COONS RETAINS SILVER CROWN POINT LEAD; TYLER TAKES DuQUOIN'S"TED HORN 100"

Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. retained his lead in the USAC K & N Silver Crown Championship standings Sunday night, finishing seventh in the"Ted Horn 100" despite a final-lap spin. Coons had raced from 23rd starting position to fourth before the spin. He emerged from the race at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds with a 23-point lead over Dave Darland in the new standings going into the September 20"4-Crown Nationals" at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. earned his second straight 100-mile USAC K & N Silver Crown Championship race victory Sunday night at DuQuoin. Tyler trailed defending race winner Shane Cottle for the first 75 laps, then led the final 25 laps in his Toyota/Fatheadz Sunglasses Beast/Toyota. He won the"Tony Bettenhausen 100" at Springfield, Ill. two weeks ago.

Darland finished second in a spirited run from the back of the pack after a lap-74 restart. He was running fourth but pitted for a tire and rejoined the race. In the final 26 laps he passed everyone but Tyler, whom he challenged for the victory on a final lap restart after series point leader Jerry Coons Jr. spun in turn two.

Cottle won the pole and ended up third ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Mat Neely.

Series veteran Johnny Parsons lasted only seven laps in his final start due to loss of power steering. He announced his retirement from the sport as a driver at the end of the race. Parsons' mother Arza gave the traditional command"Gentlemen, Start Your Engines."