By Dick Jordan
Only two races remain in the 2012 TRAXXAS USAC Silver Crown Series and three drivers are separated by only 13 points entering this Saturday’s “4-Crown Nationals” at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The season is scheduled to conclude with the October 13 “Sumar Classic 100” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track.
Jerry Coons Jr., third in the current standings, is the only one of the three leaders with a previous “4-Crown” victory. He won the Silver Crown race in 2007, the Sprint race in 2009 and the Midget race in 2010. Coons, one of five USAC “Triple Crown” champions, won the 2008 Silver Crown title.
Kody Swanson is the point leader pursuing his initial USAC National championship, while Bobby East, the 2004 USAC National Midget king, is also seeking his first Silver Crown title.
Mathematically, Tanner Swanson, Bud Kaeding and Bobby Santos are also title threats but each needs a measure of success at Eldora to vault to the top of the heap.
Swanson has a trio of second-place finishes this season and a pair of poles in his bid for the championship. East won at Iowa Speedway and was second at Toledo and third at Raceway Park in Indianapolis, while Coons won at Toledo and at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Kyle Larson is the defending “4-Crown” champion, sweeping all three USAC features at the half-mile dirt oval last September.
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.