By: Richie Murray – USAC Media (Brendon Bauman Photo)
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 45 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.
Among this year’s crop are five past Bettenhausen 100 winners: reigning race champion Shane Cockrum (pictured above) 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 12 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.), Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, 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.), Tom Paterson (Argos, Ind.) and Steven Russell (Rochester, Ill.).
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.
Every lap of Saturday’s Bettenhausen 100 will be aired live on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/3AMU46z.
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2023 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST: (44 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)
14 STEVEN RUSSELL/Rochester, IL (McQuinn Motorsports)
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)
107 JACOB WILSON/Crawfordsville, IN (Wilson Brothers Racing)
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
1951: Tony Bettenhausen
1952: Bill Schindler
1953: Rodger Ward & Sam Hanks
1954: Jimmy Davies
1955: Jimmy Bryan
1956: Jimmy Bryan
1957: Rodger Ward
1958: Johnny Thomson
1959: Len Sutton
1960: Jim Packard
1961: Jim Hurtubise
1962: Jim Hurtubise
1963: Rodger Ward
1964: A.J. Foyt
1965: A.J. Foyt
1966: Don Branson
1967: A.J. Foyt
1968: Roger McCluskey
1969: Mario Andretti
1970: Al Unser
1971: A.J. Foyt
1972: Al Unser
1973: Mario Andretti
1974: Mario Andretti
1975: Al Unser
1976: Tom Bigelow
1977: Larry Rice
1978: Gary Bettenhausen
1979: Bobby Olivero
1980: Pancho Carter
1981: George Snider
1982: Larry Dickson & Bobby Olivero
1983: Gary Bettenhausen
1984: Chuck Gurney
1985: Chuck Gurney
1986: Jack Hewitt
1987: Jack Hewitt
1988: Steve Chassey
1989: Chuck Gurney
1990: Chuck Gurney
1991: Chuck Gurney
1992: Jimmy Sills
1993: Jack Hewitt
1994: Chuck Gurney
1995: Kenny Irwin Jr.
1996: Chuck Gurney
1997: Dave Darland
1998: Russ Gamester
1999: Dave Darland
2000: Jack Hewitt
2001: Paul White
2002: J.J. Yeley
2003: Dave Darland
2004: Brian Tyler
2005: Brian Tyler
2006: Tracy Hines
2007: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2008: Brian Tyler
2009: Cole Whitt
2011: Brian Tyler
2012: A.J. Fike
2013: A.J. Fike
2014: Kody Swanson
2015: Kody Swanson
2017: Justin Grant
2018: Chris Windom
2020: Kyle Larson
2021: Kody Swanson
2022: Shane Cockrum
