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USAC: Darland extends point lead after winning Coors Light Silver Bullet race in Sacramento

9 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Sacramento, Calif.--Dave Darland of Kokomo, Ind. extended his lead in the USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet by winning Saturday night's curfew-abbreviated race at CalExpo State Fairgrounds in Sacramento, Calif.

Darland outraced J.J. Yeley to turn one on a restart at lap 67, then held off Yeley to the checkered flag, which was waved 17 laps from the scheduled end of the 100-mile race because of local curfew. Trailing Yeley to the finish were Paul White, Tony Elliott and Tracy Hines.

"We didn't get a good start," Dave said after the race. "But the red flags helped. We changed tires on the first red and on the last restart we knew we had a better car than J.J. and were able to get a good run on him down the stretch."

The first red flag flew when Jay Drake flipped over the first turn wall on lap 17. The second flew when Michael Adkins flipped exiting turn two on lap 28. Neither driver was injured.

Darland's victory gave him a 20-point lead over Hines going into next Saturday's race at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. With the final two races on pavement at Irwindale and Memphis, Tenn., Darland added: "We're looking forward to them. Our pavement program has been good this year but it could be an interesting battle with Tracy."

Peter Murphy of Sydney, Australia captured the $5,000-to-win 20-lap winged sprint car feature which preceded the USAC main event. He passed Kasey Kahne on lap 10 and led the rest of the way to beat Kahne and Sparky Howard to the checkered flag.

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Sacramento, Calif. - Results Saturday night (October 7) from the running of the 100-mile Coors Light Silver Bullet Series race at CalExpo State Fairgrounds, with starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:

1. (5) Dave Darland, Kokomo, Ind., 83, $10,000, No Speed due to red flags.
2. (2) J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 83, $5,000.
3. (6) Paul White, Temple, Texas, 83, $3,000.
4. (4) Tony Elliott, Kokomo, Ind., 83, $2,200.
5. (11) Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., 83, $1,900.
6. (1) Bud Kaeding, Campbell, Calif., 83, $2,100.
7. (3) Kasey Kahne, Indianapolis, Ind., 83, $1,400.
8. (9) Ed Carpenter, Indianapolis, Ind., 83, $1,300.
9. (10) Brian Tyler, Parma, Mich., 83, $1,200.
10. (15) Brad Noffsinger, Concord, N.C., 83, $1,100.
11. (13) John Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, Pa., 83, $1,000.
12. (8) Bill Rose, Plainfield, Ind., 83, $950.
13. (16) Russ Gamester, Peru, Ind., 83, $900.
14. (18) Ronnie Day, Salinas, Calif., 83, $850.
15. (17) Johnny Parsons, Indianapolis, Ind., 83, $800.
16. (14) Scott Hansen, Simi Valley, Calif., 83, $750.
17. (19) Wally Pankratz, Orange, Calif., 66, Tires, $700.
18. (12) A.J. Fike, Galesburg, Ill., 43, Throttle, $650.
19. (22) Craig Dori, Chicago, Ill., 39, Power Steering, $625.
20. (21) Michael Adkins, Bothell, Wash., 26, Accident, $575.
21. (20) Randy Bateman, Murphysboro, Ill., 20, Brakes, $500.
22. (7) Jay Drake, Val Verde, Calif., 16, Accident, $500.
23. (23) Joe McCarthy, Broomfield, Colo., 0, Engine, $500.

Average Speed: None-Red Flag
Time of Race: None-Red Flag
Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps and 2 Red Flags.
Lead Changes: 4 among 3 drivers

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-27 Yeley, Laps 28-64 White, laps 65-66 Yeley, Laps 67-83 Darland.

Fastest Qualifier Bud Kaeding - 33.049 seconds, 108.929 mph.

Oliver Trucking "Rookie of the Race:" Bud Kaeding
Coors Light Silver Bullet Point Standings: 1-Darland-512; 2-Hines-492; 3-Tyler-458; 4-Yeley-445; 5-Noffsinger-431; 6-Heydenreich-391; 7-Elliott-390; 8-Jack Hewitt-364; 9-White-354; 10-Kahne-344.

Next Coors Light Silver Bullet Race: October 14 - Irwindale Speedway - Irwindale, Calif.

Text Provided By Dick Jordan

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