SWANSON BEGINS QUEST FOR USAC HISTORY SUNDAY IN TERRE HAUTE’S “SUMAR CLASSIC” SILVER CROWN OPENER
Kody Swanson hopes to become the first driver in history to claim three consecutive USAC Silver Crown championships when he begins his quest this Sunday, April 3rd at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track as the 2016 series debuts with the 100-lap “Sumar Classic” at the half-mile dirt oval located at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.
Kingsburg, California’s Swanson could become just the third driver to claim a third series title, joining Jimmy Sills (1990-1994-1996) and Bud Kaeding (2006-2007-2009).
Swanson scored three dirt-track victories on his way to the 2015 Silver Crown title, but Terre Haute wasn’t one of them. After winning the pole, he only managed a seventh-place run behind race winner Shane Cockrum. In 2014, Kody won the “Sumar Classic” on his way to his first USAC championship.
Cockrum, of Benton, Illinois, emerged as a true title contender last year and will certainly be one to watch in this year’s race. He added a Du Quoin, (Illinois) State Fairgrounds victory to his Terre Haute win and took fifth in the final 2015 standings.
The field for the race in Terre Haute includes a strong contingent of cars and drivers including two-time Indianapolis 500 veteran Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. Three former “Sumar Classic” winners are among those expected to compete: the aforementioned two most recent “Sumar” winners Cockrum and Swanson, as well as Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland, who won the race in 2008.
Jerry Coons Jr., of Tucson, Ariz., the 2008 USAC Silver Crown champion, is entered for the race along with Chris Windom of Canton, Ill., who won last year’s Silver Crown event at the Belleville (Kans.) High Banks.
Among other drivers to keep an eye on include 2015 Silver Crown top-ten point standings’ finishers C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Ind.), Austin Nemire (Sylvania, OH), Justin Grant (Ione, Calif) and David Byrne (Shullsburg, Wisc.) as well as Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Okla., a 2014 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car winner the Terre Haute Action Track.
This Sunday’s 16th edition of the “Sumar Classic” has a history that dates back to 1995 when Springfield, Illinois driver and Indy 500 veteran Donnie Beechler took the victory. Although, the first USAC Silver Crown series’ race at the Terre Haute Action Track took place in November of 1980, a race won by the late, great Gary Bettenhausen.
Sunday’s event also includes the UMP Modifieds with longtime NASCAR veterans and Missouri natives Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace set to compete.
Spectator gates open for the Sunday, April 3rd “Sumar Classic” at 3:00pm. Silver Crown practice begins at 3:30 followed by UMP Modified practice at 3:45. A second round of Silver Crown practice at 4:00 precedes the 4:40 start of Silver Crown qualifying. UMP Modified heats are slated for 5:15 and the Modified feature is set for 6:00. The 100-lap “Sumar Classic” Silver Crown feature begins at 7:00.
Kids 12 & Under are free with a paid adult while general admission infield tickets start at just 15 bucks. Adult grandstand seats are only $25.
Fans can receive a FREE pit pass upgrade with an advance purchase of a grandstand seat now. Tickets are now available at: https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/terre-haute-sc-april.
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UPCOMING USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
DATE: Sunday, April 3, 2016
SERIES: USAC Silver Crown Championship
TRACK: Terre Haute Action Track (Terre Haute, IN) - 1/2-Mile, Semi-Banked Dirt Oval
EVENT: “Sumar Classic” featuring the USAC Silver Crown Championship
STARTING TIMES: Pit gates open at 1pm. Silver Crown drivers’ meeting at 3pm. Grandstands open at 3:30pm. Silver Crown hot laps at 4pm. Silver Crown qualifying at 4:40pm. UMP Modified heats at 5:15pm. UMP Modified feature at 6pm. Silver Crown feature at 7pm.
TICKET: Infield (Adult): $15.00. Grandstand (Adult): $25.00. Children age 12 and under: FREE. Pit Pass: $35.00
TRACK ADDRESS: 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN, 47807
TRACK PHONE: (812) 232-4040
TRACK WEBSITE: http://terrehauteactiontrack.net/
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PAST USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE WINNERS AT THE TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK
1980: Gary Bettenhausen
1995: Donnie Beechler
1996: Kevin Thomas
1997: Donnie Beechler
1998: Tony Elliott
1999: Jack Hewitt
2002: Tony Elliott
2003: J.J. Yeley
2004: Brian Tyler
2005: Josh Wise
2006: Bud Kaeding
2008: Dave Darland
2010: Levi Jones
2012: Bobby East
2014: Kody Swanson
2015: Shane Cockrum
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2016 USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Apr 3: Terre Haute, IN - Terre Haute Action Track
Apr 30: Toledo, OH - Toledo Speedway
May 26: Indianapolis, IN - Indiana State Fairgrounds
May 27: Brownsburg, IN - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Jun 10: Mechanicsburg, PA - Williams Grove Speedway
Jun 25: @ Madison, IL - Gateway Motorsports Park
Jul 21: Brownsburg, IN - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Aug 13: Salem, IN - Salem Speedway
Aug 20: @ Springfield, IL - Illinois State Fairgrounds
Sep 3: DuQuoin, IL - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
Sep 24: Rossburg, OH - Eldora Speedway
------------------------ KEY DEFINITIONS -------------------------
Races noted with @ represent an afternoon race.
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ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE WINS
1. [23 wins] Jack Hewitt
2. [17 wins] Brian Tyler
3. [16 wins] Dave Steele
4. [15 wins] J.J. Yeley
5. [14 wins] Dave Darland & Chuck Gurney
7. [12 wins] Jimmy Sills & Kody Swanson
9. [11 wins] Bobby East
10. [10 wins] Gary Bettenhausen & Mike Bliss
12. [9 wins] Tracy Hines
13. [7 wins] Jerry Coons Jr., Rick Hood & George Snider
16. [6 wins] Tom Bigelow, Russ Gamester, Kenny Irwin Jr., Jason Leffler, Bobby Santos, Ken Schrader & Al Unser
23. [5 wins] Mario Andretti, Donnie Beechler, Pancho Carter, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser, Larry Rice & Tanner Swanson
32. [4 wins] Jeff Swindell & Rich Vogler
34. [3 wins] Steve Butler, Shane Cockrum, Cameron Dodson, A.J. Fike, Levi Jones, Kasey Kahne, Jim Keeker, Steve Kinser, Bobby Olivero, Johnny Parsons, Aaron Pierce, Ron Shuman, Tony Stewart, Tyler Walker & Paul White
49. [2 wins] Pat Abold, Steve Chassey, Bryan Clauson, Larry Dickson, Bill Engelhart, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Joe Saldana, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Cole Whitt, Chris Windom, Josh Wise & Doug Wolfgang
64. [1 win] Teddy Beach, Christopher Bell, Jeff Bloom, David Byrne, Marvin Carman, Shane Carson, Bob Cicconi, Herb Copeland, Shane Cottle, Bruce Field, Aaron Fike, Chet Fillip, Bob Frey, Eric Gordon, John Heydenreich, Gary Hieber, Shane Hmiel, Shane Hollingsworth, Jimmy Horton, Jackie Howerton, Kevin Huntley, Kenny Jacobs, Bubby Jones, Keith Kauffman, Jimmy Kite, Chuck Leary, Eddie Leavitt, Jason McCord, Jim McElreath, Lealand McSpadden, Mat Neely, Brad Noffsinger, Stevie Reeves, Wayne Reutimann Jr., Danny Smith, Kevin Thomas, Rich Tobias Jr., Chris Urish & Billy Vukovich
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ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN DRIVER CHAMPIONS
1971: George Snider
1972: A.J. Foyt
1973: Al Unser
1974: Mario Andretti
1975: Jimmy Caruthers
1976: Billy Cassella
1977: Larry Rice
1978: Pancho Carter
1979: Bobby Olivero
1980: Gary Bettenhausen
1981: Larry Rice
1982: Ken Schrader
1983: Gary Bettenhausen
1984: Dave Blaney
1985: Rick Hood
1986: Jack Hewitt
1987: Jack Hewitt
1988: Steve Butler
1989: Chuck Gurney
1990: Jimmy Sills
1991: Jeff Gordon
1992: Steve Butler
1993: Mike Bliss
1994: Jimmy Sills
1995: Tony Stewart
1996: Jimmy Sills
1997: Dave Darland
1998: Jason Leffler
1999: Ryan Newman
2000: Tracy Hines
2001: Paul White
2002: J.J. Yeley
2003: J.J. Yeley
2004: Dave Steele
2005: Dave Steele
2006: Bud Kaeding
2007: Bud Kaeding
2008: Jerry Coons Jr.
2009: Bud Kaeding
2010: Levi Jones
2011: Levi Jones
2012: Bobby East
2013: Bobby East
2014: Kody Swanson
2015: Kody Swanson