tyler Courtney for over 80 miles at the front of the pack. 2016 USAC national champion Chris Windom bided his time saving his tires and blew past the leaders at the end to win his first Bettenhausen and become the third central Illinois driver to win the Springfield championship event. An entry list of 40 plus drivers is anticipated for the 2019 Bettenhausen including a large contingent from Illinois which numbered eleven strong in 2018. Three time national champ Kody Swanson currently leads the USAC Silver Crown points while Courtney won the May Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Stock cars first ran on the fairground mile in September of 1950 and joined the fair’s entertainment lineup in August of 1965. The stock car race was named for the late Allen Crowe, a Springfield native who was a rising star in USAC and at Indianapolis. The Automobile Racing Club of America which has sanctioned the Allen Crowe 100 since 1985, is known for attracting rising talent as well as a few local drivers attempting to enter Springfield’s victory lane. Youth has been served very well two of the last three seasons as 17 year old Justin Hayley became the youngest driver ever to win a major race at Springfield in 2016 and 18 year old Christian Eckes took the Crowe 100 last year. Eckes returns for a second shot at the Springfield dirt currently third in the ARCA title chase behind Michael Self and Bret Holmes.

The state fair stock car event draws local interest as well, Springfield’s Justin Allgaier became the first hometown driver to win the Crowe 100 in 2006. Galesburg’s A.J. Fike became the second central Illinois driver to win the Crowe in 2015 after a near miss in 2013. While Kelly Kovski recovered from injury in 2017 his friend Grant Enfinger took the seat and the car owned by the Springfield team won the event!

Since 1905 numerous local and area drivers have honed their skills on the Springfield Mile in a variety of events, from sprint cars to midgets to stock cars. Entering year 26 the Sportsman Nationals event has become a signature event of the UMP Dirt Car series. Short track regulars from Macon, Fairbury, Jacksonville and similar venues all point to the 20 mile event on the last weekend of the fair. Springfield drivers Wes O’Dell and Dennis Vandermeersch are multi-time winners of the Sportsman event and came back to post top runs last year. Jeremy Nichols won five in a row until Ethan Schnapp broke the victory string with a popular win last year.

The action begins Saturday August 17 with practice for the USAC Silver Crown Bettenhausen 100 at 10 a.m. and the 100-mile event slated for 2 p.m. On Sunday August 18 practice for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menard’s Allen Crowe 100 begins at 9 a.m. with the Crowe 100 taking the green flag at approximately 1:40 p.m. Heat races for the Sportsman Nationals are slated for Saturday prior to the Bettenhausen 100 with the 20 mile main event Sunday prior to the Allen Crowe 100.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on race day, $10 for children 11 and under and can be purchased at the Illinois State Fair Box Office, Ticketmaster locations or by calling Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200.
 
Springfield Mile Produces and Hosts Champions
By jay Hardin Track Enterprises Staff

Since the turn of the twentieth century Springfield, Illinois has had a love affair with fast racing cars. When the original Illinois State Fair mile was constructed it was originally intended for horses, but soon after 1900 cars and motorcycles became part of the grandstand lineup. In the 100 plus years since Barney Oldfield circled the fairgrounds mile the Illinois State Fairgrounds has played host to and helped develop some of the most famous racing drivers in the United States and around the globe.

Don’t let some of the promotional hype lead you astray, the big dirt mile on 336 acres in north Springfield is hardly a “minor” league venue. Since 1934 the Springfield Mile has been host to a prestigious 100-mile national championship dirt track event, a race now known as the Bettenhausen 100. Since the two-man Indianapolis machines appeared in August of 1934, 563 drivers have started a 100-mile national championship race in the capitol city. Of those 563, 185 made at least one Indianapolis 500 start with 23 drivers actually winning the 500-mile race. The Illinois State Fairgrounds has been host to 73 national championship race winners, 21 national champions, 76 USAC Silver Crown race winners, 32 Silver Crown champions and 39 USAC/AAA Sprint Car champions, 20 USAC/AAA Midget champions and even 5 USAC Stock Car champs have started at least one Springfield championship event.

Stock cars made their first appearance in 1950 under the AAA banner with USAC and ARCA sanction to follow in later years. There were only two events during the 1950’s before stock cars made the Illinois State Fairgrounds a permanent home in 1961. Since 1950, 4 AAA, 13 USAC and 21 ARCA drivers who were or would be champions of their respective series made at least one stock car start on the Springfield Mile. 6 AAA stock car race winners, 45 USAC and 118 ARCA main event winners were also in a stock car lineup at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Add 5 champs of the various NASCAR series and 24 NASCAR race winners including three who would count a Daytona 500 trophy among their collection.

Fans probably know the names of many of the championship and stock car drivers by heart. However, it may not be well known that before and after the first World War Hall of Famers such as Lewis Strang, Louis Chevrolet, Tommy Milton and Fred Horey ran their big cars on the Springfield Mile. During the 1920’s Lou Schneider and Bill Cummings thrilled Illinois State Fair crowds before they won the Indianapolis 500.

Sprint cars ran during the late 1930’s, 1940’s and again in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s bringing Gus Schrader, Joie Chitwood, Jimmy Wilburn, Dick Gaines, Bill Utz, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Doug Wolfgang among others who were greats in the sprint car world. Midget standouts Mel Kenyon, Arnie Knepper, Danny and Jimmy Caruthers, Kevin Olson and even Jeff Gordon wheeled one of the little cars on the big track. Late model stock car titans from Scott Bloomquist to Billy Moyer rmoved Springfield dirt, as have Modified and Sportsman standouts Jeff Leka, Scott Orr, Jim Shereck, Brian Shirley, Wes O’Dell, Dennis Vandermeersch and Steve Sheppard Jr.

Who will be the next legend who visits or is created by a run on the Springfield Mile? We find out in less than two weeks when the action begins Saturday August 17 with practice for the USAC Silver Crown Bettenhausen 100 at 10 a.m. and the 100-mile event slated for 2 p.m. On Sunday August 18 practice for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menard’s Allen Crowe 100 begins at 9 a.m. with the Crowe 100 taking the green flag at approximately 1:40 p.m. Heat races for the Sportsman Nationals are slated for Saturday prior to the Bettenhausen 100 with the 20 mile main event Sunday prior to the Allen Crowe 100.
 
SIX PAST WINNERS HEADLINE BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media


Springfield, Illinois (August 13, 2019)………The field for this Saturday afternoon’s 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100 presented by Brandt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds is chock full of past winners on the legendary Springfield Mile.*

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 while Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.) was victorious in 2018 at Springfield en route to a sweep of both Illinois dirt mile races on the schedule.

Fike and Windom are among nine Illinois natives in the lineup along with 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.), plus Springfield, Ill. pilots Joey Moughan, a 9th place finisher a year ago, as well as Korey Weyant, who wowed fans with a high-wire ride on the cushion in the qualifying race.* Patrick Lawson (Edwardsville, Ill.) finished 29th in 2018 while Terry Babb (Decatur, Ill.) took 31st.

The last time the Silver Crown cars graced a one-mile dirt oval, 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.* The most recent occasion the series was on dirt, Brady Bacon took a wild last-lap victory at Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway in June for his first career win in a Crown car.

In fact, 17 drivers in the field have previously won in the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series: Tyler, Fike, Swanson, Gamester, Grant, Windom, Cockrum, Cottle, Urish Courtney and Bacon as well as C.J. Leary Greenfield, Ind., a two-time series winner seeking his first dirt mile victory.* 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.* Aaron Pierce (Muncie, Ind.) owns three series wins, all on pavement.* 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 returning Bettenhausen 100-experienced wheelmen Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, Ind.), Kyle Steffens (St. Louis, Mo.), Kyle Robbins (New Castle, Ind.), Austin Nemire (Sylvania, Ohio), Mike Haggenbottom (Levittown, Pa.), Matt Goodnight (Winchester, Ind.) and Danny Long (Bonne Terre, Mo.).

A Silver Crown Rookie, but a returning Springfield starter, Chris Dyson (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) will be in the field along with a handful of drivers aiming for their first Springfield start, including Austin Mundie (Dallas, Texas), Dave Berkheimer (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), Ronnie Wuerdeman (Cincinnati, Ohio), Dallas Hewitt (Troy, Ohio) and Jimmy Light (West Springfield, Pa.).

The 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, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:30am, Sportsman hot laps at noon, the Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Sportsman heats 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.* Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards.* 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.* Infield parking is $5 for those parking in the infield with no infield or pit passes.

This Saturday’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.

*

2019 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST

# / 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 ®CHRIS DYSON/Pleasant Valley, NY (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)

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

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

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

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

24 MIKE HAGGENBOTTOM/Levittown, PA (John Haggenbottom)

26 AARON PIERCE/Muncie, IN (Sam Pierce)

29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL (Joey Moughan)

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)

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

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

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
 
SPRINGFIELD WINNER WINDOM HOPES BETTENHAUSEN 100 JUMP STARTS SEASON

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media


Springfield, Illinois (August 12, 2019)………The ups and downs involved in auto racing are undeniable. Defending Bettenhausen 100 winner Chris Windom has certainly had his share of obstacles this season as he prepares for this Saturday’s 58th running of the “Bettenhausen 100” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

It’s been a rocky road thus far that’s included crashes and mechanical gremlins among final results that don’t indicate how fast they’ve actually been before misfortune arose.

Last Saturday at Salem Speedway, Windom’s right rear shock broke in half while running 8th, putting another damper on a season that sees him 11th in the standings with only one top-five finish entering this weekend’s event on the Springfield Mile, a place that's a welcoming sight to the Canton, Ill. native who’s earned three of his eight career Silver Crown wins on Illinois soil following victories in 2016 and 2018 at Du Quoin and last year at Springfield where a repeat victory this Saturday would be a God-send in more ways than one.

“It would be huge,” Windom admitted. “We’ve had our fair share of struggles with the car, but we’ve definitely had the speed at every dirt race. We’ve led both dirt races so far and fell out. I know we’ve got the car to do it, but we’ve just got to keep all the components together and I know we can repeat and get another win there.”

In his last trip to a one-mile dirt oval, Windom started from the outside of the front row and led the opening five laps before enduring a terrifying incident down the front straightaway that saw him flip several times. In June at Williams Grove Speedway, Windom led 48 laps from the outside of the front row before a controversial moment with Steve Buckwalter ensued on the final lap. Windom picked up the lead and appeared headed for victory on the last lap when his right rear tire went flat.

His two most recent series victories both came in Illinois a year ago, but his first at Springfield was particularly special as he became the second Illinois native to repeat his victory at Springfield and first since A.J. Fike in 2012-13.

“It was awesome,” Windom remembers. “A lot of my family and friends were there. The miles feel a little cooler winning for whatever reason. I don’t know if it’s the attrition of the long races, but it always feels more rewarding when you can run a full 100 laps and win like that. I love the Crown cars on the mile tracks. It’s one of my favorite types of racing to do. I’m definitely looking forward to this one; I look forward to it every year on the schedule. I’m so ready to get back there.”

Windom has gotten the proverbial ball rolling in USAC’s AMSOIL National Sprint Car and NOS Energy Drink National Midget divisions this year, winning three times in the Sprint and resides 5th in the standings while winning twice in the midget where he stands runner-up in the points at the moment.

Without question, he still knows how to get to the front, which can prove to be a different animal in Silver Crown racing on a dirt mile where the fine line of patience and when to “go” face off. Last year, Windom started 13th at Springfield and only worked his way into the lead with eight laps remaining past Kevin Thomas, Jr. for the win. With changing track conditions, starting further back and having to concentrate on running your own race with 30 or more cars surrounding yourself, that can be a tricky proposition, but Windom’s 66 starts in the series have helped him immensely in figuring out this puzzle.

“You kind of pick and choose,” Windom explained. “Sometimes, it depends on the track’s state, obviously. I’ve had my fair share of being on the other end of the spectrum, running out of fuel or running too hard the first half of the race and not being there at the end and I’ve learned how to pass pretty well on the miles. If I know I have the car, I can just drive around and hang out for the first half of the race, really the first three quarters of the race, so I’m in a position to be there in the end. That’s just huge in these cars. It takes experience and seat time in order to learn how to do that. You’ve seen guys who go out and lead the first half of the race and you’re able to get them there at the end. That’ s what I’ve learned how to do over the last few years in the mile races.”

That experience is what helped him reach victory lane at Springfield in 2018. It’s also the type of strategy that can help propel him to better fortune and better days ahead beginning Saturday at Springfield.

The 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, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:30am, Sportsman hot laps at noon, the Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Sportsman heats 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. Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards. 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. Infield parking is $5 for those parking in the infield with no infield or pit passes.

This Saturday’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.
 
KLATT’S DUAL-THREAT HAS TEAM 2ND IN OWNER POINTS

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media


Springfield, Illinois (August 12, 2019)………Within the realm of USAC racing, there are two separate categories in which a National championship season can be claimed: driver and owner.

In most cases, the champion driver corresponds with the champion owner, such as it is at the moment with driver Kody Swanson and his Nolen Racing No. 20 leading the way in both standings.

However, while Swanson holds a commanding 71-point lead on the driver side of things, lurking closely behind Nolen in the owner column just 24 behind is the Klatt Enterprises No. 6 coming into this Saturday’s 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

They’ve reached that level by virtue of a dual-threat lineup consisting of Brady Bacon at the wheel at all the dirt races and Kyle Hamilton in the seat for the pavement shows.

The level of success comes following a year of struggles in which the team was plagued by mechanical issues on both surfaces. Bacon topped out with an 8th in the finale at Eldora for his lone top-ten in five starts while Hamilton earned a 10th and a best of 5th at Salem a year ago, the best among his five appearances.

In 2019, it’s been a completely different story. Hamilton has been consistently excellent with five top-six finishes in four starts and earned his first career Silver Crown win in May at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind., Klatt’s first as a team since 2011.

Meanwhile, Bacon took 5th in May’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, then captured his first Silver Crown victory, and Klatt’s first ever on the dirt with the series, on a topsy-turvy final lap in which Bacon passed a reeling Chris Windom who’d had a right rear tire go flat.

The back-to-back wins at LOR and The Grove by Hamilton and Bacon, respectively, marked the fourth occasion in Silver Crown history in which the same team/car number won two consecutive races with two different drivers, following Rick Hood and Doug Wolfgang in the Bill King #75 in 1982; Tracy Hines and Bobby East as well as J.J. Yeley and East both during the 2007 season for A.J. Foyt Enterprises; and Tanner Swanson and Kody Swanson for Six-R Racing in 2010.

The Klatt team has turned the corner, and with four races to go, appear to be a prime threat to Nolen Racing’s quest of their own first owner title.

First up for Bacon and Klatt the Springfield Mile this Saturday where both have endured a mixed bag of results. Bacon has qualified well in each of his past visits. The Broken Arrow, Okla. driver made his first start at Springfield in 2014, starting 3rd and finishing 10th for McQuinn Racing. In 2015, he qualified 7th and ran 23rd for owner Paul Martens, dropping out with a fuel leak just before halfway.

After the 2016 rainout, Bacon was fast again during practice in 2017, but was a scratch after engine trouble sidelined the he and the Martens team prior to qualifying. In 2018, with Klatt, Bacon qualified 8th and finished with an 11th place result as the last car on the lead lap.

Entrant Klatt Enterprises had only one other Silver Crown appearance at Springfield prior to 2018, an 18th place start and 17th place finish by driver Damion Gardner. Interestingly, in Klatt’s USAC Midget appearances at Springfield, Dean Ward finished 10th at Springfield in 1990 while Dave Strickland, Jr. drove Klatt’s ride to 6th in 1996.

Meanwhile, USAC Hall of Fame car builder and Klatt team member Bob East has had substantial success at Springfield, with cars he constructed or turned the wrenches on, winning on numerous occasions in both the Midget and Silver Crown series.

Only five times in the USAC Silver Crown division’s 48-year history has a driver champion emerged from a team other than the owner championship team: 1981, 1982, 1999, 2012 and 2016. With the combination of Bacon/Hamilton/Klatt playing to their strength and clicking off top-flight runs, they will remain in the hunt down to the wire with Nolen Racing No. 20 as the prime target.

The 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, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:30am, Sportsman hot laps at noon, the Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Sportsman heats 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. Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards. 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. Infield parking is $5 for those parking in the infield with no infield or pit passes.

This Saturday’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.
 
Christian Eckes is looking to go back-to-back in Sunday's ARCA Menards race at the Illinois State Fair. Eckes took the 2018 win at the Springfield Mile. Tickets available by calling Track Enterprises, the State Fair box office, or at Central Illinois area Menards locations.

 
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Teenagers Taking Over ARCA Allen Crowe 100 Presented By Lucas Oil at Springfield

By Jay Hardin Track Enterprises Staff

Springfield, IL (August 12, 2019)-The winners list for the ARCA Menards Series Allen Crowe 100 presented by Lucas Oil at the Illinois State Fairgrounds is looking like a high school graduation roll call in the last few seasons. Prior to the 2006 Allen Crowe 100, no stock car driver under the age of 24 has posted a victory in the 100-mile dirt grind and the majority of the race winners were in excess of 37 years of age. In fact, the average age of the race winner was in excess of 40 years of age from 1950 through 1984. A changing of the guard began to occur in 2006 and since then three race winners have been under the age of 20, with two under the age of 18.

Springfield’s Justin Allgaier turned the fairgrounds upside down in 2006 when he made a late race pass and became the first hometown driver to post a major national race win on the Springfield Mile in the history of the old track. Allgaier also broke the record for the youngest race winner in Allen Crowe 100 history previously held by Bobby Bowsher who won at age 24 in 1991, Bowsher was also the youngest winner of any major race held on the mile.

Allgaier’s record didn’t last long. In 2009 Parker Kligerman became the youngest Crowe 100 winner in history at the age of 19 when he parked his Dodge in victory lane. Even though young drivers such as Patrick Sheltra (24), Brennan Poole (22) and Kevin Swindell (25) posted victories in the annual ARCA event no one could have predicted who would visit Springfield’s victory lane in two of the last three seasons.

Winimac, Indiana’s Justin Haley still had his senior year in high school looming when he strapped into an ARCA car for the 2016 Allen Crowe 100. The Hoosier took the lead inside of ten laps to go and pulled off a stunning upset winning at 17 years, 3 months and 24 days. No one younger had ever won a major race on the Springfield Mile.

Thirty-two year old Grand Enfinger restored some pride for the “older” set when he won in 2017, but last year it was another teenager, New York’s Christian Eckes who won the Crowe 100 at age 17 and was just six months older than Haley in winning the 2018 edition of the race.

This year Eckes returns at age 18 as the defending race winner but he isn’t the youngest entrant. Ty Gibbs, grandson of NFL Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, is a couple months shy of his 17th birthday as he tests the Springfield dirt. Michigan’s Carson Hocevar is also 16 and a couple months younger than Gibbs. Hocevar made his first NASCAR start on dirt at the Eldora Dirt Derby in July. Georgia’s Cory Heim is a veteran racer at age 17 who has run ARCA and Super Late Models. Nineteen year old Illinois native Tim Richmond is paired with one of the oldest drivers in ARCA, Wayne Peterson.

All of the ARCA “kids” have good rides and should be a factor come Sunday. We find out if the veterans can hold off the ARCA kids beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with ARCA Menards Series practice, pole qualifying at 11 a.m. and the 100-mile race at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Sunday's event is part of a huge racing weekend in Central Illinois which begins on Friday night with POWRi Midgets at Lincoln Speedway. On Saturday afternoon, USAC Silver Crown Cars take center stage on Saturday afternoon at the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fair. Then Saturday night, makes the short trip east to Macon Speedway for the POWRi Midgets.

For more information, visit www.trackenterprises.com.
 
For those wanting information on the Quarter Midget parade lap before the Bettenhausen 100, here is the info. (We did not make the flier and are aware of the typo, but the contact information is what is important here)

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SPRINGFIELD MILE PRODUCES AND HOSTS CHAMPIONS

By: Jay Hardin – Track Enterprises Staff


Springfield, Indiana (August 14, 2019)………Since the turn of the 20th century, Springfield, Illinois has had a love affair with fast racing cars.

When the original Illinois State Fair mile was constructed, it was originally intended for horses, but soon after 1900, cars and motorcycles became part of the grandstand lineup. In the 100 plus years since Barney Oldfield circled the fairgrounds mile, the Illinois State Fairgrounds has played host to and helped develop some of the most famous racing drivers in the United States and around the globe and will again this Saturday, August 17, in the 58th running of the Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Don’t let some of the promotional hype lead you astray, the big dirt mile on 336 acres in north Springfield is hardly a “minor” league venue. Since 1934, the Springfield Mile has been a host to a prestigious 100-mile national championship dirt track event, a race now known as the Bettenhausen 100. *Since the two-man Indianapolis machines appeared in August of 1934, 563 drivers have started a 100-mile national championship race in the capitol city. *Of those 563, 185 made at least one Indianapolis 500 start with 23 drivers actually winning the 500-mile race.

The Illinois State Fairgrounds has been host to 73 national championship race winners, 21 national champions, 76 USAC Silver Crown race winners, 32 Silver Crown champions and 39 USAC/AAA Sprint Car champions, 20 USAC/AAA Midget champions and even 5 USAC Stock Car champs have started at least one Springfield championship event.

Stock cars made their first appearance in 1950 under the AAA banner with USAC and ARCA sanction to follow in later years. *There were only two events during the 1950’s before stock cars made the Illinois State Fairgrounds a permanent home in 1961. *Since 1950, 4 AAA, 13 USAC and 21 ARCA drivers who were or would be champions of their respective series made at least one stock car start on the Springfield Mile. *Six AAA stock car race winners, 45 USAC and 118 ARCA main event winners were also in a stock car lineup at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. *Add 5 champs of the various NASCAR series and 24 NASCAR race winners including three who would count a Daytona 500 trophy among their collection.

Fans probably know the names of many of the championship and stock car drivers by heart. However, it may not be well known that before and after the first World War Hall of Famers such as Lewis Strang, Louis Chevrolet, Tommy Milton and Fred Horey ran their big cars on the Springfield Mile. *During the 1920’s Lou Schneider and Bill Cummings thrilled Illinois State Fair crowds before they won the Indianapolis 500.

Sprint cars ran during the late 1930’s, 1940’s and again in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s bringing Gus Schrader, Joie Chitwood, Jimmy Wilburn, Dick Gaines, Bill Utz, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Doug Wolfgang among others who were greats in the sprint car world. Midget standouts Mel Kenyon, Arnie Knepper, Danny and Jimmy Caruthers, Kevin Olson and even Jeff Gordon wheeled one of the little cars on the big track. Late model stock car titans from Scott Bloomquist to Billy Moyer moved Springfield dirt, as have Modified and Sportsman standouts Jeff Leka, Scott Orr, Jim Shereck, Brian Shirley, Wes O’Dell, Dennis Vandermeersch and Steve Sheppard Jr.

Who will be the next legend who visits or is created by a run on the Springfield Mile? We find out this Saturday, August 17, when the action begins!

The 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, Fatheadz Silver Crown Qualifying at 11:30am, Sportsman hot laps at noon, the Silver Crown Qualifying Race at 12:30pm, Sportsman heats 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.* Discount tickets for Sunday also available at Menards.* 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.* Infield parking is $5 for those parking in the infield with no infield or pit passes.

This Saturday’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.

*

2019 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST (37 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 ®CHRIS DYSON/Pleasant Valley, NY (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/Arvada, OH (Hampshire/Kemenah Racing)

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

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

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

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

24 MIKE HAGGENBOTTOM/Levittown, PA (John Haggenbottom)

26 AARON PIERCE/Muncie, IN (Sam Pierce)

29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL (Joey Moughan)

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)

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

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

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
 




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