43 USAC SILVER CROWN ENTRIES FOR SATURDAY’S BETTENHAUSEN 100

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (August 14, 2023)………One of the largest fields in recent USAC Silver Crown history is set for battle during the 60th running of the Bettenhausen 100 Presented By Hunt Brothers Pizza this Saturday, August 19, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The entry list of 43 entries for Saturday’s race on the Springfield Mile are tied for the most cars to appear in any USAC Silver Crown event since 2005. The 2018 Bettenhausen 100 also featured a lineup of 43 cars and drivers.

Among this year’s crop are five past Bettenhausen 100 winners: reigning race champion Shane Cockrum of Benton, Ill. (2022), three-time victor Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. (2014-15-21), two-time winner A.J. Fike of Galesburg, Ill. (2012-13), plus single time winners Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. (1998) and Justin Grant of Ione, Calif. (2017).

Current point leader Kody Swanson is a seven-time USAC Silver Crown champion, one of three past series titlists in the field along with Grant and Jerry Coons Jr. (Tucson, Ariz.).

A total of 11 past USAC Silver Crown main event winners are in Saturday’s field. Six of those individuals are seeking their first triumph at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Among those in that category are series runner-up Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.), C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Ind.), Chris Urish (Elkhart, Ill.) and Aaron Pierce (Muncie, Ind.) along with Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) who’ll make his debut for the Chris Dyson Racing team, which captured the 2021 Bettenhausen 100 with Kody Swanson at the wheel.

Two women are in Saturday’s field with Taylor Ferns (Shelby Township, Mich.) making her return to the Bettenhausen 100 lineup after a 10-year absence. Kaylee Bryson (Muskogee, Okla.) put on a show a year ago at Springfield, leading a race-high 72 laps before finishing 5th.

Although not a Bettenhausen 100 Rookie, Bryson is the leading USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender in 2023, entering Saturday’s race third overall in the series standings. She’s one of 14 Silver Crown Rookies in 2023 who are in this weekend’s field along with USAC National feature winners Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Ind.), Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, Calif.) and Dave Peperak (Clinton, Ind.).

Chase Dietz (York, Pa.) will make his first dirt mile appearance at Springfield with the USAC Silver Crown series following a runner-up finish in his series debut at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway in June along with fellow series newcomers Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Trey Burke (Alvin, Texas), Gary Dunkle (Lincoln, Neb.), Cary Oliver (Buncombe, Ill.), Ryan Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind.), Mitchell Davis (Auburn, Ill.), John Tosti (High Ridge, Mo.) and Tim Simmons (Cabot, Ark.).

Returning to the Springfield starting field are Kyle Steffens (St. Charles, Mo.), Patrick Lawson (Edwardsville, Ill.), Davey Ray (Davenport, Iowa), Jake Swanson (Anaheim, Calif.), Chris Fetter (Troy, Mo.), Travis Welpott (Pendleton, Ind.), Casey Buckman (Chandler, Ariz.), Dave Berkheimer (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), Gregg Cory (Shelbyville, Ind.), Danny Long (Bonne Terre, Mo.), Carmen Perigo (Stoystown, Pa.), Chase Stockon (Fort Branch, Ind.), Matt Westfall (Pleasant Hill, Ohio), Mario Clouser (Auburn, IL), Patrick Bruns (Champaign, Ill.), Korey Weyant (Springfield, Ill.) and Tom Paterson (Argos, Ind.).

RACE DETAILS:

On Saturday in Springfield, pits and registration open at 7am Central with the ticket office and grandstands opening at 9am, the drivers meeting at 9:30am, practice from 10am-11:10am, Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying at 11:30am, followed by the qualifying race, pre-race ceremonies and the 100-lap main event at 2pm.

Tickets will be available on race day 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.

Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11 and under. At the gate on race day, adults are $30 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 USAC members and $40 for non-members. Infield parking is $5 for those parking in the infield with no infield or pit passes.

The event is all part of a huge weekend of racing that begins Friday night, August 18 at Lincoln Speedway featuring MOWA Sprint Cars, Saturday afternoon, August 19 with USAC Silver Crown and Sportsman at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Saturday night at Macon Speedway with USAC National Midgets, and Sunday afternoon, August 20 with the ARCA Dutch Boy 100 and the Sportsman Nationals at the Illinois State Fair.

Advance tickets for the Illinois State Fair races are available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200, by calling the Illinois State Fair box office at 217-782-1979, or by stopping by the Illinois State Fair box office. Advance sale discounted tickets for the ARCA Menards Series event on Sunday, August 20 can be purchased in Central Illinois area Menards stores for a price of just $20.

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2023 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST: (43 CARS)

07 (R) JOHN TOSTI/High Ridge, MO (John Tosti)

08 KYLE STEFFENS/St. Charles, MO (Gordon Steffens)

2 PATRICK LAWSON/Edwardsville, IL (Patrick Lawson)

3 (R) TIM SIMMONS/Cabot, AR (Tim Simmons)

5 (R) MATT MITCHELL/Yorba Linda, CA (DMW Motorsports)

6 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (Klatt Enterprises)

8 DAVEY RAY/Davenport, IA (Cornell Racing Stables)

9 SHANE COTTLE/Kansas, IL (Chris Dyson Racing)

10 JAKE SWANSON/Anaheim, CA (DMW Motorsports)

11 (R) TREY BURKE/Alvin, TX (Davey Hamilton Racing/SRG)

12 (R) WAYNE JOHNSON/Oklahoma City, OK (Two C Racing)

15 CHRIS FETTER/Troy, MO (Chris Fetter)

18 TRAVIS WELPOTT/Pendleton, IN (Welpott Racing)

20 (R) EMERSON AXSOM/Franklin, IN (Nolen Racing)

22 LOGAN SEAVEY/Sutter, CA (Rice Motorsports)

24 JERRY COONS JR./Tucson, AZ (John Haggenbottom)

25 CASEY BUCKMAN/Chandler, AZ (C-Buck Motorsports)

26 (R) KAYLEE BRYSON/Muskogee, OK (Sam Pierce)

31 DAVE BERKHEIMER/Mechanicsburg, PA (Berkheimer Racing)

32 GREGG CORY/Shelbyville, IN (Williams Racing)

34 (R) GARY DUNKLE/Lincoln, NE (Gary Dunkle)

44 DANNY LONG/Bonne Terre, MO (Danny Long)

51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN (Gamester Racing)

52 CARMEN PERIGO/Stoystown, PA (John Stehman)

53 A.J. FIKE/Galesburg, IL (Five Three Motorsports)

69 CHASE STOCKON/Fort Branch, IN (Pink 69 Racing)

71 SHANE COCKRUM/Benton, IL (BLS Motorsports)

77 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL (Chris Urish)

81 MATT WESTFALL/Pleasant Hill, OH (BCR Group)

86 (R) CHASE DIETZ/York, PA (Bruce Lee)

91 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (Hemelgarn Racing)

92 MARIO CLOUSER/Auburn, IL (Kazmark Motorsports)

95 PATRICK BRUNS/Champaign, IL (Full Throttle Racing)

97 (R) MITCHEL MOLES/Raisin City, CA (Hans Lein)

99 KOREY WEYANT/Springfield, IL (Scott Weyant)

110 (R) CARY OLIVER/Buncombe, IL (Cary Oliver)

111 TOM PATERSON/Argos, IN (Tom Paterson)

118 (R) RYAN THOMAS/Indianapolis, IN (Wingo Brothers Racing)

126 AARON PIERCE/Muncie, IN (Sam Pierce)

156 (R) MITCHELL DAVIS/Auburn, IL (Pat O’Dell)

177 KODY SWANSON/Kingsburg, CA (Doran-Binks Racing)

555 TAYLOR FERNS/Shelby Township, MI (Taylor Ferns Racing)

777 (R) DAVE PEPERAK/Clinton, IN (Dave Peperak Motorsports)

(R) represents a USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender

BETTENHAUSEN 100 WINS:

7-Chuck Gurney

4-A.J. Foyt, Jack Hewitt & Brian Tyler

3-Mario Andretti, Dave Darland, Kody Swanson & Al Unser

2-Gary Bettenhausen, A.J. Fike, Jim Hurtubise & Bobby Olivero

1-Tom Bigelow, Don Branson, Pancho Carter, Steve Chassey, Shane Cockrum, Russ Gamester, Justin Grant, Tracy Hines, Kenny Irwin Jr., Kyle Larson, Roger McCluskey, Larry Rice, Jimmy Sills, George Snider, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Rodger Ward, Paul White, Cole Whitt, Chris Windom & J.J. Yeley

AAA / USAC CHAMP CAR WINNERS AT THE ILLINOIS STATE FAIRGROUNDS:

1934: Billy Winn

1935: Billy Winn

1936: Wilbur Shaw

1937: Mauri Rose

1938: Tony Willman

1939: Emil Andres

1940: Rex Mays

1947: Tony Bettenhausen

1948: Ted Horn & Myron Fohr

1949: Mel Hansen & Johnnie Parsons

1950: Paul Russo & Tony Bettenhausen