SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Thirty-three USAC Silver Crown drivers and cars are entered for this Saturday’s 63rd running of the Bettenhausen 100 Presented by Hunt Brothers Pizza at the Illinois State Fairgrounds dirt mile oval on August 22.
The Springfield Mile will host four past Bettenhausen 100 winners representing eight victories in this Saturday’s field, including four-time winner Brian Tyler (2004-05-08-11), two-time victor Justin Grant (2017 & 2024), and one-time winners Russ Gamester (1998) and Shane Cockrum (2022).
The list of past Bettenhausen 100 runner-up finishers in this weekend’s lineup consists of Jerry Coons Jr. (2nd in 2001-02-03) and Shane Cottle (2nd in 2022-23). Other drivers vying to improve upon their past top-five finishes in the race will see the likes of Mario Clouser (3rd in 2025), Kyle Steffens (5th in 2021), Kaylee Bryson (5th in 2022), and C.J. Leary (5th in 2025). Leary leads the USAC Silver Crown points entering this Saturday’s race.
Six more drivers in this weekend’s field have at least one top-10 on their Bettenhausen 100 resume: Jake Swanson (6th in 2021), Carmen Perigo (6th in 2024), Chase Stockon (7th in 2025), Joey Moughan (9th in 2018), Jimmy Light (9th in 2025), and Chris Urish (10th in 2012).
The makeup of Bettenhausen 100 veterans returning to this Saturday’s driver lineup brings Danny Jennings (12th in 2024), Briggs Danner (14th in 2024), Korey Weyant (14th in 2025), Chris Fetter (15th in 2014), Kenny Gentry (17th in 2013), Dave Berkheimer (17th in 2022), Saban Bibent (20th in 2024), Mitchel Moles (20th in 2025), Steve Gennetten (26th in 2024), and Gregg Cory (30th in 2022).
The Bettenhausen 100 Rookie list for 2026 is comprised of six drivers, among them being leading Rookie of the Year contender Hayden Reinbold, plus Mark Bitner, Chelby Hinton, and Bret Tripplett.
Two more drivers will be making their first ever USAC Silver Crown appearance of any kind, including Mitchell Davis and Colten Cottle, the nephew of Shane Cottle. The most recent Bettenhausen 100 Rookie to win the event was Cole Whitt in 2009.
Due to a scheduling conflict, J.J. Yeley will be unable to race in Saturday’s event. The Shawn Wood owned No. 27 is currently listed as TBA.
2026 BETTENHAUSEN 100 ENTRY LIST
4 MARK BITNER/Columbus, NJ (Henry Yeska)
6 JAKE SWANSON/Anaheim, CA (Klatt Enterprises)
8 KYLE STEFFENS/St. Charles, MO (Steffens Motorsports)
10 BRIGGS DANNER/Allentown, PA (DMW Motorsports)
11 KAYLEE BRYSON/Muskogee, OK (Abacus Racing Powered by Droplight)
14 (R) COLTEN COTTLE/Kansas, IL (McQuinn Motorsports)
15 CHRIS FETTER/Troy, MO (Chris Fetter)
18 KENNY GENTRY/Henderson, KY (Gentry Motorsports)
19 MITCHEL MOLES/Raisin City, CA (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
20 MARIO CLOUSER/Auburn, IL (Team AZ-Petty-Rossi-Curb-Agajanian Racing)
21 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (Team AZ-Petty-Rossi-Curb-Agajanian Racing)
24 JERRY COONS JR./Tucson, AZ (John Haggenbottom)
27 TBA (Shawn Wood)
29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL (Joey Moughan Racing)
31 DAVE BERKHEIMER/Mechanicsburg, PA (Dave Berkheimer Motorsports)
32 GREGG CORY/Shelbyville, IN (Williams-Cory Racing)
38 (R) MITCHELL DAVIS/Auburn, IL (Shoestring Racing)
51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN (Gamester Racing)
52 CARMEN PERIGO/Stoystown, PA (Stehman Motorsports)
61 DANNY JENNINGS/Norman, OK (David Grace Motorsports)
62 (R) CHELBY HINTON/Dubberly, LA (Klatt Enterprises)
64 (R) STEVE GENNETTEN/Gravois Mills, MO (GGR Motor Racing)
65 (R) BRET TRIPPLETT/Lincoln, IL (SV Motorsports)
69 CHASE STOCKON/Fort Branch, IN (Pink 69 Racing)
77 SHANE COTTLE/Kansas, IL (Doran-Mark Swanson Encore Team)
81 BRIAN TYLER/Parma, MI (BCR Group)
88 SABAN BIBENT/Cincinnati, OH (Sammy & Mouren Fetter)
91 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (Hemelgarn Racing)
97 SHANE COCKRUM/Benton, IL (Hans Lein)
99 KOREY WEYANT/Springfield, IL (Weyant Motorsports)
118 JIMMY LIGHT/West Springfield, PA (Mike Thomas)
119 (R) HAYDEN REINBOLD/Gilbert, AZ (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
177 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL (Urish Racing)
