By Dick Jordan
Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. hosts round four of the 2014 USAC Silver Crown Championship Series June 14 and if past precedent is any indicator a driver named Swanson will probably end up in victory lane.
Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. claimed his second win of the young season Thursday night at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, winning the prestigious “Hoosier Hundred” on the mile dirt oval. He earlier won the series opening race at Terre Haute, Ind. April 6, while brother Tanner claimed the May 17 USAC “Hall of Fame Classic” at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.
Thursday’s victory in the DePalma Motorsports Radio Hospital Maxim/Hampshire leaves Kody holding a 12-point lead in the new standings over runner-up Tracy Hines, the pole winner at the “Hoosier Hundred” and third-place finisher.
Defending series champion Bobby East took second Thursday after leading the first 77 laps of the race. Swanson led the final 23 laps after wresting the lead from East on lap 78.
Thursday’s race was halted on lap 30 when John Hunt flipped in turn three. He escaped injury.
The June 14 Gateway race is held in conjunction with the track’s NASCAR Camping World Truck race and it marks the seventh appearance of USAC’s Silver Crown cars at the Illinois oval. Bobby Santos won last year’s race there, while previous Gateway winners include Dave Steele in 2001, Hines in 2000, Ryan Newman in 1999, J.J. Yeley in 1998 and Pat Abold in 1997.
2014 USAC Silver Crown Standings:1-Kody Swanson-180, 2-Tracy Hines-168, 3-Bobby East-147, 4-Chris Windom-120, 5-A.J. Fike-108, 6-Jerry Coons Jr.-105, 7-Zach Daum-93, 8-Shane Cockrum-93, 9-Jacob Wilson-87, 10-Christopher Bell-81.