IRP and USAC leadership knew some traditionalists would howl, but all agreed the time had come to re-establish a marquee event and make a statement. In October, it was announced the Hoosier Hundred would be revived on April 23 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
For some this was sacrilege. To this vocal group the Hoosier Hundred had one home and it could only be contested on dirt. Other classic USAC events such as the Turkey Night Grand Prix and the Hulman Classic had also been presented at different venues and on both dirt and pavement. The precedent was already there. Despite the protests, officials announced a $25,000 winner’s prize.
Coler saw this as a win for all parties.
“If we look at the history of this facility, the Silver Crown series is a big part of it and traditionally we have hosted one or two races a year,” Coler said.
This year, the series is scheduled for three races at the .686-mile oval. Following the Hoosier Hundred, the gang will return for the Carb Day Classic on May 26.
“We are now close to 10 years into the Carb Night Classic and that has grown nearly every year,” Coler noted. “That’s because of the continuity in the date. People know it is going to be here, but that is a busy weekend with the Indy 500 and the Little 500 in Anderson and everything else going on. We are glad that has established itself on the calendar not just for the racers and teams but also for the fans.”
The third event at IRP, slated for Oct. 14, is known as Championship Saturday. This race is held in conjunction with the conclusion of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and the National Pavement Midget series. On this day, the track also honors the A.J. Foyt Champion, a title determined by points earned in all IRP open-wheel events over the course of the year.
Yet, the return of the Hoosier Hundred has generated the most publicity, debate and excitement. High-dollar races tend to do that.
“The Hoosier Hundred piece was a conversation I started two or three years ago when there was talk that potentially the fairgrounds would go away and I wondered if it made sense to bring it here,” Coler noted. “We started to talk and think about having a signature Silver Crown event. One that stands on its own and that teams will put real effort into, whatever that may look and feel like.
“It couldn’t be on a night where we are running midgets and sprints, or in May when everyone is going in a million different directions. That’s what led to the April date. We wanted to be serious about it. That is why we made the financial commitment we did. We wanted a race that rises above the other two we have on the calendar.”
Big events like this are a partnership and the IRP team worked very closely with USAC to make it a reality.
“I give a lot of credit to ‘Spridge’ (Kirk Spridgeon) and Kevin Miller (USAC president and CEO) to be open to this because, I get it, there is a ton of history and tradition as it relates to the Hoosier Hundred,” Coler said. “We aren’t trying to pull a fast one and say you are going to see exactly what you saw at the State Fairgrounds. But to really get a chance to honor the tradition of the Silver Crown Series and the Hoosier Hundred at our facility is pretty special.”
There is clear excitement about this race and there is anticipation the event may draw a 40-car field. It has been a long time since a pavement Silver Crown date has seen those kinds of numbers.
Other changes are afoot. More subtle is the decision of some teams that have focused solely on pavement to add a dirt car to their program.
“The gratifying thing for me and the sport is that there are new teams and drivers coming in,” Coler noted. “There are people making an investment that maybe we wouldn’t have seen five years ago. Now you have a series that is sustaining itself.”
The resurgence is real and to keep the ball rolling USAC has hired former racer and promoter Tommie Estes Jr. as series director. Estes acknowledges the “upward swing,” but believes there is still plenty of work to do.