USAC: Rookie Kahne captures DuQuoin's 'Southern Illinoisan 100'
6 September 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Twenty-year-old Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw, Wash., the second-youngest driver in history to win a USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet race, led all 100 laps to win Monday's "Southern Illinoisan 100" at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds. Only Jeff Gordon, who won at Phoenix, Ariz. in 1991 at age 19, won at a younger age.
Kasey's wire-to-wire triumph in the Brian & Gary's Cars For Less Special earned him the Oliver Trucking "Rookie of the Race" Award and a total purse of $9,500.
"We were lucky," admitted Kahne in victory lane. "We were able to clear our main jet during a red flag prior to the restart and that enabled us to overcome our starting problems."
Pole starter Kahne slipped behind Tony Elliott on the original start but after 15 laps of yellows, USAC officials opted for a complete restart.
Kahne was pressured by J.J. Yeley for the entire 100 laps but his spotters kept him informed of Yeley's presence. "I knew if he got by me the race would be over, so I did everything I could to hold him off, added Kahne."
Trailing Kahne and Yeley at the checkered flag were Dave Darland, Russ Gamester and Tracy Hines.
The race was red-flagged when Randy Bateman hit the first turn wall and flipped, causing a third aborted start after which the race was completely restarted. Bateman was uninjured, as was Bud Kaeding, who flipped during practice.
Brian Tyler, who finished eighth, retained a 24-point lead over Darland in the series standings going into the September 22 A.J. Foyt's True Value "Hulman/Hoosier Hundred" in Indianapolis, Ind.
USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS
1. Brian Tyler 383
2. Dave Darland 359
3. Tracy Hines 342
4. J.J. Yeley 307
5. Brad Noffsinger 299
6. John Heydenreich 273
7. Jack Hewitt 262
8. Ryan Newman 262
9. Russ Gamester 254
10. Kasey Kahne 252
Text provided by Dick Jordan
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos
and racing art, please visit The Racing Image
Galleries and The
Visions of Speed Art Gallery .