---

USAC: Leffler rakes in $19,370 for 'Copper World Classic' victory

8 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

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 $19,370 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 MCI WorldCom USAC 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.

USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS

1. Brian Tyler 117
2. Brad Noffsinger 105
3. Gary Hieber 99
4. Ryan Newman 99
5. Dave Darland 93
6. Tracy Hines 90
7. Jason Leffler 72
8. Paul White 71
9. Eric Gordon 58
10. Chet Fillip 51

Text Provided by USAC

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.