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USAC: Silver Crown; Stewart Claims Coca-Cola 100 at IRP

18 May 1998

SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
STEWART CLAIMS INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK'S "COCA-COLA 100;"
"HULMAN-HOOSIER HUNDRED" FRIDAY AT INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS

Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart of Rushville, Ind. scored his third consecutive USAC Silver Crown Championship victory in Saturday night's 100-lap "Coca-Cola 100" at Indianapolis Raceway Park, leading all but the first six laps in his True Value/Terre Haute First National Bank Special. Stewart previously won the 1997 series closer at Las Vegas, Nev. and the February 1 "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix, Ariz. He did not compete in the January 17 race at Walt Disney World Speedway in Florida.

The Silver Crown Championship Cars are now preparing for A.J. Foyt's True Value "Hulman-Hoosier Hundred," this Friday night at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind. Chuck Leary of Greenfield, Ind. is the defending champion of the 100-mile race on the 1-mile dirt oval. Practice starts at 5 p.m., with qualifying at 6 and the True Value "last chance" consi at 7. The 100-mile feature gets the green flag at 8 p.m.

Stewart started on the front row alongside fast qualifier Jason Leffler at I.R.P. but trailed Jason for the first six laps. Leffler slipped to fifth at the checkered flag behind runner-up and defending race winner Pat Abold, Dave Steele and Russ Gamester. Tracy Hines won the 15-lap "last chance" semi and Doug Didero won the Turbines, Inc. "Rookie of the Race" award.

Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. finished eighth at IRP and retained the lead in the Silver Crown standings going into this Friday night's race on the Indy mile. In addition to Leary, former "Hulman" winners Dave Darland (1995-96), Jimmy Sills (1994) and Jack Hewitt (1986-90) are expected to compete, along with 1990 "Hoosier Hundred" winner Gary Hieber. Darland also won the 1995 "Hoosier," Sills won the "Hoosier" in 1994 and Hewitt won it in 1986-88-89.

Johnny Parsons holds the 1-lap track qualifying record of 114.726 mph. Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Brian Tyler-156; 2-Jason Leffler-134; 3-Tony Stewart-123; 4-Chet Fillip-121; 5-Ryan Newman-109; 6-Dave Steele-105; 7-Jack Hewitt-105; 8-J.J. Yeley-93; 9-Davey Hamilton-93; 10-Russ Gamester-91.

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