SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Forty USAC Silver Crown drivers and cars are entered for this Saturday’s 61st running of the Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds dirt mile oval on Aug. 17.
The Springfield Mile will host five past Bettenhausen 100 winners in this Saturday’s field, including defending victor, Logan Seavey. Kody Swanson (2014-’15-’21) also returns to the driver lineup as will Shane Cockrum (2022), Justin Grant (2017)and Russ Gamester (1998).
The list of past Bettenhausen 100 runner-up finishers in this weekend’s drivers’ slate consists of Ken Schrader (1982), Jerry Coons Jr. (2001-’02-’03) and Shane Cottle (2022-’23). Other drivers vying to improve upon their past top-five finishes in the race will see the likes of Brady Bacon (fourth in 2020), Matt Westfall (fifth in 2002 & 2004), Kyle Steffens (fifth in 2021) and Kaylee Bryson (fifth in 2022).
Six more drivers in this weekend’s field have at least one top 10 on their Bettenhausen 100 résumé: C.J. Leary (sixth in 2015), Joey Moughan (ninth in 2018), Carmen Perigo (ninth in 2021), Mario Clouser (eighth in 2023), Chase Stockon (ninth in 2022) and Chris Urish (10th in 2012).
The makeup of Bettenhausen 100 veterans returning to this Saturday’s driver lineup brings Patrick Lawson (12th in 2017), Matt Goodnight (14th in 2017), Jimmy Light (15th in 2020), Chris Fetter (15th in 2014), Danny Long (16th in 2022), Dave Berkheimer (17th in 2022), Nathan Moore (18th in 2021), Bryan Gossel (19th in 2020) Korey Weyant (19th in 2021), Mitchel Moles (21st in 2023), Dave Peperak (27th in 2021) and Gregg Cory (30th in 2022).
The Bettenhausen 100 rookie list for this year is comprised of Steve Gennetten, John Tosti, Aric Gentry, Briggs Danner, Daison Pursley, Tom Savage, Danny Jennings, Trey Osborne, Kip Hughes and Saban Bibent, who is making his first ever appearance in a USAC Silver Crown car this weekend. The most recent Bettenhausen 100 rookie to win the event was Cole Whitt in 2009.