Illiniois: Post-race report

STEELE, WISE, SPRINGFIELD WINNER TYLER EYE "TED HORN 100" SHOOTOUT AT DuQUOIN

Defending USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Champion Dave Steele, rookie Josh Wise and veteran Brian Tyler have their focus set on the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds following "top-12" finishes for all three in Saturday's "Tony Bettenhausen 100" at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

Only 60 points separate the top three in the new series standings going into the Sept. 4 DuQuoin "Ted Horn 100." Steele leads Wise by 14 points and Tyler by 60 with 66 available in the series' penultimate race.

Tyler repeated his 2004 come-from-behind Springfield victory Saturday as he started 16th in the 30-car field on the 1-mile dirt oval and took the lead from Tyler Walker on lap 55. He led the final 46 miles in his Dellen Automotive Family/Utility Peterbilt Beast/Chevy, beating Tom Capie, Wise, Walker and Kevin Huntley to the checkered flag. Steele finished 12th.

Wise won the pole for Saturday's race and led the first four laps before Walker moved to the front. Matt Westfall won the 15-lap "qualifying race" which preceded the 100-mile feature.

Tyler started 21st at Springfield last year and won, bringing the total of number of positions advanced in two years at Springfield to 35! Last year at DuQuoin he started 10th and finished second to Walker. Steele was 17th in last year's DuQuoin century and Wise is a 2005 Silver Crown "rookie."

USAC WELD RACING SILVER CROWN SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Dave Steele-374
2.-Josh Wise-360
3.-Brian Tyler-314
4.-Jay Drake-239
5.-John Heydenreich-223
6.-Bud Kaeding-221
7.-Jason McCord-220
8.-Wayne Reutimann, Jr.-216
9.-Teddy Beach-192
10.-Ron Gregory-189

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