Here's a look at an overview of the driver lineup for the 2018 "Phoenix Copper Cup" April 6-7 at ISM Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona. The event kicks off the 48th season for the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series. The timetable is as follows:
FRIDAY, APRIL 6: 10am: Silver Crown Drivers Meeting. 11-11:30am: Silver Crown to Pit Road. 11:30am-12:30pm: Silver Crown Practice #1. 12:45pm-1:15pm: Silver Crown Practice #2. 2:15-2:45pm: Silver Crown Autograph Session. 4:15pm: Silver Crown Qualifying.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7: 1pm: Silver Crown Drivers Meeting. 1:55-2:05pm: Silver Crown Shake Down. 2:05-2:15pm: Silver Crown to Pit Road. 3:15pm: "Phoenix Copper Cup" 100-mile Silver Crown Race.
TONI BREIDINGER
Hometown: Hillsborough, CA
Born: 7/14/1999
Team: Breidinger Motorsports #80
Career Silver Crown Starts: 2
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 35th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 2017 – Finished 8th.
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. USAC’s winningest female driver. 2016 USAC Western Pavement HPD Midget champion. Made her first ever Silver Crown start in 2017 at ISM Raceway where she become just the second female driver to start a Silver Crown event at Phoenix after Erin Crocker in 2005.
DAVID BYRNE
Hometown: Shullsburg, WI
Born: 5/21/1986
Team: Byrne Racing #40
Career Silver Crown Starts: 39
Career Silver Crown Wins: 1
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 5th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 2017 – Finished 3rd.
Notes: Led 69 of 100 laps in the 2017 “Phoenix Copper Cup.” Made a pair of USAC National Midget feature starts at Phoenix in 2007 and 2008, finishing 15th and 14th, respectively. Captured his first and, to date, only Silver Crown victory on a last-lap, last-corner pass at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in July of 2014.
JERRY COONS, JR.
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Born: 4/21/1972
Team: Gene Nolen Racing #20
Career Silver Crown Starts: 165 (5th all-time)
Career Silver Crown Wins: 7
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 2nd
Past ISM Silver Crown Starts: (9) 2017 – Finished 5th. 2009 – Finished 11th. 2008 – Finished 9th. 2007 – Finished 2nd. 2006 – Finished 9th. 2005 – Finished 22th. 2004 – Finished 26th. 2002 – Finished 30th. 2001 – Finished 4th.
Notes: One of two Arizona natives entered for the event along with Brent Yarnal. One of 6 USAC Triple Crown champs (won at least one National Sprint, National Midget & Silver Crown title during his career). One of just 8 drivers to win a USAC-sanctioned race in 4 different decades. 2006 & 2007 USAC National Midget champ. 2008 USAC Silver Crown champ and USAC National Sprint Car champ. 7 career USAC Silver Crown wins. 17 career USAC National Sprint Car wins. 19 career USAC National Midget wins.
CODY GERHARDT
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Born: 10/8/1993
Team: Cody Gerhardt #60
Career Silver Crown Starts: 1
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 55th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. Fourth-generation racer. 2010 California Northern and Southern Ford Focus Midget Champion. Began his racing career in quarter midgets. Veteran of Mini-Sprints, Midgets and Winged Pavement Sprint Cars. Cody’s dad and uncle owned Western Speed Racing, which fielded a car in the 2004 Silver Crown race at ISM, starting 4th and finishing 7th with driver Michael Lewis.
MATT GOODNIGHT
Hometown: Winchester, IN
Born: 2/4/1986
Team: Goodnight Racing #39
Career Silver Crown Starts: 7
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 14th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: Made 6 Silver Crown starts during the 2017 season with a best finish of 11th at on the pavement at Salem (Ind.) Speedway and on the dirt at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Longtime veteran of the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series.
ERIC GORDON
Hometown: Greenfield, IN
Born: 11/17/1967
Team: Armstrong Racing #21
Career Silver Crown Starts: 125 (10th all-time)
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: N/A
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (12) 2008 – Finished 11th. 2005 – Finished 10th. 2004 – Finished 34th. 2000 – Finished 14th. 1998 – Finished 18th. 1997 – Finished 8th. 1995 – Finished 12th. 1994 – Finished 9th. 1993 – Finished 5th. 1992 – Finished 30th. 1991 – Finished 2nd. 1990 – Finished 9th.
Career Silver Crown Wins: 1
Notes: Aiming to make his first Silver Crown start since 2012. His lone career Silver Crown victory came at the Milwaukee (Wis.) Mile in 1990. 1990 USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year. 1989 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year. Has won the 500-lap “Little 500” sprint car race in Anderson, Ind. an incredible 9 times during his career. 12-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature winner. 1 career NASCAR Busch Grand National (Xfinity Series) start in 1993 at Indianapolis Raceway Park (Lucas Oil Raceway).
JUSTIN GRANT
Hometown: Ione, CA
Born: 11/12/1990
Team: Hemelgarn Racing #91
Career Silver Crown Starts: 28
Career Silver Crown Wins: 1
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 4th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 2017 – Finished 14th.
Notes: Won first career Silver Crown race in 2017 at the “Bettenhausen 100” held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Team owner Ron Hemelgarn won at ISM Raceway in Indy Racing League competition back in 2000 with driver Buddy Lazier. Won the 2017 USAC National Midget season opener indoors at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin to become the first driver ever to win both the USAC National Sprint and National Midget opening races in the same season. 10 career USAC National Sprint Car wins. 2 career USAC National Midget wins.
KYLE HAMILTON
Hometown: Danville, IN
Born: 6/27/1992
Team: Klatt Enterprises #6
Career Silver Crown Starts: 8
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: N/A
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: 2012 Silver Crown Rookie of the Year. Aiming to make his first start in the series since 2015. Won the 2017 “Little 500,” a 500-lap sprint car race held at Indiana’s Anderson Speedway on the evening before the Indianapolis 500. 2 career USAC National Midget feature wins.
AUSTIN NEMIRE
Hometown: Sylvania, OH
Born: 5/25/1999
Team: Nemire-Lesko Racing #16
Career Silver Crown Starts: 25
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 23rd
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: Making ISM Raceway debut. Grandfather Jerry Nemire made 65 career starts in the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series. Veteran of USAC National Midget racing as well. Finished a career-best 3rd at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. in 2016. 2014 USAC HPD Midget Dirt, Pavement & Overall champion. Current student at the University of Cincinnati.
AARON PIERCE
Hometown: Muncie, IN
Born: 3/28/1974
Team: Sam Pierce #26
Career Silver Crown Starts: 44
Career Silver Crown Wins: 3
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 6th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (6) 2017 – Finished 7th. 2007 – Finished 13th. 2006 – Finished 4th. 2005 – Finished 36th. 2004 – Finished 4th. 2003 – Finished 25th.
Notes: Recorded the fastest official qualifying lap in Silver Crown history with a speed of 175.012mph at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006. Also won the fastest Silver Crown race of all-time at an average speed of 159.211 at Kansas Speedway in 2006. 3 career Silver Crown Wins. 1 USAC National Sprint Win.
KYLE ROBBINS
Hometown: New Castle, IN
Born: 7/24/1987
Team: KR Racing #7
Career Silver Crown Starts: 0
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: N/A
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. Longtime veteran of dirt racing with the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars with 45 career series starts. Making his first pavement start of any kind in USAC’s 3 National divisions.
BILL ROSE
Hometown: Plainfield, IN
Born: 9/6/1964
Team: Bill Rose Racing #66
Career Silver Crown Starts: 50
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 32nd
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 1992 – Finished 24th
Notes: Aiming to make just his 2nd Silver Crown start at ISM Raceway and first since 1992! A two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature winner in 1997 at Paragon (Ind.) Speedway and at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park in 1999. 2002 Arctic Cat All-Star Circuit of Champions Rookie of the Year. 2015 IRA Sprint Car champion. Owner of the car driven by Henry Clarke to a 10th place finish at the “Phoenix Copper Cup” in 2017.
A.J. RUSSELL
Hometown: Clovis, CA
Born: 4/3/1983
Team: Ted Finkenbinder #3
Career Silver Crown Starts: 2
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 33rd
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 2017 – Finished 9th.
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. A veteran of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Indy Lights Series and Winged Pavement Sprint Cars. Made his USAC Silver Crown at ISM Raceway in Phoenix in 2017. Won the East vs. West Supermodified Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2007.
BOBBY SANTOS
Hometown: Franklin, MA
Born: 10/3/1985
Team: DJ Racing #22
Career Silver Crown Starts: 44
Career Silver Crown Wins: 9
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 7th
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (2) 2017 – Finished 1st. 2009 – Finished 7th.
Notes: 2017 winner of the “Phoenix Copper Cup” after starting from the pole position. Finished in the top-3 of all 5 Silver Crown races he competed in during 2017, including 3 victories: ISM Raceway in Phoenix, AZ, Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind. & Toledo (Ohio) Speedway. 2011 USAC Pavement Sprint Champion. 7 USAC National Sprint wins. 11 USAC National Midget wins. 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Champion. Veteran of NASCAR’s Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.
KODY SWANSON
Hometown: Kingsburg, CA
Born: 3/3/1988
Team: DePalma Motorsports #63
Career Silver Crown Starts: 83
Career Silver Crown Wins: 19 (2nd all-time)
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 1st
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (3) 2017 – Finished 2nd. 2009 – Finished 2nd. 2008 – Finished 26th.
Notes: Three-time USAC Silver Crown champion in 2014, 2015 & 2017. Sits 2nd on the Silver Crown series all-time win list, just four behind Jack Hewitt’s record 23. Won four Silver Crown events in 2017: Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind., Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., Salem (Ind.) Speedway & the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds. Joined Jimmy Bryan and Al Unser as one of three drivers to win the “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds three-straight years in 2016. 2005 Western Sprint Car Champion. 2009 Silver Crown Rookie of the Year. 2005 Western Sprint Car Rookie of the Year. 2010 USAC Most Improved Driver. 1 USAC National Sprint victory. 2 USAC National Midget wins.
TRAVIS WELPOTT
Hometown: Pendleton, IN
Born: 5/23/1971
Team: Welpott Racing #118
Career Silver Crown Starts: 0
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: N/A
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. Longtime veteran of the USAC National Sprint Car and Midget series. Lone ISM Raceway start came in the USAC National Midget portion of the “Copper World Classic” in 1999 where he finished 27th.
CHRIS WINDOM
Hometown: Canton, IL
Born: 12/24/1990
Team: Gene Nolen Racing #17
USAC Highlights: 2016 USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series and 2017 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car
Career Silver Crown Starts: 49
Career Silver Crown Wins: 6
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: 3rd
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: (1) 2017: Finished 13th
Notes: 2017 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion. 2016 USAC Silver Crown champion. Crashed hard last year during practice in his return to ISM Raceway in Phoenix. Started the race in another driver’s car, moving up through the pack until the engine expired. In 2016, became the first driver since Jimmy Caruthers in 1975 to finish in the top-five in every Silver Crown race during a season. 6 career Silver Crown wins. 20 career National Sprint wins. Veteran of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and plans to make his Indy Lights Series debut in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Belardi Auto Racing.
BRENT YARNAL
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Born: 8/29/1982
Team: Yarnal Racing #29
Career Silver Crown Starts: 0
Career Silver Crown Wins: 0
2017 Silver Crown Points Finish: N/A
Past ISM Silver Crown Appearances: 0
Notes: USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year contender. Veteran of the USAC Sands Chevrolet Southwest Sprint Car Series. Made 15 starts in the Southwest Series in 2017, finishing 15th in points. One of two Arizona natives entered for the race along with Jerry Coons, Jr.