3/28/16 12:44 PM SWANSON BEGINS QUEST FOR USAC HISTORY SUNDAY IN TERRE HAUTE’S SUMAR CLASSIC SILVER CROWN OPENER
http://usacracing.com/news/silver-cr...r-crown-opener
SWANSON BEGINS QUEST FOR USAC HISTORY SUNDAY IN TERRE HAUTE’S "SUMAR CLASSIC" SILVER CROWN OPENER
*
Kody Swanson hopes to become the first driver in history to claim three consecutive USAC Silver Crown championships when he begins his quest this Sunday, April 3rd at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track as the 2016 series debuts with the 100-lap “Sumar Classic” at the legendary half-mile dirt oval located at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.
*
Kingsburg, California’s Swanson could become just the third driver to claim a third series title, joining Jimmy Sills (1990-1994-1996) and Bud Kaeding (2006-2007-2009).
*
Swanson scored three dirt-track victories on his way to the 2015 Silver Crown title, but Terre Haute wasn’t one of them. After winning the pole, he only managed a seventh-place run behind race winner Shane Cockrum.* In 2014, Kody won the “Sumar Classic” on his way to his first USAC championship.
*
Cockrum, of Benton, Illinois, emerged as a true title contender last year and will certainly be one to watch in this year’s race. He added a Du Quoin, (Illinois) State Fairgrounds victory to his Terre Haute win and took fifth in the final 2015 standings.
*
The field for the race in Terre Haute includes a strong contingent of cars and drivers, including two-time Indianapolis 500 veteran Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind.* Three former “Sumar Classic” winners are among those expected to compete: the aforementioned two most recent “Sumar” winners Cockrum and Swanson, as well as Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland, who won the race in 2008.
*
Jerry Coons Jr., of Tucson, Ariz., the 2008 USAC Silver Crown champion is entered for the race along with Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., who won last year’s Silver Crown event at the Belleville (Kans.) High Banks.
*
Among other drivers to keep an eye on include 2015 Silver Crown top-ten point standings’ finishers C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Ind.), Austin Nemire (Sylvania, OH), Justin Grant (Ione, Calif) and David Byrne (Shullsburg, Wisc.) as well as Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Okla., a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature winner at the Action Track in 2014.
*
This Sunday’s 16th edition of the “Sumar Classic” has a history that dates back to 1995 when Springfield, Illinois driver and Indy 500 veteran Donnie Beechler took the victory.* Although, the first USAC Silver Crown series’ race at the Terre Haute Action Track took place in November of 1980, a race won by the late, great Gary Bettenhausen.
*
Sunday’s event also includes the UMP Modifieds with longtime NASCAR veterans and Missouri natives Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace set to compete.
*
Spectator gates open for the Sunday, April 3rd “Sumar Classic” at 3:00pm.* Silver Crown practice begins at 3:30 followed by UMP Modified practice at 3:45. A second round of Silver Crown practice at 4:00 precedes the 4:40 start of Silver Crown qualifying. UMP Modified heats are slated for 5:15 and the Modified feature is set for 6:00. The 100-lap “Sumar Classic” Silver Crown feature begins at 7:00.
*
Kids 12 & Under are free with a paid adult while general admission infield tickets start at just 15 bucks.* Adult grandstand seats are only $25.
*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
UPCOMING USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
*
DATE: Sunday, April 3, 2016
*
SERIES: USAC Silver Crown Championship
*
TRACK: Terre Haute Action Track (Terre Haute, IN) - 1/2-Mile, Semi-Banked Dirt Oval
*
EVENT: “Sumar Classic” featuring the USAC Silver Crown Championship
*
STARTING TIMES: Pit gates open at 1pm. Silver Crown drivers’ meeting at 3pm.* Grandstands open at 3:30pm.* Silver Crown hot laps at 4pm.* Silver Crown qualifying at 4:40pm.* UMP Modified heats at 5:15pm.* UMP Modified feature at 6pm.* Silver Crown feature at 7pm.
*
TICKET: Infield (Adult): $15.00.* Grandstand (Adult): $25.00.* Children age 12 and under: FREE.* Pit Pass: $35.00
*
TRACK ADDRESS: 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN, 47807
*
TRACK PHONE: (812) 232-4040
*
TRACK WEBSITE: http://terrehauteactiontrack.net/
*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
PAST USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE WINNERS AT THE TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK
*
1980: Gary Bettenhausen
1995: Donnie Beechler
*
1996: Kevin Thomas
*
1997: Donnie Beechler
*
1998: Tony Elliott
*
1999: Jack Hewitt
*
2002: Tony Elliott
*
2003: J.J. Yeley
*
2004: Brian Tyler
*
2005: Josh Wise
*
2006: Bud Kaeding
*
2008: Dave Darland
*
2010: Levi Jones
*
2012: Bobby East
*
2014: Kody Swanson
*
2015: Shane Cockrum
*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
*
2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS
*
Apr 3: Terre Haute, IN - Terre Haute Action Track
*
Apr 30: Toledo, OH - Toledo Speedway
*
May 26: Indianapolis, IN - Indiana State Fairgrounds
*
May 27: Brownsburg, IN - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
*
Jun 10: Mechanicsburg, PA - Williams Grove Speedway
*
Jun 25: @ Madison, IL - Gateway Motorsports Park
*
Jul 21: Brownsburg, IN - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
*
Aug 13: Salem, IN - Salem Speedway
*
Aug 20: @ Springfield, IL - Illinois State Fairgrounds
*
Sep 3: DuQuoin, IL - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
*
Sep 24: Rossburg, OH - Eldora Speedway
*
------------------------ KEY DEFINITIONS -------------------------
*
Races noted with @ represent an afternoon race.
*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE WINS
*
1. [23 wins] Jack Hewitt
*
2. [17 wins] Brian Tyler
*
3. [16 wins] Dave Steele
*
4. [15 wins] J.J. Yeley
*
5. [14 wins] Dave Darland & Chuck Gurney
*
7. [12 wins] Jimmy Sills & Kody Swanson
*
9. [11 wins] Bobby East
*
10. [10 wins] Gary Bettenhausen & Mike Bliss
*
12. [9 wins] Tracy Hines
*
13. [7 wins] Jerry Coons Jr., Rick Hood & George Snider
*
16. [6 wins] Tom Bigelow, Russ Gamester, Kenny Irwin Jr., Jason Leffler, Bobby Santos, Ken Schrader & Al Unser
*
23. [5 wins] Mario Andretti, Donnie Beechler, Pancho Carter, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser, Larry Rice & Tanner Swanson
*
32. [4 wins] Jeff Swindell & Rich Vogler
*
34. [3 wins] Steve Butler, Shane Cockrum, Cameron Dodson, A.J. Fike, Levi Jones, Kasey Kahne, Jim Keeker, Steve Kinser, Bobby Olivero, Johnny Parsons, Aaron Pierce, Ron Shuman, Tony Stewart, Tyler Walker & Paul White
*
49. [2 wins] Pat Abold, Steve Chassey, Bryan Clauson, Larry Dickson, Bill Engelhart, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Joe Saldana, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Cole Whitt, Chris Windom, Josh Wise & Doug Wolfgang
*
64. [1 win] Teddy Beach, Christopher Bell, Jeff Bloom, David Byrne, Marvin Carman, Shane Carson, Bob Cicconi, Herb Copeland, Shane Cottle, Bruce Field, Aaron Fike, Chet Fillip, Bob Frey, Eric Gordon, John Heydenreich, Gary Hieber, Shane Hmiel, Shane Hollingsworth, Jimmy Horton, Jackie Howerton, Kevin Huntley, Kenny Jacobs, Bubby Jones, Keith Kauffman, Jimmy Kite, Chuck Leary, Eddie Leavitt, Jason McCord, Jim McElreath, Lealand McSpadden, Mat Neely, Brad Noffsinger, Stevie Reeves, Wayne Reutimann Jr., Danny Smith, Kevin Thomas, Rich Tobias Jr., Chris Urish & Billy Vukovich
*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN DRIVER CHAMPIONS
*
1971: George Snider
*
1972: A.J. Foyt
*
1973: Al Unser
*
1974: Mario Andretti
*
1975: Jimmy Caruthers
*
1976: Billy Cassella
*
1977: Larry Rice
*
1978: Pancho Carter
*
1979: Bobby Olivero
*
1980: Gary Bettenhausen
*
1981: Larry Rice
*
1982: Ken Schrader
*
1983: Gary Bettenhausen
*
1984: Dave Blaney
*
1985: Rick Hood
*
1986: Jack Hewitt
*
1987: Jack Hewitt
*
1988: Steve Butler
*
1989: Chuck Gurney
*
1990: Jimmy Sills
*
1991: Jeff Gordon
*
1992: Steve Butler
*
1993: Mike Bliss
*
1994: Jimmy Sills
*
1995: Tony Stewart
*
1996: Jimmy Sills
*
1997: Dave Darland
*
1998: Jason Leffler
*
1999: Ryan Newman
*
2000: Tracy Hines
*
2001: Paul White
*
2002: J.J. Yeley
*
2003: J.J. Yeley
*
2004: Dave Steele
*
2005: Dave Steele
*
2006: Bud Kaeding
*
2007: Bud Kaeding
*
2008: Jerry Coons Jr.
*
2009: Bud Kaeding
*
2010: Levi Jones
*
2011: Levi Jones
*
2012: Bobby East
*
2013: Bobby East
*
2014: Kody Swanson
*
2015: Kody Swanson
*
*
