Hoosier Hundred Driver Preview (Including Full Entry List)

*​**Hoosier Hundred Preview & Driver Notes*

By Jay Hardin Track Enterprises Staff

May 23, 2016-Indianapolis, IN-The 62nd Hoosier Hundred Thursday night is
shaping up to be one of the most competitive events in recent history, with
a number of pilots having a fair shot at first prize.  The legendary USAC
Silver Crown Series event on the Indiana State Fair Mile has seen legends
such as Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Bettenhausen and Hewitt grace victory lane.
With a pre-entry list that tentatively is well over 30 machines, a number
of drivers look to add their name to the Indiana mile history book.

The race is the second this week in USAC's "The Week Of Indy" series.  It
all opens up on Wednesday night with the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car
Series at the Terre Haute Action Track, followed by the Hoosier Hundred at
the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Thursday night, and finishes with the Carb
Night Classic "The Race Before The 500" on Friday night at Lucas Oil
Raceway.  The Thursday and Friday races are USAC Silver Crown Champ Car
events.

Full information on USAC's "The Week Of Indy" events can be found at
www.trackenterprises.com.

This is a look (and by no means all-inclusive) at many of the entrants for
Thursday night’s Hoosier Hundred, some of the favorites, contenders, and
dark horses to watch.

*FAVORITES*

·        Kody Swanson-Kingsburg, CA.  Swanson has the opportunity to join
Al Unser and Jimmy Bryan as the only drivers ever to win three consecutive
Hoosier Hundred races.  The winner of the last two events at the Indiana
State Fairgrounds is also the winner of the last two Silver Crown titles
and has won five of eight on dirt miles in the last two seasons.

·        Dave Darland-Lincoln, IN.  Never count out the 1997 Silver Crown
champ and the three time (1995, 1996 & 2004) Hoosier Hundred winner.
Darland has six wins on dirt miles between Springfield and Indianapolis,
the all-time leader in USAC Sprint Car feature wins shows no signs of
slowing down.

·        Jerry Coons, Jr.-Tucson, AZ.  Car owner Gene Nolen got that first
win on the Indy mile with Shane Hollinsgworth in 2009 and partnered last
year with 2011 & 2012 winner Coons.  The 2008 USAC Silver Crown champ is
always a threat on the big tracks and this team is a potent combo.

·        Shane Cockrum, Benton, IL-A new car purchased from the Tony
Stewart stable paid dividends for the Hardy Boys racing team propelling the
“Chief�?? to victories at Terre Haute and a repeat at DuQuoin.  Car and
driver ran up front at Indy and Springfield as well, the second generation
driver loves the big tracks.

·        Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN.  Starting in row 10 at the
Indianapolis 500 Clauson becomes one of the few drivers in the past 20
years to run at the fairgrounds and the 500-mile race.  Clauson is due in
the big cars on one of the big mile tracks and he has a strong race car
that can carry him 100 miles.

*CONTENDERS*

·        Brian Tyler, Mt. Pleasant, NC.  Four wins at Springfield and one
at DuQuoin proved Tyler could win on the dirt miles.  He returned to all
three last year with a new car for owner Junior Kurtz but wasn’t able to
find past magic.  He teams with Springfield, Illinois owner Dennis McQuinn
in a car that can run at the front.

·        C.J. Leary, Greenfield, IN.  His dad won the 1997 Hoosier Hundred
and in April he became the first son of a series race winner to also find
victory lane.  A strong runner in USAC and Central Indiana sprints don’t be
surprised if this driver and car challenge for the lead.

·        Aaron Pierce-Muncie, IN.  Pierce has wins on pavement and is the
fastest driver in series history.  Last year he dazzled fans with a podium
run at Indianapolis and the show he and Cockrum put on at DuQuoin is still
fresh in the minds of fans.  If the car stays together count on him as a
contender.

·        Justin Grant-Ione, CA.  Grant was overdue for a ride in the series
having proven his talent in sprint cars and midgets.  The ride he got has
been very fast as evidenced by a pole at Indy and an up front start at
Springfield.  Help from new spotter and former driver Jason McCord should
help him through 100 tough laps on the Indy mile.

·        A.J. Fike-Galesburg, IL.  Fike was strong in last year’s race
leading until Swanson passed him around the 2/3 mark.  With two wins at
Springfield and a stock car win on the mile dirt there to boot Foyt’s
namesake knows his way around the Fairground’s dirt.  Look for him to be in
contention.

*DARK HORSES*

·        Shane Cottle-Kokomo, IN.  Cottle won at DuQuoin in 2007 and was
very strong running for Curtis Williams last year.  Williams had a bit of a
health issue during the offseason yet expect the team and driver to be
around for all 100-miles.

·        Chris Windom-Canton, IL.  The “Bear�?? has a victory on one of the
half-miles in the Big Cars but hasn’t reached victory lane on one of the
big tracks yet, despite several very good runs.  The Gormly machine is
capable as is the driver.

·        Casey Shuman-Tempe, AZ.  The son of former winner Ron Shuman has
very few series starts but when he’s been able to secure a ride he’s shown
very well.  He ran in the top three a couple of years ago at Indy as a
teammate to Cockrum and took over the Bateman ride in the middle of last
year gaining a top ten at both Springfield and DuQuoin.

·        Brady Bacon-Broken Arrow, OK.  What is it about Broken Arrow that
produces so many great dirt track drivers?  Bacon is another in a long line
and the sprint car champ was fast in the beautiful Martens 48, gaining a
tenth at Indy however mechanical gremlins haunted the team on the other big
tracks.

·        Russ Gamester-Peru, IN.  Never count Russ out of any 100-mile dirt
race.  Experience counts and this veteran and his family operation
certainly have that.  Wins at Springfield and DuQuoin make this former USAC
Midget champ a threat any time the dirt cars roll onto a mile track.
Gamester would like nothing better than to win on the home turf.

·        Jeff Swindell-Germantown, TN.  It’s nice to see the two-time (1991
& 1993) race winner back.  The car and the team are something of an unknown
entity, Randy Hannagan ran the car for 99 miles at Springfield but didn’t
crack the top ten.


*“HOOSIER HUNDRED�?? TENTATIVE ENTRY LIST*



0 MITCH WISSMILLER/Saybrook, IL

Matt Barker – Ruthe Thackery/Barker-Thackery/Beast/Chevy



00 TERRY BABB/Decatur, IL

Terry Babb/APT Powder Coating – Flat-Out Ministries/Beast/Chevy



07 JACOB WILSON/Crawfordsville, IN

Wilson Brothers Racing/Jet Star – Anderson Transport/Beast/Claxton Toyota



3 A.J. FIKE/Galesburg, IL

RFMS Racing/Liberty Village – McGladrey/Beast/Foxco



5 J.C. BLAND/Springfield, IL

Bland Brothers Enterprises/Sam’s Speed Shop – Bland Brothers
Enterprises/Drinan/BBE Chevy



6 BRYAN CLAUSON/Noblesville, IN

Klatt Enterprises/Cancer Treatment Centers of America – JB Restaurant
Hospitality Group/Beast/Ford



7 NEIL SHEPHERD/Warsaw, IN

Neil Shepherd/Shepherd Firearms – Claxton Engines/Claxton Toyota



8 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA

Chris Carli/Joe’s Racing Products – Wilwood Engeineering/DRC/Claxton Chevy



14 BRIAN TYLER/Mount Pleasant, NC

Dennis & Dave McQuinn/McQuinn Motorsports – Cashless Racing/JR-1/Chevy



17 DAVE DARLAND/Lincoln, IN

Michael Dutcher Motorsports/RW Modular – Griffin’s Propane/Beast/Toyota



18 KENNY GENTRY/Henderson, KY

Kenny Gentry/Engler Machine & Tool – KVKK Racing/Beast/Gentry Chevy



20 JERRY COONS JR./Tucson, AZ

Nolen Racing/KECO – Columbus Container/Maxim/Tranter Chevy



21 JEFF SWINDELL/Germantown, TN

Swanson Racing/JR Levering Construction – The Bridge Restaurant/Beast/Chevy



23 TERRY JAMES/St. Louis, MO

Todd Satterthwaite/Todd’s Machine Shop/Magnum/Chevy



25 DAVEY RAY/Davenport, IA

Eddie Sachs Racing/Mecum Auctions – Checkered Flag Tavern/Beast/Team RAYPRO
Chevy



26 AARON PIERCE/Muncie, IN

 Sam Pierce/Sam Pierce Chevrolet – Tom Cherry Mufflers/Beast/Pierce Chevy



27 BILLY PUTERBAUGH JR./Indianapolis, IN

Carla & Steve Phillips/Roberts Tech Jobs – TBA Oil &
Warehouse/Phillips/Foxco Chevy



29 JOEY MOUGHAN/Springfield, IL

Joey Moughan/Conaway Handyman Service – Moughan Electric/Maxim/Claxton Mopar



30 C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN

Leary-6R Racing/Leary Construction – AMSOIL/DRC/Claxton Toyota



40 DAVID BYRNE/Shullsburg, WI

Byrne Racing/Stoops Freightliner-Truck Country – Bytec Resource
Management/J & D/Chevy



44 DANNY LONG/Bonne Terre, MO

Danny Long/Farmington Auto Plaza – DMR Motorsports/Beast/Chevy



48 BRADY BACON/Broken Arrow, OK

Paul Martens/Martens Machine Shop/Maxim/Kistler Chevy



51 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN

Gamester Racing/Gamester Green Gable Village/GRP/Toyota



53 STEVE BUCKWALTER/Royersford, PA

SET Racing/Heroes West Sports Grill/Beast/Brown Chevy



55 CASEY SHUMAN/Tempe, AZ

Patty Bateman/Circle K Convenience Stores/Beast/Chevy



58 JOE LIGUORI/Tampa, FL

Ralph Liguori/Sunshine Trailer Park – Brown & Miller Racing
Solutions/DRC/Kercher Chevy



63 KODY SWANSON/Kingsburg, CA

DePalma Motorsports/Radio Hospital – Champion Oil/Maxim/Hampshire Chevy



71 SHANE COCKRUM/Benton, IL

Hardy Boys Motorsports/Financial Transportation Services – Infinity
Shocks/Maxim/Chevy



77 CHRIS URISH/Elkhart, IL

Chris Urish/Elkhart Fertilizer – Pacesetter Solutions/Beast/Foxco Chevy



81 SHANE COTTLE/Kokomo, IN

Curtis Williams/Roger Williams Precision Engines – QS Components/Maxim/Chevy



84 TAD ROACH/Granite City, IL

Scott Spivey/Lloyd Racing Enterprises – Malibu Art Tile &
Stone/Stealth/Chevy



88 CHRIS FETTER/Troy, MO

Fetter Tile LLC/Fetter Tile – F & S Collision Repair/Beast/Foxco



91 AUSTIN NEMIRE/Sylvania, OH

Hemelgarn Enterprises/Hemelgarn Enterprises/J & J/Ford



98 CHRIS WINDOM/Canton, IL

RPM-Fred Gormly/RPM Auto Enterprise/Maxim/J & D



99 MARK SMITH/Sunbury, PA

             RPM-Fred Gormly/RPM Auto Enterprise – Seals-It Indy Race
Parts/JEI/Foxco Chevy