By Richie Murray
Winchester, Indiana (April 30, 2025)………Three past Winchester Speedway winners and a whole host of hungry others will take on the legendary high banks for this Sunday’s May 4 USAC Silver Crown Rich Vogler Classic at the eastern Indiana speed plant well-known for its high speeds, high intensity and high drama.
Among the 17 entries in the field are three drivers who have previously tamed the 37-degree high banks in their career.
Kody Swanson enters as the winner of the past three USAC Silver Crown races at Winchester in 2022-2023-2024 and has captured the pole position in all four. Current series point leader Justin Grant scored the win in a photo finish over Swanson in the inaugural Silver Crown round at Winchester in 2021. Brian Tyler makes his return to the series following a three-year absence. He captured a pair of USAC Sprint Car wins at the track in 1997-1998.
Another pair of drivers would like to jump over the hump after garnering runner-up finishes in recent USAC Silver Crown outings at Winchester, including Logan Seavey (2nd in 2022) and Bobby Santos (2nd in 2023 & 2024).
Previous Winchester USAC Silver Crown podium finishers Taylor Ferns (3rd in 2022) and C.J. Leary (3rd in 2024) will also take on the banks this Sunday as will Kaylee Bryson (7th in 2023) and Jackson Macenko (10th in 2024).
Back in the field for Sunday are those who have previous Winchester Silver Crown starts. The list includes Nathan Byrd (11th in 2022 & 2024), Matt Westfall (13th in 2023), Gregg Cory (13th in 2024), Dakoda Armstrong (14th in 2024), Kyle Steffens (15th in 2024), Dave Berkheimer (19th in 2021) and Tyler Roahrig (22nd in 2024).
Meanwhile, Jake Trainor is the lone driver in Sunday’s lineup without previous USAC Silver Crown experience at Winchester. However, earlier this week, he partook in a test with his Klatt Enterprises team to get some laps under his belt heading into race day.
RACE DETAILS
An open practice will be held for all teams on Saturday, May 3 from 1-4pm Eastern.
On Sunday, May 4, USAC Silver Crown on-track action gets underway at 11:10am Eastern with the first practice, followed by the second Silver Crown practice at 12:15pm. Silver Crown qualifying is scheduled for 1:30pm with an autograph session at 2:45pm, opening ceremonies at 3:15pm and the 100-lap Silver Crown main event slated for a 3:30pm green flag.
Tickets will be sold at the gate on race day. General admission tickets are $30 (ages 18 and up), $10 (ages 13-17) and free (ages 12 and under).
Tickets are also available in advance at: https://www.winchester-speedway.com/. Reserved seating is $35 (ages 12 and up), $15 for children. A weekend camping spot is $30.
The 33rd running of the Rich Vogler Classic will feature the USAC Silver Crown National Championship, plus Modifieds, Thunder Roadsters & Vintage Cars.
The event can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac.
SUNDAY, MAY 4 WINCHESTER USAC SILVER CROWN ENTRY LIST:
5 Dakoda Armstrong/New Castle, IN (C & A Motorsports)
6 (R) Jake Trainor/Medway, MA (Klatt Enterprises)
8 Kyle Steffens/St. Charles, MO (Steffens Motorsports)
21 C.J. Leary/Greenfield, IN (Team AZ-Petty-Rossi Racing)
22 Logan Seavey/Sutter, CA (Rice Motorsports-Abacus Racing)
26 Kaylee Bryson/Muskogee, OK (Sam Pierce Racing)
31 Dave Berkheimer/Mechanicsburg, PA (Dave Berkheimer Motorsports)
32 Gregg Cory/Shelbyville, IN (Williams-Cory Racing)
40 Nathan Byrd/Goodyear, AZ (Meyer Auto Research)
41 Tyler Roahrig/Plymouth, IN (Newman Racing)
54 Matt Westfall/Pleasant Hill, OH (4 Kings Racing)
55 Taylor Ferns/Shelby Township, MI (Taylor Ferns Racing)
77 Kody Swanson/Kingsburg, CA (Doran Binks Racing)
81 Brian Tyler/Parma, MI (BCR Group)
91 Justin Grant/Ione, CA (Hemelgarn Racing)
98 Bobby Santos/Franklin, MA (DJ Racing)
124 (R) Jackson Macenko/Cincinnati, OH (Brad Hayes Racing)
(R) represents a USAC Silver Crown Rookie
PAST USAC SILVER CROWN RESULTS AT WINCHESTER:
2021 FEATURE: (100 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Justin Grant (5), 2. Kody Swanson (1), 3. Bobby Santos (2), 4. Aaron Pierce (3), 5. Kyle O’Gara (15), 6. Travis Welpott (7), 7. Matt Goodnight (8), 8. Kyle Robbins (11), 9. Derek Bischak (12), 10. David Byrne (6), 11. Logan Seavey (14), 12. Austin Nemire (10), 13. Shane Cottle (9), 14. Nathan Byrd (13), 15. Eric Gordon (4), 16. Mike Haggenbottom (18), 17. Mike McVetta (16), 18. Patrick Lawson (17), 19. Dave Berkheimer (19). 37:06.331
2022 FEATURE: (100 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kody Swanson (1), 2. Logan Seavey (6), 3. Taylor Ferns (8), 4. C.J. Leary (19), 5. Brian Tyler (12), 6. Derek Bischak (10), 7. Mike McVetta (14), 8. Kyle Robbins (7), 9. Travis Welpott (13), 10. Kyle O’Gara (9), 11. Nathan Byrd (15), 12. Matt Goodnight (11), 13. Mario Clouser (16), 14. Justin Grant (4), 15. Gregg Cory (17), 16. Chris Windom (2), 17. Bobby Santos (3), 18. Eric Gordon (5), 19. Jake Day (20), 20. Tom Paterson (18), 21. Dave Berkheimer (21). 35:44.816
2023 FEATURE: (100 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kody Swanson (1), 2. Bobby Santos (5), 3. Derek Bischak (7), 4. C.J. Leary (6), 5. Davey Hamilton Jr. (9), 6. Billy Wease (11), 7. Kaylee Bryson (13), 8. Caleb Armstrong (4), 9. Mario Clouser (15), 10. Kyle O’Gara (14), 11. Travis Welpott (16), 12. Logan Seavey (2), 13. Matt Westfall (18), 14. Kyle Robbins (8), 15. Taylor Ferns (10), 16. Trey Burke (19), 17. Kyle Steffens (20), 18. Aaron Pierce (3), 19. Mike McVetta (23), 20. Matt Goodnight (17), 21. Nathan Byrd (12), 22. Dave Berkheimer (22), 23. Gregg Cory (21), 24. Tom Paterson (24). NT
2024 FEATURE: (100 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kody Swanson (1), 2. Bobby Santos (5), 3. C.J. Leary (6), 4. Jus-tin Grant (7), 5. Taylor Ferns (3), 6. Logan Seavey (4), 7. Davey Hamilton Jr. (14), 8. Kyle Robbins (12), 9. Trey Osborne (16), 10. Jackson Macenko (15), 11. Nathan Byrd (19), 12. Kaylee Bryson (11), 13. Gregg Cory (20), 14. Dakoda Armstrong (2), 15. Kyle Steffens (18), 16. Derek Bischak (8), 17. Mario Clouser (10), 18. Trey Burke (9), 19. Travis Welpott (13), 20. Dave Berkheimer (21), 21. Nathan Moore (22), 22. Tyler Roahrig (17). 36:25.647