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USAC: Drake claims Pennzoil 'Indiana Sprint Week' Championship

1 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

DRAKE WINS AT "HUT" & "PUT," KRUSEMAN GRABS HAUBSTADT FINALE

Jay Drake of Val Verde, Calif. wrapped up an incredible Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" for himself and car owner Keith Kunz with victories at Terre Haute and Putnamville, earning nearly $25,000 in total prize money during the seven-race campaign which concluded Sunday night at Haubstadt.

Drake led all but the first two laps of Friday nights 30-lap 30th Dr. Pepper "Tony Hulman Classic" at the Terre Haute Action Track, beating Kasey Kahne, Jon Stanbrough, Bud Kaeding and Derek Davidson to the checkered flag. On Saturday night, Drake returned in his KECO-Hoosier Tire Special to take the 30-lap main event at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, beating Tony Elliott, J.J. Yeley, Jerry Coons, Jr. and Cory Kruseman. He passed Levi Jones on the seventh lap and led the rest of the way for his fourth win of the seven-race series.

Kruseman came back on Sunday night to take the 30-lap feature at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt in his Kwik-Change Products/Aeroweld/TCR machine, leading all 30 laps after outrunning pole starter Drake at the start. Yeley finished second, ahead of Bill Rose, Kevin Briscoe and Kaeding, as Drake finished sixth.

Drakes final Pennzoil "Indiana Sprint Week" margin over runner-up Elliott was 76 points, with Kaeding taking third in the standings.

Turbines, Inc. fast qualifiers in the three races were Rose, Drake and Jones, while Davidson, Drake and Rose won the True Value semis.

Elliott continues to lead the Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Series standings over Drake by 70 points going into races August 11 and 12 at Hartford, Mich. and Salem, Ind. respectively.

USAC STOOPS FREIGHTLINER SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1. Tony Elliott 945
2. Jay Drake 857
3. Tracy Hines 740
4. J.J. Yeley 729
5. Derek Davidson 706
6. Dave Darland 647
7. Bud Kaeding 604
8. Eric Gordon 593
9. Brian Tyler 533
10. Kasey Kahne 506

FINAL PENNZOIL "INDIANA SPRINT WEEK" STANDINGS

1. Jay Drake 429
2. Tony Elliott 353
3. Bud Kaeding 340
4. Kevin Briscoe 314
5. Cory Kruseman 290
6. Bill Rose 290
7. J.J. Yeley 259
8. Derek Davidson 251
9. Jerry Coons, Jr. 243
10. Jon Stanbrough 229

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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