Phoenix, Ariz – Cole Whitt of Alpine, Calif. led the final 83 laps to win Thursday’s 100-mile USAC K & N Silver Crown Championship race at the 34th “Copper World Classic” at Phoenix International Raceway.
Whitt piloted the Aristocrat Products Beast/Gaerte to the win over Kody Swanson, who made a determined late-race bid for victory. Tracy Hines took third ahead of A.J. Fike and Levi Jones.
Pole starter Jason Leffler was ninth and Bud Kaeding, who had already clinched the series title entering the race, was eighth. Jones led the opening lap and Leffler led the next 16 before yielding to Whitt. The win was Whitt’s first under the USAC sanction on pavement.
FEATURE: (100 Laps) 1. Cole Whitt, 2. Kody Swanson, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. A.J. Fike, 5. Levi Jones, 6. Tyler Walker, 7. Bobby Santos III, 8. Bud Kaeding, 9. Jason Leffler, 10. Coleman Gullick, 11. Jerry Coons Jr., 12. Shane Hmiel, 13. Todd Wanless, 14. Jacob Wilson, 15. Ryan Smith, 16. Bryan Clauson (#8), 17. Josh Wise, 18. Bobby East, 19. Cameron Dodson, 20. Brian Tyler, 21. Scott Pierovich. 59:33.234
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Jones, Laps 2-17 Leffler, Laps 18-100 Whitt.
FINAL K & N SILVER CROWN SERIES STANDINGS: 1-Kaeding-402; 2-Fike-343; 3-Hines-338;4-Jones-331; 5-K.Swanson-307; 6-Wise-297; 7-Tyler-279; 8-Hmiel-273; 9-Coons-256; 10-Zach Daum-221.