5/22/2010 USAC Silver Crown, Sprints, and Midgets
Casey’s General Stores USAC Triple Crown “Pride of Iowa”
FIKE GETS 1ST SILVER CROWN WIN AT IOWA SPEEDWAY

A.J. Fike of Galesburg, Ill. scored his first career USAC Silver Crown victory Saturday at Iowa Speedway, winning the 100-lap Casey’s General Stores USAC Triple Crown Pride of Iowa race on the 7/8-mile paved oval. Fike passed Shane Hmiel on lap 16 and led the rest of the way in his Liberty Village/McGladrey & Pullen Beast/Foxco. Kody Swanson outduelled new series point leader Bud Kaeding to finish second. Hmiel took fourth ahead of Jerry Coons Jr. Bobby East was the fastest qualifier but failed to finish the 100-lapper after leading the first two laps. Kaeding, hoping to become USAC’s first four-time Silver Crown champion, leads Fike by nine points in the new standings going into next Friday’s “Hoosier Hundred” in Indianapolis, Ind.

 FEATURE: (100 laps) 1. A.J. Fike, 2. Kody Swanson, 3. Bud Kaeding, 4. Shane Hmiel, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Zach Daum, 7. Brian Tyler, 8. Coleman Gulick, 9. Jeff Mitrisin, 10. Bobby Santos III, 11. Derek Hagar, 12. Shane Hollingsworth, 13. Bryan Clauson, 14. Levi Jones, 15. Jason Leffler, 16. Justin Carver, 17. Tanner Swanson, 18. Bobby East, 19. Tracy Hines, 20. Brad Sweet, 21. Jacob Wilson, 22. Russ Gamester, 23. Scott Pierovich. NT

 FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 East, Laps 3-15 Hmiel, Laps 16-100 Fike.

CLAUSON ADDS IOWA SPRINT WIN TO USAC “STREAK”
Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. continued his winning ways in USAC-sanctioned racing Saturday at Iowa Speedway, leading the final five laps to win the Casey’s General Stores USAC Triple Crown Pride of Iowa USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car 50-lapper at the 7/8-mile paved oval. Clauson caught Bobby Santos on lap 46 and led to the checkered flag in his Rotondo Weirich/Benic Enterprises Maxim/Gaerte Chevy. Santos, who had won the preceding 30-lap USAC Midget race, led 12 laps but finished second, ahead of Jerry Coons Jr., Tracy Hines and Levi Jones. Series point leader Damion Gardner finished seventh. Shane Hmiel, who broke the World’s Sprint Car qualifying record with a qualifying lap of 146.444 mph to win the pole, led 33 laps but lost an engine in the closing laps of the race.

FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Bobby Santos III, 3. Jerry Coons Jr., 4. Tracy Hines, 5. Levi Jones, 6. Jacob Wilson, 7. Damion Gardner, 8. Bobby East, 9. Kody Swanson, 10. A.J. Fike, 11. Chris Windom, 12. JoJo Helberg, 13. Henry Clarke, 14. Ricky Williams, 15. Shane Hmiel, 16. Tanner Swanson, 17. Coleman Gulick, 18. Scott Pierovich. NT
 
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-20 Hmiel, Laps 21-30 Santos, Laps 31-43 Hmiel, Laps 44-45 Santos, Laps 46-50 Clauson.
 

SANTOS LEADS ALL BUT ONE TO WIN IOWA MIDGET RACE

Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. led all but one lap to win Saturday’s 30-lap Casey’s General Stores USAC Triple Crown Pride of Iowa feature event at Iowa Speedway. Santos’ victory in the USAC Mopar National Midget race on the 7/8-mile paved oval came in the Santos Motor Sports/K & N Air Filters Beast/Esslinger Ford. He led laps 1-4, then yielded to Darren Hagen for lap five, but returned to the lead the next lap and led the rest of the way for the victory. Brad Sweet, driving for car owners Kasey Kahne & Mike Curb, finished second, followed by Hagen, Bobby East and Henry Clarke, East came from 20th starting position! Santos won the pole with the fastest lap during qualifications.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bobby Santos III, 2. Brad Sweet, 3. Darren Hagen, 4. Bobby East, 5. Henry Clarke, 6. Bryan Clauson, 7. David Byrne, 8. Daniel Bedford, 9. Alex Bowman, 10. Dave Darland, 11. Tracy Hines, 12. Adam Kramer, 13. Cale Conley, 14. Brad Kuhn, 15. Chuck Gurney Jr., 16. Jerry Coons Jr., 17. Mario Clouser, 18. Caleb Armstrong, 19. Shane Hmiel, 20. Zach Daum, 21. Levi Roberts. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-4 Santos, Lap 5 Hagen, Laps 6-30 Santos.