USAC SILVER CROWN FLASHBACK
Here, we present a blast from the past and a look back at some of the classic USAC Silver Crown races over the years at the Illinois State Fairgrounds as we get ready for the Bettenhausen 100 series finale this Sunday afternoon, October 18. First, a look back 20 years ago to the 2000 Bettenhausen 100, which turned out to be the legendary Jack Hewitt's 23rd and final USAC Silver Crown victory.
HEWITT SCORES #23 AT THE TONY BETTENHAUSEN 100
Springfield, Illinois………Jack Hewitt of Troy, Ohio scored the 23rd victory of his USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet career on August 19 in the Tony Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Hewitt trailed series Rookie Bud Kaeding until lap 86, then made a bold pass going into turn one and held on for the final 15 laps in his Utility Peterbilt/Print Express/Café Santa Fe Special.
“This was one of those days when you had to slow down to go fast,” said Hewitt after the 100-mile grind. “Bud is young and brave and was driving hard, but I just tried to be patient and look for the first opportunity to get around him. I decided I’d better get him when I could, because there might not be another chance.”
Hewitt put his win in perspective with his final comment, “I used to baby-sit for Bud.”
Kaeding earned the Oliver Trucking Rookie of the Race award for his second-place finish, narrowly beating Jay Drake to the checkered flag. Dave Darland and pole starter Tony Elliott rounded out the top-five.
The race was halted after four laps for Terry Pletch, who crashed into the inside guardrail after a three-car tangle on the backstretch. He was uninjured.
The only other caution period came on lap eight when Randy Bateman hit the wall in turn one. He also escaped injury.
Elliott led the first six laps before yielding to Kaeding.
Three-time series champion Jimmy Sills won the 15-lap qualifying race, which preceded the 100-lap feature. Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. continues to lead the series standings after finishing seventh.
USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES RACE RESULTS: August 19, 2000 – Springfield, Illinois – Illinois State Fairgrounds – Tony Bettenhausen 100
QUALIFYING: (Top-20 locked into the feature) 1. Tony Elliott, 20, Nolen-30.221; 2. Jay Drake, 6, Potter-30.752; 3. Tracy Hines, 37, Riggs-30.881; 4. Bud Kaeding, 44, Helmling-31.127; 5. Russ Gamester, 51, Gamester-31.245; 6. Ed Carpenter, 7, Snider-31.383; 7. Robby Flock, 80, Beach-31.444; 8. Jack Hewitt, 23, Dewit-31.448 ;9. Gary Hieber, 66, EWH-31.578; 10. Dave Darland, 56, Foxco-31.620; 11. J.J. Yeley, 11, Snider/Foyt-31.642; 12. Bill Rose, 62, Beaver-31.674; 13. Kasey Kahne, 67, Zarounian-31.831; 14. Johnny Parsons, 43, Nix-31.868; 15. Brian Tyler, 69, Dynamics-31.904; 16. Jerry Coons Jr., 135, RE Technologies-32.039; 17. John Heydenreich, 99, Mucci/Matczak-32.064; 18. Donnie Beechler, 16, Logan-32.107; 19. Brad Fox, 53, Fox-32.130; 20. Ryan Newman, 1, Vance-32.194; 21. Jimmy Sills, 175, Stanton-32.225; 22. Terry Pletch, 79, Pletch-32.380; 23. Eric Gordon, 41, Bowen-32.542; 24. Brad Noffsinger, 40, Curb/Agajanian-32.561; 25. Rich Tobias Jr., 74, RW-32.672; 26. Tom Capie, 153, Capie-32.692; 27. Rob Chaney, 97, SC-32.709; 28. Chuck Gurney, 9, East/Stewart-32.712; 29. Rod Holshouser, 12, Galas-32.783; 30. Dean Franklin, 83, Sohm-32.850; 31. Paul White, 100, Cook-33.022; 32. Randy Bateman, 55, Bateman-33.466; 33. Steve Sheppard Jr., 95, Burmeister-33.664; 34. Jerry Nemire, 76, Nemire-34.017; 35. Donnie Lehmann, 82, Barrick-34.372; 36. Craig Dori, 38, Shoestring-34.704; 37. Bill Schemonia, 64, Schemonia-34.848; 38. Dana Laliberte, 70, LaLiberte-34.954; 39. Chris Peterson, 98, Maples-35.754; 40. Tad Roach, 116, Logan-36.362; 41. Tom Davies, 168, Davies-39.292; 42. Ricky Shelton, 50, Aviators-NT; 43. Donnie Lehmann, 46, Egan-NT; 44. Joe McCarthy, 89, Peachey-NT. (NOTE: John Barrick also in car #82).
QUALIFYING RACE: (15 laps, top-10 transfer to the feature) 1. Jimmy Sills, 2. Tom Capie, 2. Chuck Gurney, 4. Brad Noffsinger, 5. Paul White, 6. Eric Gordon, 7. Rod Holshouser, 8. Terry Pletch, 9. Steve Sheppard Jr., 10. Randy Bateman, 11. Jerry Nemire, 12. Rob Chaney, 13. Dana Laliberte, 14. Chris Peterson, 15. Donnie Lehmann (#82), 16. Craig Dori, 17. Dean Franklin, 18. Bill Schemonia, 19. Tom Davies. NT
FEATURE: (100 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Jack Hewitt (8), 2. Bud Kaeding (4), 3. Jay Drake (2), 4. Dave Darland (10), 5. Tony Elliott (1), 6. Robby Flock (7), 7. Brian Tyler (15), 8. John Heydenreich (17), 9. Tracy Hines (3), 10. Ed Carpenter (6), 11. Donnie Beechler (18), 12. Kasey Kahne (13), 13. Johnny Parsons (14), 14. Tom Capie (22), 15. Paul White (25), 16. Jimmy Sills (21), 17. Brad Noffsinger (24), 18. Jerry Coons Jr. (16), 19. Gary Hieber (9), 20. Rod Holshouser (27), 21. Brad Fox (19), 22. Eric Gordon (26), 23. Steve Sheppard Jr. (29), 24. Ryan Newman (20), 25. J.J. Yeley (11), 26. Chuck Gurney (23), 27. Russ Gamester (5), 28. Bill Rose (12), 29. Randy Bateman (30), 30. Terry Pletch (28). NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-6 Tony Elliott, Laps 7-85 Bud Kaeding, Laps 86-100 Jack Hewitt.
NEW SILVER BULLET STANDINGS: 1-Brian Tyler-344; 2-Dave Darland-305; 3-Tracy Hines-294; 4-Brad Noffsinger-280; 5-John Heydenreich-260; 6-Ryan Newman-251; 7-J.J. Yeley-250; 8-Jason Leffler-237; 9-Jack Hewitt-235; 10-Jay Drake-223.