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USAC: Jason Leffler wins Coors Light Silver Bullet race at 'Copper World Classic'

6 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Phoenix, Ariz.--Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. won Sundays "Copper World Classic" 50-mile USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet race at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway. The victory was worth $19,070 and was the second of the day for co-car owner Tony Stewart. Leffler drove the Team ASE/Wynns Beast Special.

Stewart, last years NASCAR Winston Cup "Rookie of the Year" earlier won the 25-mile USAC MCI WorldCom Midget Car race in his Wynns/ASE/Performance Racing Industry/Beast.

"The car was awesome," said Leffler after the race. "We were lucky with traffic today. I got a break when Tracy Hines got held up by lapped cars and got away. Tony was spotting for me in the turn 1-2 suites and it was nice having his help."

Brian Tyler, the defending race winner and winner of last weeks series opener at Orlando, Fla., finished second in Sundays race and leads the series standings going into the April 7-8 race at Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway. Rounding out the top-five were Brad Noffsinger, Hines and Dave Darland.

Four yellow flags and one red flag slowed the race. There were no injuries and the red flag flew on lap 26 when Jack Hewitt and Pat Abold crashed exiting turn four.

Leffler established a new track qualifying record of 140.806 mph to win the pole starting position. He led the first four laps before yielding to Kenny Irwin for laps 5-11. He regained the lead on lap 12 and led the rest of the way as Irwin retired after 43 laps with power steering problems.

1. (1) Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., 50, $19,070, No Speed (Red flag).
2. (6) Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 50, $10,763.
3. (8) Brad Noffsinger, Concord, N.C., 50, $,8,134.
4. (3) Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 50, $5,749.
5. (18) Dave Darland, Kokomo, Ind., 50, $3,884.
6. (16) Gary Hieber, Langhorne, Pa., 50, $3,361.
7. (20) John Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, Pa., 50, $2,562.
8. (2) Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., 50, $3,253.
9. (26) Ed Carpenter, Indianapolis, Ind., 50, $2,076.
10. (15) Jimmy Sills, Placerville, C1lif., 50, $1,808.
11. (13) J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 50, $1,953.
12. (10) Paul White, Temple, Texas, 50, $1,723.
13. (23) Jay Drake, Val Verde, Calif., 50, $1,600.
14. (19) Eric Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind., 50, $1,592.
15. (14) Bentley Warren, Kennebunkport, Maine, 50, $1,500.
16. (12) Tony Hunt, Fair Oaks, Calif., 50, $1,400.
17. (11) Chuck Leary, Greenfield, Ind., 49, $1,349.
18. (30) Rich Tobias, Jr., Annville, Pa., 49, $1,299.
19. (24) Jon Herb, Indianapolis, Ind., 49, $1,249.
20. (9) Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 43, Engine, $1,691
21. (4) Kenny Irwin, Charlotte, N.C., 43, Power Steering, $1,772.
22. (21) Tony Elliott, Kokomo, Ind., 24, Engine, $1,074.
23. (25) Jack Hewitt, Troy, Ohio, 24, Accident, $1,024.
24. (27) Pat Abold, Pennellville, N.Y., Accident, $1,024.
25. (29) Wally Pankratz, Orange, Calif., 23, Oil Pressure, $1,023.
26. (7) Dan Drinan, Indianapolis, Ind., 18, Accident, $1,186.
27. (28) Ken Hamilton, Boise, Ida., 18, Handling, $1,018.
28. (5) Jason McCord, Anderson, Ind., 9, Engine, $1,106.
29. (17) Chet Fillip, San Angelo, Texas, 9, Accident, $1,009.
30. (22) Donnie Beechler, Springfield, Ill., 9, Engine, $1,009.

Average Speed: NONE-Red Flag
Time of Race: NONE-Red Flag
Caution Flags: 4 and 1 Red Flag.
Lead Changes: 2 among 2 drivers.
Lap Leaders: Leffler 1-4, Irwin 5-11, Leffler 12-50.
Fastest Qualifier: Jason Leffler - 25.567 seconds 140.806 mph.
Consolation Race Winner: (10 laps) Jack Hewitt

Coors Light Silver Bullet Point Standings: 1-Tyler-117; 2-Noffsinger-105; 3-Hieber-99; 4-Newman-99; 5-Darland-93; 6-Hines-90; 7-Leffler-72; 8-White-71; 9-Gordon-58; 10-Fillip-51.

Next Coors Light Silver Bullet Race: April 7-8 - Nazareth (PA) Speedway.

Text Provided by USAC

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