USAC: Eight drivers split $30,000 'Road to Indy' bonus money
23 November 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Eight United States Auto Club drivers will split $30,000 in prize
money as
the first recipients of the Indy Racing League's "Road to Indy" year-end
bonuses. The cash awards will be distributed to the top three drivers in
USAC's Coors Light Silver Bullet, Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car and MCI
WorldCom National Midget Series standings at USAC's "Night of Champions"
44th National Recognition Awards Dinner January 7 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Comprising the top open-wheel talent in America today, Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind., Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind., Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif., Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind., Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind., Jack Hewitt of Troy, Ohio, Tony Elliott of Kokomo, Ind. and Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. will share the spotlight at the gala event, held at the Westin Hotel.
The cash awards include $5,000 each to series champions, $3,000 each to series runner-ups and $2,000 each to the third-place finishing drivers. Newman is up for two of the bonuses, winning the Coors Light Silver Bullet championship and currently second in the MCI WorldCom National Midget rankings.
The eight drivers have accounted for 51 total USAC victories this season, Newman and Darland scoring wins in all three series.
The "Road to Indy" awards are part of the annual distribution of awards to participants in all of USAC's racing series as industry and civic leaders join to celebrate the accomplishments of USAC's 44th season of professional auto racing.
--USAC--
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