By Dick Jordan
Bryan Clauson and Damion Gardner locked up 2013 USAC championships Saturday night as the 18th “Budweiser Oval Nationals” concluded at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway with Dave Darland in victory lane!
Darland, of Lincoln, Ind., grabbed the $15,000 winner’s share after taking the 40-lap AMSOIL USAC National and CRA Sprint car finale but Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., and Gardner, of Concord, Calif., shared the spotlight after earning their respective second series championships. Clauson’s National title was his second in a row and Gardner had previously won the 2005 CRA crown.
Darland led all 40 laps of Saturday’s race, presented by All Coast Construction. His Racers Advantage/Jockish Flowers DRC/Foxco was trailed by Clauson, Spencer, Chase Stockon and Brady Bacon. The win solidified Darland’s runner-up National point standing and Spencer’s finish vaulted him to second in the final CRA points, ending his five-year series reign.
The National car owner’s championship was Stewart’s 18th USAC title (including seven Sprint and seven Silver Crown owner and four driver titles), while it extended the Curb-Agajanian excellence as USAC series champions.
Following Spencer’s 30-lap victory in Thursday’s West Coast/Southwest “special event” at Perris, the National/CRA Sprint cars completed the “Budweiser Oval Nationals” with Friday’s 30-lap race, won by Nic Faas, and Saturday’s Darland victory.
Faas, of Huntington Beach, Calif., paced all 30 laps in his Scott Sales Company/Competition Suspension Spike/J & D to beat Stockon, Bacon, Clauson and Spencer.
FINAL AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Bryan Clauson-1948, 2-Dave Darland-1,885, 3-Brady Bacon-1,770, 4-Chase Stockon-1,698, 5-Kevin Thomas Jr.-1,657, 6-Tracy Hines-1,538, 7-Robert Ballou-1,449, 8-Chris Windom-1,217, 9-Tyler Courtney-1,029, 10-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,000.
FINAL AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Damion Gardner-1,300, 2-Mike Spencer-1,167, 3-Nic Faas-1,157, 4-Matt Mitchell-866, 5-Bud Kaeding-809, 6-Austin Williams-796, 7-Cody Williams-770, 8-Brody Roa-701, 9-Ryan Bernal-557, 10-R.J. Johnson-501.