By Dick Jordan
The “4-Crown Nationals,” as it has been for so many years due to its September date, again promises to be pivotal in the battle for the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown championship. A 50-lap feature is on tap at the half-mile Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio Saturday.
Capping Saturday’s USAC “tripleheader,” the race offers a showdown between defending series champion Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. and former champion Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., who trails by just six points with 66 available Saturday.
Jones was third in last year’s “4-Crown” feature, while Coons was 14th. Jones’ Tony Stewart Racing teammate, Bryan Clauson, is the defending race winner, having led all 50 laps of last year’s race.
Tracy Hines ranks third in the standings, but trails Jones by 52 and needs a good finish coupled with problems for the frontrunners to move into contention entering the October 15 “Rollie Beale 150” series finale at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway.
Former “4-Crown” Silver Crown champs Clauson, Dave Darland (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009), Coons (2007) and Brian Tyler (2002) are all expected to be in Saturday’s field. Coons (Hoosier Hundred) and Tyler (Springfield) have already posted 2011 series victories.
Josh Wise retains the 1-lap Eldora track qualifying record for Silver Crown cars at 117.386 mph, set in 2005.
USAC TRAXXAS SILVER CROWN POINT STANDINGS
1-Levi Jones-309; 2-Jerry Coons Jr.-303; 3-Tracy Hines-257; 4-Brian Tyler-256; 5-Kyle Larson-254; 6-Bud Kaeding-252; 7-Tanner Swanson-242; 8-Bobby East-219; 9-Derek Hagar-160; 10-Bryan Clauson-158.