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For Immediate Release

USAC Gold Crown Division Owner’s Exploratory Group Completes Successful Test at Putnam Park

- OEG Continues to move forward with USAC Gold Crown Division Development -

Indianapolis, Indiana (October 2, 2008) – The United States Auto Club Gold Crown Division Owner’s Exploratory Group completed a significant step in its further development of the division this past Wednesday with a road course test at Putnam Park in Meridian, Indiana. The test was to evaluate the potential of the Gold Crown division racing on road courses.

“It was an incredibly successful day,” stated Aaron Pierce, who drove the Ron Hemelgarn prepared machine, with power coming from an engine supplied by current Silver Crown car owner Darryl Guiducci. “The car definitely performed to expectations and beyond. It was great to have the support that was there as well. I need to thank Ron Hemelgarn, Roger Johnson, Darryl Guiducci, Bruce Ashmore, Dennis LaCava, Lee Kunzman and everyone involved with this. This was a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to the next step.”

Pierce also explained how the car drove. “It was definitely different then the typical road race car because of the straight axle, but that is a good thing. The car made me patient with the throttle, but in the end that will help develop drivers and teach them an important aspect of driving a racecar.”

The test was witnessed by several industry observers including Don Kay from Autosport Radio and Rollie Helmling, from the Motorsports Division of the Indiana Economic Development Committee.

“This is a step in the right direction for this division and USAC,” stated Kay, who has over 30-years of motorsports experience from the media and team side. “The car seemed to be very good and there were many experienced people working with Aaron to make it a success and it was.”

USAC’s Jason Smith, Jason McCord and vice president of Western Operations for USAC, Tommy Hunt were in attendance at the test.

“The test certainly proved the viability of racing these cars on a road course,” stated OEG Member and chassis manufacturer, Bruce Ashmore. “Today was another step in the development of a program that involves many passionate people. Aaron did an incredible job providing us with outstanding feedback and leading us to a point where we are all very comfortable with how the car performed. We look forward to taking our next step, but we can look forward based on the success of today to knowing we are headed in the right direction.”

In conclusion the USAC Owner’s Exploratory Group is still seeking input from competitors, media and fans alike regarding the design and appearance of the Gold Crown Division racecar which is scheduled to compete as soon as 2010 and become USAC’s destination series, while providing a training ground for North American racing talent. Please e-mail thoughts and input to [email protected].

Wow...no repsonses to this post? I'm shocked! Did anyone read this? USAC thinks the next direction for the Gold Crown series (formerly known as the Silver Crown series) car is road course racing.

I'm not so sure I see how that benefits the series...

I kinda understood putting fenders (okay, they called 'em pods) on the open wheel cars and trying them on the superspeedways. The theory made sense, try to appeal to larger (Nascar) audiences and wider exposure. That didn't work so well.

But road courses? What is the intent? Crossover to IRL? We all know Tony George's attempt to put open wheel, short-track drivers into the Indy 500 didn't work so well.

Lets see...a series that runs traditional, open wheel dirt-track cars as well as completely different, purpose-built "roadsters" on pavement. Who will be the drivers? Who will fork out the dough and be the owners? Who will be the sponsors? What will each get out of their respective efforts, time and money?

I don't get it.

It seems like USAC is taking two steps backward to make one step forward. Champ cars from the glory days split into entirely separate beasts...the (front-engine) Silver Crown dirt car and the (rear-engine) Indy Car (or whatever it's called today). Silver Crown has launched several drivers into Nascar and elsewhere. Indy Cars have vaulted some to Nascar, Formula One, etc. Both already have development series, quarter midgets through midget and spint for dirt, and Formula Atlantic or Indy Lights, etc. for pavement.

This article is the first I've heard of this new direction. I hope someone can point me in the right direction or shed some light on the subject for me.

Doug Bushey

Passionate Fan / Announcer / Media & Public Relations 
Agent 

I'm not convinced that this is the direction that USAC is trying to head into as much as it is an ongoing process where they try to figure out what to do with these cars. They guys who own these cars basically own $150k mistakes. USAC can either try to figure out a way to keep racing them or give up and tell the owners to go ahead and melt them down. This test appears to be a product of USAC trying anything they can to keep these cars on the road. Heck for all we know it might be entertaining to watch one of these things smoke the rear tires through the Corkscrew like John Force on a burnout.

Here's a thread on another board where USAC is floating ways to put lipstick on that pig and pretty it up some.

http://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=9599&page=7