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USAC: Silver Crown Anticipation at Irwindale

25 August 2000


LEFFLER EYES IRWINDALE SILVER BULLET, MIDGET RACES
HEADQUARTERS SET, FORMER WINNERS INVITED TO "TURKEY NIGHT"

Jason Leffler and other United States Auto Club participants are gearing up for 
two major events at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, which will have an impact on 
year-end point rankings. Leffler is the defending winner of both the Coors Light 
Silver Bullet race, which unfolds at the ½-mile paved oval October 14, and the 
Home Depot "Turkey Night Grand Prix" MCI WorldCom National/Western Midget Car 
race, slated November 23. Both events are scheduled for national broadcast on 
ESPN2's "Thunder Series."

The Four Point Sheraton Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., formerly the Wyndham Garden 
Hotel, will again serve as the official USAC race headquarters for both events. 
In addition, Irwindale Speedway has invited all former winners of the "Turkey 
Night Grand Prix" Midget Car race to attend the 60th anniversary running of the 
Thanksgiving Night race.

Leffler, who won last night's (August 23) "Mel Kenyon Classic" Midget Car race 
at Indianapolis Raceway Park, teamed with Tony Stewart and Dave Darland in last 
year's "Turkey Night" classic and is part of the Steve Lewis team which also 
includes 2000 MCI WorldCom National point leader Kasey Kahne.  Jason also owns 
two Coors Light Silver Bullet wins this season, at Phoenix, Ariz. and Indianapolis, 
Ind., in the series currently led by Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich.

In addition to Leffler, other former "Turkey Night Grand Prix" winners invited 
to attend this year's race will be 8-time winner Ron Shuman (1979-80-81-82-84-87-92-93), 
3-time winner Billy Boat (1995-96-97), 2-time winners A.J. Foyt (1960-61), Mel 
Kenyon (1963-75), Gary Bettenhausen (1967-70), Bill Engelhart (1971-73), Chuck 
Gurney (1988-89), Stan Fox (1990-91) and Parnelli Jones (1964-66), plus George 
Benson (1969), Tony Simon (1972), Danny McKnight (1974), Bubby Jones (1976), 
Rick Goudy (1978), Kevin Olson (1983), Brent Kaeding (1985), Warren Mockler (1986), 
Jordan Hermansader (1994) and Jay Drake (1998).

-USAC-