Fillip USAC Silver Crown Victor At Richmond

By Joe Jennings
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Updated: June 28, 2008

RICHMOND, June 28 – Veteran driver Chet Fillip shocked the K & N USAC Silver Crown establishment as he handily won the James River Grounds 100 on a very hot day at the Richmond International Raceway late Saturday afternoon.

Starting 10th, Fillip quickly moved forward taking second place on the 33rd lap and four laps later he powered ahead of early leader Tracy Hines to take the lead, which he held until the checkered flag.

When the final curtain dropped, Fillip had a substantial lead over runner-up Cameron Dodson and A. J. Fike.

Hines dropped to fourth at the end after being the class of the field in the early going.

Fillip, 51, is one of the oldest drivers to win a USAC Silver Crown race. And today’s Silver Crown victory marked his first win. He also has eight USAC sprint car victories to his credit.

Fillip and his brother, Corey Fillip, own and maintain the Advanced Racing Tex-Mex Chevy-powered car.

“Winning this race ranks right up there with qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500,” Fillip said. “This car is eight years old and there’s not a straight thing on the frame. I have built and rebuilt the car several times and I know every part in the car.

“A year ago we had a miserable year but we kept on trying things. I enjoy building cars and doing things. We tried a few suspension changes for this race.”

Regarding the 90-plus degree temperature, Fillip said he didn’t let the excessive heat bother him. “My crew told me if I got out in front, I wouldn’t mind it. And it didn’t.”

Dodson came from 16th to second in the Carl Edwards Ford-powered Beast. “We had an excellent run,” he said. “The car felt like it was on a rail. I had thought Tracy (Hines) was holding back and by the time I got by him, it was too late.”

Fike came from sixth to third in the Hemelgarn-RFMS Racing Foxco. “We had a good run,” he stated. “The car was loose at the beginning and we cranked weight into it, which made it too tight. I didn’t have anything for Chet (Fillip).”

Hines took fourth and Wayne Reutimann Jr. ended up fifth, the last car on the lead lap.

One lap behind came front-row starter Ryan Smith, Levi Jones, Eric Gordon and Shane Hollingsworth.

Mike Murgoitio finished 10th in the Toyota-powered Team Six-R entry, two laps behind the winner.

Eleven of the 18 starters were running at the end.

Brian Tyler, who drove another Toyota entry, exited via the accident route on the seventh lap.

For Toyota, the race marked the manufacturer’s Silver Crown debut.

One yellow flag slowed the race for 10 laps.

The Silver Crown turns to the dirt for its next race at Terre Haute’s Action Track on July 23.