Series Four Crown news 2009-08-28

ARCA's 2009 Bill France Four Crown Kicks Off on DuQuoin State Fairgrounds "Magic-Mile" Dirt

DuQUOIN IL (8-28-09) - A dirt track, a short track, a superspeedway and a road course - that's the Bill France Four Crown championship in a nutshell. Outside the shell, the award is one of the most sought after in the ARCA RE/MAX Series world.

The 2009 version includes the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile-dirt, the 2.2-mile New Jersey Motorsports Park road course, the rough and tumble Salem Speedway short-track and the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.

"The award, like no other, best defines the identity of the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour itself," said Don Radebaugh, ARCA PR/Media director. "The series' longstanding tradition of competing on a wide variety of track types including superspeedways, short-tracks, on both dirt and pavement, and road courses are what this award is all about. And the driver that accumulates the most points at these very different race tracks earns the honor.

"Certainly, the award is also important for whom it's named after - the late Bill France, Sr. There is also a year-end cash prize and trophy awarded at the annual championship awards banquet."

Past Bill France Crown winners include Davey Allison, Bob Keselowski, Tim Steele, Jason Jarrett, Bill Baird and Frank Kimmel to name a few.

This year's Bill France Four Crown award kicks off dirt-track style at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois where the 57th annual Southern Illinois 100 rolls off on the "Magic Mile" Labor Day Monday, September 7th.

DuQuoin entries are already pouring in for the annual dirt-track classic, including one from NASCAR veteran and two-time DuQuoin winner Ken Schrader.

Also entered is a slew of race-ready rookies including Penske Development driver Parker Kligerman, Greenville, North Carolina's Craig Goess and Miami Springs, Florida rookie Joey Coulter mixing it in with seasoned veterans like nine-time champ/defending race winner Frank Kimmel, championship contender Justin Lofton as well as Illinois favorites' Joe Cooksey (Centralia) and AJ Fike (Galesburg).

Eddie Pearson, son of NASCAR champion David Pearson, has also filed an entry, as has USAC national champion Brian Tyler.

Former Southern Illinois 100 winners at DuQuoin include AJ Foyt, Jimmy Bryan, Fred Lorenzen, Don White, Rusty Wallace, Dean Roper, Jack Bowsher, Bob Keselowski, Bob Strait, Kimmel, Billy Thomas, Tony Stewart and Schrader to name a few.

ARCA RE/MAX Series practice for the 57th Southern Illinois 100 is scheduled from 9:00-10:00 am local Central time Monday, September 7th, followed by Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at 11:00. The start of the Southern Illinois 100 is set for 1:00 pm.

-credit: arca