Midget Auto Racing Back To The Bureau County Speedway
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Feb 07, 2008
Princeton, IL 2/5/08 Paul Ramer announced today that Ramer Race Promotions has reach an agreement to bring midget auto racing back to the Bureau County Speedway in Princeton, IL for the first time since 1992.
The Illini Racing Series will bring their touring group to the fairgrounds for the first time on April 12th for a practice session, with races planned for May 24th, June 7th, July 5th and August 2nd at the 3/8th mile, semi banked, “D” shaped clay oval.
“This is as American as apple pie, racing midgets at a county fairground dirt track, on a summer Saturday night” said one of the Illini club’s owners, LaVerne Spencer. He continued “It was the midgets that made auto racing popular in America, by bringing the races to where the fans are, as opposed to having to go to, say, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, or Chicago to see races”.
Roy Caruthers won when the Midgets last raced at this track, the late Bob Meyers was 2nd, and Allen Gillis 3rd. Gillis is still an Illini competitor and his son Ben has made one start and will be one of the drivers competing for Rookie of the Year with the Illini Racing Series in 2008.
Going back to the 1970’s, Dick Akins, Don Vogler and his son Rich Vogler, some of the biggest names of their day, have all won at Princeton with the now defunct United Auto Racing Association.
The Illini Racing Series will have a booth at the track’s swap meet on February 23rd, and participate in the preseason race show at the Peru Mall to introduce themselves to the fans from the area.
