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USAC: Silver Crown Results from Springfield

23 August 1998

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Results Saturday afternoon (August 22) from the running of the "Tony Bettenhausen 100" USAC Silver Crown Championship Race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. scored his second career USAC Silver Crown Championship victory in Saturday's "Tony Bettenhausen 100" at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. He won the pole position in his Terre Haute First National Bank Chevy with a speed of 112.778 mph and averaged 96.128 mph for the 100-mile distance to beat Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. and Jack Hewitt of Troy, Ohio to the checkered flag. Robby Flock of Murietta, Calif. and Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. of Brownsburg, Ind. rounded out the "top-five."

"I didn't want to push it too hard," said a happy Gamestere after the race. "I needed to save my tires for the late stages of the race. My brother George kept me informed on the radio as to where Jack (Hewitt) and Dave (Darland) were so I was pretty confident." As to the point race, he added: "I sure wish I had the Pikes Peak and Memphis races back." The win boosted him to fifth in the new standings behind point leader Jason Leffler, who won the "qualifying race" and finished 12th in the 100-mile feature.

Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. earned the Turbines, Ind. "Rookie of the Race" award for his ninth-place finish.

The race was interrupted by only three caution periods. Terry Babb of Decatur, Ill. hit the wall in turn three on lap 10 and Cary Faas hit the wall in turn three on lap 66. Neither driver was injured.

        1.      (1)     Russ Gamester, Peru, IN, 100, $9,100.
        2.      (14)    Dave Darland, Walton, IN, 100, $5,000.
        3.      (4)     Jack Hewitt, Troy, OH, 100, $3,000.
        4.      (9)     Robby Flock, Murrieta, CA, 100, $2,000.
        5.      (7)     Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. , Brownsburg, IN, 100, $1,800.
        6.      (8)     Tracy Hines, New Castle, IN, 100, $1,600.
        7.      (11)    Brian Tyler, Parma, MI, 100, $1,400.
        8.      (2)     Ryan Newman, South Bend, IN, 100, $1,200.
        9.      (22)    Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, AZ, 100, $1,350.
        10.     (13)    Gary Hieber, Langhorne, PA, 100, $1,000.
        11.     (5)     Tony Elliott, Kokomo, IN, 100, $900.
        12.     (21)    Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA, 98, $800.
        13.     (15)    Derek Davidson, Lafayette, IN, 98, $700.
        14.     (12)    Rusty McClure, Ashland, OH, 98, $600.
        15.     (23)    Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH, 97, $500.
        16.     (27)    Al Thomas, Ludlow, IL, 94, $500.
        17.     (29)    Bill Rose, Plainfield, IN, 78, Engine, $500.
        18.     (3)     Donnie Beechler, Springfield, IL, 72, Engine, $500.
        19.     (6)     Jimmy Sills, Placerville, CA, 50, Clutch, $500.
        20.     (18)    J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ, 49, Engine, $500.
        21.     (19)    Cary Faas, Yorba Linda, CA, 48, Accident, $400.
        22.     (24)    Jackie Burke, Houston, TX, 42, Magneto, $400.
        23.     (16)    Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, IN, 37, Overheating, $400.
        24.     (30)    John Barrick, Lincoln, IL, 37, Overheating, $400.
        25.     (10)    Wally Pankratz, Orange, CA, 29, Overheating, $300.
        26.     (26)    Bill Baue, Indianapolis, IN, 17, Engine, $300.
        27.     (28)    Mike Mosley, Jr., Indianapolis, IN, 11, Steering, $300.
        28.     (25)    Terry Babb, Decatur, IL, 8, Accident, $300.
        29.     (20)    Johnny Parsons, Indianapolis, IN, 5, Engine, $300.
        30.     (17)    Kevin Thomas, Danville, IN,5, Rear End, $300.

        Average Speed: 96.128 mph.
        Time of Race: 1:02:25.00
        Caution Flags: Laps 10-14, Babb hit wall in trun 3; Laps
        Lead Changes: 2 between 2 drivers
        Lap Leaders: Newman 1-13, Gamester 14-100.
        Fastest Qualifier: Russ Gamester, 31.921 seconds - 112.778 mph.
        Qualifying Race Winner: Jason Leffler.

New Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Jason Leffler-417; 2-Brian Tyler-393; 3-Ryan Newman-376; 4-Jimmy Sills-297; 5-Russ Gamester-286; 6-Dave Darland-282; 7-Robby Flock-269; 8-Jack Hewitt-264; 9-Dave Steele-259; 10-J.J. Yeley-232.

Next Silver Crown Race: September 7 - DuQuoin, IL - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds - "DuQuoin Century"