FARMER CITY, Ill. — A bullring battle approaches for the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series as it makes its return to Farmer City Raceway for the Illini 100.
Two nights of wheel-to-wheel action highlights the Spring tradition as a potential $26,000 payday is on the line.
A 25-lap sprint paying $6,000 to win kickstarts the weekend on April 1. On Saturday, the weekend continues in a 75-lap finale paying $20,000 to win.
This year’s Illini 100 will make history as it also serves as the season opener for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota. Their highly anticipated debut features two nights of racing action on the quarter-mile bullring.
The pro late models will join the card on Friday, with the UMP modifieds in action on Saturday.
- Dennis Erb Jr. sits atop the points standings for the first time in World of Outlaws CASE Late Models history. The Carpentersville, Ill., driver has a 30-point advantage over reigning champion Brandon Sheppard entering the Illini 100.
Erb enters the weekend with one World of Outlaws win (Volusia), three top-five finishes and seven top-10s in eight races. However, a Series triumph at Farmer City has eluded the veteran.
He finished 14th and 11th in last year’s Illini 100 Features. However, he still found success on bullrings in 2021. Erb scored two of his three wins on quarter-mile tracks.
- Four-time and defending series champion Brandon Sheppard can’t wait to return to the Land of Lincoln after misfortune at Cherokee last weekend.
He’s found victory lane three times on Illini 100 weekend — the most recent win coming in 2019. Sheppard had a fifth and a third in 2021 at the track and has the chance to make history this weekend.
If the New Berlin, Ill., driver sweeps both races, he will have $26,000 in his pocket and more wins than any other driver in World of Outlaws history — passing Josh Richards at the top of the list.
Sheppard had seven top-five finishes and eight top-10s on bullrings in 2021.
- Farmer City Raceway is a home-state race for many full-time World of Outlaws drivers. But it’s an actual “home game” for Kyle Hammer.
The Clinton, Ill., driver has the chance to bring not only the home state but hometown fans to their feet this weekend as he lives less than 10 minutes away from the track.
The rookie-of-the-year candidate is ninth in points entering the weekend, with a top-five finish at Volusia Speedway Park.
- Max Blair is on a roll after winning the Rock Gault Memorial at South Carolina’s Cherokee Speedway last weekend and a third-place finish on Friday.
Blair enters the weekend third in points — 38 points behind Dennis Erb Jr. Blair also has an early advantage in the battle for rookie of the year — 58 points ahead of Tanner English.
He had success with the series on bullrings in the past, scoring a top-five in his only appearance on a quarter mile track in 2021.
- While Tanner English faces a deficit heading into the first World of Outlaws race in the Midwest, it’s a track that plays into his favor.
Two of his three series starts in 2021 came at Farmer City Raceway, where he earned a fourth-place finish during Friday’s program.
This season, the Benton, Ky., driver has three top-10s so far this season and is tied with Hudson O’Neal for fifth in the standings.
- Last year’s Illini 100 is a moment Bobby Pierce won’t forget. He held off Cade Dillard for his first career World of Outlaws triumph.
The “Smooth Operator” will return to the quarter mile bullring this weekend to defend his crown as one of the many Illinois drivers hoping to keep the World of Outlaws out of victory lane.
Pierce, an Illinois native, was successful in seven of the eight series races he ran on bullrings in 2021 — scoring six top-fives, including five trips to the podium.
- Anytime the World of Outlaws travel to the Prairie State, they know a challenge is coming from the “Illinois Bad Boys.”
Illinois drivers swept the 2021 Iliini 100 as Pierce and Mike Spatola won their first career World of Outlaws features.
In 17 series features at Farmer City Raceway, nine drivers from Illinois have won nine races, including three by Brandon Sheppard.
Brian Shirley and Shannon Babb are behind Sheppard on the World of Outlaws winners list at Farmer City, with two wins apiece.
Other Land of Lincoln drivers to keep an eye on this weekend are defending Farmer City Raceway champion Kevin Weaver and Ryan Unzicker, who narrowly missed out on a victory last year, finishing second to Spatola.
Keyword: Illini 100 On Tap For World Of Outlaws Late Models