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Ken Schrader Comes “Home” to the Dirt!
Fenton, MO Native’s Return to DuQuoin After 15 Year Absence Highlights 2001 State Fair Racing Season
Marion, Il June 4, 2001-
Ken Schrader, current driver of the M&M’s Pontiac on NASCAR’s Winston Cup tour, returns to his “home” one-mile dirt track for the first time since 1986 when he and his Federated Auto Parts Pontiac attempt to win the Southern Illinois 100 for the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Stock Cars, on Labor Day, Monday September 3, 2001 at the picturesque DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois.
A change in the auto racing dates at the fair by promoter Bob Sargent of Track Enterprises allowed Schrader to enter the 100-miler. Traditionally, the championship dirt cars of the United States Auto Club Silver Bullet Series (USAC) held their “Ted Horn Memorial 100” on Labor Day, but a flip-flop in the dates now finds the Horn Memorial on Sunday, September 2.
Schrader, the 1982 USAC Silver Crown and 1983 USAC sprint champ, and a veteran of several seasons in the USAC midget division, has raced numerous times on the DuQuoin dirt but strangely has never won a race in any type of car on the mile that is just about 100 miles from his Fenton home and heavily attended by St. Louis area racing fans.
Kenny’s last appearance at DuQuoin came during the 1986 Ted Horn Memorial 100 at the wheel of the late Glen Neibel’s V-6 dirt car. On a gray day and a very heavy racetrack, Kenny timed 12th but blew the engine on the second qualifying lap and was unable to make the 100-mile event. It was shortly after this race that Kenny focused full-time on NASCAR competition and won Rookie of the Year honors.
While the NASCAR Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend has prevented Ken from finding time to compete at DuQuoin, it hasn’t stopped him from returning to the other Midwest dirt miles at Indianapolis and Springfield.
Ken Schrader in Springfield’s Victory Lane circa 1998
It’s been on the gumbo surface at Springfield where Ken has found the most success; in 1998 he became the only driver to win in three different types of cars on the Springfield mile when Kenny took 1st place in the prestigious Allen Crowe Memorial 100 ARCA stock car race. Ken also sat on the pole for the 1997 event.
Schrader is also a past winner of the Rex Easton Memorial 25 midget event, and scored a victory in a UMP Modified event on the mile in 1998. Kenny nearly won the 1982 Dream Event 100 for the USAC dirt cars as well.
In addition, Schrader is the only driver to win in four (USAC Midget, USAC Sprint, UMP Modified, ARCA Stock Car) different types of racecars on the Indiana State Fair mile.
Clearly, Kenny’s past success on the dirt and in the Winston Cup Series make him one of the early favorites to take home the Southern Illinois trophy.
SIX EVENTS ON TAP ON THE ILLINOIS DIRT
Schrader’s appearance at DuQuoin highlights a busier season on the Illinois dirt miles in 2001, beginning in July and ending in mid-September.
Massive structural improvements to the fifty-four year old DuQuoin State Fairgrounds racetrack began in 1998 with new bleacher stands, landscaping, a new concrete crash wall and catch fence, and lights. Those improvements will be on display when the United Midwestern Promoters late models and modifieds take to the DuQuoin track on Sunday, July 1 as part of the UMP Summernationals series.
Over 100 racecars are expected to dot the pit area, headlined by four-time late model division winner of Springfield’s Fall Nationals Billy Moyer, of Batesville, Arkansas. Also expected to compete are Washington, Missouri’s Ed Dixon, Mt. Vernon, Illinois’ Jimmy Burwell, Terry English from Kentucky, Kevin Claycomb from Indiana, and USAC standout Jack Hewitt, as well as a legion of local and national stars. The UMP late models will be competing for a top prize of $10,000 for their 40-lap feature event. As an added bonus, promoter Track Enterprises is mulling over a late afternoon start time to test the new lighting system recently completed.
Jack Hewitt became the oldest winner in Bettenhausen history!
The next one-mile event in Illinois is the prestigious 41st annual Corona-Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100, Saturday August 18, for the USAC Silver Bullet Championship Series dirt cars. This year’s race marks the sixty-seventh year of national championship racing at the World’s Fastest One-Mile Dirt Oval, the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. Defending race winner Jack Hewitt is tied with A.J. Foyt for second on the all-time Bettenhausen win list with 4 victories, and is expected to return to try for number 5. Hewitt bested 20-year old Bud Keading in a race-long duel last year and at age 49, became the oldest winner of the Springfield championship race. Other drivers expected to make an appearance at Springfield are hometown hero Donnie Beechler, who qualified 5th fastest for the Indianapolis 500 this year and ran up front in the 500-mile race until a broken oil line put him out of the event, two-time winner Dave Darland, former winner Russ Gamester, and young lions Tracy Hines, Brian Tyler, and Kasey Kahne.
Frank Kimmel barely beat Bill Baird in this wild finish at Springfield
Race fans can return to the Illinois State Fair mile on the next day, Sunday August 19 as the ARCA Supercar Series for stock cars invades town for the 39th annual Par-A-Dice Allen Crowe Memorial 100. Forty of the finest stock cars from ARCA are expected to be in the pit area race morning, with defending race winner and ARCA national champ Frank Kimmel one of the favorites. Young Jason Jarrett, son of 1999 Winston Cup champ Dale Jarrett is expected to make his ARCA dirt debut in this event. As always, a strong contingent of Illinois drivers will be on hand to compete with the touring ARCA regulars.
On the card with the ARCA cars at Springfield is the Wynn’s Sportsman National event, a 20-miler for sportsman cars on the big track. It will be difficult for anyone to top Springfield’s own Wes O’Dell, the defending and only 5-time winner of the event.
DUQUOIN'S "MAGIC MILE" NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
Two weeks later the attention turns to Southern Illinois, where the beautiful DuQuoin State Fairgrounds greets the racing fraternity.
A bird's eye view of enventual Horn winner Kasey Kahne
On Sunday September 2nd, the 51st running of the Ted Horn Memorial 100 presented by the Southern Illinoisan for the USAC Silver Bullet dirt cars kicks off the Labor Day weekend race action. Last year’s winner Kasey Kahne, at age 20 the youngest winner ever and the first rookie in 24 years to take the checkered flag, is expected to return to defend his crown. Seeking to dethrone Kahne will be thrilling youngsters such as Ed Carpenter, J.J. Yeley, Brad Fox and Bud Keading as well as veterans and past winners Jack Hewitt, Dave Darland, Tony Elliot, and Russ Gamester.
Sunday also marks day 1 of the companion UMP Modified event, with hot laps and heat race action taking place.
DuQuoin is one of the most beautiful facilities in the world!
On Labor Day, the ARCA cars make their final dirt appearance of 2001 with the 49th running of the Southern Illinois 100 stock car race, headlined by the return of Ken Schrader. Schrader’s quest for a trophy won’t be easy, ARCA champ Frank Kimmel is expected to put up a fight, as are several ARCA touring regulars and the always strong contingent of Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky drivers that confine their ARCA racing to the Illinois clay.
Also on Labor Day will be the semi-feature and the 20-mile Bill Oldani Memorial event for the UMP Modifieds. Local favorites Jim Sherreck and Kevin Gundaker will be gunning for the top prize, but it’s hard to imagine anyone generating the victory lane enthusiasm shown by 16-year-old Kyle Steffens, winner of last year’s event.
The scheduled racing season concludes for the Illinois dirt miles on Sunday, September 16 with the 10th annual Illinois Fall Nationals. Over 100 racecars are expected for the Sunday program, from the UMP late model and modified divisions. Four-time winner of the late model race Billy Moyer is expected to defend his 2000 win, as is modified victor Jerry Buck of Arkansas.
Tickets for all six events are going at a fast pace, information can be found by contacting the box office at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, the box office at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, promoter Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200 or on the world wide web at www.trackenterprises.com.
