1977 SILVER CROWN OWNER CHAMP LEFEVRE PASSES AWAY

Speedway, Indiana (March 2, 2020)………Dave LeFevre, whose USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series career as an owner spanned more than a quarter century and included a car owner championship in 1977, passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2020.

LeFevre, of Lafayette, Ind., fielded cars in USAC’s Silver Crown division as an owner from 1975 through 2000.  As a team owner, he scored six victories with the series, four times with Larry Rice and twice with George Snider.

With Rice, LeFevre-owned cars gained its most fame, winning the 1977 Tony Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.  That victory propelled the team and Rice to the series title.  LeFevre and Rice teamed up for three additional Silver Crown wins, including the 4-Crown Nationals at Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway in both 1985 and 1987, plus the 1987 season opener at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

Snider drove to victory in 1981 for LeFevre’s second Tony Bettenhausen 100 triumph.  Snider’s third place result at Du Quoin and eighth at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, both for LeFevre, allowed Snider to become USAC’s 1981 Gold Crown driver champion.  Snider found success once again for LeFevre in 1984, collecting his second and final victory for the team in the Hulman Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.