SANTOS READY TO DEFEND “HALL OF FAME” CLASSIC TITLE

Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. is the defending champion of this Saturday’s USAC “Hall of Fame Classic” Silver Crown Championship race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind. He won the 2012 inaugural while last year’s race fell to the elements.

Santos will be starting his 30th career Silver Crown race and has four victories to his credit, including the 2012 Lucas Oil 100-lapper. Three of those wins came at Lucas Oil, in 2009 and twice in 2012, while his latest triumph came in last year’s race at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill.

Saturday he’ll face a formidable field, which includes former Silver Crown race winners A.J. Fike, Bobby East, Tanner Swanson, Tracy Hines, Chris Windom and Kody Swanson. Tanner Swanson won last year’s July race at Lucas Oil Raceway.

The third scheduled “Hall of Fame Classic” also includes the third annual induction ceremony for USAC’s Hall of Fame, which began in 2012. This year’s inductees include two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rodger Ward, drivers Rollie Beale, Don Branson, Larry Dickson, Jud Larson, Norm Nelson, Eddie Sachs and Bob Wente, official Bob Stroud, mechanic George Bignotti, car owner Gus Hoffman and race organizer Don Smith.

Kody Swanson is the 2014 USAC Silver Crown point leader, the series presented by TRAXXAS. Swanson won the Sumar Classic at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track in April and has a three-point lead over Tracy Hines, who owns more Lucas Oil Raceway USAC wins than any ever driver in history. His 13 wins there include a 2010 Silver Crown 100-lapper.