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Sprints: USAC Silver Crown Championship Series "Coca-Cola 100" Saturday Night at IRP

11 May 1998

Round three of the 1998 USAC Silver Crown Championship Series unfolds in this Saturday night's "Coca-Cola 100" at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Pat Abold of Pennellville, N.Y. is the defending champion and one of over 50 expected entrants for the 100-lap contest on the newly-paved and contoured .686-mile oval. Recent testing there has proven the new surface to be plenty racey and fast and Jim Keeker's 1-lap track qualifying mark of 119.143 mph, set in 1995, may be in jeopardy.

Keeker, recovering from injuries suffered at Phoenix, Ariz. in February, will not participate in Saturday night's "Coca-Cola 100" but many of the nation's top open-wheel pilots will.

Practice starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by qualifying at 6:30 and a 15-lap "last chance" race at 8.

Brian Tyler, winner of the January opener at Walt Disney World Speedway is the series point leader by 12 over Jack Hewitt and 24 over Davey Hamilton. All three are trying to secure a spot in this year's Indianapolis 500. Tony Stewart, among favorites for this year's "500," ranks ninth in the standings and won the "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix, Ariz., the second round of the 1998 series. He is also among entrants for Saturday night's race.

SILVER CROWN POINT STANDINGS: 1- Brian Tyler-117; 2-Jack Hewitt-105; 3-Davey Hamilton-93; 4-Chet Fillip-85; 5-Jason Leffler-83; 6-Ryan Newman-78; 7-Dave Darland-77; 8-J.J. Yeley-70; 9-Tony Stewart-60; 10-John Heydenreich-57.