USAC: Unprecedented 4-Crown Nationals This Weekend
22 September 1998
USAC SILVER CROWN, SPRINTS, MIDGETS SHARE SPOTLIGHTThe most hotly-contested "4-Crown Nationals" in the 18-year history of the event at Earl Baltes' 1/2-mile high-banked dirt Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio is expected this weekend. The reason is that all three USAC National Championships affected are up for grabs, with the largest point lead in any of the three standing at just 19 points!
Joining the USAC Silver Crown Championship Cars, Stoops Freightliner/USAC Sprint Cars and USAC National Midgets are the UMP modifieds in what promises to be a memorable two-night extravaganza of racing. Qualifying and preliminary races are on Friday and the semis and features are Saturday.
A 10-point separation in the Silver Crown Series finds Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. trying to protect the lead over Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. A total of 66 points are available at Eldora. In 10 previous Silver Crown races this season, nine different drivers have tasted victory. Another different winner in Saturday's 50-lapper would be a series record.
Only seven points separate point leader Kevin Thomas of Danville, Ind. and Tony Elliott of Kokomo, Ind. in the Sprint car series. Elliott's five 1998 victories (all on dirt) have enabled him to close on Thomas (one 1998 win) in recent events. A total of 87 points are available this weekend.
Leffler also leads the Midget series by 19 over Jay Drake of Canyon Country, Calif. with 52 available at Eldora. Drake is the defending "4-Crown Champion" but lost the series lead to Leffler when he dropped out of Saturday night's race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Friday's "4-Crown" timetable calls for practice at 6:30 p.m. to be followed by qualifying and preliminary races. Semi-features and main events are on tap Saturday night, the first race set for 7:30 p.m. A 25-lap Midget feature will be followed by a 30-lapper for the Sprint cars and a 50-lapper for the Silver Crown cars plus the UMP modified feature.
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.
Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Point Standings: 1-Kevin Thomas-1,718; 2-Tony Elliott-1,711; 3-Derek Davidson-1,443; 4-Tim Cox-1,260; 5-Dave Darland-1,223; 6-Jason McCord-1,190; 7-J.J. Yeley-1,189; 8-Kevin Doty-1,069; 9-Brian Hayden-1,064; 10-Brian Tyler-1,037.
National Midget Standings: 1-Jason Leffler-809; 2-Jay Drake-790; 3-Ricky Shelton-733; 4-Jerry Coons, Jr.-573; 5-Jimmy McCune-507; 6-Tracy Hines-506; 7-Ronnie Johncox-321; 8-Travis Welpott-305; 9-Michael Lewis-264; 10-Dave Steele-243.
