It has become nearly axiomatic that the USAC Silver Crown championship (formerly the Championship Dirt Car series) will come down to the final race.
That’s been the case for five years running with Kody Swanson, Justin Grant and Logan Seavey serving as the key protagonists.
In 2020, Grant did enough on a frigid October afternoon in Springfield, Ill., to grab the brass ring, while Seavey fell short of the mark in two showdowns with Kody Swanson at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway. Last year, Seavey had enough of a cushion to hold off Swanson at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. But this year he needs considerable help to repeat as champion. Entering Saturday’s finale at IRP, six separate fast friends Swanson and Grant at the top of the standings.
While familiarity can often breed contempt that is far from the case here. Swanson officiated Justin Grant’s wedding, and both families are close. Yet, this is business. Grant once remarked, “I can talk to Kody Swanson about anything in the world except Silver Crown racing.”
Most can recognize Grant’s fiery nature with little effort, but the affable Swanson is no shrinking violet when he pulls his helmet on.
This impending moment of high theater brings to mind a similar showdown 44 years ago. The two combatants were racing bluebloods and no one accused Gary Bettenhausen or Pancho Carter of being mellow.
As the oldest sons of racing legends both had spent their life around the sport. Tony Bettenhausen was as popular as any driver during the 1950s and was a master of the one-mile dirt tracks.
During that same timeframe no one was better on the fearsome high banks in a sprint car than Duane Carter. In this case the torch was passed without anyone missing a beat.
At this point in history both men had earned USAC championships, and both had raced at Indianapolis Motors Speedway. Nonetheless, the competitive fires still burned red hot.
By now both Carter and Bettenhausen understood innately just how fickle the sport could be. By the dawn of the 1980 season both had fought back from career-threatening injuries. Bettenhausen crashed at the New York State Fairgrounds in 1974, rendering his left arm virtually useless. It cost him an Indy car ride with Roger Penske.
For Carter an accident during Indy car tire testing at Phoenix Raceway in December 1977 left some wondering if he could ever get back to form. Defying the odds, he won immediately in sprint cars and took the 1978 Championship Dirt Car (Silver Crown) title.
The season began with an unusual May date at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds. Bettenhausen looked in complete control in the beautiful Tim Delrose/Dale Holt 1st National Bank of Terre Haute car when his mount began to fail him during the closing laps.
Carter, in a car owned and wrenched by Johnny Capels, was breathing down his neck. Bettenhausen won by a car length. To cool off more than to celebrate Bettenhausen plunged into the famed infield lake. It had been a big month for Bettenhausen who had climbed from 32nd starting spot to finish third in the Indianapolis 500.
Bettenhausen did not answer the bell when the series headed to Williams Grove Speedway in early July, but Carter’s performance was lackluster. Carter rebounded in a big way at the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial at Springfield in August.
Putting his car on the rail in the final circuit he powered around 1979 champion Bobby Olivero to take the win, while a faulty fuel pump thwarted Bettenhausen’s day.
Bettenhausen responded to win the Ted Horn 100 at Du Quoin and the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Carter landed on the podium in both races and maintained the point lead.
In September, twin 75-lap features at the Tulsa (Okla.) State Fairgrounds fell to Rich Vogler and Billy Engelhart. Bettenhausen finished second in both events. Bettenhausen held a 15-point advantage heading into the Oct. 12 finale at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Days of rain leading up to the event left legendary promoter Don Smith no choice but to pull the plug. The next logical date was the following weekend. There was just one snag. Carter was slated to compete at the CART sanctioned race at Mexico City. In a magnanimous gesture, Bettenhausen proclaimed he had no desire to win a championship by default. If Carter could not race, he wouldn’t either. Taking a huge gamble on the weather, Smith pushed the finale to Nov. 2.
Smith didn’t need good luck to build his Hall of Fame résumé but on this occasion Mother Nature looked kindly upon him. Fans were greeted with a classic Indian Summer afternoon and afforded a chance to see two friends and rivals duke it out for all the marbles.
At the Hoosier Hundred fans were delighted when the Delrose/Holt team fielded an additional car for A.J. Foyt. While Foyt qualified well his day proved to be short.
At Terre Haute, Ken Schrader wheeled the No. 14. Schrader had scored his first USAC midget win on July 4 at Iliana Speedway, and on this November afternoon he made the best of his opportunity by earning the pole. Bettenhausen shared the front row.
Soon after the green flag, Bettenhausen moved to the front, while Carter progressed from sixth-starting spot to third in quick order. However, just 18 laps into the race Carter lost a right-rear tire and was three laps in arrears by the time he rejoined the field.
Amazingly he made one lap up and climbed all the way to fifth place when the curtain dropped on the 1980 season. Bettenhausen took the win and the championship. Given his pedigree, it was a title that he particularly cherished and he would add one more to his résumé in 1983.
In a final act of sportsmanship, the two rivals tried to shake hands on the back straightaway of the big half-mile oval and nearly flipped in the process. It was a memorable day marked by the appearance of many that would later be considered among the giants of the sport.
How deep was the field? Fifteen of the 22 starters are inducted in a significant open-wheel racing Hall of Fame.
It is an important reminder that history is what is happening right in front of you.