USAC: Gamester wants 'Hulman Hundred' that got away
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 22, 2001Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. wants A.J. Foyt's True Value "Hulman Hundred" trophy in the worst way. He was on his way to victory in the 1997 event when a broken brake rotor sent him into the second turn crashwall.
After losing the "trifecta" of three straight Coors Light Silver Bullet wins in a row May 12 at Indianapolis Raceway Park he hopes this Friday night's 100-miler at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis produces another "trifecta" for him, that of winning on all three mile dirt tracks which host the series. He won at DuQuoin, Ill. in 1997 and Springfield, Ill. in 1998.
"I need to start up front," Russ admitted when asked the key to victory at the storied oval. "I expect the track to be heavy and sure don't want to be starting back in the field and catching all the mud, etc. I've got a brand-new Beast that I'll debut in this race and I'm really looking forward to starting and staying up front."
Russ and his Terre Haute First National Bank/Arnie's Ace Hardware machine will have plenty of strong competition in the Coors Light Silver Bullet Series' fifth round. His 41-point lead could be in jeopardy, with drivers like Kasey Kahne, Paul White, Jason McCord and Ed Carpenter also in the "top-five" going into the race. Kahne was last year's "Rookie of the Year" and DuQuoin winner, while White won this year's "Copper World Classic" opener at Phoenix and Carpenter led the first 80 laps of last year's "Hulman Hundred" from the pole.
Practice Friday night starts at 4:30 pm, with qualifying at 5:30 and the 15-lap "qualifying race" at 7. A.J. Foyt's True Value "Hulman Hundred" gets the green flag at 8 pm.
Former race winners among the preliminary entries include Dave Darland (1995-96) and Jack Hewitt (1986), while 1984 winner George Snider will try to put his driver, Carpenter, in victory lane for the first time in his Coors Light Silver Bullet career.
USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS
1. Russ Gamester 216
2. Kasey Kahne 175
3. Paul White 174
4. Jason McCord 165
5. Ed Carpenter 152
6. Brian Tyler 135
7. Dave Darland 134
8. John Heydenreich 133
9. Tracy Hines 129
10. Dave Steele 128
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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