From Dick Jordan
There might be a new cow in Brian Tyler’s pen in North Carolina and after this weekend it’s name might just be Belleville!
The most experienced TRAXXAS USAC Silver Crown driver in history, Tyler is among top favorites for Friday night’s “Hustle on the High Banks” at the Belleville High Banks in Kansas. The race marks the debut of the series at the venerable half-mile dirt oval which has hosted one of the nation’s signature Midget events since 1979.
Part of this year’s “Belleville Midget Nationals” fare is Friday’s 50-lap Silver Crown race, which will be Tyler’s USAC record 186th Silver Crown start. He has 17 wins, which ranks second all-time, as well as 14 seconds and six thirds, which means a “podium” finish every five starts over the last 24 seasons!
Recently Tyler started adding cows on his North Carolina ranch after his victories. He already has a Springfield and a DuQuoin among others and he’d like nothing better than to name one Belleville!
Two of Tyler’s 17 wins have come on dirt tracks shorter than a mile in length. In 2002 he won the “4-Crown Nationals” at Rossburg, Ohio and two years later he won the “Sumar Classic” at Terre Haute, Ind.
It remains to be seen if he wins at Belleville whether he’ll actually load up a cow at the North Central Kansas Free Fair and cart it back home.
He’ll have plenty of competition Friday, including series point leader Kody Swanson, who will pilot the Eddie Sachs entry, his third different car this season, as he tries to protect his point lead of 11 points over defending series champion Bobby East, who drives for USAC Triple Crown Champion Tony Stewart and Curb-Agajanian.
Tyler is sixth in the latest point standings, just 32 behind Swanson as he pursues what would be his first series championship. His last series win came in the 2011 “Tony Bettenhausen 100” at Springfield, Ill.
Also, Tyler is powered by Ignite Ethanol fuel, which would be worth a $5,000 cash bonus if he wins or a $2,500 cash bonus if he is the highest finishing car utilizing Ignite fuel.
Three-time defending Belleville Midget Nationals champion and USAC Triple Crown champ Jerry Coons Jr. is also among top Silver Crown drivers, as well as fellow Triple Crown champ Dave Darland and Tracy Hines, who just posted his 87th USAC National victory last Saturday in the “Rich Vogler Classic” Midget race in Indianapolis, Ind.