By Jay Hardin
July 18, 2022 (Springfield, IL)-Auto Racing is the traditional day time entertainment of the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair, starting with the 89th scheduled appearance of the open wheel championship machines now known as the Silver Crown Cars of the United States Auto Club. The annual Bettenhausen 100 presented by Mite Xstream takes place on Saturday, August 20 on the World’s Fastest One Mile Dirt track in Springfield, Illinois.
The 2022 Bettenhausen 100, the 62nd scheduled and 59th actual running (due to rain), is the 9th round of the 2022 USAC Silver Crown National Championship, and follows a run the night before on the pavement of World Wide Technology Raceway just 90 minutes away. In an unusual twist the Bettenhausen is just one of two Silver Crown contests on a traditional dirt mile and the only day time event on the schedule.
Indiana’s C.J. Leary is the point leader after 5 events with a scant 6-point margin over Logan Seavey and 12 over 6-time and defending USAC champ Kody Swanson. Leary won on the pavement at Madison, Wisconsin while Seavey won on the dirt at Port Royal, Pennsylvania. Swanson’s lone 2022 win was a special event at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and Swanson is the only driver of the three with a Silver Crown victory on one of the dirt miles, three coming at Springfield. Swanson is the defending Bettenhausen 100 champion, leading the last 16 miles of the rain shortened 2021 event.
A large field of the mighty uprights is expected for the 2022 Bettenhausen 100 on August 20.
The event is all part of a huge weekend of racing that begins Friday night, August 19 at Lincoln Speedway featuring MOWA Sprint Cars, Saturday afternoon, August 20 with USAC Silver Crown and Sportsman at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Saturday night at Macon Speedway with POWRi National Midgets, and Sunday afternoon, August 21 with ARCA and Sportsman 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, August 21 can be purchased in Central Illinois area Menards stores for a price of just $20.