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USAC Silver Crown: DuQuoin victory and point lead in Darland's scope

29 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. would like to add a victory in Monday's Labor Day "DuQuoin Century" to his Coors Light Silver Bullet career accomplishments and could take another bite out of Brian Tyler's point lead with a win in the 100-miler.

Darland, who has scored victories on the dirt miles at Indianapolis, Ind. and Springfield, Ill., has never won at DuQuoin but finished second to Tony Elliott in last year's race after starting on the pole. In 1997 he set the existing 1-lap track qualifying record of 118.781 mph. which drivers will challenge during Monday's qualifications.

Darland trails Tyler, of Parma, Mich., by 39 points, with 66 available at DuQuoin. Tyler was fifth in last year's DuQuoin 100.

Monday's race is round nine of the 14-race series and could be pivotal in the battle for this year's championship. Darland is the 1997 series titlist but has failed to reach victory this year despite posting five "top-10" finishes in eight starts.

Practice at the 1-mile track starts at 9 am and qualifying gets under way at 10:30. A 15-mile "qualifying race" begins at 12:30 pm and the "DuQuoin Century" gets the green flag at 1:30. Johnny Parsons holds the 100-mile race record of 107.047 mph set in 1992.

Monday's race will debut the Coors Light Silver Bullet cars at DuQuoin's refurbished facility, which features brand-new concrete walls, a widened track surface and other upgrades sure to produce unprecedented competition.

Former DuQuoin race winners Tony Elliott, Jimmy Sills, Russ Gamester, Parsons and Jack Hewitt are all among the drivers expected to challenge Darland and Tyler in Monday's event.

USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS

1. Brian Tyler 344
2. Dave Darland 305
3. Tracy Hines 294
4. Brad Noffsinger 280
5. John Heydenreich 260
6. Ryan Newman 251
7. J.J. Yeley 250
8. Jason Leffler 237
9. Jack Hewitt 235
10. Jay Drake 223

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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