From Scott Daloisio, photo courtesy of John’s Racing Photos
(OCTOBER 29, 2009, RIVERSIDE, CA) Riverside, California’s David Cardey has waited one year to get another shot at one of the crown jewels of traditional Sprint Car racing – the Budweiser Oval Nationals. When the 14th annual version of the race pushes off a week from today (Thursday, November 5th) at Perris Auto Speedway, Cardey will be on of the favorites in the star-studded field featuring the USAC/CRA and USAC National Sprint Cars.
To say the race owes one to Cardey may be a bit of a stretch, but then again, it would not be that far off. At the 2008 Oval Nationals, Cardey won what was arguably the best main event ever staged at the Riverside County clay oval. Swapping the lead back and forth several times over the closing laps, Cardey celebrated his birthday with a victory in the 25-lap preliminary main on October 31st. One night later, Cardey, who will turn 34 this Saturday, was one of the favorites to take home the winner’s share of the purse and the main event trophy in the 40-lap final. However, a not so funny thing happened on his march to the victory podium. While running in fourth on a lap 21 restart, a very controversial slide job by the eventual winner stuck Cardey into the turn two fence and out of the race.
“I don’t know if the race owes me anything, but it definitely taught me something,” Cardey said. “You kind of have to know what is coming. I don’t want to give everything out, but I will be better prepared, especially on restarts. We have the same car, same equipment and more experience. I think we will have a better shot this year.”
One week after the Oval Nationals, Cardey and the ITI Motorsports team will head to the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare for the Pacific Coast Nationals. That will have them racing five times in a little more than a week. With this year’s slimmer USAC/CRA schedule, that is as many time as they raced in the last three months and it requires some extra preparation. “There has been quite a bit of preparation going into these events,” Cardey noted. “Obviously three nights in a row is a lot for us, but then comes the next week and we have two more nights in a row. We have worked hard to get two cars completely ready with a bunch of back ups. The equipment is ready and so is the entire crew.”
Cardey’s last race on October 10th was another thriller. Before a massive crowd at the Southern California Fair, he started deep in the field (15th) and drove his ITI Viper 5 Bar Chassis/ITI Motorsports powered #38 to third in the main event. That keeps him second in the championship point standings a mere 8 points out of the lead. “Obviously it is the goal (the championship). It is right there and we have been running good, but I try not to think about it. Our team’s attitude is to just go out and keep doing what we have been doing. Be prepared as we can, run as good as we can, try to run up front and stay out of trouble. That is what we have always tried to do.”
Cardey is pleased to announce that Amsoil has signed on as a new sponsor for the championship drove. They join ITI Performance Motorsports, Franklin Rear Ends, Empire Plumbing, Racer’s Pub, DWT Wheels, Circle Track Racing, Defender Products, Powell Pipe & Supply, Hoosier Tires, K&N Filters, 5-Star Gas & Gear and Scott Daloisio Sports.