 KANSAS
CITY, KS (September 30, 2006) -- The USAC Silver Crown Series completed its
final race of the season Saturday at Kansas Speedway with Aaron Pierce taking
the win while Bud Kaeding (photo) captured the series championship after
finishing fourth. The United States Auto Club has three national classes with
all three competing on both pavement and dirt surfaces throughout the season.
All three divisions use Hoosier tires exclusively when they compete on
pavement. However, when the Silver Crown Series races on dirt any tire brand
can be used. This season there were 14 total races in the Silver Crown Series
with nine contested on pavement and five on dirt. We proudly report that this
year's champion, Bud Kaeding, raced all 14 events on Hoosier tires.
The 67-lap "KansasSpeedway.com100" started in spectacular fashion
with Wayne Reutimann, Jr. moving from the eighth starting position to take over
the lead on the very first lap. On lap two, the race's pole-sitter Aaron Pierce
regained the top spot passing Reutimann on the high side of the 1.5-mile Kansas
oval.
Pierce led the next 52 laps before Pablo Donoso from Chili etched his name
into the USAC history books by leading his first-ever lap in the series. The
moment was brief however, with Pierce retaking the lead one lap later. Pierce
led the rest of the way to capture his first win of the season.
Pierce was followed to the line by Jay Drake in second Wayne Reutimann, Jr.,
Bud Kaeding and Thiago Medeiros in third through fifth, respectively. Medeiros,
from Brazil, raced earlier this year in the Indy 500 finishing 31st after
suffering mechanical problems.
Pierce commented after the race, "The car drove the same the entire
race--maybe even a little better towards the end. With the tires being the same
every time out, it made our PDM team's job a lot easier."
The USAC Silver Crown Series now uses radial tires specifically designed for
the new Silver Crown cars.
Hoosier's Irish Saunders, who attended the season-ending event commented,
"It was a great way to end the season. The race went green flag the entire
distance and the new (Hoosier) tires did their job extremely well."
Saunders added, "The tires slowed just 2/10th's of a second from the first
lap to the last lap over the course of the 100-mile race."
Saunders continued, "This is a great series and I truly believe car
counts will continue to grow next year. This was the biggest crowd I have ever
seen come to watch a Silver Crown race in my 25 years in the business."
With his fourth place finish, Bud Kaeding, from Campbell, CA, captured his
first USAC Silver Crown Series championship by 44 points over Brian Tyler.
Interestingly, Tyler opted to use another tire brand when competing on
dirt.
Aaron Pierce finished the season in third place followed by Wayne Reutimann,
Jr., and Dave Steele to round out the top five. Josh Wise claimed the sixth
spot, while Jay Drake, Tim Barber, Bryn Gohn and Pete Shepard III completed the
top ten in the final standings.
For more information about the season-ending race and the United States Auto
Club visit www.usacracing.com.
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