SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — 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 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.).