BIG ENTRY LIST: USAC’S BETTENHAUSEN 100

(Brendon Bauman Photo)   Reigning Bettenhausen 100 winner Shane Cockrum (#71).

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Springfield, Illinois (August 14, 2023)………One of the largest fields in recent United States Auto Club (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 of Benton, Illinois (2022), three-time victor Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, California (2014-15-21), two-time winner AJ Fike of Galesburg, Illinois (2012-13), plus single time winners Russ Gamester of Peru, Indiana (1998) and Justin Grant of Ione, California (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 Junior (Tucson, Arizona).

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, California), CJ Leary (Greenfield, Indiana), Chris Urish (Elkhart, Illinois) and Aaron Pierce (Muncie, Indiana), Jacob Wilson (Crawfordsville, Indiana) along with Shane Cottle (Kansas, Illinois) 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, Michigan) making her return to the Bettenhausen 100 lineup after a 10-year absence. Kaylee Bryson (Muskogee, Oklahoma) 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 line-up, along with USAC National feature winners Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Indiana), Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, California) and Dave Peperak (Clinton, Indiana).

Chase Dietz (York, Pennsylvania.) 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 (Pennsylvania) Speedway in June along with fellow series newcomers Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California), Trey Burke (Alvin, Texas), Gary Dunkle (Lincoln, Nebraska), Cary Oliver (Buncombe, Illinois), Ryan Thomas (Indianapolis, Indiana), Mitchell Davis (Auburn, Illinois), John Tosti (High Ridge, Missouri) and Tim Simmons (Cabot, Arkansas).

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

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-AJ Foyt, Jack Hewitt & Brian Tyler

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

2-Gary Bettenhausen, AJ 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: AJ Foyt

1965: AJ Foyt

1966: Don Branson

1967: AJ Foyt

1968: Roger McCluskey

1969: Mario Andretti

1970: Al Unser

1971: AJ 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