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USAC: Recap; Gamester wins 'Dupont 100' at Indianapolis Raceway Park

8 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind. scored his third career USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet victory in Sunday evening's resumption of the "Dupont 100," which was rained out Wednesday night at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The win was his first on pavement and earned his Terre Haute First National Bank team a first-place paycheck of $9,400 from the total purse of $58,268.

"I've never been fortunate here before tonight," he said in victory lane. "But my car kept getting better as the race wore on and we were able to run down the leaders." Russ started fifth and trailed early leaders J.J. Yeley and Ryan Newman until making his winning pass for the lead on lap 74. He led the final 27 laps of the 100-lap race despite late-race pressure from Yeley, who won the pole Wednesday night at 120.070 mph.

"I tried not to run too hard," Gamester added. I knew J.J. was pressing me but I knew if I let him by I might not get him back. Lapped traffic at the end nearly cost me but we were able to hang on." Gamester's winning speed of 105.216 mph broke Dave Steele's year-old race record of 100.383.

Trailing Gamester and Yeley at the checkered flag were Chet Fillip, defending race winner Dave Steele and John Heydenreich, while NASCAR veterans Jason Leffler and Tony Stewart finished sixth and ninth respectively. Stewart, who started alongside Yeley on the front row, ran with the leaders in the early laps but slipped a lap down on the 93rd lap.

Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw, Wash. earned the Oliver Trucking "Rookie of the Race" award and Jimmy McCune earned the "Hard Charger" award for his driver from 24th starting spot to 10th.

The race was interrupted only once by the yellow flag, when Tracy Hines and Gary Hieber spun in turn two on lap seven.

Gamester ranks ninth in the new Coors Light Silver Bullet standings going into the August 19 "Tony Bettenhausen 100" at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

USAC COORS LIGHT SILVER BULLET SERIES STANDINGS

1. Brian Tyler 302
2. Brad Noffsinger 261
3. Tracy Hines 258
4. Dave Darland 254
5. J.J. Yeley 242
6. Ryan Newman 242
7. Jason leffler 237
8. John Heydenreich 221
9. Russ Gamester 197
10. Paul White 187

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.