Indy ORP race notes, Iowa round five preview

"CASEY'S GENERAL STORES CHALLENGE" AT IOWA FRIDAY; SANTOS WINS "J.D. BYRIDER 100" AT ORP

The USAC K & N Silver Crown Championship Series returns to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa this Friday for the "Casey's General Stores Challenge," a program also involving the USAC National Sprint cars.

Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Calif. heads into Friday's event with a 42-point lead over Tracy Hines as he tries to become only the second three-time series champion, matching the feat achieved in 1990, 1994 and 1996.

Friday's 100-lap race at the 7/8-mile paved oval will be accompanied by a 50-lap Sprint car feature. Drivers will be aiming at Shane Hmiel's qualifying record of 142.560 mph, established last year. Dave Steele set the 100-lap Iowa race record of 104.223 mph in 2006.

Defending race winner Cameron Dodson has returned to series competition after recovering from critical injuries suffered in an off-season highway accident. He was third in his return at Richmond, Va., in June and finished ninth in Thursday night's race at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind.

Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. became the first driver to win in all three 2009 USAC National racing series with his victory in Thursday night's 100-lap "J.D. Byrider 100" at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Santos grabbed the lead from pole starter Chet Fillip on lap 28 and led the rest of the way, averaging 109.224 mph in his Santos Motor Sports Beast/Performance Technology K & N Silver Crown car.

Santos started on the front row and trailed Fillip for the first 27 laps but held off Bobby East for the win, while series point leader Kaeding took third ahead of Fillip and Tyler Walker.

NASCAR veteran Ryan Newman finished eighth after starting ninth in the 30-car field.

-credit: usac