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USAC: Darland extends lead with Sacramento victory

10 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

HEADS FOR IRWINDALE SATURDAY WITH 20-POINT EDGE OVER TRACY HINES

Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. extended his lead in the USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series by winning Saturday night's curfew-abbreviated race at CalExpo State Fairgrounds in Sacramento, Calif.

Darland outraced J.J. Yeley to turn one on a restart at lap 67, then held off Yeley to the checkered flag, which was waved 17 laps from the scheduled end of the 100-mile race because of local curfew. Trailing Yeley to the finish were Paul White, Tony Elliott and Tracy Hines.

Darland's victory gave him a 20-point lead over Hines going into next Saturday's race at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. With the final two races on pavement at Irwindale and Memphis, Tenn., Darland added: "We're looking forward to them. Our pavement program has been good this year but it could be an interesting battle with Tracy."

Saturday's Irwindale timetable includes the USAC Western Sprint Car Series, with practice starting at 3 pm. A 15-lap "qualifying race" and 100-lap feature are on tap for the Coors Light Silver Bullet Cars.

"We didn't get a good start," Dave said after the Sacramento race. "But the red flags helped. We changed tires on the first red and on the last restart we knew we had a better car than J.J. and were able to get a good run on him down the stretch."

The first red flag flew when Jay Drake flipped over the first turn wall on lap 17. The second flew when Michael Adkins flipped exiting turn two on lap 28. Neither driver was injured.

Peter Murphy of Sydney, Australia captured the $5,000-to-win 20-lap winged sprint car feature which preceded the USAC main event. He passed Kasey Kahne on lap 10 and led the rest of the way to beat Kahne and Sparky Howard to the checkered flag.

USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS

1. Dave Darland 512
2. Tracy Hines 492
3. Brian Tyler 458
4. J.J. Yeley 445
5. Brad Noffsinger 431
6. John Heydenreich 391
7. Tony Elliott 390
8. Jack Hewitt 364
9. Paul White 354
10. Kasey Kahne 344

Text Provided By Dick Jordan

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