SEAVEY BIDS FOR USAC SILVER CROWN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WITH RICE
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (May 26, 2021)………Logan Seavey, who received his introduction to USAC Silver Crown racing one year ago, solely on the dirt, will add pavement to the mix in 2021, as he attempts to earn Rookie of the Year honors with the series for Rice Motorsports.
Seavey’s Silver Crown season begins this Thursday, May 27, on the dirt at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track with his series debut on the pavement coming the following night, Friday, May 28, at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind.
The Sutter, California native will attempt to become just the second driver to earn the Rookie of the Year award in USAC Silver Crown, AMSOIL National Sprint Car and NOS Energy Drink National Midgets in his career. Only 1999 USAC Silver Crown champion and 18-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Ryan Newman has previously achieved the feat.
Seavey previously won Rookie of the Year with the USAC Sprints and Midgets in 2018, with his Rookie midget campaign also netting him the overall series championship.
The results of Seavey’s first three career Silver Crown starts were superb in 2020 with a 10th at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway, a 3rd at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and an 8th at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and was the lone Rookie to score top-tens in all three dirt races to finish 11th overall in the standings.
The hot start and the solid results have presented reasonably high expectations for the Seavey/Rice pairing to achieve even more success in the coming season, and Seavey believes the team is even more prepared for the challenge this year.
“I got into a car that worked the way it was supposed to,” Seavey recalled. “Everyone knew what to expect on the dirt and it was the same for me as a driver. The cars are a lot bigger and have a little bit less horsepower, which some people say is harder and some people say is easier. I don’t really know. It’s just a different racecar to me. For the most part, (the learning curve) wasn’t too hard. The length of the races is really cool to me; I really love the longer races. Overall, we had a really good first year and there really isn’t any reason we shouldn’t be able to back it up and run up front again.”
Car owner Robbie Rice is a veteran of three Silver Crown starts and 85 with the USAC National Sprint Cars as a driver during the 1990s and 2000s. Rice, the son of 1977 & 1981 Silver Crown champion Larry Rice, feels most confident in his third year as a series entrant with Seavey as his driver and a crew consisting of expert car builder Joe Devin and five-time USAC Western States Midget champion driver Ronnie Gardner.
“Rice Motorsports was coined by my dad over 25 years ago,” Robbie explained. “I’m extremely excited to start this new adventure in what was my dad's favorite division. Without the help of Fatheadz Eyewear and Lucas Oil Products, this wouldn't be possible. We’ve added a Beast pavement car to the team, to go along with our DRC dirt car and hope to learn a lot in 2021. Having the experience of Joe and Ronnie working on the cars, I feel confident we will give Logan the opportunity to showcase his driving skills in well prepared cars. Obviously, the pavement will be a huge learning curve this year for us, but we are ready for the challenge.“
Seavey’s pavement experience is limited to stock cars and late models, as well as laps in a Silver Crown test a couple weeks ago and admitted that it’ll be a learning curve for everybody on the team on that side of the equation, but they’re prepared to take on the task.
“Our main goal is to win a race on the dirt and to finish all the pavement races and get as many pavement laps in as possible,” Seavey stated. “Hopefully, a few races in on the pavement, or by the end of the year, we’ll be running with the front pack. It’s new for me and new for the team I’m racing with, so we’re pretty green and just trying to learn.”
On Thursday’s Sumar Classic at Terre Haute, the pits open at 2pm EDT, grandstands at 3pm, hot laps at 6:30pm with racing to follow. Adult general admission tickets are $30. Infield admission is $20. Pit passes are $35. Scott’s Custom Colors DIRTcar Modifieds will also be in action.
Advance tickets for both the Sumar Classic and the preceding night’s Tony Hulman Classic USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car race at Terre Haute on Wednesday, May 26, are on sale now at www.tracpass.com. Tickets will also be available at the gate on each race day.
For Friday’s Carb Night Classic at Lucas Oil Raceway, the gates open at 3pm EDT with midget practice taking place at 3-3:25pm & 4:50-5:15; Silver Crown practice at 3:30-3:55pm & 5:20-5:45pm; USF2000 practice form 4:05-4:20pm and Indy Pro 2000 practice from 4:25-4:40pm. Midget qualifying takes place from 5:50-6:20pm followed by Silver Crown qualifying from 6:25-6:55pm.
Opening ceremonies commence at 6:55-7:05pm with the main events immediately following: USF2000’s Freedom 75 at 7:05pm; the Indy Pro 2000 Freedom 90 at 8:05pm; the 30-lap Midget feature at 9:05pm and the finale, the 100-lap Silver Crown race at 9:35pm.
Adult tickets (age 13 and older) are $25 at https://lucasoilraceway.com/carbnightclassic/. Pit passes are $35 apiece. Lot 2 parking is $10, and camping is free. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
The Sumar Classic and the Carb Night Classic USAC Silver Crown events will be streamed live on FloRacing at https://bit.ly/3dgONXz.