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 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, 2015, 2021), two-time winner A.J. Fike of Galesburg, Illinois (2012, 2013), plus one-time winners Russ Gamester of Peru, Indiana (1998), and Justin Grant of Ione, California (2017).

Swanson, this year’s points leader, 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, Arizona).

A total of 11 past USAC Silver Crown main event winners are in Saturday’s field. Six of those individuals are seeking their first triumphs at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  

Among those in that category are series runner-up Logan Seavey (Sutter, California), C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Indiana), Chris Urish (Elkhart, Illinois) and Aaron Pierce (Muncie, 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 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 fifth.

Though not a Bettenhausen 100 rookie, Bryson is the leading USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender in 2023, entering Saturday’s race third 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, 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), Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California), Trey Burke (Alvin, Texas), Gary Dunkle (Lincoln, Nebraska), Cary Oliver (Buncombe, Illinois), Ryan Thomas (Indianapolis), 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, Indiana), Matt Westfall (Pleasant Hill, Ohio), Mario Clouser (Auburn, Illinois), Patrick Bruns (Champaign, Illinois), Korey Weyant (Springfield, Illinois) and Tom Paterson (Argos, Indiana).

Race Details

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

Tickets will be available on race day or by calling the State Fair office at 217-782-1979. Info and tickets also can 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 at Lincoln Speedway, featuring MOWA Sprint Cars, Saturday afternoon with USAC Silver Crown and Sportsman at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Saturday night at Macon Speedway with USAC National Midgets and Sunday afternoon 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 can be purchased in Central Illinois area Menards stores for $20.

2023 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST (45 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