By Dick Jordan
The “Hoosier Hundred” is next on the calendar for USAC’s Silver Crown Championship Series. The May 21 race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis continues a tradition now 62 years deep. Defending race winner Kody Swanson, last year’s series champion, appears to again be the pre-race favorite after winning the 2015 series opener Friday night at Toledo, Ohio.
Swanson and the DePalma Motorsports Radio Hospital/Hampshire Racing Engines Beast/Chevy lead the 2015 standings after leading all 100 laps of Friday’s Hemelgarn Super Fitness “Rollie Beale Classic” at Toledo Speedway. Jacob Wilson finished second ahead of A.J. Fike, Jerry Coons Jr. and Aaron Pierce.
Swanson’s brother Tanner had just inched ahead of Kody at the start/finish line at the end of lap 49 before he was involved in a spectacular crash into the catch fence in turn one. He emerged uninjured.
The victory was Swanson’s sixth in his last 11 Silver Crown starts and he started from the pole after posting the ProSource fast qualifying time.
The May 21 Hoosier Hundred is part of a busy week for USAC participants which also includes the May 23 Silver Crown race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. The May 23 race is slated to take the green flag at 1:30 p.m.
2015 USAC Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Kody Swanson-66, 2-Jacob Wilson-57, 3-A.J. Fike-54, 4-Jerry Coons Jr.-51, 5-Aaron Pierce-48, 6-David Byrne-45, 7-Austin Nemire-42, 8-Dave Baumgartner-39, 9-Tracy Hines-36, 10-Rex Norris III-33.