(Springfield, IL) Fair goers at this year’s Illinois State Fair will be treated to great racing at the legendary Springfield Mile dirt track. The two day action will get under way on Saturday with NASCAR Stars Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace doing battle in their UMP Open Wheel Modified dirt cars!
Ken Schrader, a racer’s racer who may typically runs 100 races a year, will be driving his Federated Auto Parts #9 in the event. Schrader has been successful at every level of racing in which he has competed, including 25 plus seasons as a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Schrader also fields the #52 Federated Auto Parts ARCA car that will be driven by Tom Hessert in Sunday’s ARCA event. Ken Schrader, who loves to race anything with wheels said, “It’s been a number of years since I have competed at Springfield. I have won races there in ARCA and a USAC midget, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Kenny Wallace, a fan favorite, won the first race he ever entered. It was 1982, and the youngest member of the racing Wallace family, a longtime mechanic and crew member for his brothers Rusty and Mike, had a shot at driving a racecar of his own in the Illinois Street Stock State Championship at the legendary Springfield Mile. Kenny’s win in that race would be the first of many in his racing career. The 80’s were good to Kenny as he became the ASA rookie of the year in ’86 and won the NASCAR Nationwide series Rookie Honors in 1989. “The Herminator” will be piloting his familiar #36 modified in Saturday’s event. Kenny enthusiastically stated, “I have not seen the Springfield mile since I won that race 30 years ago! It’ll be great to get to go back there in my modified.”
The Illinois State Fair races will include Saturday’s USAC Silver Crown “Tony Bettenhausen 100”, along with the UMP Open Wheel Modifieds. Sunday’s action will include the 50th running of the “Allen Crowe Memorial” for the ARCA stock cars, as well as the Sportsman Nationals for the UMP Sportsman division. Grandstand gates will open at 8:30 on both days with feature events starting at 1pm on Saturday and 12pm on Sunday. Advanced tickets are $20 for each day or $25 on the day of the event. For more information call Track Enterprises, 217-764-3200, or visit www.trackenterprises.com