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USAC: DuQuoin Silver Crown Results

8 September 1998

DuQUOIN, IL - Results Monday afternoon (September 7) from the running of the "DuQuoin Century" USAC Silver Crown Championship Race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

Jimmy Sills of Placerville, Calif. captured Monday's 100-mile "DuQuoin Century" USAC Silver Crown Championship race at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds. He became the ninth different winner in 10 Silver Crown races this season as he led 69 laps in the Mopar Special to beat Tracy Hines, Donnie Beechler, George Snider and J.J. Yeley.

The win was Sills' ninth in Silver Crown racing but his first at DuQuoin. "It feels good to finally win here," he said in victory lane. "I've always had trouble here in the past. We actually ran last year's pavement car today!"

Sills' car was pushing bad at the end and Hines nearly caught him in the closing laps. "We had a blistered tire too," he admitted. "My crew was signalling me where Hines was but I figured if I protected the bottom groove, I'd be OK. It's one thing catching someone here but passing is another thing."

The race was red-flagged twice. Kaylene Verville of Phoenix, Ariz. suffered minor burns when she hit Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. on the front stretch on lap four, flipped and caught fire. Puterbaugh suffered a minor shoulder injury. The second red flag came when John Heydenreich flipped on lap 38. He escaped injury.

Sills started fifth behind pole starter George Snider, who led the first four laps. Robby Flock led the next 27 laps before his car developed an oil leak, allowing Sills to take over.

Morning rains washed out qualifications and a draw was utilized to determine starting positions.

Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. finished 14th but emerged with a 10-point lead over Brian Tyler, who finished eighth. Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. earned the Turbinces, Inc. "Rookie of the Race" award for his 11th-place finish.

        1.      (5)     Jimmy Sills, Placerville, Calif., 100, $9,100.
        2.      (15)    Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 100, $4,500.
        3.      (8)     Donnie Beechler, Springfield, Ill., 100, $3,000.
        4.      (1)     George Snider, Bakersfield, Calif., 100, $2,000.
        5.      (3)     J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 100, $1,800.
        6.      (12)    Tony Elliott, Kokomo, Ind., 100, $1,600.
        7.      (14)    Chuck Leary, Greenfield, Ind., 100, $1,400.
        8.      (9)     Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 100, $1,200.
        9.      (23)    Derek Davidson, Lafayette, Ind., 100, $1,100.
        10.     (18)    Ron Smoker, Hamburg, N.Y., 100, $1,000.
        11.     (24)    Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, Ariz., 100, $1,150.
        12.     (20)    Gary Hieber, Langhorne, Pa., 100, $800.
        13.     (13)    Dave Darland, Walton, Ind., 97, $1,200.
        14.     (7)     Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., 97, $600.
        15.     (6)     Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 96, $500, Accident.
        16.     (17)    Terry Babb, Decatur, Ill., 96, $500.
        17.     (10)    Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 96, $500.
        18.     (16)    Rusty McClure, Ashland, Ohio, 77, $500, Overheating.
        19.     (22)    Kenneth Nichols, Indianapolis, Ind., 64, $500, Steering.
        20.     (27)    Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind., 50, $500, Fuel Pressure.
        21.     (33)    Wally Pankratz, Orange, Calif., 41, $400, Out of Gear.
        22.     (30)    John Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, Pa., 37, $400, Accident.
        23.     (4)     Robby Flock, Murrieta, Calif., 32, $400, Oil Leak.
        24.     (11)    Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 28, $400, Accident.
        25.     (31)    Mike Mosley, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind., 27, $300.
        26.     (21)    Rod Holshouser, Jackson, Mo., 18, $300, Overheating.
        27.     (32)    Al Thomas, Ludlow, IL, 17, $300, Black Flagged.
        28.     (25)    Jackie Burke, Houston, Texas, 16, $300, Engine.
        29.     (2)     Chuck Gurney, Livermore, Calif., 3, $300, Rear End.
        30.     (19)    Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. , Brownsburg, Ind., 2, $300, Accident.
        31.     (26)    Bill Baue, Indianapolis, Ind., 2, $300, Accident.
        32.     (29)    Kaylene Verville, Phoenix, Ariz.,2, $300, Accident.
        33.     (28)    Ronnie Franklin, Fenton, Mo., 2, $300, Black Flagged.

Average Speed: None-Red Flags.
Time of Race: None-Red Flags.

Caution Flags: RED FLAG on lap 4, Puterbaugh-Verville-Baue accident on front stretch. Verville flipped; Laps 8-10, Debris in turn 1; Laps 30-35, Newman hit wall in trun 4; RED FLAG on lap 38, Heydenreich hit wall and flipped in turn 1; Laps 57-63, Darland & Nichols accident in turn 4; Laps 97-100, Hewitt hit wall in turn 1.

Lead Changes: 2 between 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: Snider 1-4, Flock 5-31, Sills 32-100.
Fastest Qualifier: No Qualifications due to morning rains. Starting lineup determined by rule book procedure and a draw.
Qualifying Race Winner: Race Not Held.

New Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Jason Leffler-442; 2-Brian Tyler-432; 3-Ryan Newman-385; 4-Jimmy Sills-360; 5-Dave Darland-309; 6-Russ Gamester-305; 7-Jack Hewitt-287; 8-J.J. Yeley-280; 9-Robby Flock-279; 10-Dave Steele-259.

Next Silver Crown Race: September 25-26 - Rossburg, Ohio - Eldora Speedway - "4-Crown Nationals"