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USAC: Brad Noffsinger scores first USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet victory

1 November 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Brad Noffsinger of Concord, N.C. scored his first USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet victory in Sunday afternoon's nationally-televised (TNN) "Memphis 100" at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn.

"It's hard to put into words what this win means for me," said a nearly-speechless Noffsinger in victory lane. "This was a building year and we want to go for the championship next year. I screwed up during qualifying but I knew I had the car to win the race. I had to be patient and the big break came when Dave Steele spun on lap 45. That helped cool my tires."

Noffsinger started seventh and was running fifth when race leader and defending winner Steele blew an engine and spun in turn one on lap 45. That put Jason Leffler in the lead but Noffsinger tracked him down on lap 83 and held on to the finish.

Pole starter Kenny Irwin came on to take second in the closing laps and Leffler was third, ahead of Russ Gamester and Bentley Warren.

Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. earned the Coors Light Silver Bullet championship with his eighth-place finish and Rebel Jackson, Jr. was named Turbines, Inc. "Rookie of the Race" after finishing 14th.

Five caution flags for 52 laps slowed the pace, although Irwin's pole speed was over 126 mph.

Bill Rose of Plainfield, Ind. won Saturday's 15-lap "qualifying race."

Sunday's race was witnessed by a sell-out crowd of nearly 30,000.

1. (40) Brad Noffsinger, Concord, N.C., 100, $16,200
2. (2) Kenny Irwin, Charlotte, N.C., 100, $8,100.
3. (9) Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., 100, $6,100.
4. (51) Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 100, $4,200.
5. (29) Bentley Warren, Kennebunkport, Maine, 100, $3,400.
6. (111) Jimmy Sills, Placerville, Calif., 100, $2,875.
7. (37) Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 100, $2,575.
8. (14) Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 100, $2,400.
9. (36) Jimmy McCune, Toledo, Ohio, 100, $2,200.
10. (11) Davey Hamilton, Boise, Idaho, 100, $2,100.
11. (777) Chet Fillip, Speedway, Ind., 100, $1,900.
12. (80) Billy Puterbaugh, Jr., Brownsburg, Ind., 100, $1,800.
13. (20) Tony Elliott, Kokomo, Ind., 100, $1,700.
14. (110) Rebel Jackson, Jr., Buckley, Wash., 99, $2,149.
15. (23) Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 99, $1,599.
16. (4) Jason McCord, Anderson, Ind., 99, $1,549.
17. (54) Keith Butler, Tampa, Fla., 99, $1,499.
18. (56) Dave Darland, Kokomo, Ind., 98, $1,398.
19. (62) Bill Rose, Plainfield, Ind., 95, Engine, $1,345.
20. (47) Bill Whittaker, Central Square, N.Y., 95, $1,295.
21. (66) Gary Hieber, Langhorne, Pa., 83, Rear End, $1,258.
22. (69) Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 80, Ignition, $1,230.
23. (67) J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 67, Ignition, $1,192.
24. (30) Chuck Leary, Greenfield, Ind., 60, Brakes, $1,160.
25. (92) Dave Steele, Tampa, Fla., 44, Engine, $1,119.
26. (75) Todd Kane, Powell, Ohio, 39, Handling, $1,039.
27. (22) Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg, Pa., 36, Engine, $1,061.
28. (18) Troy Vaccaro, Sandusky, Ohio, 17, Oil Leak, $1,017.
29. (100) Paul White, Temple, Texas, 3, Fuel Pump, $1,003.
30. (17) Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville, Ohio, 3, Accident, $1,003.

Average Speed: NONE-Yellow Flags.
Time of Race: NONE-Yellow Flags.
Caution Flags: 5 for 32 laps.
Lead Changes: 3 among 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders: Newman, 1-44 Steele Laps 45-82 Leffler, Laps 83-100 Noffsinger., Fastest Qualifier: Kenny Irwin, Jr. - 21.308 seconds -- 126.713 mph. Qualifying Race Winner: (15 laps) Bill Rose.

Final Coors Light Silver Bullet Point Standings: 1-Newman-666; 2-Gamester-619; 3-Hewitt-539; 4-Sills-519; 5-Tyler-512; 6-Hines-497; 7-Elliott-481; 8-Yeley-454; Darland-443; 10-Leffler-391.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.