By Lance Jennings
VENTURA, CA – MAY 5, 2010… Ventura’s Bruce Douglass will try to protect his point lead with the VRA Senior Sprint Cars as the series returns to Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway on Saturday. The event could spotlight the fourth different winner in as many races at “The Best Little Dirt Track In America.”
Douglass, the defending series champion of the forty five years young and older division, wheeled the #31 Fast Undercar / Lucas Oil entry to victory on April 17th. With three top-5 finishes and one heat race win, Bruce currently has a twenty five point advantage over Yorba Linda’s Wiley Miller. The point leader will be one of the favorites to watch on Saturday night.
Miller, the 4-time (2007, 2005, 2004, 2002) champion, piloted the #75 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Carson Valley Incorporated car to a ninth place finish on April 17th. Wiley scored the main event triumph at the March 13th season opener and has two top-5 finishes on the season. Miller is looking for another title and can cut into Douglass’ point lead with a feature win.
Sitting third in the point standings is Rob Kershaw of Oak Park. The 2008 champion finished second to Douglass at the April 17th shootout and claimed the win on March 27th. Kershaw is forty points behind the leader and has taken the #26 Roll Control / Interprize Capital sprinter to two top-5 finishes. Rob is working for another championship bid and the main event victory on Saturday night.
Russell DeBlauw is fourth in the championship point chase. The Ventura driver took his #55 Russell’s Smoke Opacity Testing entry to a sixth place finish on April 17th. With one top-5 finish and a heat race triumph in the 2010 campaign, the hard charging DeBlauw will be looking to add his name to the winner’s list.
Camarillo’s Cliff Warren is tied with DeBlauw in the point standings. The driver of the #25 CW Framing Incorporated / Hagle Lumber machine had a fourth place finish on April 17th. Warren has two top-5 finishes and two heat race victories to his credit. Can this be the night where Warren breaks through with a win?
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Yorba Linda’s Danny Miller, Bob Alderman of Calabasas, Simi Valley’s Victor Davis, Ventura’s Mark Chuhaloff, 2-time champion Rob Bach of Ventura, and Simi Valley’s Chris Wakim.
Joining the VRA Senior Sprint Cars will be the VRA Sprints, Pro Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds and Go Karts. The Front Gates will open at 3:00pm with Racing to start at 5:30pm. Adult tickets are $14, Senior, Military, Junior, and Student tickets (ID Required) are $11, while Children’s tickets (12 and under) are FREE. For more event information, please visit www.venturaraceway.com.
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VRA SENIOR SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Bruce Douglass, 31- 685
2. Wiley Miller, 75- 660
3. Rob Kershaw, 26- 645
4. Russell DeBlauw, 55- 565
4. Cliff Warren, 25- 565
6. Danny Miller, 10A- 530
7. Bob Alderman, 21- 475
8. Victor Davis, 31V- 455
9. Mark Chuhaloff, 10C- 420
10. Ron Bach, 49- 415
11. Mike Collins, 04- 400
12. Bill Badger, 75X- 395
13. Chris Wakim, 9W- 380
14. Chris Meredith, 66- 345
15. Ed Schwarz, 5K- 310
16. Gil Mahoney, 3K- 280
17. John Richards, 52X- 185
18. Mark Weitzman, 5- 175
18. Kevin Alverson, 5X- 175
20. Wally Pankratz, 33- 160
21. Brett Butler, 8- 125
22. Richard Terry, 30- 30
23. Joey Bishop, 91- 15
23. Mike Neal, 87- 15
25. Jeff Culver, 71C- 10
25. David Marini, 2- 10