By Dick Jordan
One of the closest point races in USAC Traxxas Silver Crown series history will augment next Sunday night’s (September 2) “Ted Horn 100” at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds.
Less than 50 points separate the top seven drivers in the standings going into the 100-mile contest on the beautiful 1-mile dirt oval. Of those seven only one has won at DuQuoin in the past, but that driver is series point leader Kody Swanson, the 2010 race winner.
Swanson, of Kingsburg, Calif., has a slim four-point lead over Bobby East, while Jerry Coons Jr. is 13 back. Defending two-time series champ Levi Jones is 32 behind, while Tanner Swanson, Kody’s brother, trails the leader by 43. Bud Kaeding is also 43 back and Bobby Santos is 49 in arrears. A total of 66 points are available at DuQuoin.
Swanson will be joined in Sunday’s race by former DuQuoin winners Brian Tyler (2008), Tracy Hines (2005 and 2006), Rich Tobias Jr. (2003) and Russ Gamester (1997).
Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif. won last year’s running of the “Ted Horn 100,” which honors the memory of the three-time AAA National Driving Champion who lost his life at DuQuoin in 1948.
The DuQuoin race is one of America’s most revered, having been won by drivers like Indianapolis 500 champions Lee Wallard, Johnnie Parsons, Sam Hanks, Jimmy Bryan, Rodger Ward, A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Al Unser.
Sunday’s race is round seven of the 2012 Traxxas Silver Crown championship. Race winners this year have included Bobby Santos (2), Jerry Coons Jr. (2), Bobby East and A.J. Fike, the Galesburg, Ill. driver who won the August 18 “Tony Bettenhausen 100” at Springfield.
Fike is expected to be joined in the DuQuoin field by fellow Illini drivers Levi Jones (Olney), Randy Bateman (Murphysboro), Chris Urish (Elkhart), Shane Cockrum (Benton) and Steve Adams (Cooks Mills).
Drivers will be aiming at Tyler Walker’s 1-lap track qualifying record of 123.500 mph set in 2004, while Johnny Parsons holds the 100-mile race record of 107.047 mph set in 1992.
2012 USAC TRAXXAS SILVER CROWN STANDINGS
1-Kody Swanson-302; 2-Bobby East-298; 3-Jerry Coons Jr.-289; 4-Levi Jones-270; 5-Tanner Swanson-259; 6-Bud Kaeding-259; 7-Bobby Santos-253; 8-A.J. Fike-221; 9-Tracy Hines-217; 10-Brian Tyler-192.