Kaeding Wins Championship in Dramatic Fashion/ Pierce Wins the Race – Final
Kaeding Wins Championship in Dramatic Fashion/ Pierce Wins the Race – Final
KANSAS CITY, Kansas – The 2006 USAC Silver Crown Series presented by K&N season did not end with Brian Tyler and Bud Kaeding tied for the points lead but just like the previous months, just when you thought one team had the upper hand, the tables would turn.
Coming into the weekend, Bud Kaeding was in the catbird seat. He only needed to 7th or better to win the championship. During practice Kaeding’s car was fast and Brian Tyler struggled with his car. Kaeding had qualified 3rd while Tyler had timed in 11th. That all changed in the final practice session Friday.
When Tyler pulled the No. 21 back into the pits at the conclusion of the session, he felt the car was near perfect and ready to make a run to the front.
Bud Kaeding had a bad feeling. His crew immeditially went to work on his car at the end of the session. On Saturday, they were still working on the problem. The team enlisted the help of a Richard Childress Racing crewmember to remedy the problem. The deamon was exercized and the No. 29 was ready to race.
Third in the points Aaron Pierce was on the pole for the race. Pierce was looking for his second Silver Crown win of the season.
When the green flag dropped, Wayne Reutiman Jr. who started 8th dashed to the front to lead the first lap. Aaron Pierce took the lead away from Reutiman on the second lap.
The stress level went up for Brian Tyler’s team when his teammate and reigning Silver Crown champion Dave Steele was forced to retire 12 laps into the race with engine problems. He would finish the race 12th and 5th in the drivers points. Only 18 laps later, Brian Tyler’s charge for the championship would come to an end when his No. 21 overheated and he was forced to the pits.
A dissapointed Tyler would finish 11th. Bud Kaeding continued to cruise around taking it easy. Up front, Pablo Donoso diced with Pierce for the lead. Donoso led his first career Silver Crown lap on lap 54 but Aaron Pierce retook the lead and never looked back scoring his second win on a 1.5 mile oval this season.
“The car was good all weekend,” said Pierce after performing doughnuts before the Kansas crowd. “I was just trying to ride and save my tires. I saw Pablo’s nose a couple of times. I had to pick it up and we came out on top. Hopefully I can open it up again like this next year.”
Jay Drake came from the back to finish second. Drake might have had a chance to win the race but got loose in another car’s oil and slid back. The veteran USAC driver kept his cool and made his way back to the front to record his second podium finish of the season. Drake finished 7th in the points.
Wayne Reutiman Jr. battled a car that was not perfect but the Florida native was able to finesse the No. 00 around the track to finish third. Reutiman finished 4th in the points.
Bud Kaeding finished 4th, chinching his first USAC Silver Crown championship.
“I still don’t know how it feels to be a USAC Silver Crown champion,” said Kaeding. “My dad has won a lot of championships out in California, and I’ve learned a lot from him, chasing points and not letting that get to you. Today, before the race, I was as nervous as heck, just because we’ve had problems all weekend. I tried to stay near Brian when he passed me, but when he fell out, I just laid back.”
No doubt that the hard work of Bud Kaeding’s crew and the assistance from the RCR crewmember helped the California native finish all 67 laps Saturday. Kaeding visited victory lane to be crowned champion just minutes after Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick won the Busch race Saturday.
Josh Wise did not start the race after his car suffered motor problems Friday. He finished 6th in the final points standings.
Tim Barber finished 6th Saturday, placing him 8th in the points. Bryn Gohn came in 10th placing him 9th in the drivers points. Canadian Peter Shepherd finished 7th Saturday placing him 10th in the driver’s points and his team, Carl Edwards/ R.E. Technologies Racing 3rd in the owner’s points. For the first time this season, there were no yellow flags during the race.
All images courtesy of RE Technologies.
KANSAS CITY, Kansas – The 2006 USAC Silver Crown Series presented by K&N season did not end with Brian Tyler and Bud Kaeding tied for the points lead but just like the previous months, just when you thought one team had the upper hand, the tables would turn.
Coming into the weekend, Bud Kaeding was in the catbird seat. He only needed to 7th or better to win the championship. During practice Kaeding’s car was fast and Brian Tyler struggled with his car. Kaeding had qualified 3rd while Tyler had timed in 11th. That all changed in the final practice session Friday.
When Tyler pulled the No. 21 back into the pits at the conclusion of the session, he felt the car was near perfect and ready to make a run to the front.
Bud Kaeding had a bad feeling. His crew immeditially went to work on his car at the end of the session. On Saturday, they were still working on the problem. The team enlisted the help of a Richard Childress Racing crewmember to remedy the problem. The deamon was exercized and the No. 29 was ready to race.
Third in the points Aaron Pierce was on the pole for the race. Pierce was looking for his second Silver Crown win of the season.
When the green flag dropped, Wayne Reutiman Jr. who started 8th dashed to the front to lead the first lap. Aaron Pierce took the lead away from Reutiman on the second lap.
The stress level went up for Brian Tyler’s team when his teammate and reigning Silver Crown champion Dave Steele was forced to retire 12 laps into the race with engine problems. He would finish the race 12th and 5th in the drivers points. Only 18 laps later, Brian Tyler’s charge for the championship would come to an end when his No. 21 overheated and he was forced to the pits.
A dissapointed Tyler would finish 11th. Bud Kaeding continued to cruise around taking it easy. Up front, Pablo Donoso diced with Pierce for the lead. Donoso led his first career Silver Crown lap on lap 54 but Aaron Pierce retook the lead and never looked back scoring his second win on a 1.5 mile oval this season.
“The car was good all weekend,” said Pierce after performing doughnuts before the Kansas crowd. “I was just trying to ride and save my tires. I saw Pablo’s nose a couple of times. I had to pick it up and we came out on top. Hopefully I can open it up again like this next year.”
Jay Drake came from the back to finish second. Drake might have had a chance to win the race but got loose in another car’s oil and slid back. The veteran USAC driver kept his cool and made his way back to the front to record his second podium finish of the season. Drake finished 7th in the points.
Wayne Reutiman Jr. battled a car that was not perfect but the Florida native was able to finesse the No. 00 around the track to finish third. Reutiman finished 4th in the points.
Bud Kaeding finished 4th, chinching his first USAC Silver Crown championship.
“I still don’t know how it feels to be a USAC Silver Crown champion,” said Kaeding. “My dad has won a lot of championships out in California, and I’ve learned a lot from him, chasing points and not letting that get to you. Today, before the race, I was as nervous as heck, just because we’ve had problems all weekend. I tried to stay near Brian when he passed me, but when he fell out, I just laid back.”
No doubt that the hard work of Bud Kaeding’s crew and the assistance from the RCR crewmember helped the California native finish all 67 laps Saturday. Kaeding visited victory lane to be crowned champion just minutes after Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick won the Busch race Saturday.
Josh Wise did not start the race after his car suffered motor problems Friday. He finished 6th in the final points standings.
Tim Barber finished 6th Saturday, placing him 8th in the points. Bryn Gohn came in 10th placing him 9th in the drivers points. Canadian Peter Shepherd finished 7th Saturday placing him 10th in the driver’s points and his team, Carl Edwards/ R.E. Technologies Racing 3rd in the owner’s points. For the first time this season, there were no yellow flags during the race.
All images courtesy of RE Technologies.
posted by Blake Johnson at 11:13 AM
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