Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of Olive Branch, Miss. will try to remain undefeated on the dirt in K & N USAC Silver Crown Series competition this year when the series visits the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in southern Illinois for the “Ted Horn 100” September 2.
Stenhouse became the youngest winner of the “Tony Bettenhausen 100” Saturday (at age 19), driving Tony Stewart’s Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops Maxim/Chevy to victory in the curfew-shortened 75-mile K & N Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Stenhouse trailed his teammate and pole winner Levi Jones for the first 28 laps, then took the lead on a restart and led the rest of the way. Jones pressured Stenhouse until his right rear tire blew two laps from the checkered flag, relegating him to a 23rd-place finish.
Billy Wease finished second with a late-race charge, followed by new K & N Silver Crown Silver Crown Series point leader Bud Kaeding, Paul White and Shane Cottle.
Kaeding, the defending series champion, emerged with a 26-point lead over Wayne Reutimann Jr., who finished 16th in Saturday’s race, which was shortened from 100 to 75 miles.
Saturday’s race also featured the largest starting field in series history on dirt, as 39 cars faced the green flag after rains washed out qualifications.
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