From Lance Jennings
VENTURA, CA – MAY 9, 2010… With 32 Sprint cars signed into the pits racing was outstanding! Once again we had a different winner in the VRA360 Sprint Cars at Ventura Raceway. With seven races completed in 2010 we have had seven different winners. This week it was point leader Troy Rutherford taking the win in the 30-lap feature. Rutherford’s win keeps him out front in the 2010 point race over 2009 champ Kevin Kierce who now trails by 115 points. For the first time in VRA history a father and son, Kevin Kierce and son Justin started on the front row of a main event. They raced hard for several laps as Brent Camarillo, Josh Ford, Cory Kruseman, Rutherford, Steve Conrad and others moved toward the front. After Justin left the race it was Brent Camarillo and Kierce battling for several laps with Camarillo taking the lead for a few laps, all the while Rutherford was coming forward from his 9th place starting position. Also on the move was Kenny Perkins. When the yellow flew on lap 27 for Ronnie Cases slowing on the track, the field was bunched up for a three-lap shoot out. Camarillo was out front at the green but Kierce passed him coming out of turn two for the lead. Rutherford whom restarted third then made a bold move to take the lead to take the win at the checkered flag. Camarillo spun in turn four coming to the finish and collected Cory Kruseman and the both finished the race in the infield in 13th and 14th place. Following Rutherford and Kierce to the line were Ford and Perkins. There is a scoring review underway to see if it was Rick Hendrix or Brody Roa in fifth and sixth. The race was one of the best we have seen all year as these drivers battled for all 30 laps. There were four heat races run on Saturday night. The LRB Manufacturing Heat Race #1 went to Brent Camarillo, The Steve Watt Enterprises Heat # 2 went to Cory Kruseman, the Racing Optics Heat #3 went to Steve Conrad and the Fast Undercar Heat #4 went to Brian Camarillo. Ventura Raceway and all our drivers want to thank our new contingency sponsors that have come on board to help out our fine drivers. There was one semi main run with the win going to Greg Alexander with Tom Hendrix, Ronnie Case and Greg Taylor joining him as transfer drivers to the main.
It was a good night for the VRA Seniors as well with 19 cars taking the green for their 20 lap main event. The race began with Russell DeBleau and Victor Davis on the front row. Davis jumped out front and led for a few laps as Jesse Denome and Rob Kershaw began their move to the front. As the race progressed, Kershaw got to the lead with Denome on his tail. Denome driving the Steve Watt number 69 was able to get by Kershaw with a couple of laps to go to take his first VRA Senior win. Kershaw, Davis, Danny Miller and Mark Weitzman followed him across the line. There were three heat races run with wins going to Mark Weitzman taking the LRB Manufacturing Heat #1, Bruce Douglass taking the Maxwell Industries Heat #2 and Rob Kershaw taking the Fast Undercar Heat #3. Kershaw’s second place finish puts him 25 points out front in the season point race over Bruce Douglass after four races.
VRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California
May 8, 2010
ENTRIES: ( Car / Driver Name / Points)
2 Kevin Kierce 235; 3 Marcus Niemela 10; 5K Kenny Perkins 210; 7 Greg Taylor 100; 7G Don Gansen 10; 8 Ronnie Case 120; 09 Luis Espinoza 0; 11 Troy Rutherford 250; 14 Tom Hendricks 150; 15 Rick Hendrix 195; 19 Brandon Thomson 10; 20K Dakota Kershaw 20; 21K Cory Kruseman 150; 22A Greg Alexander 110; 22C Brian Camarillo 135; 24 Guy Woodward 110; 27K Cody Kershaw 15; 29K Hobie Conway 150; 33 Scott Hansen 170; 43 Justin Kierce 135; 47K Mike Evans 5; 49X Jeff Fillingame 10; 51 Brent Camarillo 155; 55S Kyle Smith 15; 56 Steve Conrad 185; 65 Austin DeBlauw 15; 73 Josh Ford 220; 83 John Nock 160; 91R Brody Roa 180; 92 Dwayne Marcum 150; 96K Charlie Butcher 5.
HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Brian Camarillo, 2. Kevin Kierce, 3. Hobie Conway, 4. Dwayne Marcum, 5. Tom Hendricks, 6. Kyle Smith, 7. Jeff Fillingame, 8. Luis Espinoza.
HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Josh Ford, 3. Troy Rutherford, 4. John Nock, 5. Dakota Kershaw, 6. Austin DeBlauw, 7. Brandon Thomson, 8. Charlie Butcher.
HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. Steve Conrad, 2. Justin Kierce, 3. Scott Hansen, 4. Brody Roa, 5. Greg Alexander, 6. Ronnie Case, 7. Marcus Niemela, 8. Mike Evans.
HEAT RACE 4: (10 laps)
1. Brian Camarillo, 2. Kenny Perkins, 3. Rick Hendrix, 4. Guy Woodward, 5. Greg Taylor, 6. Cody Kershaw, 7. Don Gansen.
SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Greg Alexander, 2. Tom Hendricks, 3. Ronnie Case, 4. Greg Taylor, 5. Kyle Smith, 6. Marcus Niemela, 7. Dakota Kershaw, 8. Brandon Thomson, 9. Charlie Butcher, 10. Don Gansen, 11. Cody Kershaw, 12. Austin DeBlauw, 13. Jeff Fillingame, 14. Mike Evans, 15. Luis Espinoza.
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Troy Rutherford (9th), 2. Kevin Kierce (2nd), 3. Josh Ford (7th), 4. Kenny Perkins (8th), 5. Rick Hendrix (10th), 6. Brody Roa (15th), 7. Steve Conrad (3rd), 8. Scott Hansen (11th), 9. John Nock (14th), 10. Tom Hendricks (18th), 11. Dwayne Marcum (13th), 12. Hobie Conway (12th), 13. Brent Camarillo (6th), 14. Cory Kruseman (4th), 15. Ronnie Case (19th) 16. Justin Kierce (1st), 17. Brian Camarillo (5th), 18. Greg Alexander (17th), 19. Guy Woodward (16th), 20. Greg Taylor (20th).
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VRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: (5/8)
1. Troy Rutherford 1610
2. Kevin Kierce 1495
3. Josh Ford 1340
4. Greg Taylor 1295
5. Rick Hendrix 1275
6. Steve Conrad 1180
7. Brent Camarillo 995
8. Guy Woodward 985
9. Brian Camarillo 965
10. Don Gansen 940
11. John Nock 935
12. Justin Kierce 880
13. Ronnie Case 720
14. Dakota Kershaw 715
15. Luis Espinoza 675
16. Cody Kershaw 670
17. Brody Roa 590
18. Scott Hansen 455
19. Clark Templeman III 435
20. Nic Faas 405
NEXT VRA SPRINT CAR RACE:
May 15 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California