Elkhart's Chris Urish wins Horn 100 at DuQuoin

[September 04, 2013]  DuQUOIN -- Chris Urish missed the season opener of the 2013 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series due to obligations on his family farm near Elkhart, and his finishes in the last two series events, while respectable, would hardly have made him a favorite to win the Ted Horn 100 at DuQuoin.

Yet that is precisely what the Elkhart native did, taking the lead late in the event as, one by one, drivers leading the race or running in front of Urish stopped due to mechanical failure or slowed, their engines starving for fuel. Urish motored past them and ended up in victory lane in what was possibly the wildest finish in the history of championship racing at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Rocklin, Calif., driver Robert Ballou led from the opening green flag, waved by Mike Reis, the voice of the Southern Illinois University Salukis. An afternoon rain shower gave the "Magic Mile" just the moisture it needed, and Ballou rode the cushion for 80 miles. At one time he had a 17-second lead on second-place Jerry Coons Jr. Coons attempted to get past Ballou, but his Toyota motor gave up with about a third of the event left. Just after lap 80, the hard running took its toll on Ballou's machine, and he ran out of fuel and went two laps in arrears.

That handed the lead to Canton driver Chris Windom, with Benton shoe Shane Cockrum in second and Urish riding third. However, Cockrum and Windom both slowed due to fuel issues in the last 10 laps, handing the lead to Urish, who was chased to the checker by Bobby East and A.J. Fike.

Complete results of the Ted Horn 100 are available at www.usacracing.com.

[Text from file received from Track Enterprises]