Bobby Pierce won the event last season at age 19 when he led the final 45 laps — he started 22nd in the 30-car field — and scored the first World 100 victory for Illinois. Odds are against Pierce doing it again. Nine different drivers have won the last nine races.
Pierce’s win last season was an emotional moment as he shared it with his dad, Bob, who never won the World 100 but finished third in his World debut in 1984 and fourth in his final race in 2002.
“I told him he’s going to win a few of these,” Bob said. “To do it at this young of an age, I think he’s one of the good ones. And not just because he’s my son.”
The event started Thursday with twin $10,000-to-win features. The same happens Friday with another set of twin features. The World arrives Saturday with heats (some as competitive as the feature itself), consolations and the $50,000-to-win, 100-lap feature.
Arkansas driver Billy Moyer holds the record for most World 100 victories with six. Donnie Moran and Scott Bloomquist, winner of the $100,000 Dirt Late Model Dream in June, both have four World titles.
“This place is the place you want to (win). The crowd. The competition. The race track,” Bloomquist said following his Dream victory. “There’s very few race tracks like this. Knoxville, Iowa, we love racing there. Other than that race track this is it.”
Kil-Kare Dragway: The NHRA Junior Drag Racing series visits Kil-Kare for the North Central Division 3 championships Friday through Sunday. The division includes drivers from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio Wisconsin and western Ontario, Canada.
The event starts Friday with practice from 5-10 p.m. Gates open at 3 p.m.
Action heats up Saturday with time trials at 10 a.m. and the Race of Champions at 3 p.m. Sunday follows with time trials at 9 a.m., eliminations at noon and the Winners Circle at 4 p.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days.
Champions will be crowned in three different age groups: 6-9, 10-12 and 13-17 years old.
For more information visit kilkare.com.
Shady Bowl Speedway: The Bowl hosts Military Night at the Races on Saturday, as all active and retired military members are admitted free (with proper ID) to the grandstands. Among the other highlights, the street stocks compete in a 50-lap feature and the compacts race in the 100-lap All-American Challenge. The modifieds and pure stocks are also scheduled to race.
Racing starts at 7 p.m.
Edgewater Raceway Park: It’s the NHRA-sanctioned Summit series at Edgewater on Saturday. Along with Quick 8 racing, the super pro, pro, sportsman, motorcycle and junior dragsters are in action. Gates open at 2 p.m., timed runs at 2:30 and racing at 6:30.
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