MOUNT MERIDIAN, Ind. — The United States Auto Club Gold Crown Division Owner’s Exploratory Group completed a significant step in its further development of the division with a road course test Oct. 1 at Putnam Park.
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.”
Pierce explained how the car drove.
“It was definitely different than the typical road-race car because of the straight axle, but that is a good thing,” Pierce explained. “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 race car.”
USAC Vice President of Racing Operations Jason Smith, USAC Series Coordinator Jason McCord and Vice President of Western Operations for USAC Tommy Hunt attended 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.”
While Pierce tested the current version of the car, which raced as the USAC Silver Crown pavement car for two seasons, the next version of the car is in the developmental stages.