“ROLLIE BEALE CLASSIC” SILVER CROWN OPENER AT TOLEDO

Friday’s Hemelgarn Super Fitness “Rollie Beale Classic” at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway honors the memory of the 1973 USAC Sprint Car Champion who called Toledo his home. Rollie passed away in 2014.

Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. opens defense of his 2014 USAC Silver Crown Championship in Friday’s 100-lapper at the half-mile paved oval. Also on the bill at Toledo are the USAC HPD Midwest Midgets.

Swanson won the 2011 “Rollie Beale Classic” while Jerry Coons Jr. captured the 2010 and 2012 classics.

Friday’s race kicks off the 11-race Silver Crown calendar which also includes races in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois and New York.

Expected to challenge Swanson and Coons in the Toledo opener are former series champion Tracy Hines, 2014 series race winners Tanner Swanson, Bobby Santos and David Byrne, plus former series race winners A.J. Fike and Aaron Pierce.

Swanson holds the existing one-lap Toledo Silver Crown record of 121.548 mph set in 2011. Coons set the 100-lap standard of 110.606 mph in 2012.

Grandstands open at 5pm while racing is slated to begin at 7:30pm. Adult tickets are $25. Kids age 6-12 are $3 at the gate. Admission for children 5 and under is free!