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USAC: Silver Crown Results From PPIR (7/12/98)

13 July 1998

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (July 12, 1998) - Results Sunday afternoon from the running of the "Rocky Mountain Classic" USAC Silver Crown Championship Race at Pikes Peak International Raceway, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

John Heydenreich and Bentley Warren turned Sunday's USAC Silver Crown "shootout in the west" into a battle of Easterners as they finished 1-2 in the 100-mile "Rocky Mountain Classic' feature at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Heydenriech of Bloomsburg, Pa., earned his initial Silver Crown victory despite fighting an ill-handling American Compressed Steel Special in the closing laps. On the last lap he slid up to the outside wall but kept going and on the final turn he smoked the tires in a broadslide but held on to beat Warren, of Kennebunkport, Me. by just over a car length.

"I thought it was over," said John in victory lane. "I didn't know how close he (Bentley) was. I was so busy watching the wall. I just had to ride it out the checkered flag."

Heydenreich started ninth inn the 30-car field and moved to the front on lap 67. Four laps later he lost the lead to Pat Abold of Pennellville, N.Y. on a restart but regained the lead the next lap and held it to the end.

Pole winner Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. led the first 40 laps but retired after 69 laps due to overheating problems.

Jimmy Sills and Jason Leffler, the series point leader, rounded out the "top-five" at the end.

The race was slowed by three cautions. One was for Dan Drinan's trip to the outside wall in turn three on lap 15. Another came out when race leader Dave Steele tapped a lapped car and spun out on lap 67. 

        1.      (9)     John Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, Pa., 100, $17,600.
        2.      (13)    Bentley Warren, Kennebunkport, Me., 100, $9,000.
        3.      (3)     Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 100, $5,500.
        4.      (11)    Jimmy Sills, Placerville, Calif., 100, $4,300.
        5.      (10)    Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., 100, $3,500.
        6.      (4)     Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 100, $2,875.
        7.      (12)    Robby Flock, Murrieta, Calif., 100, $2,550.
        8.      (26)    Gary Hieber, Langhorne, Pa., 100, $2,350.
        9.      (15)    Billy Puterbaugh, Jr., Brownsburg, Ind, 100, $2,100.
        10.     (19)    Wally Pankratz, Orange, Calif., 100, $1,950.
        11.     (8)     Dave Steele, Tampa, Fla., 99, $1,850.
        12.     (27)    Matt Jewell, Walcott, Iowa, 99, $1,750.
        13.     (29)    Derek Davidson, Lafayette, Ind., 98, $1,650.
        14.     (30)    Kevin Bloomstran, Auburn Hills, Mich., 98, $1,600.
        15.     (7)     Pat Abold, Pennellville, N.Y., 97, Engine, $1,550.
        16.     (6)     Davey Hamilton, Boise, Idaho, 97, Running, $1,500.
        17.     (25)    Jerry Coons, Jr.Tucson, Ariz., 95, Running, $1,700.
        18.     (5)     Donnie Beechler, Springfield, Ill., 86, Overheating, $1,400.
        19.     (28)    Ray Evans, Salt Lake City, Utah, 80, Oil Leak, $1,350.
        20.     (16)    Ken Hamilton, Boise, Idaho, 79, Suspension, $1,300.
        21.     (22)    Ricky Shelton, Huntington Beach, Calif., 77, Oil Leak, $1,275.
        22.     (1)     Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 69, Overheating, $1,250.
        23.     (20)    Casey Diemert, Roseburg, Ore., 63, Valve, $1,225.
        24.     (18)    Dave Darland, Walton, Ind., 52, Ignition, $1,700.
        25.     (17)    Mike Brooks, Knoxville, Iowa, 52, Oil Leak, $1,175.
        26.     (14)    Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind., 34, Clutch, $1,150.
        27.     (2)     Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 25, Rear End, $1,150.
        28.     (24)    Dan Drinan, Indianapolis, Ind., 13, Accident, $1,150.
        29.     (23)    Brian Gerster, Indianapolis, Ind., 12, Oil Leak, $1,150.
        30.     (21)    Chuck Gurney, Livermore, Calif., 6, OilLeak, $1,150.

Average Speed: 110.751 mph.
Time of Race: 54:10.54
Caution Flags: Laps 15-24 Drinan hit wall in turn 3; Laps 36-39 Gordon stalled in turn 2; Laps 67-71 Steele spun in turn 3.
Lead Changes: 5
Lap Leaders: Gamester 1-40, Abold 41-55, Steele-56-66, Heydenriech 67-70, Abold 71, Heydenreich 72-100.
Fastest Qualifier: Russ Gamester, 25.537 seconds - 140.972 mph.
Qualifying Race Winner: Jerry Coons, Jr.

New Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Leffler-322; 2-Tyler-306; 3-Newman-286; 4-Sills-263; 5-J.J. Yeley-219; 6-Steele-202; 7-Darland-194; 8-Flock-176; 9-Hewitt-171; 10-Gamester-166.

Next Silver Crown Race: July 29 - Indianapolis, IN- Indianapolis Raceway Park - "DuPont 100"