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USAC: Drake wins 'NAPA Hawkeye Hundred' at Knoxville

4 June 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Knoxville, Iowa--Drake of Val Verde, Calif. saved his tires during the early stages of Saturday night's "NAPA Hawkeye Hundred" and the strategy paid off as he scored his first USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet victory at the Knoxville (Ia.) Raceway.

Drake started 11th in the 26-car field on the 1/2-mile dirt track but caught J.J. Yeley on the 88th lap and led the rest of the way to win the race in his Ralph's Muffler & Brake Shops Special.

"I never thought I'd be standing in victory lane at Knoxville," said Drake after the race. "To get my first Silver Bullet win here is special. I thought we were in trouble early in the race because we started with a hard tire and most of the guys didn't. I really though we had goofed, but after 25 laps I figured we would be OK at the end."

Yeley led 37 laps before yielding to Drake and ended up finishing second ahead of Kasey Kahne, who earned the Oliver Trucking "Rookie of the Race" award. Brad Fox, who passed pole starter Ryan Newman on lap five and led through lap 50, took fourth at the checkered flag ahead of fifth-place finisher Jack Hewitt.

Drake earned $9,533 from the total purse of $53,050.

Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. continues to lead the series standings after finishing seventh in Saturday night's race. He has a 34-point lead over Tracy Hines, who was 16th in the 100-lapper.

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Knoxville, Iowa - Results Saturday night (June 3) from the running of the "NAPA Hawkeye Hundred" USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series Race at Knoxville Raceway, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

1. (11) Jay Drake, Val Verde, Calif., 100, $9,533
2. (5) J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 100, $5,601.
3. (4) Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, Wa., 100, $3,868.
4. (2) Brad Fox, Avon, Ind., 100, $3,424.
5. (12) Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 100, $2,238.
6. (3) Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 100, $1,800.
7. (21) Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 100, $1,600.
8. (7) John Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, Pa., 100, $1,500.
9. (13) Dave Darland, Kokomo, Ind., 100, $1,350.
10. (19) Bud Kaeding, Campbell, Calif., 99, $1,250.
11. (14) Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, Ohio, 99, $1,125.
12. (15) Tony Elliott, Kokomo, Ind., 99, $1,100.
13. (24) Paul White, Temple, Texas, 99, $1,075.
14. (1) Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 99, $1,136.
15. (23) Brett Hearn, Vernon, N.J., 99, $1,025.
16. (17) Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 99, $1,000.
17. (18) Robby Flock, Murrieta, Calif., 98, Spun Out, $875.
18. (26) Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind., 98, $950.
19. (20) Ed Carpenter, Indianapolis, Ind., 98, $925.
20. (22) Tom Capie, Trevose, Pa., 97, $900.
21. (25) Rod Holshouser, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 97, $875.
22. (9) Brad Noffsinger, Concord, N.C., 97, $850.
23. (16) Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, Ariz., 97, $825.
24. (6) Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, Ill., 95, $800.
25. (10) Jimmy Sills, Placerville, Calif., 85, Accident, $775.
26. (8) Bill Rose, Plainfield, Ind., 49, Engine, $750.

Average Speed: None-Red Flag.
Time of Race: None-Red Flag.
Caution Flags: 3 for 18 laps
Lead Changes: 3 among 4 drivers
Lap Leaders: Newman 1-4, Fox 5-50, Yeley 51-87, Drake 88-100.
Fastest Qualifier: Ryan Newman - 21.375 seconds, 84.211 mph.
Qualifying Race Winner: (20 laps) Tracy Hines.

Coors Light Silver Bullet Point Standings: 1-Tyler-271; 2-Hines-237; 3-Darland-225; 4-Newman-224; 5-Noffsinger-222; 6-Jason Leffler-195; 7-Yeley-182; 8-White-184; 9-Heydenreich-173; 10-Drake-169.

Next Coors Light Silver Bullet Race: August 2 - Indianapolis (IN) Raceway Park - "Dupont 100"

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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