From USAC
USAC’s Silver Crown Championship Series showcases the nation’s top open-wheel drivers in back-to-back spectaculars this week as the nation’s racing capital welcomes race fans from around the world for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
Thursday night’s (May 26) 62nd “Hoosier Hundred” continues a tradition started in 1953 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis and Friday night’s (May 27) “Carb Night Classic” extends the rich history of Silver Crown racing at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg. Thursday’s dirt-track outing concludes with a 100-mile feature and Friday’s pavement appearance at LOR also has a 100-lap main event.
The back-to-back events on the Silver Crown schedule mark a rare occurrence in the history of the series. Since 1971, only three times has the Silver Crown Series raced at different tracks in consecutive days.
In 1974, Mario Andretti took home both of the weekend’s 100-mile races at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia and the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield in his Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing number 2 on August 17-18. J.J. Yeley swept 100-lappers on consecutive nights on May 22-23 of 2003 at Lucas Oil Raceway (then called Indianapolis Raceway Park) and the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis in Bob East & Tony Stewart’s number 9. The last occasion came in 2008 when Dave Darland won on the dirt at Terre Haute and Bobby East won on the pavement at Lucas Oil Raceway.
Two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champion Kody Swanson will try to become only the third driver in Hoosier Hundred history to claim a third race win. Jimmy Bryan won three in a row in 1954-1956 and Al Unser won four straight from 1970-1973. Swanson has now won nine of the last 22 Silver Crown races dating back to the start of the 2014 campaign as he collected series championships in both 2014 and 2015.
Swanson enters the race third in the latest Silver Crown standings behind Justin Grant and C.J. Leary, son of 1997 “Hoosier Hundred” winner Chuck Leary. Grant is the leader by virtue of his performance in the series-opening race at Terre Haute, Ind. in April, although 2015 series “Rookie of the Year” Leary won the Terre Haute opener. Grant’s lead over Leary is just three points. Grant won the pole and led 93 laps before finishing second to Leary at Terre Haute.
Former “Hoosier Hundred” champions Jerry Coons Jr., Dave Darland and Jeff Swindell are expected to join Swanson in the field Thursday. Coons won the 2011 and 2012 classics, Swindell was the victor in 1991 and 1993, while Darland won the Hoosier Hundred in 1995, 1996 and 2004.
Friday night’s “Carb Night Classic…The Race Before the 500” at Lucas Oil Raceway opens the pavement Silver Crown slate for 2016 and Swanson will also be a favorite there, but he’ll have to contend with brother Tanner, who swept both LOR Silver Crown appearances last year and also took the May race there in 2014. Tanner’s LOR dominance has included a total of 419 laps led in the last five races at the Brownsburg oval! Joining the Silver Crown cars will be complete events for two series from the Mazda Road to Indy: The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.
David Byrne, the surprise winner at LOR in July of 2014, is expected to again challenge for Friday night’s victory. Bobby Santos, who captured both races at LOR in 2012, also figures to be a top candidate for victory May 27.
Drivers will aim for Johnny Parsons’ official 1-lap Indiana State Fairgrounds track record of 114.726 mph established in 1995 while Jason Leffler continues to be the standard-bearer at Lucas Oil Raceway after qualifying there in 2000 at 121.667 mph.
For Thursday’s “Hoosier Hundred,” pit gates will open at noon, grandstands at 3:00, with hot laps set to begin at 5:00. Racing begins with the UMP Modifieds at 7:00 with the Hoosier 100 scheduled for an 8:00 green flag. Reserved seating for adults is available for $25 and can be purchased by calling the Track Enterprises office, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, or through Ticketmaster. At the gate, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for kids 11 and under. Infield tickets are available for adults at $15 apiece while children 11 and under are $5.
On Friday at Lucas Oil Raceway, pits will open early in the morning at 9:00am. Grandstands open up at 2:45pm, with Silver Crown practice set to begin at 3:00. USF2000 and Pro Mazda qualifying fires off at 4:00 while Silver Crown qualifications push off at 5:05. Features racing begins at 6:10 with USF2000 and the Pro Mazda Series at 7:10. The green flag for the Silver Crown 100-lapper is scheduled to drop at 8:15. General admission tickets will be available on race day at the gate for $25 (Adult) and $10 (Kids 11 & Under).
A great deal is available for those who don’t want to miss a single lap of “The Week Of Indy”. A Superticket is being sold for a savings of 25% off of the regular three day prices. For just $60, a savings of $20, a fan will receive general admission at Terre Haute and Lucas Oil Raceway as well as a reserved seat for the “Hoosier Hundred.” To purchase a Superticket, visit https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/the-week-of-indy or call 217-764-3200.
“HOOSIER HUNDRED” TENTATIVE ENTRY LIST
0 MITCH WISSMILLER/Saybrook, IL
Matt Barker – Ruthe Thackery/Barker-Thackery/Beast/Chevy
00 TERRY BABB/Decatur, IL
Terry Babb/APT Powder Coating – Flat-Out Ministries/Beast/Chevy
07 JACOB WILSON/Crawfordsville, IN
Wilson Brothers Racing/Jet Star – Anderson Transport/Beast/Claxton Toyota
3 A.J. FIKE/Galesburg, IL
RFMS Racing/Liberty Village – McGladrey/Beast/Foxco
5 J.C. BLAND/Springfield, IL
Bland Brothers Enterprises/Sam’s Speed Shop – Bland Brothers Enterprises/Drinan/BBE Chevy
6 BRYAN CLAUSON/Noblesville, IN
Klatt Enterprises/Cancer Treatment Centers of America – JB Restaurant Hospitality Group/Beast/Ford
7 NEIL SHEPHERD/Warsaw, IN
Neil Shepherd/Shepherd Firearms – Claxton Engines/Claxton Toyota
8 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA
Chris Carli/Joe’s Racing Products – Wilwood Engeineering/DRC/Claxton Chevy
14 BRIAN TYLER/Mount Pleasant, NC
Dennis & Dave McQuinn/McQuinn Motorsports – Cashless Racing/JR-1/Chevy
17 DAVE DARLAND/Lincoln, IN
Michael Dutcher Motorsports/RW Modular – Griffin’s Propane/Beast/Toyota
18 KENNY GENTRY/Henderson, KY
Kenny Gentry/Engler Machine & Tool – KVKK Racing/Beast/Gentry Chevy
20 JERRY COONS JR./Tucson, AZ
Nolen Racing/KECO – Columbus Container/Maxim/Tranter Chevy
21 JEFF SWINDELL/Germantown, TN
Swanson Racing/Jet Star – Rosewood Machine & Tool/Beast/Chevy
23 TERRY JAMES/St. Louis, MO
Todd Satterthwaite/Todd’s Machine Shop/Magnum/Chevy
25 DAVEY RAY/Davenport, IA
Eddie Sachs Racing/Mecum Auctions – Checkered Flag Tavern/Beast/Team RAYPRO Chevy
26 AARON PIERCE/Muncie, IN
Sam Pierce/Sam Pierce Chevrolet – Tom Cherry Mufflers/Beast/Pierce Chevy
27 BILLY PUTERBAUGH JR./Indianapolis, IN
Carla & Steve Phillips/Roberts Tech Jobs – TBA Oil & Warehouse/Phillips/Foxco Chevy
29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL
Joey Moughan/Conaway Handyman Service – Moughan Electric/Maxim/Claxton Mopar
30 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN
Leary-6R Racing/Leary Construction – AMSOIL/DRC/Claxton Toyota
31 DAVE BERKHEIMER/Mechanicsburg, PA
Berkheimer Racing/Subway Auto Body – Cease Auctioneers/Drinan/Chevy
40 DAVID BYRNE/Shullsburg, WI
Byrne Racing/Stoops Freightliner-Truck Country – Bytec Resource Management/J & D/Chevy
44 DANNY LONG/Bonne Terre, MO
Danny Long/Farmington Auto Plaza – DMR Motorsports/Beast/Chevy
48 BRADY BACON/Broken Arrow, OK
Paul Martens/Martens Machine Shop/Maxim/Kistler Chevy
51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN
Gamester Racing/Gamester Green Gable Village/GRP/Toyota
53 STEVE BUCKWALTER/Royersford, PA
SET Racing/Heroes West Sports Grill/Beast/Brown Chevy
55 CASEY SHUMAN/Tempe, AZ
Patty Bateman/Circle K Convenience Stores/Beast/Chevy
58 JOE LIGUORI/Tampa, FL
Ralph Liguori/Sunshine Trailer Park – Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/DRC/Kercher Chevy
63 KODY SWANSON/Kingsburg, CA
DePalma Motorsports/Radio Hospital – Champion Oil/Maxim/Hampshire Chevy
71 SHANE COCKRUM/Benton, IL
Hardy Boys Motorsports/Financial Transportation Services – Infinity Shocks-Simpson Racing
77 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL
Chris Urish/Elkhart Fertilizer – Pacesetter Solutions/Beast/Foxco Chevy
81 SHANE COTTLE/Kokomo, IN
Curtis Williams/Roger Williams Precision Engines – QS Components/Maxim/Chevy
84 TAD ROACH/Granite City, IL
Scott Spivey/Lloyd Racing Enterprises – Malibu Art Tile & Stone/Stealth/Chevy
88 CHRIS FETTER/Troy, MO
Fetter Tile LLC/Fetter Tile – F & S Collision Repair/Beast/Foxco
91 AUSTIN NEMIRE/Sylvania, OH
Hemelgarn Enterprises/Hemelgarn Enterprises/J & J/Ford
98 CHRIS WINDOM/Canton, IL
RPM-Fred Gormly/RPM Auto Enterprise/Maxim/J & D
99 MARK SMITH/Sunbury, PA
RPM-Fred Gormly/RPM Auto Enterprise – Seals-It Indy Race Parts/JEI/Foxco Chevy