Press Release-Illinois Fall Nationals Interrupted Will Resume October 1

For Immediate Release-for further information contact Track Enterprises Bob
Sargent at 217-764-3200 or Jay Hardin at jhardin3@verizon.net


Springfield, IL-Mother Nature interrupted the 15th running of the Best
Western Illinois Fall Nationals at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Sunday
with a persistent rain causing a delay in the proceedings but not before the
race fans in attendance got to see the one lap track record fall for
both the UMP Super Late Models and the UMP Modifieds in qualifying.
However, a persistent rain began falling just before the UMP Super Late
Model
feature forcing promoter Bob Sargent of Track Enterprises to interrupt the
program and resume racing in the 15th Best Western Illinois Fall
Nationals on Sunday, October 1.

Before the rain fell the Best Western Illinois Fall Nationals featured
blazing speed thanks to fine track preparation by the Illinois State Fair
track crew, moderate morning temperatures and partly cloudy skies.
Chadwick, Illinois resident Darren "The Thriller" Miller, who set a track
record at Springfield in late model qualifying in 2004, thrilled this year's
Springfield crowd by breaking his on track record on his first lap of
qualifying with a 27.603 circuit, then bettered that with a 27.581 (130.525
m.p.h.) second lap to establish the new Springfield track record.  All of
the UMP Late Model heats went without a caution flag, with Miller taking the
first heat at an average speed of 125.495 miles an hour.  Three time
Illinois Fall Nationals late model winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa
won the second heat at an average of 123.850 miles an hour after a spirited
duel with Kentucky's Jackie Boggs.  Elk Mound, Minnesota native Jimmy Mars
won the third heat race at an average speed of 121.941 miles an hour.

The UMP Modified one lap track record of Jim Shereck of 35.095 set on
September 14, 2003 was broken three times in qualifications for the
modifieds, in
fact no less than 8 drivers qualified under Shereck's 2003 standard.
Taylorville, Illinois' Curt Rhodes was the second qualifier in line and
lowered
the track record to 34.401 and two cars later Petersburg's Mike Hess
bettered Rhodes with a 34.361 circuit.  That lap held up until 1999 Fall
Nationals
modified winner Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Illinois went out and broke the 33
second barrier with a 33.240 lap, or 108.303 miles an hour.  Leka and Brian
Shirley of nearby Chatham won the modified heat races.

Racing action for the 15th Best Western Illinois Fall Nationals is slated to
resume where the program left off on Sunday, October 1 at the Illinois
State Fairgrounds with rain checks being honored on that day.  Feature
racing is tentatively slated to begin at 2 p.m.   Please check
www.trackenterprises.com for further details on the resumption of the
Illinois Fall Nationals.