USAC: Silver Crown Results from Madison, IL

19 October 1998

Madison, IL - Results Saturday afternoon (October 17) from the running of the "Shop 'N Save 100" USAC Silver Crown Championship Race at Gateway International Raceway, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. captured Saturday's "Shop 'N Save 100" USAC Silver Crown Championship Series finale at Gateway International Raceway before a crowd of more than 30,000 enthusiastic spectators. He passed Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. on the final lap for the $17,500 win in his Brian & Gary's Cars for Less Special, averaging 105.645 mph.

Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. shared the victory podium with Yeley after clinching his first USAC Silver Crown driving title by a 16-point margin over Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich., who finished 16th in the 100-mile race. Leffler, last year's USAC National Midget Champion, said: "It hasn't sunk in yet. We only planned to run a couple of races this year and here we are with the title. I'm still focused on repeating as the Midget champ too (he leads the current points).

"I thought I had no chance to win today from 17th starting spot," admitted Yeley in victory lane. "This track requires a lot of horsepower and I had to use the draft several times. The chassis was perfect but it was a lucky move on the last lap which paid off and I was able to get by Hines with a "Manzanita Slide Job."

Tyler entered the race with a 14-point lead on Leffler but pitted on lap 25 with braking problems. He rejoined the race but was unable to make up the lost ground and settled for second in the final standings. Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. finished third in the race and in the final points.

Only four caution periods interrupted the 100-mile event and there were no driver injuries.

Pole starter Dave Steele of Tampa, Fla. led much of the race before a broken fuel injector sent him to the sidelines after 67 laps.

Brad Armstrong of New Palestine, Ind. earned the Turbines, Inc. "Rookie of the Race" award for finishing seventh.

        1.      (17)    J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 80, $17,500, 105,645
mph.
        2.      (12)    Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 80, $9,000.
        3.      (2)     Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 80, $5,500.
        4.      (3)     Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., 80, $4,300.
        5.      (8)     Bentley Warren, Kennebunkport, Maine, 80, $3,500.
        6.      (14)    Jason McCord, Anderson, Ind., 80, $2,875.
        7.      (15)    Brad Armstrong, New Palestine, Ind., 80, $2,800.
        8.      (9)     Davey Hamilton, Boise, Idaho, 80, $2,350.
        9.      (18)    Billy Puterbaugh, Jr., Brownsburg, Ind., 80,
$2,100.
        10.     (27)    Pat Abold, Pennellville, N.Y.., 80, $1,950.
        11.     (19)    Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind., 80, $1,850.
        12.     (22)    Derek Davidson, Lafayette, Ind., 80, $1,750.
        13.     (20)    Dave Darland, Walton, Ind., 80, $2,150.
        14.     (29)    Johnny Parsons, Indianapolis, Ind., 80, $1,600.
        15.     (26)    Rebel Jackson, Jr., Buckley, Wash., 80, $1,550.
        16.     (10)    Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 80, $1,500.
        17.     (6)     Jimmy Sills, Placerville, Calif., 80, $1,450.
        18.     (28)    Mike Brooks, Knoxville, Iowa, 78, $1,400.
        19.     (11)    Robby Flock, Murrieta, Calif., 78, $1,350.
        20.     (25)    Gary Hieber, Langhorne, Pa., 76, $1,300.
        21.     (24)    Doug Didero, Mooresville, N.C., 75, $1,275,
        22.     (1)     Dave Steele, Tampa, Fla., 67, $1,250, Fuel
injector.
        23.     (30)    Kevin Bloomstran, Auburn Hills, Mich., 64, $1,225
        24.     (16)    Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 60, $1,200, Accident.
        25.     (23)    Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, Ariz., 51, 1,175.
        26.     (21)    Chet Fillip, Speedway, Ind., 50, 1,150, Oil Leak
        27.     (13)    Stevie Reeves, Huntersville, N.C., 35, 1,150,
Throttle.
        28.     (5)     Dan Drinan, Indianapolis, Ind., 31, 1,150,
Accident.
        29.     (4)     Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 22, 1,150, U-Joint.

DQ (7) Chuck Leary, Greenfield, Ind., Disqualified after finishing fifth for failing to pass post-race technical inspection.

Average Speed: 105.645 mph.
Time of Race: 56:47.64

Caution Flags: Laps 13-18 Gamester stalled in turn 2; Laps 23-28 Drinan spun into wall in turn 2; Laps 43-47 Brooks spun in turn 2; Laps 52-57 Hewitt & Abold tangle on backstretch.

Lead Changes: 6 between 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders: Newman 1-3, Yeley 4-56, Newman 57-68, Yeley 69.75, Hines 76-79, Yeley 80.

Fastest Qualifier: Dave Steele - 31.798 seconds -- 141.518 mph.
Qualifying Race Winner: (10 laps) Gary Hieber.

Final Silver Crown Point Standings: 1- Leffler-553; 2-Tyler-537; 3-Newman-526; 4-Sills-457; 5-Darland-447; 6-Yeley-436; 7-Hewitt-404; 8-Gamester-368; 9-Flock-340; 10-Hines-335.