TOLEDO, Ohio. — The SuperChevyStores.com-Allen Crowe 100 national championship stock car race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, featuring the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is turning 52.
The 52nd running of the SuperChevyStores.com 100, one of the capital city’s largest sporting events, takes center stage on the world’s fastest mile dirt track Sunday, Aug. 17, on the final day of the 162nd annual Illinois State Fair. For tickets, call 217-764-3200. Advanced tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children 11-under. Day of race tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 11-under. Infield tickets, which include fair entrance fee, are $20 and sold race day only.
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350th ARCA race at dirt
With ARCA’s roots reaching back to 1953, much of the tour’s rich history developed over the decades on dirt tracks across America. In fact, the 2014 SuperChevyStores.com 100 marks the 350th ARCA race on dirt since the series’ inception.
“The Illinois State Fair mile dirt venues are vitally important to the character and identity of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “It’s a conscious effort on our part to continue to recognize the role non-pavement tracks played in the development of our series, and motorsports as a whole, and the role dirt racing continues to play today.”
The on-going legacy of one of America’s oldest state fairs has certainly included a sizeable chunk of auto racing over the years – its tenure dating back more than 70 years to 1934 when Billy Winn won the fist-ever championship race event on the mile horse track. And it’s on that same horse track where the Allen Crowe 100 grew roots stock-car style since the inaugural 100-lap stock car race in 1950 – Jay Frank the winner.
The SuperChevyStores.com 100, named in honor of Springfield resident Allen Crowe who lost his life in a sprint car crash at New Bremen Speedway, is one of two dirt-track venues on the annual ARCA Racing Series schedule, the other being the Labor Day Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.
In last year’s Springfield race, Brennan Poole surfaced as the winner after a controversial finish during which Illinoisans Kelly Kovski and AJ Fike, deemed to have jumped the final restart, were denied victory.
10-time ARCA Racing Series national champion Frank Kimmel is the all-time Springfield winner with eight wins, his most recent in 2012.
NASCAR veteran and former Springfield winner Ken Schrader has already filed an entry for the race.
Over the years, Allen Crowe 100 winners include Curtis Turner (’63), Don White (’66, ’67, ’72), Al Unser (’72), Jack Bowsher (’73), Roger McCluskey (’74), Ramo Stott (’76, ’77, ’80), AJ Foyt (’79), Joe Ruttman (’80), Dean Roper (’81, ’82, ’83, ’83, ’85, ’86), Bob Keselowski (’87, ’88, ’89, ’93), Bobby Bowsher (’91, ’92), Tim Steele (’96, ’97), Schrader (’98), Bill Baird (’99, ’04), Justin Allgaier (’06), Parker Kligerman (’09), and Kimmel (’00, ’01, ’02. ’03, ’05, ’07, ’08, ’12).
Practice for the SuperChevyStores.com 100 is scheduled from 9:00-10:00 a.m. with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 11:15. The 52nd annual SuperChevyStores.com 100 starts at 1:30 p.m. All times are local.
ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring of all on-track activity as well as live flag-to-flag audio coverage of the race.