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Birkhofer Out To Close Deal In Third Annual 'Illini
100' On April 9-10 At Farmer City Raceway
FARMER CITY, IL - April 5, 2010 - Brian Birkhofer won't say Farmer City
Raceway owes him one, but some observers certainly hold that belief.
After all, as Birkhofer readies for the third annual 'Illini 100' this
weekend (April 9-10) at the quarter-mile oval, it's well documented that the
first two editions of the blockbuster World of Outlaws Late Model Series
program slipped through his fingers.
In the 2008 Illini 100 Birkhofer was rolling along in the lead when his car
caught a rut in turn four, suffered a mechanical problem and spun out of
contention. Last year he led laps 1-93 before watching Shane Clanton slip by
and steal the race's $20,000 top prize.
Two years. Two prime chances at victory. Two heartbreaking defeats.
But Birkhofer, 38, of Muscatine, Iowa, holds no ill will toward Farmer City.
"To be honest with you, the way we've run (in the Illini 100) the last two
years is probably better than what I expect out of myself there," said
Birkhofer, who finished 20th in the '08 inaugural and settled for runner-up
money in last year's encore. "I'd love to win there – it's a big-money race
and it's close to home too – but it's not like I'm disappointed with how
I've finished. It's a quarter-mile, so it's not really my cup of tea."
Indeed, Birkhofer makes no bones about the fact that he's most comfortable
on the big tracks since he grew up running on half-mile ovals in his native
Hawkeye State. But he's looked right at home on the Farmer City bullring the
last two springs, leading 144 of a possible 200 laps and coming oh-so-close
to back-to-back wins in the biggest dirt Late Model event ever contested in
the state of Illinois.
Birkhofer's first Illini 100 loss came in abrupt fashion. As lap 50 was
scored he led by a solid margin; before another lap was completed he sat
sideways in the middle of turn four and was done for the night after setting
the pace since the 10th circuit.
"I hit that hole, bent the lower (control arm) and spun around," said
Birkhofer, who could only watch from the pit area as Billy Moyer of
Batesville, Ark., won the 2008 event by inches over Shannon Babb of
Moweaqua, Ill., in a classic finish. "Who knows what would have happened the
rest of the way, but we had a great car. I felt pretty good about our
chances."
Birkhofer returned to Farmer City last year and nearly led the 100-lapper
from flag-to-flag, falling with just six laps remaining when Shane Clanton
of Locust Grove, Ga., slipped underneath to assume command and head to a
dramatic victory.
"I got to lapped traffic and I couldn't quite clear somebody," described
Birkhofer, thinking back to the circumstances of his '09 defeat. "I kinda
saw what was gonna happen without (Clanton) even getting there alongside me
yet. I was like, 'Well, he's gonna get me' because I felt myself
wheel-spinning too much. Then there he was, sliding by me. I tried to race
him for a little bit but just couldn't keep up.
"At least we finished second. It was good to actually finish after the year
before, but I would've liked that 20-grand."
This weekend Birkhofer will bring his MB Customs No. 15b to Farmer City in
hopes of finally finishing the job in the Illini 100. He's ready for
everything the demanding event will toss at him.
"That track kind of throws you for a loop because it's one the first races
of the year in the Midwest," said Birkhofer. "Being from the Midwest myself,
I know that at that time of year (early April) the frost is coming out of
the ground and it affects each track differently.
"At Farmer City, there's slick (spots), there's traction, there's a cushion.
You can have it all there – and you also get to lapped traffic real quick at
that place. There's a lot of variables to a 100-lap race there."
What would an Illini 100 triumph mean to Birkhofer? It would rank high on
his long list of accomplishments – not only because it means he will have
beaten a star-studded field, but because he will have conquered a new track.
"It would be the biggest quarter-mile show I've won in my career," said
Birkhofer, who owns seven career wins on the WoO LMS. "Generally my wins
have come on tracks that are three-eighths to half-miles. There's something
about running (smaller) tracks where you use an excessive amount of
counter-steering that I struggle with. I don't really ever get that comfort
zone with it like some guys get – or, maybe they ain't comfortable,
but they just manhandle it more than I do.
"I do believe that if I get my stuff right, I can hopefully get the job
done. I know what we've done wrong the last two years so we'll try to get it
all right this time."
The Illini 100 weekend kicks off with an open practice from 6 p.m. to 10
p.m. on Thurs., April 8.
On Friday night, April 9, time trials and heat races will be contested for
the Illini 100 along with a regular show for Farmer City’s DIRTcar UMP
Modified and Hornet divisions. The finale on Saturday night, April 10, will
include full shows for the UMP Modifieds and Pro Late Models plus the Illini
100 B-Mains, a 25-lap Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the 100-lap headliner.
Ticket prices for adults are $15 (Friday) and $30 (Saturday), with tickets
for children (ages 6-12) priced at $5 (Friday) and $15 (Saturday). Kids
5-and-under will be admitted free.
Two-day reserved seat tickets are available for $40 (adults) and $25 (kids),
while pit passes are $30 on Friday and $40 on Saturday or $60 for a two-day
combo. Pit passes for kids (ages 4-11) are $15 on Friday, $20 on Saturday or
$30 for a two-day pass.
Reserved seat tickets can be purchased through Thurs., April 8, by calling
217-568-7525 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT. The tickets will be held for pickup
at the racetrack will-call window.
Reserved drive-in parking spots outside turns one and two are also available
for purchase at a cost of $50 for the weekend.
Reserved seats and drive-in parking spots that were not renewed by April 1
are back up for sale to the general public.
Gates are scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Hot laps
are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
More info on the Illini 100 is available by logging on to
www.farmercityraceway.net.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit
www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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