Silver Crown by the Numbers

Silver Crown by the Numbers
The following information was taken from results that I have archived from the 2005 and 2006 USAC Silver Crown seasons to date. Other information was pulled from USAC media guides from 2001 – 2006. The results of this study are property of Open Wheeler. Please contact the web master (see right side of the page) for permission if you would like to use the results in any form.

The USAC Silver Crown Series has taken a lot of heat this season. Some deserved and some that is unfair. I thought I would crunch some numbers for you to give you a big picture.

The 2006 season features 14 events up from the 10 of 2005. The last time the series ran 14 events was 2000. Like 2005, this season will see 5 dirt races. With 4 races to go, here is where we stand.

Driver Count
Right now, only 4 drivers have run every race this season. 2003 also saw only 4 drivers run every race. 2002 and 2001 saw 9 drivers run every race. So far, 9 teams have appeared at every event.

Car Count
In 2005 Phoenix and ORP tied for highest car count at 45 while Eldora had the lowest of 24. This season, the low point was in Phoenix with 12 cars but the dirt low was set at Terre Haute at 26, still higher than the 2005 low. USAC is down an average of 8 cars on dirt.

Finishing Races
There has been much talk about cars not finishing races this season. The highest percentage of cars to finish a pavement race in 2005 was 69% at Pikes Peak compared to the 71% at Homestead. The lowest amount to finish in 2005 was 39% at the Hoosier Hundred. This season the lowest average to finish was 36% at Chicago and ORP. The average number of cars to finish a race is down 6% on dirt and 10% on pavement from 2005 to this season.

Cars on the Lead Lap
Phoenix saw the most cars finish (57%) on the lead lap in 2005 while Homestead saw 64% finish on the lead lap in 2006. However the number of cars finishing on the lead lap is down 5% on dirt and 10% on pavement from 2005 to 2006.

There is still 2 dirt and 2 pavement races to go in the season. While we have seen cars not finish races this season, we have seen the same in 2005. The obvious difference from 2005 to this season is the smaller car count on pavement but that is to be expected with a change in the style of car. The key will be getting more car owners for 2006. I don’t have the answer and I just didn’t tell you anything you or USAC doesn’t know. They are working on it and I expect a larger car count in 2007. The results of my research are posted below.

There have been 7 teams/ cars that have run all of the races so far:
1. 21 Team Six-R (Tyler)
2. 29 BK Leffler
3. 199 Carl Edwards/ RE Tech
4. 26 Sam Pierce
5. 00 Reutiman
6. 1 Team Six-R (Steele)
7. 17 RW Motorsports

So far in 2006, 4 drivers have started 10 events.
In 2005, only 7 drivers started all 10 races that season.2004 also saw 7 drivers compete in all 13 events.2003 saw only 4 drivers start all 12 events.2002 saw 9 drivers start all 10 events.2001 had 9 drivers start all 13 events.2000 had 7 drivers start all 14 events.

Car count
2005
Phoenix 45
Hoosier Hundred 43
Terre Haute 32
Richmond 33
Pikes Peak 39
Milwaukee 36
IRP (now ORP) 45
Springfield 39
DuQuoin 33
Eldora 24
Average dirt (excluding DuQuoin and Eldora) 38
Average pavement 40

2006
Phoenix 12
Homestead 14
Hoosier Hundred 34
Kentucky 13
Richmond 14
Chicagoland 14
Milwaukee 13
ORP 14
Terre Haute 26
Springfield 31

Average dirt 30
Average pavement 13

Number of cars to finish the race
2005
Phoenix 24 out of 37 65%
Hoosier Hundred 13 out of 33 39%
Terre Haute 15 out of 27 56%
Richmond 19 out of 33 58%
Pikes Peak 22 out of 32 69%
Milwaukee 19 out of 33 58%
IRP (now ORP) 22 out of 32 69%
Springfield 19 out of 30 63%
DuQuoin 22 out of 33 67%
Eldora 12 out of 24 50%

Average dirt 55%
Average pavement 64%

2006
Phoenix 7 out of 12 58%
Homestead 10 out of 14 71%
Hoosier Hundred 17 out of 34 50%
Kentucky 8 out of 13 62%
Richmond 5 out of 14 36%
Chicagoland 6 out of 14 43%
Milwaukee 8 out of 13 62%
ORP 6 out of 14 43%
Terre Haute 12 out of 26 46%
Springfield 16 out of 31 52%

Average dirt 49%
Average pavement 54%

Number of cars to finish on the lead lap
2005
Phoenix 21 out of 37 57%
Hoosier Hundred 12 out of 33 36%
Terre Haute 13 out of 27 48%
Richmond 13 out of 33 39%
Pikes Peak 13 out of 32 41%
Milwaukee 13 out of 33 39%
IRP (now ORP) 5 out of 32 16%
Springfield 14 out of 30 47%
DuQuoin 10 out of 33 30%
Eldora 7 out of 24 29%

Average dirt 38%
Average pavement 38%

2006
Phoenix 7 out of 12 58%
Homestead 9 out of 14 64%
Hoosier Hundred 13 out of 34 38%
Kentucky 5 out of 13 38%
Richmond 3 out of 14 21%
Chicagoland 2 out of 1414%
Milwaukee 4 out of 13 31%
ORP 4 out of 14 29%
Terre Haute 6 out of 26 23%
Springfield 12 out of 31 39%

Average dirt 33%
Average pavement 28%

Number of cars to drop out of the race
2005
Phoenix 13 out of 37 35%
Hoosier Hundred 20 out of 33 61%
Terre Haute 12 out of 27 44%
Richmond 14 out of 33 42%
Pikes Peak 10 out of 32 31%
Milwaukee 14 out of 33 42%
IRP (now ORP) 10 out of 32 31%
Springfield 11 out of 30 37%
DuQuoin 11 out of 33 33%
Eldora 12 out of 24 50%

Average dirt 45%
Average pavement 36%

2006
Phoenix 5 out of 12 42%
Homestead 4 out of 14 29%
Hoosier Hundred 17 out of 34 50%
Kentucky 5 out of 13 38%
Richmond 9 out of 14 64%
Chicagoland 8 out of 14 57%
Milwaukee 5 out of 13 38%
ORP 8 out of 14 57%
Terre Haute14 out of 26 54%
Springfield 15 out of 31 48%

Average dirt 51%
Average pavement 46%

All statistics were researched by and are the property of the webmaster. To use these stats, please contact the webmaster or do the research yourself. DON’T STEAL.