PIERCE EYES USAC SILVER CROWN MILESTONE AT TOLEDO
Toledo, Ohio (October 1, 2020)………Aaron Pierce aims to become the 19th driver to reach 100 starts with the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series this Sunday afternoon, October 4, in the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic at Ohio’s Toledo Speedway.
Entering the event, Pierce (Muncie, Ind.) stands at 99 starts, but one more would put him an exclusive club of longevity that only a select few others can claim.
Among expected entries for this Sunday’s Toledo race, just two can already claim 100 or more starts with the series – 2008 champion driver Jerry Coons Jr. is fourth all-time at 176 starts while five-time titlist Kody Swanson has 107. Dave Darland leads all drivers with 201 starts; Russ Gamester is at 199 while Brian Tyler is at 198.
Pierce has finished in the top-five in three of his last four Toledo Silver Crown starts with a 5th in 2015 and 2018 and a best of 3rd in 2019 and seeks a first victory with the series there on Sunday.
Making his first Silver Crown start in March of 2003 at Phoenix International Raceway, Pierce finished 25th after starting 28th that day, exiting after 42 of 100 laps with a valve spring issue. Silver Crown victories along the way came for Pierce in his 28th start at Chicagoland Speedway in 2006, his 36th start at Kansas Speedway in 2006 and at South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway in 2007, which was his 40th start.
Early on during the 2006 season, Pierce recorded the fastest ever official lap in a Silver Crown series race, qualifying at an average one-lap speed of 175.012 mph in the “New Generation” car that was active between the 2006-07 seasons.
Other drivers who have recorded 100 or more Silver Crown starts include Tracy Hines (172), Jack Hewitt (163), Johnny Parsons (151), Tony Elliott (147), Eric Gordon (141), George Snider (128), Gary Hieber (125), Chuck Gurney (114), Bud Kaeding & Jimmy Sills (113), Dave Steele (111), John Heydenreich (110), A.J. Fike (103) and Larry Rice (100).
Jay Drake and Paul White remain the closest to reaching 100 with 94 starts each but have not made a start in several years. Among drivers who’ve made a Silver Crown start this year, the next closest to reaching the 100 start mark is Chris Windom at 73, who you’ll also see in action this Sunday afternoon at Toledo.
The Sunday afternoon, October 4, Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness “Rollie Beale Classic” features the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series plus Late Model Sportsman, Figure 8, Factory Stock and Street Stock features for the penultimate round of the 2020 season in the Glass City.
The USAC pit gate opens at 8:30am ET on raceday, front gates open at 11am, practice runs from 11:30am-12:15pm for the Silver Crown cars with Fatheadz Eyewear Qualifying at 1:05pm and opening ceremonies at 2pm, followed by the 100-lap Rollie Beale Classic.
All tickets are $25 each, and tickets will only be available online at www.toledospeedway.com. With limited seating for each event, fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets as soon as possible.
Grandstand ticketing will be limited to 1,500 with a standard admission price for all events of $25 per person, with specified seating locations to ensure social distancing and presale offering contactless purchasing. Any unsold tickets will be available at the track on race day, beginning at 11am.
The Rollie Beale Classic can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://bit.ly/3frPoW6.
ALL-TIME USAC SILVER CROWN STARTS:
201-Dave Darland
199-Russ Gamester
198-Brian Tyler
176-Jerry Coons Jr.
172-Tracy Hines
163-Jack Hewitt
151-Johnny Parsons
147-Tony Elliott
141-Eric Gordon
128-George Snider
125-Gary Hieber
114-Chuck Gurney
113-Bud Kaeding & Jimmy Sills
111-Dave Steele
110-John Heydenreich
107-Kody Swanson
103-A.J. Fike
100-Larry Rice
99-Aaron Pierce
94-Jay Drake & Paul White
91-J.J. Yeley
90-Tom Bigelow
88-Mark Alderson
84-Jason McCord
83-Gary Bettenhausen
79-Donnie Beechler & Levi Jones
77-Rich Vogler
76-Larry Dickson
74-Steve Chassey
73-Ryan Newman, Rich Tobias Jr. & Chris Windom
72-Bobby East
71-Robby Flock, Sheldon Kinser
70-Steve Butler
68-Billy Engelhart
67-Joe Saldana
66-Brad Noffsinger
65-Jerry Nemire
62-David Byrne & Ron Shuman
60-Randy Bateman & Wally Pankratz
59-Bill Rose
58-Rick Hood
57-Bobby Santos
56-Shane Cottle
55-Gary Irvin
54-Tom Capie, & Shane Hollingsworth
53-Chet Fillip, Jason Leffler & Jacob Wilson
52-Justin Grant & Wayne Reutimann Jr.
49-Tony Stewart
48-Mike Bliss
47-Bob Cicconi & Ken Schrader
46-Jim Keeker & Bentley Warren
45-Derek Davidson, Austin Nemire, Jeff Swindell & Billy Vukovich
43-Kenny Irwin Jr. & Tyler Walker
42-Jon Stanbrough
41-Dane Carter, Patrick Lawson, Danny Milburn & Tanner Swanson
40-Shane Cockrum, Aaron Fike, Andy Hillenburg, Warren Mockler & Chip Thomas
39-Tray House & Jim McElreath
38-Bobby Olivero
37-Pancho Carter, Duke Cook, Todd Kane, Chuck Leary, Rusty McClure, Billy Puterbaugh Jr., Roger Rager & Chris Urish
36-Ed Carpenter, Ron Dunstan, C.J. Leary
34-Ronnie Burke, Davey Hamilton, Kevin Huntley, Greg Staab & Kevin Thomas
33-Cary Faas, Jimmy Kite & Josh Wise
32-Brent Kaeding
31-Steve Cannon, Matt Goodnight, Ron Gregory, Arnie Knepper, Jim Mahoney, Mat Neely & Stevie Reeves
30-Tim Barber, Teddy Beach, Jeff Bloom, Zach Daum, Stan Fox, Manny Rockhold, Jerry Russell & Matt Westfall
29-Rocky Hodges & Michael Lewis
28-Dave Blaney & Bill Puterbaugh
27-Brad Armstrong, Brady Bacon & Bryan Clauson
26-Steve Buckwalter & Dan Drinan
25-Terry Babb, Kasey Kahne, Joe Liguori & Nick Lundgreen
24-Pat Abold, Derek Hagar, Kenny Jacobs, Jerry Miller & Kyle Robbins
23-Cameron Dodson
22-Billy Cassella, Kevin Doty, Bob Frey, Mike Haggenbottom
21-Kyle Hamilton, Walt Kennedy & Davey Ray
20-Bill Baue, Dave Feese, John Starks & Randy Tolsma
19-Bruce Field, Brian Gerster, Gene Lee Gibson, Shane Hmiel, Jimmy McCune & Lealand McSpadden
18-Rollie Beale, Jackie Burke, Mike Murgoitio, Casey Shuman, Al Unser & Jonathan Vennard
17-Jimmy Caruthers, A.J. Foyt, Sammy Sessions & Kramer Williamson
16-Tyler Courtney, Pablo Donoso & Travis Welpott
15-Paul Clark, P.J. Jones, Kevin Thomas Jr. & Bruce Walkup
14-Jarett Andretti, Billy Boat, Carl Edwards, Chris Fetter, Jeff Gordon, Bubby Jones, Keith Kauffman, Ralph Liguori, Boston Reid, Danny Smith, Smokey Snellbaker, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jerry Weeks
13-Robert Ballou, Patrick Bruns, Tyce Carlson, Dana Carter, Jim Childers, Jac Haudenschild, Jackie Howerton, Jon Johnson, Greg Leffler, Andy Michner, Brian Paulus, Billy Wease, Rodney Weesner & Bud Wilmot
12-Dave Berkheimer, Brad Fox, Mike Gregg, Mike Hess, Billy Pauch, Ricky Shelton & Bill Tyler
11-Mario Andretti, J.C. Bland, Justin Carver, Hud Cone, Craig Dori, Taylor Ferns, Dickie Gaines, David Gough, Steve Kinser, Cory Kruseman, Lee Kunzman, James McElreath, Bobby McMahan, Joey Moughan, Rex Norris III, Mike Peters, Tad Roach, Greg Weld, Greg Wilson
10-Derek Bischak, Ronnie Day, Gary Gray, Richard Griffin, Coleman Gulick, Bob Harkey, Terry James, Page Jones, Terry Kawell, Kyle Larson, Jim Moughan, Kenneth Nichols, Terry Pletch, Jack Runyon, Robert Smith & Robbie Stanley
9-Bobby Adkins, Chuck Amati, Caleb Armstrong, Toni Breidinger, Karl Busson, Bob Evans, Bryn Gohn, Wayne Hammond, Jim Hurtubise, Rebel Jackson Jr., Chappy Knaack, Eddie Leavitt, Larry Martin, Joss Moffatt, Johnny Petrozelle, Paul Pitzer & Johnny Rutherford
8-Joe Axsom, Christopher Bell, Cole Carter, Mel Cornett, Chris Cumberworth, Doug Didero, Paul Durant, Ray Joe Fager, Larry Gates, Ken Hamilton, Darl Harrison, Roy Hicks, Rod Holshouser, Dakota Jackson, Mike Johnson, Frankie Kerr, Danny Long, Thiago Medeiros, Jan Opperman, Lee Osborne, Junior Parkinson, Greg Peterson, Aaron Pollock, Tracy Potter, Steve Siegel, Ryan Smith, Kyle Steffens, Sammy Swindell, Rick Treadway, Lennie Waldo, Carl Williams & Doug Wolfgang
7-John Andretti, Eric Butze, Rob Chaney, Lou Cicconi Jr., Chris Dyson, Bob East, Perry Ferrell, Nick Fornoro Jr., Joe Gaerte, Cody Gallogly, Damion Gardner, Cody Gerhardt, Brian Hayden, Jesse Hockett, Blake Hollingsworth, Tony Hunt, Paul Huntington, Paul Koch, Joe McCarthy, Austin Mundie, Michael Roselli Jr., Hunter Schuerenberg, Alex Shanks, Pete Shepherd III, Mark Smith, Mike Thomas, Billy Whitaker & Mitch Wissmiller
6-Justin Allgaier, Jim Anderson, Michael Annett, Mike Brooks, Bill Burks Jr., Kellen Conover, Palmer Crowell, Ryan Durst, Bob Ewell, Spike Gehlhausen, Kenny Gentry, Darren Hagen, Tom Hessert III, Larry Hoppes, John Hubbard, Marc Jessup, Doug Kalitta, Chad Kemenah, Kevin Koch, Bill Kojis, Mike Lichty, Jeff Mitrisin, Don Nordhorn, Brian Seidel, Jimmy Stinson, Jerry Stone & Mike Winblad
5-Sport Allen, Todd Beach, Barry Camp, Larry Cannon, Mark Cassella, Davey Hamilton Jr., Dallas Hewitt, John Hunt, Brad Kuhn, Rich Leavell, Donnie Lehmann, Mario Marietta, Brad Marvel, Mack McClellan, Kevin Olson, Steven Russell, Red Stauffer, Mike Stroehle, Neil Shepherd, Jake Simmons, Sleepy Tripp, Terry Uehling, Cole Whitt & Rip Williams
4-Tony Armstrong, Steve Arpin, John Batts Jr., Mike Brecht, Jimmy Brewer, David Bridges, Ray Bull, Keith Burch, Keith Butler, Shane Carson, Herb Copeland, Casey Diemert, Lee Dunn, Danny Ebberts, Murray Erickson, Ray Evans, Bryan Gossel, Scott Hansen, Don Hawley, Steve Kent, Dereck King, Steve Knepper, Mike Larrison, Jimmy Light, Mike Ling, Bobby Marcum, Von McGee, Wes Miller, David Mirk, Kyle O’Gara, Rodney Ritter Jr., Billy Shuman, Dean Shirley, Donny Schatz, Tim Siner, Billy Vukovich III, Clark Templeman, Kevin Whitesides, Leon Thickstun, Miranda Throckmorton & Ronnie Wuerdeman
3-Steve Adams, Johnny Anderson, Ed Angle, Robin Bank, Justin Barger, John Barrick, Kipp Beard, Doug Berryman, Merle Bettenhausen, Art Bisch Jr., Kevin Bloomstran, Annie Breidinger, Lee Brewer Jr., Rick Brown, Casey Buckman, Dave Burns, Gary Cameron II, Keith Campbell, Marv Carman, Roy Caruthers, Wayne Chinn, Bill Compton, Tim Cox, Erin Crocker, Troy DeCaire, Thad Dosher, Tommie Estes Jr., Dean Franklin, Jeff Gardner, Emmett Hahn, Darryl Haugh, Kelly Kinser, Lance Kobusch, Red Kunstbeck, Ricky Logan, Steve Long, Jim Malloy, Mike Martin, Zach Martini, Jason McDougal, Bob Meli, Larry Moore, Ryan Moore, Aaron Mosley, Mike Ordway, Gary Patterson, Gary Ponzini, Rusty Rasmussen, Wayne Reutimann, Robbie Rice, Travis Rilat, A.J. Russell, Zach Schiff, Frankie Schneider, Ryan Scott, Terry Shepherd, Ron Smoker, Chase Stockon, Kevin Studley, Brad Sweet, Buz Tapply, Cale Thomas, Dick Tobias, Rick Ungar, Korey Weyant, Tony Weyant, George White, Jim Whiteside & Greg Wooley
2-Michael Adkins, Mike Andreeta, Tommy Astone, Todd Bammer, Randy Bauer, Dave Baumgartner, Dean Billings, Austin Blair, Dan Boorse, Ken Brewer, Shane Butler, Steve Carithers, Tim Clark, Jason Conn, Stan Constant, Johnny Coogan, Kyle Cummins, Frank D’Alonso, Daryl Daugherty, Tom Davies, James Davison, Greg DeCaires, Duke DeRosa, Scott Edmiston, Dean Erfurth, Jay Ervine, Mike Fedorcak, Billy Felts, A.J. Foyt IV, Stewart Friesen, Greg Furlong, Leon Gentry, Mike Gigot, Joe Gosek, Rick Goudy, Chuck Gurney Jr., Randy Hannagan, Scott Hatton, Jon Herb, Jordan Hermansader, Sparky Howard, Bill Hudson, Bruce Jennings, Jerry Karl, Kevin Kierce, Mike Lauterborn, Steve Lotshaw, Ed Lynch, Garry Lee Maier, Troy Matchen, Jay Maupin, Randy Mausteller, Van May, Roger McCluskey, Mike McCreary, Frank McDaniel, Lyn McIntosh, Dustin Morgan, Mike Mosley Jr., Larry Neighbors, John Nervo, Lynn Paxton, Carmen Perigo, Chris Phillips, Scott Pierovich, Troy Regier, Rick Salem, Joey Schmidt, Logan Seavey, Howie Sewell, David Shain, Rick Sipes, Jigger Sirois, Mark Sokola, Randy Standridge, Nelson Stewart, Rodney Stone, Rob Summers, Jake Swanson, Kevin Swindell, Al Thomas, Troy Thompson, Troy Vaccaro, Butch Wilkerson, Charlie Workman, Salt Walther, & Jack Ziegler
1-Bobby Allen, Taylor Andrews, Dakoda Armstrong, Jon Backlund, Tom Ball, Steve Barnett, Steve Barth, Jarid Blondel, Chad Boat, Ray Bragg, Jerry Bruce, Bob Brutto, Will Cagle, Daryl Campbell, Don Carr, Kent Christian, Drew Church, Henry Clarke, Troy Cline, Kevin Conway, Donnie Crawford, Wally Dallenbach, Bobby Davis Jr., Brad Davis, Charles Davis Jr., Bob Davison, Brian DeFord, Terry Doss, Brad Doty, Rodney Duncan, Jesse Dunham, Sondi Eden, Andrew Felker, Elvin Felty, Dan Ford, Michael Ford, Andy Forsberg, Jeff Forshee, Ronnie Franklin, Pete Frazier, Danny Frye Jr., Jeff Galas, Ronnie Gardner, Rickie Gaunt, Cheryl Glass, Gary Griffith, Brett Hearn, JoJo Helberg, Jim Hettinger, Nathan High, Larry Hillerud, Ted Hines, Jimmy Horton, Brian Hosford, Rick Howerton, Steve Irwin, Jim Jackson, Earnest Jennings, Rickey Jennings, Matt Jewell, Kraig Kinser, Dana Laliberte, Harold Leep, Jeff Leka, Ryan Litt, Ed Lynch Jr., Pepi Marchese, David McCreary, Dave McGough, Paul McMahan, Joe Melnick, Thomas Meseraull, Curt Michael, Jim Mills, Mark Monico, Mike Mosley, Jack Moulton Jr., Peter Murphy, Rick Muther, Fred Neighbors, Greg Nelson, Kevin Newton, Kyle Nicholas, Don O’Keefe, Jimmy Parsons, Billy Pauch Jr., Dave Peperak, Stan Ploski, Art Pollard, Jerry Potter, Richard Powell, Patrick Quinn, Ron Rae, Fred Rahmer, Robbie Ray, Byron Reed, David Reutimann, Jim Reynard, Randy Roberts, Joe Roush, John Ryals, Eddie Sachs Jr., Doug Saunier, Bill Schemonia, Shane Scully, Jon Sciscoe, Ron Semelka, Steve Sheppard Jr., Danny Shouse, Grant Simpson, Anthony Simone, Carl Smith, Steve Smith, Mike Spencer, Darren Spiers, Greg Stephens, Robert Stout, Charlie Swartz, Fred Tegarden Jr., Todd Thomas, Tanner Thorson, Bud Tingelstad, Eric Todd, Rick Tomasik, Eric Trousdale, LeRoy Van Conett, Kaylene Verville, Todd Wanless, Curt Waters, Jeff West, Brent Whited, Bryan Whited, Eddie Wirth, Kyle Wissmiller, Kent Wolters, Mike Woodring, Ken Woolley, Tiffany Wyzard & Brent Yarnal