USAC: Gamester leads Silver Bullets to Richmond
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 26, 2001Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. leads the Coors Light Silver Bullet Series to round six at the Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this weekend. The series is returning to the 3/4-mile paved oval for the first time in five years for the "Dominic's of New York 100."
Gamester leads 2000 "Rookie of the Year" Paul White of Temple, Texas by 36 points with 66 available this weekend. The Coors Light Silver Bullet Series shares the Richmond spotlight with the Indy Racing Northern Light Series' SunTrust Indy Challenge.
Gamester and White captured the first three races of this year's series, White winning the "Copper World Classic" opener in March at Phoenix, Ariz. and Gamester taking back-to-back victories at Irwindale, Calif. and Nazareth, Pa. Since then Gamester has a second at Indianapolis Raceway Park and White has a second at Knoxville, Ia.
Saturday night's race will be the third for the USAC series at the RIR oval. Jack Hewitt won the 1995 debut and Jimmy Sills won the 1996 return, but Randy Tolsma holds the 1-lap track qualifying record of 131.374 mph, set in 1996.
The Richmond timetable has Coors Light Silver Bullet practice on Friday from 1:45-3:15 pm. Saturday's schedule has Silver Bullet practice from 9:30-10:30 am and qualifying from 11 am to noon. A 15-lap "qualifying race" at 1:30 pm finalizes the 30-car starting field for the "Dominic's of New York 100," which starts at 5 pm.
The east coast is well represented in the field of entries for the Richmond race, including North Carolina's Tyler Walker and Brad Noffsinger, Florida's Dave Steele, Bentley Warren and Sport Allen, New York's Billy Whittaker, Pennsylvania's Gary Hieber, Rich Tobias, Jr. and Robin Bank, plus New Jersey's Tom Capie.
Mike Bliss, J.J. Yeley and Dave Steele are also entered drivers with 2001 series victories under their belts. Bliss won at Indianapolis Raceway Park in May, while Yeley won at Knoxville, Ia. in June and Steele won at Fountain, Colo. two weekends ago.
USAC National point leaders Jay Drake (Sprint Cars) and Dave Darland (Midget Cars) are also entered, as are 2000 USAC National Champions Tracy Hines (Silver Bullet), Tony Elliott (Sprint Cars) and Kasey Kahne (Midget Cars).
USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS
1. Russ Gamester 271
2. Paul White 235
3. Dave Steele 210
4. Ed Carpenter 202
5. Kasey Kahne 198
6. J.J. Yeley 197
7. Tracy hines 196
8. Dave Darland 185
9. Jason McCord 183
10. Brian Tyler 180
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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