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 KOKOMO,
IN (July 23) -- Bud Kaeding led from flag-to-flag en route to winning
the 30-lap feature in the USAC National Sprint Car Series at Kokomo
Speedway on Wednesday. It was the fifth race in the eight-race series
making up what's known as the Indiana Sprint Week in the popular
open-wheel series. Cory Kruseman finished in second place followed by
J.J. Yeley who had won three of the four previous races. Yeley not
only extended his overall lead in the series over Jay Drake to 216
points, he also leads Drake in the Indiana Sprint Week standings with
321 points to Drake's 295 points with three races remaining in the
Indiana Sprint Week event. Hoosier Open Wheel Dirt Product Manager
Neil Cowman traveled south to Kokomo to watch the Hoosier brand in
action and also provided the details for this report.
Forty-four cars posted times in qualifying on the
Kokomo Speedway 1/4-mile oval with 28 drivers using Hoosier rubber.
Boston Reid took fast time honors when he circled the track in 15.041
seconds. Reid was followed by Jay Drake and Tony Elliott giving
Team-Hoosier the right to claim the top three times in qualifying.
In heat race action, three of four heat race winners
rode on Hoosier tires. Jay Drake, Keith Coons and John Scott were the
three Hoosier-shod heat race winners. All three drivers won their
respective heats using Hoosier's RD12 compound as their compound
choice on their right rear tires. Also in the 10-lap heat action,
Boston Reid flipped hard on the fifth lap in the first heat race.
He was taken to nearby St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo and treated for a
concussion.
In the 30-lap feature, 18 of the 22 entrants rode on
Hoosier tires. Bud Kaeding took the lead from the outset using a pair
of Hoosier RD12's. From there, he defended his leader status until the
checkered flag fell. Kaeding was followed to the stripe by Cory
Kruseman and J.J. Yeley who also used a pair of RD12's for their
respective finishes.
All told, Hoosier tires were on the first four drivers
to cross the finish line, while seven out of the top eight drivers
used Hoosier tires. Brian Hayden finished fourth, while Derek
Davidson, Dave Darland and Levi Jones took sixth through eighth, respectively.
Mark Clark finished in tenth giving the Hoosier brand eight out of the
top ten finishing spots.
The Hoosier brand has now won all five nights of the
USAC Indiana Sprint Week heading into the final three nights of
racing. J.J. Yeley leads in the Indiana Sprint Week standings with 321
points followed by Jay Drake with 295 points and Tracy Hines with 252
points. Drake finished Wednesday's race in 14th. J.J. Yeley (1366)
also increased his overall lead in the USAC National Sprint Car Series
over Jay Drake (1150) to 216 points with Tracy Hines (1143) and Bud
Kaeding (1031) not far behind.
The USAC Indiana Sprint Week racing resumes tonight,
July 24, at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, IN followed by
races at Bloomington Friday and Terre Haute on Saturday.
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