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USAC: Darland take '4-Crown' in Sprints, Prepares for Granite City

28 September 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind., heading for his first Stoops Freightliner USAC Sprint Car championship, captured Saturday night's 30-lap "4-Crown Nationals" feature at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. He now gears up for this Saturday night's "Heroes of Sprint Car Racing Classic" at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill., the series' first St. Louis-area appearance in four years.

Practice at the 1/2-mile dirt Granite City oval begins at 6 pm and qualifying starts at 6:30. The first race is at 7:30 and the program is being presented by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Ia. Darland led the final 16 laps of the "4-Crown" feature after passing Tracy Hines on lap 15 in his Kroger/Pringles/Sunny Delight Special. The win was his fourth in the series in the past two months. Hines finished second ahead of Tony Elliott, Jimmy Sills and Rob Chaney.

Jon Stanbrough was Friday night's fastest Sprint car qualifier. Jack Hewitt won the "non-qualifiers race" but failed to make the 30-lap feature in his attempt to repeat as the "4-Crown" champion. Heats went to Cary Faas, Brian Tyler, Kevin Thomas and Johnny Parsons. Jay Drake won the 12-lap True Value semi. Faas, J.J. Yeley and Tim Clark all flipped during the 30-lap feature but all escaped injury.

STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR STANDINGS

1. Dave Darland 1,716 6. Robbie Rice 813
2. Tracy Hines 1,456 7. Billy Puterbaugh, Jr. 804
3. Tony Elliott 1,388 8. Brian Gerster 715
4. Brian Tyler 987 9. Rusty McClure 628
5. Eric Gordon 854 10. Jack Hewitt 622

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