DoubleJ
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(Macon, IL) The worldest-fastest 1/5th-mile high bank dirt oval track that is Macon Speedway will be the host of the 26th Annual “Herald & Review” 100 on Thursday, June 22nd. The event is the seventh track on the schedule of the UMP Summer Nationals and it will be the most laps these UMP Late Models will endure on their 27-track, 31-day experience.
The idea of the 100-lap event started as a brainchild by Track Enterprises promoter Bob Sargent in 1981. Since then, it has become a regionally and nationally acclaimed event with many of the best Late Model drivers trying to survive all 100 laps.
There have been many rarities and oddities surrounding this event. Since Butch Garner took the first-ever “H & R” 100, there has been years of unbelievable memories and years of head scratching controversy.
The 1987 “Herald & Review” 100 was won by Rick Standridge and he did what many didn’t think was possible over the course of 100 laps, lead every single one. One year later, Dick Taylor, a former Late Model Track Champion at Macon Speedway, took the checkered flag for the first-ever UMP Summer National “Herald & Review” 100.
In 1992, Bob Pierce finished the race in first but when rolling onto the scales his car came up too light and second-place finisher Kevin Weaver was crowned the winner. That would be Weaver’s second-straight “H & R” 100 win. The same bit of controversy occurred in the 1997 100-lapper when Moweaqua’s Shannon Babb finished first but came up too light and runner-up Ed Bauman would be given the black & white flag and he would also win in 1998 for back-to-back honors.
In defense to the 1997 controversy with Babb, he pulled into the infield with a broken car and Decatur resident Virgil Bilbrey jumped out his racecar and offered it to Babb to complete the race. Babb would start at the back of the field and would head all the way to the front and cross the line first before Bauman but the car was ruled illegal.
The 1999 version of the “H & R” 100 would see Bloomington’s Billy “The Kid” Drake take the checkered flag and to the surprise of all on hand, there were no caution flags and all 100 laps were run in succession.
The main idea with this event since it is 100 laps to the finish is to be able to survive. The 2004 100-lapper saw only five cars on the track when the checkered flag waved and only two were on the lead lap, winner Don “The Real Deal” O’Neal and second-place and 2003 winner Terry English.
Many people recall the 2005 “Herald & Review” 100 and the decision to run the event after a 15-minute thunderstorm dumped heavy rains on the track shortly after 5 p.m. After spending many hours getting the track as prepared as it was going to be, Late Models took the track for hot laps shortly after 9 p.m. The main event did not start until after midnight and when the final lap was finished and Springfield, Illinois, resident Joe Ross, Jr. took his second “H & R” 100, the time was 1:27 a.m. Friday morning.
Aside from the 100 laps and $6,000-to-win for the UMP Late Models, the UMP Modifieds will be on hand running for $600-to-win and special guest Kenny Wallace will get behind the wheel! Also, the UMP Sportsmen will be running for $400-to-win.
What memories will the 26th Annual “Herald & Review” 100 bring to Macon Speedway and to the UMP Summer Nationals? The only way to find out is to be there! Macon Speedway is located nine miles south of Decatur off Route 51.
www.mightymaconspeedway.com
The idea of the 100-lap event started as a brainchild by Track Enterprises promoter Bob Sargent in 1981. Since then, it has become a regionally and nationally acclaimed event with many of the best Late Model drivers trying to survive all 100 laps.
There have been many rarities and oddities surrounding this event. Since Butch Garner took the first-ever “H & R” 100, there has been years of unbelievable memories and years of head scratching controversy.
The 1987 “Herald & Review” 100 was won by Rick Standridge and he did what many didn’t think was possible over the course of 100 laps, lead every single one. One year later, Dick Taylor, a former Late Model Track Champion at Macon Speedway, took the checkered flag for the first-ever UMP Summer National “Herald & Review” 100.
In 1992, Bob Pierce finished the race in first but when rolling onto the scales his car came up too light and second-place finisher Kevin Weaver was crowned the winner. That would be Weaver’s second-straight “H & R” 100 win. The same bit of controversy occurred in the 1997 100-lapper when Moweaqua’s Shannon Babb finished first but came up too light and runner-up Ed Bauman would be given the black & white flag and he would also win in 1998 for back-to-back honors.
In defense to the 1997 controversy with Babb, he pulled into the infield with a broken car and Decatur resident Virgil Bilbrey jumped out his racecar and offered it to Babb to complete the race. Babb would start at the back of the field and would head all the way to the front and cross the line first before Bauman but the car was ruled illegal.
The 1999 version of the “H & R” 100 would see Bloomington’s Billy “The Kid” Drake take the checkered flag and to the surprise of all on hand, there were no caution flags and all 100 laps were run in succession.
The main idea with this event since it is 100 laps to the finish is to be able to survive. The 2004 100-lapper saw only five cars on the track when the checkered flag waved and only two were on the lead lap, winner Don “The Real Deal” O’Neal and second-place and 2003 winner Terry English.
Many people recall the 2005 “Herald & Review” 100 and the decision to run the event after a 15-minute thunderstorm dumped heavy rains on the track shortly after 5 p.m. After spending many hours getting the track as prepared as it was going to be, Late Models took the track for hot laps shortly after 9 p.m. The main event did not start until after midnight and when the final lap was finished and Springfield, Illinois, resident Joe Ross, Jr. took his second “H & R” 100, the time was 1:27 a.m. Friday morning.
Aside from the 100 laps and $6,000-to-win for the UMP Late Models, the UMP Modifieds will be on hand running for $600-to-win and special guest Kenny Wallace will get behind the wheel! Also, the UMP Sportsmen will be running for $400-to-win.
What memories will the 26th Annual “Herald & Review” 100 bring to Macon Speedway and to the UMP Summer Nationals? The only way to find out is to be there! Macon Speedway is located nine miles south of Decatur off Route 51.
www.mightymaconspeedway.com
