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USAC: Tyler earns 4th 'Border Wars' title; Darland, Hines also score wins

2 May 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

McCLURE REMAINS "CRITICAL" AFTER ELDORA CRASH

Brian Tyler of Parma, Mich. escaped the unpredictability of last weekend's Stoops "Border Wars VI" feature events to become a 4-time "Border Wars" champion, while Dave Darland and Tracy Hines emerged with improbable wins in the races at Rossburg, Ohio and Winchester, Ind. respectively.

Darland won Saturday night's 30-lap race at the Eldora Speedway when leader Jay Drake had to pit four laps from the finish to change a flat right front tire. Tony Elliott, Derek Davidson, Tyler and Drake trailed Darland to the checkered flag. Hines won Sunday's 30-lap race at the Winchester Speedway when Ryan Newman lost an engine after leading the first 29 laps! Newman was able to coast home for second ahead of Tyler, Brad Armstrong and Eric Gordon.

Derek Davidson of Lafayette, Ind. is the Stoops Freightliner point leader going into this Saturday night's "Heroes of Sprint Car Racing Classic" at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. A 30-lap feature caps the program on the 1/2-mile dirt, presented by the Knoxville, IA Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. Davidson finished third and seventh in the two "Border Wars" events.

Rusty McClure of Ashland, Ohio was one of five drivers who flipped at Eldora and he remains in critical condition with multiple injuries in Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. He and Terry Pletch flipped during the fourth heat race, but Pletch was treated at trackside for minor hand injuries.

Tony Elliott led then opening lap at Eldora, then yielded to Darland. Drake, who won the series opener at Eldora April 1, then caught Darland for the lead on lap 13 and was appeared headed for victory before tapping a lapped car from behind and flattening his right front tire.

Saturday night's events at Tri-City Speedway begin with practice at 6:30 pm, qualifying at 7 and racing at 8.

STOOPS FREIGHTLINER USAC SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Derek Davidson 215
2. Eric Gordon 199
3. Dave Darland 188
4. Tony Elliott 187
5. J.J. Yeley 180
6. Tracy Hines 163
7. Brian Tyler 148
8. Jack Hewitt 136
9. Bud Kaeding 132
10. Jay Drake 130

Text provided By Dick Jordan

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