Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

For those who asked (notably J.T. Stapp), Aaron Pierce ranks as the fastest driver in USAC Silver Crown history.

Pierce set the all-time qualifying record of 175.012 mph at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006. He also won the fastest race in Silver Crown history, averaging 159.211 mph at Kansas Speedway, also in 2006.

USAC's Dick Jordan, who is in attendance at the Rumble in Fort Wayne, confirmed that USAC regards Pierce as the holder of these records. The subject came up because some tried to differentiate between the current Silver Crown car and the "speedway" version that was used when Pierce set the records.

Pierce's resume, incidentally, includes victories at Chicagoland, Darlington, Kansas and Milwaukee.

Thank you Ron,Tony, and Dick for the clarification.

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Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Pierce did not win at Milwaukee, Ruettiman won

Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Originally Posted by kruser:
Pierce did not win at Milwaukee, Ruettiman won

Yes, that was in 2006 when Aaron Pierce crossed the finish line first, but was penalized one lap for rough driving after bumping Brian Tyler out of the way in turn three on the last lap. Wayne Reuttiman, Jr. crossed the line in 2nd, but was awarded the victory.

Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Weren't the Speedway cars considered the "Gold Crown"?

Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
Weren't the Speedway cars considered the "Gold Crown"?

No, that was Bruce Ashmore's proposed series to use the Speedway Silver Crown cars after USAC went back to the traditional cars. The Gold Crown Series never got off the ground, but I did see Brian Tyler test one of the cars at the Milwaukee Mile in 2011. Haven't heard or seen anything about the Gold Crown series since then.

Yes, that sounds right. There was even a Test for the Gold Crown car at Putnam Park on a road course! Aaron might have done that test.

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Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Originally Posted by richie:
No, that was Bruce Ashmore's proposed series to use the Speedway Silver Crown cars after USAC went back to the traditional cars. The Gold Crown Series never got off the ground, but I did see Brian Tyler test one of the cars at the Milwaukee Mile in 2011. Haven't heard or seen anything about the Gold Crown series since then.

Heard Brian talking about that car after testing it around Milwaukee and he said it was the worst handling car he had ever driven...

Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

After the CART split, USAC did name the pavement (Indy cars) division Gold Crown at the same time they named the dirt division Silver Crown (circa 1979????). I don't know how long they referred to the Indy cars as Gold Crown but, it was very brief at best.

The Silver Crown Series started in 1971 with George "Ziggy" Snider taking the title. He also Won the 1981 and 1982 Gold Crown titles. Those were the last years of other pavement tracks being included in the Championship besides Indy of course. As long as USAC sanctioned the 500 in the 80s and 90s, they called it the Gold Crown series until the IRL took over in 1996. USAC still officiated the early years of the IRL though.

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Re: Fastest Silver Crown driver? Aaron Pierce
 

Originally Posted by cecil98:
After the CART split, USAC did name the pavement (Indy cars) division Gold Crown at the same time they named the dirt division Silver Crown (circa 1979????). I don't know how long they referred to the Indy cars as Gold Crown but, it was very brief at best.

Believe it or not, the Gold Crown "Championship" actually went all the way through 1995.

From 1981-1984, the series was a combination of Silver Crown races and Indy Car races with the series' points concluding at the Indianapolis 500. For example, the 1981-82 schedule had races at Pocono, Springfield, DuQuoin, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and the Indianapolis 500-mile race.

From 1985-1995, the Gold Crown points standings were only taken from one race: the Indianapolis 500.

Here is your history of the USAC Gold Crown Champions:
1981-82 - George Snider
1982-83 - Tom Sneva
1983-84 - Rick Mears
1985 - Danny Sullivan
1986 - Bobby Rahal
1987 - Al Unser
1988 - Rick Mears
1989 - Emerson Fittipaldi
1990 - Arie Luyendyk
1991 - Rick Mears
1992 - Al Unser, Jr.
1993 - Emerson Fittipaldi
1994 - Al Unser, Jr.
1995 - Jacques Villeneuve