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USAC SILVER CROWN
Homestead-Miami Speedway - Homestead, Florida
March 22-23, 2007
QUALIFICATIONS: (Held March 22)
1. Aaron Pierce, 26, Pierce-31.501; 2. Wayne Reutimann Jr., 00, Reutimann-31.900; 3. Cameron Dodson, 199, Edwards/RE-32.033; 4. Bud Kaeding, 29, BK-32.286; 5. Tracy Hines, 14, Foyt-32.409; 6. Pablo Donoso, 11, Foyt-32.530; 7. Tim Barber, 28, Pierson-32.788; 8. Mat Neely, 17, RW-33.065; 9. Jerry Coons Jr., 27, RW-33.103; 10. A.J. Fike, 91, Hemelgarn/RFMS-33.200; 11. Billy Wease, 12, Western Speed-33.216; 12. Paul White, 99, Mucci/Matczak-34.318; 13. Marc Jessup, 2, Vance-34.625; 14. Mike Murgoitio, 19, Team Six-R-35.172; 15. Rodney Weesner, 96, Weesner-37.383; 16. Ryan Moore, 41, Paternoster-52.797; 17. Brian Tyler, 21, Team Six-R-NT.
FEATURE: (67 laps – Held March 23)
1. Tracy Hines, 2. Pablo Donoso, 3. Cameron Dodson, 4. Ryan Moore, 5. Wayne Reutimann Jr.,6. Tim Barber, 7. Mat Neely, 8. Paul White, 9. Billy Wease, 10. Brian Tyler, 11. A.J. FIke, 12. Bud Kaeding, 13. Mike Murgoitio, 14. Aaron Pierce, 15. Jerry Coons Jr., 16. Marc Jessup, 17. Rodney Weesner. 38:27.708
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Pierce, Laps 9-63 Reutimann, Laps 64-67 Hines.
NEW SILVER CROWN POINTS: 1-Hines-105; 2-White-93; 3-Reutimann-82; 4-Kaeding-80; 5-Fike-79; 6-Tyler-72; 7-Pierce-70; 8-Barber-64; 9-Wease-63; 10-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-60.
NEXT USAC SILVER CROWN RACE: May 5 – Newton, Iowa – Iowa Speedway – “Casey’s General Store USAC Triple Crown”
Homestead, Fla. - Results Friday (March 23) from the running of the USAC Silver Crown Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with starting position in parentheses, driver, laps completed, reason out if any and money won:
The No. 14 is back in Victory Lane in the USAC Silver Crown Series presented by K&N Engineering.
Born in the same season driver A.J. Foyt won the USAC Silver Crown title in a four-race season, Tracy Hines scored Friday’s “Homestead-Miami 100” at Homestead-Miami Speedway, driving for the legendary four-time Indianapolis 500 champion.
Hines, in his first race driving for Foyt as well as first race in the new generation Silver Crown Series, led the final four laps of the 67-lapper for his seventh career series victory after leader Wayne Reutimann Jr.’s car came out of gear on Lap 64. The victory earned Hines $26,000.
“The double zero (Reutimann) and the 26 (Pierce) were the class of the field,” said Hines, who started fifth in the No. 14 Green Special C&R/Chevy. “But one thing we worry about is keeping our car consistent.…The Greer Special was awesome. They called me over the winter and asked me to drive, and I said sure. I’m glad I did.”
Hines admitted after the race he didn’t have the best car, and he was right. That belonged to Reutimann, who battled with polesitter Aaron Pierce over the first 50 laps and was in position to win his second series race.
Reutimann soared past Pierce on Lap 9 and, at points, established as much as a six-car advantage. He and Pierce weaved through traffic, and despite leading all the way until Lap 64, didn’t have a comfortable advantage until just 17 laps remaining.
Pierce lost an engine on the main straightaway, his car bellowing smoke from the start/finish line all the way into Turn 1. That misfortune led to the race’s only caution.
And even that caution, which slowed the event to an average speed of 156.779 mph, didn’t do justice to Reutimann. With five cars separating him and Hines, Reutimann ran off. Hines, in turn, lost second when Pablo Donoso went two-for-one, first passing Cameron Dodson for third and Hines for the runner-up spot.
Hines regained the position in the waning laps, and together, with Donoso and Dodson, started cutting deep into Reutimann’s lead.
The lead was cut to a second and a half before Reutimann’s car slowed considerably. Hines made the pass on the inside going into Turn 1, while Donoso squeaked by on the outside, nearly hitting the Turn 1 wall. The cause for Reutimann came as car coming out of gear.
With his main competition out of sight, Hines pulled away from Donoso and Dodson, and celebrated Foyt’s 50th anniversary in major open-wheel motorsports with the coveted winner’s trophy.
“We’ve still got some things to learn,” said Hines, the new point leader by 12 over eighth-place finisher Paul White. “Yesterday (Thursday) was the first time I ever sat in one of these cars. This was our test because I had never had a test prior to this week. So this was a good start in one of these.”
Eleven of the 17 cars finished the race. Rookie Ryan Moore finished fourth, while Reutimann came away with fifth, the last car on the lead lap.
The series returns to action May 5 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
1. Tracy Hines, 67, $26,000, 156.779 mph.
2. Pablo Donoso, 67, $13,500.
3. Cameron Dodson, 67, $9,250.
4. Ryan Moore, 67, $7,500.
5. Wayne Reutimann Jr., 67, $6,500.
6. Tim Barber, 66, $5,000.
7. Mat Neely, 65, $4,500.
8. Paul White, 65, $4,250.
9. Billy Wease, 65, $4,000.
10. Brian Tyler, 65, $3,750.
11. A.J. Fike, 61, $3,500.
12. Bud Kaeding, 60, Engine, $3,800.
13. Mike Murgoitio, 53, Engine, $3,150.
14. Aaron Pierce, 50, $3,100, Engine.
15. Jerry Coons, Jr., 42, Gearbox, $2,950.
16. Marc Jessup, 15, Oil Leak, $2,850.
17. Rodney Weesner, 0, Did Not Start, $2,750.
Average Speed: 156.779 mph.
Time of Race: 38:27.708
Fast Qualifier: Aaron Pierce (#26) – 31.501 seconds – 171.423 mph.
Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps.
Lead Changes: 2 between 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: Pirce 1-8, Reutimann 9-63, Hines 64-67.
Silver Crown Point Standings: 1-Hines-105; 2-White-93; 3-Reutimann-82; 4-Kaeding-80; 5-Fike-79; 6-Tyler-72; 7-Pierce-70; 8-Barber-64; 9-Wease-63; 10-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-60.
Next Silver Crown Race: May 5 – Newton, Iowa – Iowa Speedway – “Casey’s General Store USAC Triple Crown”
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