New generation Silver Crown car to debut 2006

INDIANAPOLIS -- No less than four car constructors have begun construction on or laid the groundwork for the new generation Silver Crown car, set to debut in 2006.

Stealth Motorsports and Devin Racing Chassis have already laid tubing for their first cars while Keith Kunz Motorsports plans to start on its cars next week. Riley Technologies, the developer of the new Silver Crown prototype, completed its second car last week.

Stealth President Joey Martin has already sold four cars among three car owners, including two currently involved in the series. While he doesn't expect a complete roller until next month, Martin expects to present interested buyers the opportunity to see the car at his Brownsburg, Ind. shop during the week leading up to the Brickyard 400. He already has cars cut up on the table.

Martin said he has designed his car radically different to that of the prototype, with changes most apparent on the roll cage. Martin anticipates testing for the first time at the end of September or the first week of October, and expects to participate in USAC's exhibition Silver Crown race Oct. 8 at Kansas Speedway.

"I've been pretty fortunate from guys in a lot of areas," Martin said. "We' ve received a lot of advice from some of the guys down south on aerodynamics that can help us on the bigger tracks. I've also worked with USAC a lot in the past, so I think I have a pretty good grasp of the rulebook. I think it' s a good thing (new car) for my customers as well as USAC."

DRC, which specializes at present in constructing Sprint cars, began construction of its pavement Silver Crown about three weeks ago. DRC President Joe Devin, who is working with IndyCar design expert John Ward on the design, has computer simulations of the car on different degrees of banking and several different drawings of what the car could look like when it is finished. Devin said he has constructed the sides for the car, and anticipates a complete roller near the end of August when supplies arrive at his shop.

"All of the stuff we need has been ordered and the car's been drawn up; everything just needs to start showing up so we can keep working on it," Devin said.

Riley, who finished the prototype last summer and introduced the car last December at the Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis, finished its second frame early last week. The finished product should be available next week.

Ron McMahon, Vice President and General Manager of Riley Technologies, said minor adjustments have been made to Riley's second car. The most noticeable was a change in engine placement. The engine is now 62 inches from the rear wheelbase instead of the original 64 inches. The wheelbase has also been standardized at 102 inches.

McMahon expects to have the new car on display next week during Kroger's Speedfest at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He said interest has been up among current owners as well as possible new entities over the last month.

"Over the last three weeks, guys have started to gain interest, and they're asking about prices and delivery, which they hadn't until now," said McMahon on Saturday at The Milwaukee Mile. "Earlier in the year, there wasn't a lot of interest in getting prices. I think now that the season is winding down, it's hitting home that this is really going to happen."

Kunz has completed the table for the car to be built on, but has not begun construction as its race teams have competed during multiple National Sprint and Midget Car Series events over the last month. However, Kunz has completed several drawings and plans to change the roll cage area slightly, with other modifications. The Keith Kunz Motorsports team will begin construction next week, following the "Belleville Midget Nationals"

Stealth, Kunz, DRC and Riley have all said they've talked to a more than a dozen interested buyers between them. Kunz, Riley and DRC expect purchases to be made once their chassis are completed.

The new generation Silver Crown car will compete on pavement tracks during the 2006 season. Utilizing a nose, sidepods and a rear attenuator, the car is scheduled to run at the series' current tracks as well as tracks in excess of 1.5 miles in length.

- USAC -