Previewing The 2018 USAC Silver Crown Series Season

Column By: NICHOLAS FILLMAN / RPW – TERRE HAUTE, IN – Over the years, the USAC Silver Crown series has seen its up’s and down’s with car counts and races, but has been on a steady increase over the past few seasons.

In 2016 the average car counts for the Asphalt and Dirt races were roughly 16 and 27 cars respectively. In 2017 the numbers increased to an average of 18 for the asphalt and 30 for the dirt series. While these numbers may not seem like the biggest of increases, the evidence of growth is prevalent especially in the Dirt series where the high car count for the year was an impressive 40 cars.

In 2018 the series has 11 races scheduled, with six being for the Asphalt series highlighted by twin appearances at the Indianapolis Raceway Park. One in may as part of the “Indy Week” events leading up to the Indianapolis 500, and this year again in conjunction with the Brickyard 400 weekend this year being in September. Another highlight for the Asphalt series that made its return in 2017 is the season opener in Phoenix at the newly renovated ISM Speedway in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series.

The Dirt series will again have its share of big time events, kicking off with the annual Sumar Classic at the Terre Haute Action track. This year, the series will be looking for better weather during Indy Week for the annual “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The competition for 2018 will be extremely competitive with both returning teams and with new teams trying their hands at the series for the first time.

For the third time in his career, Kody Swanson and the DePalama Motorsports 63 team will again be the team to beat for the 2018 season in both the asphalt and dirt series as they are the defending champions. Last season Swanson picked up four victories in 2017 on his way to winning his third series championship winning two dirt and asphalt races.

New for 2018 will be the combination of 2017 USAC Sprint Car Series champion Chris Windom as a teammate to Jerry Coons Jr, for legendary car owner Gene Nolen for a full assault at the 2018 USAC title.

In a recent announcement Klatt Enterprises has announced Brady Bacon will pilot their Beast Chassis number 6 entry for all the dirt events with Beast Chassis owner and legendary driver Bobby East serving as crew chief. In addition, Kyle Hamilton will pilot the Klatt Entry, in all the asphalt series events as well.

But the additions come with more returning teams like Johnny Petrozelle from North Carolina running all the dirt series events in 2018, after only attending some of the events for his rookie year.

Another rookie making his return to the series in 2018 will be Lawrenceburg Speedway regular Joss Moffatt, this year making a full run at the championship with Williams & Wright racing in their E3 Spark Plugs number 32 entry. The team has recently purchased a Beast Chassis entry to take on the asphalt schedule as well.

Two new teams to the series fall close to home with both being east coast teams. Former URC Sprint Car regular, and TSRS champion Michael Haggenbottom will make follow the whole series in 2018 running both the dirt and asphalt series.

Former USAC Sprint car driver, and current 360, and 410 driver Coleman Gulick, has purchased a new Maxim Chassis entry to run the dirt series races in 2018.

The returning sophomores along with the new teams in 2018, and the likes of series regulars, Steve Buckwalter, Austin Nemire, David Byrne, and CJ Leary, the 2018 season will be one for the record books in terms of quantity and quality.