ULTIMATE “TRADITIONAL” SILVER CROWN RECORD IN JEOPARDY AT GATEWAY?

USAC Silver Crown point leader Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. hopes to replace the record he already owns for the fastest qualifying run in “traditional” Silver Crown history when the series visits Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. June 14.

Discounting the records established by the pavement-specialty cars which competed during the years 2006-2007, Swanson’s record of 146.212 mph at Iowa Speedway in 2012 still stands. Last year Chris Windom won the pole at Gateway with a scintillating lap of 144.778.

Swanson has won two of this year’s Silver Crown races (Terre Haute and Indianapolis), while his brother Tanner won at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis in May, giving the Swanson family a clean sweep of the three races contested so far.

Kody finished second to race winner Bobby Santos in last year’s 100-mile Gateway race, his first attempt at the 1.25-mile paved oval.

Tracy Hines and Brian Tyler are the only two drivers to have competed in all six previous USAC Silver Crown races at Gateway, dating back to 1997. Hines, who ranks second to Swanson in the 2014 standings, has a win and two seconds, while Tyler, who is still seeking a series ride for 2014, had a fourth and fifth in the most recent races.

The race continues a great tradition of USAC racing in the St. Louis area with Silver Crown regular Christopher Bell of Norman, Okla. winning a USAC Midget race in May at Belle Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill.

Tickets are on sale for the June 14 doubleheader, featuring the USAC Silver Crown cars and the Drivin’ for Linemen 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, by calling the Gateway ticket office at (618) 215-8888, ext. 101.